Matthew E. Liebson
The US Post Office Department issued a variety of handstamp postmarking devices to postmasters of medium-and-large-size towns during the 1880s and 1890s. Thanks to a fellow collector who introduced me to these markings, I am attempting to determine which Ohio towns used certain types of these devices. So far, all known Ohio examples of these markings originate from county seat towns. Click on the images below to see lists of reported usages in Ohio. If you have covers that expand these listings, please share them with me! I intend to add a few other types of handstamps as time permits and information becomes available. If there is interest I may try to maintain a nationwide listing of these markings, so submit any information that you find relevant.

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This marking is characterized by the presence of a killer with a solid center and 4 complete or partial outer rings. The state name is fully spelled out in the postmark.


This marking is identical to the type above except that the state name is abbreviated in the postmark.


This marking is similar to the first one except that there are only 3 outer "rings" in the killer.

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