Postmarks from the Simon Wiesenthal Collection

Postmark Dates

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15 kreuzer lilac Franz Josef, Austria, 1890-1896, postmark dated January 2, 1891
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2 kreuzer yellow Franz Josef, Austria, 1874-1880, postmark dated May 27 with no year in cancel
 

Although months may appear by name in a postmark, many postmarks represent them as numerals (1 for January, for example). Collectors must be careful in deciding which numeral is the month. American postmarks show the month, day, and year in that order; July 4, 1908, would be 7 4 1908. But European postmarks, including the Wiesenthal postmarks, put the day first; in Europe, the same date would be 4 7 1908. Postmarks sometimes include only the last digits of the year or no year at all.