POST OFFICE IN PARADISE - Postal Cards Used in Domestic Mail

This page last updated: 10 July 2000

::: Postal Cards Used in Domestic Mail :::

Mailed January 21, 1886 at Paauhau, Hawaii, this UX1 postal card bears the rare Paauhau postmark type 253.41, of which only eight strikes are recorded. This card was sent by the Paauhau postmaster, R. A. Lyman, to Postmaster General Whitney to complain about the landing of the Kinau mail at the wrong landing.

Postal Cards were introduced in Hawaii in March, 1882, and were an instant success. One value, the 1¢, was issued for the domestic mail post card rate of 1¢. However, the 2¢ and 3¢ values also appear in the domestic mail although they overpay the 1¢ rate. Country postmasters were unable to redeem surplus 2¢ and 3¢ cards by returning them to the Honolulu Post Office. To avoid a complete loss, postmasters with excess 2¢ and 2¢ cards sold them at 1¢ for domestic use. The first 1¢ postal card, designated UX1, was engraved and was used until a new supply was issued in 1889, in a somewhat different color. The new card, UX4, was lithographed instead of engraved. In 1893, the Provisional Government had all of the existing UX4 cards overprinted, along with the higher values. As overprinted, the card is designated UX5. The Republic of Hawaii issued new 1¢ postal cards in 1894 with a new design. This 1894 postal card is designated UX8. A fresh printing of the 1¢ postal card in 1897 produced a card of a somewhat different color and size. The 1897 cards are designated UX8a. None of the 1¢ cards is tough to find used. The only 2¢ postal card I record used in domestic mail is the 1882 black UX2. The 1882 green UX3 also is known in the domestic mail. Domestic use of the 2¢ and 3¢ cards is scarce. For more detail on the postal cards, see Postal Cards.

THE 1¢ POSTAL CARDS

Here is a very early example of the UX1 card, mailed at Wailuku Maui on March 28, 1882 and receiving the Wailuku postmark type 238.02. The EKU is March 20.

Mailed at Wailuku, Maui, on November 16, 1887, this card was addressed to the Kahului Railroad office and postmarked with Wailuku type 282.01 (I).

Postmarked at Kahului, Maui, on January 5, 1889 with Kahului type 255.12, the message on this card is from Wilder's Steamship Company apprising the Kahului postmaster of the expected ETA of a Wilder's steamer at Maalaea Bay.

An unusual oval PAID handstamp used by Wilder's Steamship Company dated October 11, 1892 and mailed to Waihee, Maui.

This UX4 lithographed postal card of the 1889 issue was mailed from Paia, Maui on November 7, 1893. Note the deeper buff color of the card compared to the UX1.

This diagonally cut postal card of the 1889 lithographed issue was overprinted by the Provisional Government in 1893. The overprinted card is designated UX5. This example was mailed at Honolulu on December 18, 1897 and bears various service marks of the Honolulu Dead Letter Office, including the rare "NOT CALLED FOR" and the boxed "DEAD LETTER OFFICE" dated April 20, 1898. The overprinted postal cards originally were bought up by speculators who later were forced to sell at discount to bulk users such as utilities.

UX8 Spreckelsville 282_011 2Jan96 overland

This postal card of the 1894 Republic of Hawaii issue was mailed from Spreckelsville, Maui, to Lahaina, Maui, on January 2, 1896. The 1894 1¢ cards are designated UX8.

Here is another example of the UX8 postal card, this one mailed from Heeia, Oahu, on September 15, 1897. It bears a bold strike of Heeia postmark type 281.03.

The 1897 printing of the 1¢ card produced a slightly pinkish color and is designated UX8a. This card was mailed September 17, 1898, from Kekaha, Kauai.

The 2¢ Black UX2 In Domestic Mail

Mailed from Paauilo, Hawaii on January 23, 1889 to Honolulu. The message, involving shipping books by various steamers from Hamakua to Honolulu, shows this card was a commercial use of the UX2 in domestic mail.

The 3¢ Green UX3 In Domestic Mail

This card was mailed at Hamakuapoko, Maui, on February 27, 1892. The message side bears an interesting political cartoon, but some of the images are too subtle for me to recognize. The missionaries and the queen are unmistakable.

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