Welcome to Jim Forte Postal History
Please enjoy browsing or searching through about 120,000 covers for sale.
What is Postal History?There are any number of precise and intimidating definitions of postal history. While these are all technically correct, in many ways they miss the the wider aspects of hobby. In a word, postal history is about mail. All over the world almost everyone receives mail. This mail, where it is from, where it is going, how it is paid, how it got to its destination and tribulations it faced in its journey is postal history. It speaks of the time and place it was mailed, the way it traveled and the scars it picked up along the way. Since mail touches almost every person, postal history touches almost every interest. If your interest is in a place, perhaps your home town, the country of your ancestors or your favorite vacation spot, postal history will enhance that interest. If transportation is a passion, the movement of mail encompassed most modes of transport. Mail was the first mover in the development of some air travel and significant in utilizing rail network. Most every significant event of the last 250 years can be traced in the mail. Since every army provides mail for its soldiers, if the military is important to you, then postal history is intertwined. Mail is a window to the past and a mirror of the present. Postal history opens that window wide and focuses the mirror. It tells us about ourselves, our ancestors, our nation and our world. The simple journey of a letter can be the start of a personal journey to wonders of the world.
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New This Week
There are those that say they buy large lots and those that actually do buy large lots. A large lot of half a million covers has just arrived. These are U.S. and Canada covers addressed to Finland from the mid 1970's to date. This is a treasure trove of modern postal history. Eventually many of these will make it into stock, over the next several years. If you would like to get a head start, please visit Las Vegas and get buried in modern postal history. The next auction will be British Commonwealth postal history. It is in production and will be posted no later than next Monday. Highlights will include Canada, especially Semi Official Airs, British Africa markings, United Arab Emirates and a good range of airmail. There are more than 450 new covers on the site this week. There is large section of Germany with a very wide range issues and usages. The stronger sections are markings from places now in Poland, Printed to Order Postal Cards and Third Reich. There is also a group of U.S. First Flights starting with early government lights, other early CAM's and a range of FAMs to many parts of the world. Please click on the country name or category name to view the new covers. Last week brought nearly 400 new covers to the site. There is group of France with censors, Alsace postal markings and some machines. There is small section of Syria with several nice covers. There is another section of British Commonwealth. Please look over Bahamas, Burma, Cayman Islands, Kenya, Uganda and Tanganyika, New Hebrides and Seychelles. The most interesting is the Kenya, Uganda and Tanganyika military and P.O.W., but there are interesting covers throughout. Please click on the country name or category name to view the new covers. I am slow in getting out new state lists. The next state to be posted will be Tennessee. My best guess for this will be June. Until the U.S. dollar gains strength and curtails my overseas sales, the state list output will be glacial. Sorry.Now Open! A number of the features of this site make it impossible to offer less expensive covers. The scans, descriptions, free shipping and unlimited return privilege mean that most of the covers here are $10 and up. That doesn't mean there aren't lots of interesting covers and postal history that sell for less. I have a new website called Discount Covers. Enjoy browsing though thousands of covers priced at $1.25, $2.50 or $3.75. Over 60,000 covers are available. You'll have a good time. Please visit http://discountcoverstore.com. Just over 3000 covers are new April 23 at about Noon Pacific Time. The biggest sections in world covers this time are Austria, Brazil, Canada, Czechoslovakia, Germany, Israel, Japan, Poland and Spain. In U.S. the biggest sections are First Days and event covers with a smattering of many other issues, areas and subjects. Among all the covers, please note the showing of censored covers. There are enough interesting items that should provide something for almost everyone. The next upload will be on May 14. |
Browse This SiteCover Notification Service - Receive an e-mail notification every time a new cover that fits your interests is added to this site. You can set up the notifications yourself or have me set them up for you. If your interests are fairly general, for example a single country, you can set them yourself. If your interests are more specific, like a particular issue, you might find it easier to ask me to set them up. If you choose to set up your interests yourself, I'll review them to make sure they will work the way you intend. Worldwide Postal History - Browse here for the country of your interest. Covers begin in the 18th Century and continue to the modern era. The emphasis is on 20th century up to about 1950 for larger countries and to about 1960 for smaller countries, You will find International Airmail, Town Cancels, Auxiliary Markings, Stampless, Registered, Advertising, Censors, Special Delivery and just about anything else you can imagine. U.S. Postal History - Explore thousands of U.S. covers arranged to be browsed by issue. The stock is strongest in foreign destinations after 1920, but you'll find a bit of everything including 19th century. U.S. Postal History By State - Use this section to browse for covers based upon the place where they were used. Explore local postal history in hundreds of covers for each state, a bibliography of literature available for each state, and market analysis. United States Post Offices - This is a reference that lists the name and dates of operation of every post office in the U.S. The list is the best reference ever published in one place. A far better representation of both Alabama and Georgia are now online. Despite constant additions and corrections, it is still a work in progress. Military Postal History - Browse here for war covers I have a strong stock of military covers of all types, with an emphasis on U.S. World War II material. Look for U.S. A.P.O. covers, U.S. Ship covers, Worldwide Civil Censors, U.S. Naval Shore Stations, Field Posts from most parts of the world and Prisoner of War and Internee mail. . You're welcome to use on-line copy of my book A Price Guide to U.S. A.P.O. Covers of the Second World War. Airmail Postal History Browse for first flights, catapults, zeppelins, crash covers, trans pacific and all range of international airmail. New! My newest web site is Stamps Plus. The goal is to offer a wide range of material, both basic stamps and specialty items. Expect to see used and unused, sets and singles as well as unused stationery, first days, revenues, and the gamut of philatelic items not listed in the catalog. While there are only about 1100 items to start, expect to see the site grow. Please visit http://www.stamps-plus.com/. Save Your Cart- You may now save your shopping cart for up to 90 days. Simply click on Save Cart on the menu bar at the left or bottom link bar and log into your account. Come back any time within the next three months to review and purchase your selections by clicking Retrieve Cart. to check out the cart. Do please understand that saving items does not remove them from inventory or place them on hold for you.
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Upcoming Additions
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