“What is Priority Mail?
If you look at different countries Postal Authority websites, just about every country offers different services under the rubric “Priority Mail’. Perhaps the simplest way to describe it is ‘For the payment of an extra fee a sender gets extra-fast delivery of their mail’. For example, Postnl (Post Netherlands) states ‘Priority Mail posted by 3 p.m. will be delivered the next business day (in most major European business centres)’. “Priority” does not necessarily include airmail carriage. Within Europe, transport on express and overnight trains may well be faster than air transport. “Priority” stands for the fastest possible transport and preferential treatment at post office distribution centres. In Europe, it is frequently used for fast delivery of letters, whereas in the US., it is more used for expedited delivery of packets and cartons (parcels).” Priority Mail services, and consequently most of the Priority Mail labels in existence, post date 1980. Priority Mail seems to have replaced ‘Airmail’ in many countries.
Help wanted!- for Priority Label Catalogue
Living in New Zealand and far removed from most of the countries issuing Priority Mail labels, I need help from PLSG members, especially in Europe and the U.S.; the main areas where Priority labels are produced. If you are aware of new issues please send scans (or pages of scans) in the first instance to Nev Ritchie (nevritchie@outlook.co.nz) along with information such as country of origin, date of issue, dimensions of the labels in mm, and any other information you can provide. If I need further information I will get back to you. Sending actual specimens of the labels would also be most welcome. Thanks in anticipation. Nev Ritchie.
Examples of Priority Label Catalog pages
Examples of Priority Labels from various countries
