Posted 9 years ago
ckistner
(1 item)
I found this at an estate auction. The back of the frame looks really old. Can't find anything about when it is from. If you look at the lower left corner, you can see where they covered up the old prices with newer amounts.
Just curious how old it could be. I believe it is from the 1840's. I love it and don't think I will part with it.
If you can provide any info on this, please do.
Thanks,
Chris
Well, this response may no longer be needed for a mystery request so old, but it may help others interested in the history of this, or similar items.
At the earliest, this poster was printed between March and June of 1894 because the legislation for setting the new money order rate structure became law on March 3, 1894.
The new money-order rates--and the first time a the three-cent fee for amounts up to $2.50 was used, took effect on July 1, 1894. The low-value money order fee of three cents was incorporated so postal money orders could replace the postal notes that were discontinued June 30, 1894. The fee for postal notes had been three cents, so the new money order rate would have no impact on post office patrons who normally purchased postal notes for values of $2.50 or less. The only patrons impacted were those who purchased money orders in the $2.50 to $5 range because they now had to pay a five cent fee whereas with the old postal note, their fee was just three cents for amounts up to $4.99.
If this is indeed one of the original 1894 money order fee posters, and you could see behind the pasted-on values on the poster, the values would likely read as follows, which were the fees effective July 1, 1894:
“For an order not exceeding as sum of $2.50 . . . 3 cents
Over $2.50 and not exceeding $5 . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 cents
Over $5 and not exceeding $10 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 cents
Over $10 and not exceeding $20 . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 cents
Over $20 and not exceeding $30 . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 cents
Over $30 and not exceeding $40 . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 cents
Over $40 and not exceeding $50 . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 cents
Over $50 and not exceeding $60 . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 cents
Over $60 and not exceeding $75 . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 cents
Over $75 and not exceeding $100 . . . . . . . . . . . 30 cents"
I hope that helps.