Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
Thanks,
Bruce
"We also study and collect covers, FDCs, rates, usages, routes, ephemera, Maximum cards, seals, BODY BAGS and crash covers, the machines creating the cancellations and postmarks, spray-ons and other transit markings not technically cancellations, history behind the man sending the stamp, and so much more."
Login to Like
this post
Now that is a "great question" What do we mean by "BODY BAGS"? Tim?????????
Perry
Login to Like
this post
i think it refers to the plastic bags envelopes are put in when they have been damaged in the sorting machines.
Jan-Simon
Login to Like
this post
Hi Jan-Simon,
That seems like a reasonable assumption but believe me it's not exactly where my wild imagination took me! 
Bruce
Login to Like
this post
Jan-Simon is correct. There are several different varieties of these things. I'll try to scan several of them. They are a way of forwarding mail, often times little more than a scrap, sometimes a terribly crumpled sheet or balled up newspaper. They are avidly collected by a few people, one being me. Often times the injury that gives rise to the body bag is induced by the automated machinery, but occasionally is a natural or man-made accident.
should you stumble upon a body bag, if you can, leave it completely intact and do not even open it. Of course, if you absolutely must find out if you are the 1 in a million winner.....
David
Login to Like
this post
Great colorful language to describe a utilitarian article: body bag! I think I received a body bag a few weeks ago with a cover inside that had been neatly slit at the top so that contents could be removed--the lower left side had been crinkled--intentionally? by a dishonest postal employee who then placed pilfered cover into aforementioned body bag. I don't believe it was officially sealed though, I think--I'll look around for it--it was open at one end, clear plastic with black lettering apologizing for damage and the USPS logo. Nary a peep about the missing contents. Would that be a body bag?
Bruce
Login to Like
this post
Bruce, that is, indeed, a body bag. Some are plaintifully apologetic and others are utilitarianly quiet, just delivering the mail, and don't mind that's it open.
Login to Like
this post
Well Tim,
Now we know where the stamps I sent you ended up .... sadly ... Perry
Login to Like
this post
LOL...
Login to Like
this post
<removed>
(Message edited by siem on February 02, 2010)
Login to Like
this post
trying again
Login to Like
this post
Login to Like
this post
Login to Like
this post
Login to Like
this post
i included similar body bags from Israel and Canada, each with bilingual text, that match the US version, in English only. These are all on heavy 6x9" books. the others are different versions and sizes of the same paper/glassine envelope. I noted at least 2 different texts on the reverse. I also included a single tape used to seal a box (that's all that's been retained of that box, unfortunately).
David
Login to Like
this post
very interesting stuff. Thanks for posting.
Dan
Login to Like
this post
Body bags! Thanks, David.
Bruce
Login to Like
this post
03:29:29pm
This is a new one on me: Body bags. I spotted it in the paragraph on our home page. See below, my upper case. What are body bags?
Thanks,
Bruce
"We also study and collect covers, FDCs, rates, usages, routes, ephemera, Maximum cards, seals, BODY BAGS and crash covers, the machines creating the cancellations and postmarks, spray-ons and other transit markings not technically cancellations, history behind the man sending the stamp, and so much more."
Login to Like
this post
re: Body bags
Now that is a "great question" What do we mean by "BODY BAGS"? Tim?????????
Perry
Login to Like
this post
Approvals
re: Body bags
i think it refers to the plastic bags envelopes are put in when they have been damaged in the sorting machines.
Jan-Simon
Login to Like
this post
04:16:43pm
re: Body bags
Hi Jan-Simon,
That seems like a reasonable assumption but believe me it's not exactly where my wild imagination took me!
Bruce
Login to Like
this post
re: Body bags
Jan-Simon is correct. There are several different varieties of these things. I'll try to scan several of them. They are a way of forwarding mail, often times little more than a scrap, sometimes a terribly crumpled sheet or balled up newspaper. They are avidly collected by a few people, one being me. Often times the injury that gives rise to the body bag is induced by the automated machinery, but occasionally is a natural or man-made accident.
should you stumble upon a body bag, if you can, leave it completely intact and do not even open it. Of course, if you absolutely must find out if you are the 1 in a million winner.....
David
Login to Like
this post
04:48:04pm
re: Body bags
Great colorful language to describe a utilitarian article: body bag! I think I received a body bag a few weeks ago with a cover inside that had been neatly slit at the top so that contents could be removed--the lower left side had been crinkled--intentionally? by a dishonest postal employee who then placed pilfered cover into aforementioned body bag. I don't believe it was officially sealed though, I think--I'll look around for it--it was open at one end, clear plastic with black lettering apologizing for damage and the USPS logo. Nary a peep about the missing contents. Would that be a body bag?
Bruce
Login to Like
this post
re: Body bags
Bruce, that is, indeed, a body bag. Some are plaintifully apologetic and others are utilitarianly quiet, just delivering the mail, and don't mind that's it open.
Login to Like
this post
re: Body bags
Well Tim,
Now we know where the stamps I sent you ended up .... sadly ... Perry
Login to Like
this post
re: Body bags
<removed>
(Message edited by siem on February 02, 2010)
Login to Like
this post
re: Body bags
trying again
Login to Like
this post
re: Body bags
Login to Like
this post
re: Body bags
Login to Like
this post
re: Body bags
Login to Like
this post
re: Body bags
i included similar body bags from Israel and Canada, each with bilingual text, that match the US version, in English only. These are all on heavy 6x9" books. the others are different versions and sizes of the same paper/glassine envelope. I noted at least 2 different texts on the reverse. I also included a single tape used to seal a box (that's all that's been retained of that box, unfortunately).
David
Login to Like
this post
re: Body bags
very interesting stuff. Thanks for posting.
Dan
Login to Like
this post