1 CENT PRINTED MATTER RATE PER 50 GRAM
St.Thomas April 21, 1903 to Denmark. Photo postcard without message. Printed Matter -
overpaid with 1 cent. Arrival postmark Hellerup May 12,
Most DWI postcards mailed in the early 1900´s foreign destinations were from tourists and were mailed to Europa or the USA.
The UPU had 2 cents foreign mail rate for postcards, and most foreign postcards with a bisected stamp had no massage and was philatelic. The printed matter rate was 1 cent for the first 50 gram and 2 cents for 51-100 gram. A postcard with no massage mailed overseas - was overpaid by 1 cent since it qualified as printet matter which only required 1 cent postage.
During the 1 cent stamp depletion period, senders had no choice - but to overpay with a bisected stamp or pay 8 cents first class postage.
St.Thomas February 3, 1903 to Denmark. Photo postcard without message. Printed Matter -
overpaid with 1 cent. Arrival postmark København February 22, 1903.
This envelope to Germany was posted on the mail boat between St.Thomas and Christiansted. At St.Thomas it received a backstamp and a "C" indicating departure from Christiansted.
Arrival backstamped St.Thomas April 21 1903 and "C". The envelope was unsealed and contained “printed matter”. The actual printed matter consisted of a reprint of the newspaper authorization for use of the bisected 4 cents postage. Please refer to the page "BISECT USAGE IN 1903".
Please also see the page 4 RINGS/LETTER BOX
PRINTED MATTER - UNSEALED ENVELOPE TO KØBENHAVN - 1 CENT 0-50 GRAM RATE
Unsealed envolope sent as printed matter from St.Thomas on 23 March. Printed matter mail usually did not receive arrival cancels, whereas most regular letter costing 8 cents did.
The printed rate could only be used if the envelope was unsealed and did contain printed matter. Printed matter could be something as simple as a wedding announcement. It is not likely that the post office would have allowed empty envelopes to be mailed with only a bisected stamp. Overpaid with 1 cent.
Backstamped København April 11. Note: unsealed envelope.
NEWSPAPER WRAPPER - 2 CENTS RATE FOR 51-100 GRAM
A newspaper wrapper containing a double rate printed matter sent from St.Thomas Maj 19 to Hobro. The stamp shows oval flaw - scrath over TIN in Vestindien.
There are only 2 newspaper wrappers recorded with a bisected stamp and backstamped. It was mailed 4 days before the bisect usage ceased in St.Thomas.
Backstamped Hobro June 5, Mailings frequently contained more than one newspaper, hence the 2 cents rate is appropriate.
Bisected stamp on a piece used for 2 Cents newspaper - postmark St.Thomas, January 26, print 4 - probably sent to foreign address..
I have only seen one bisected on a whole (complete) newspaper in Engstrom “Danish West Indies Mails” - it was sent from Frederiksted to New York.
Wrapper from St.Thomas February 9, to London (the address is unique) - The wrapper has been reduced - Printing 4.
Printed Matter sent from St.Thomas, February 6 to Baltimore, USA - A scarce usage on wrapper band.
(FRANK BANKE)
A newspaper wrapper containing a double rate printed matter sent from Frederiksted April 4, 1903 to Copenhagen.
PRINTED MATTER - UNSEALED ENVELOPE TO TORTOLA - 1 CENTS RATE
St. Thomas February 20 1903 to British Virgin Islands. Unsealed envelope with Tortola FE 21 03 arrival cancel. It is sent in the 1 cent stamp depletion periods 10.2 to 1.3 1903 (St.Thomas)
St.Thomas March 3, 1903 to New York. No arrival cancel cancel. Flap is missing - the cover has never been closed. Print 3.
The printed matter rate was 1 cent for the first 50 gram and 2 cents for 51-100 gram. The cover is probably overpaid with one cent since it was qualified as printet matter 0- 51 gram and the only required 1 cent postage.