Last updated March 12, 2023 U.S. Half-Cent Postage Due Covers.

Number of Items: 43

I've always been enamored with fractional cent items, from U.S. half-cent coins minted through 1857, to British fractional farthings (1/4, 1/3, and 1/2 farthings). But all of these items are from the 19th centtury, a very long time ago. So when I encountered a (comparatively) modern U.S. cover featuring a half-cent postage due stamp in the 1930s, my curiosity was piqued.

Even though the U.S. half-cent postage due stamps (Scott #J68, J69, J79, and J88) are very inexpensive from a catlogue value perspective as used stamps, finding them on cover or card is not an easy proposition. They are far more scarce than one would expect... especially as either solo usages or indicating fractional cent amounts due (as opposed to even-numbered multiples indicating whole cent amounts due, the most common occurrence).

Another interesting aspect of these covers (and of many postage due covers in general) are the myriad of auxiliary markings that can be found on these covers, frewuently indicating why postage was due.

This site is reference to my personal collection of half-cent postage due covers. I am always interested in acquiring additional examples, so if you have any for sale or trade, please email me.

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Scott #	Cover Type	Date Mailed	Origin	Destination	Aux. Markings	Image	Date Added	Notes
J683	Combination Use	********??? ????	San Francisco, CA	Hollywood, CA	Purple rubber stamp: 'POSTAGE DUE 1½ CENTS This pair is returned charged with postage due, according to amended Sections'		20171118November 18, 2017	Precanceled LONG BEACH, CALIF. Oversized commercial cover with unusual wording in aux. marking. Unused Nathan Hale ½¢ stamp affixed as change when 2 cents was paid.
J682	Solo Use	19250811August 11, 1925	Jackson, MI	Allentown, PA	Magenta rubber stamp: 'Postage due ½ cents'		20130715July 15, 2013	Note
J682	Solo Use	19250827August 27, 1925	Philadelphia, PA	Waterville, ME	Red rubber stamp: 'Postage due ½ cents'		20130502May 02, 2013
J682	Solo Use	19251221December 21, 1925	West Chester, PA	Kennett Square, PA	Manuscript pencil: 'due ½ ¢'		20161003October 03, 2016
J683	Combination Use	1930****??? 1930	Joliet, IL	Waukegan, IL	Large purple pointed finger stamp: 'Returned to Sender Unclaimed from Waukegan, Ill. P. O. DUE 1½ Cents'		20130110January 10, 2013	Precanceled postal stationery.Oct. 14, 1930 receiving backstamp.
J682	Solo Use	19300808August 08, 1930	Presumably somewhere in Wisconsin	Chicago, IL	Purple rubber stamp: 'Postage due ½ cent'		20160312March 12, 2016	Precanceled CHICAGO ILLINOIS. Tourist souvenir card booklet from the Wisconsin Dells.
J683	Combination Use	1931****??? 1931	Joliet, IL	Detroit, MI	Large magenta pointed finger handstamp: 'Returned to Sender Unclaimed from Porter St. Sta. Detroit, Mich. POSTAGE DUE 1½ CENTS'		20121013October 13, 2012	Precanceled postal stationery envelope. May 5, 1931 receiving backstamp.
J683	Combination Use	1931****??? 1931	Springfield, MO	Springfield, MO	Purple rubber handstamp: 'Postage due 1½ cents' Large boxed purple handstamp with pointed finger, with 'MOVED' indicated.		20171118November 18, 2017	Bottom margin single, precanceled SPRINGFIELD MO.
J682	Solo Use	19311118November 18, 1931	U.S.S. Fulton, Naval Yard, Philadelphia, PA	Freemansburg, PA			20140819August 19, 2014	Sent from ship.
J682	Solo Use	19311120November 20, 1931	U.S.S. Chester, New York Navy Yard	Freemansburg, PA			20140819August 19, 2014	Sent from ship.
J682	Solo Use	19311125November 25, 1931	San Diego, CA	Freemansburg, PA	Purple handstamp: 'POSTAGE DUE (manuscript 1/2) CENTS DEMURRAGE DUE... CENTS TOTAT [sic] (manuscript 1/2) CENTS'		20121009October 09, 2012	Sent from ship.
J682	Solo Use	19311211December 11, 1931	U.S.S. Chaum???	Freemansburg, PA			20140819August 19, 2014	Sent from ship.
J682	Solo Use	19311216December 16, 1931	U.S.S. Dupont	Freemansburg, PA			20140819August 19, 2014	Sent from ship.
J682	Solo Use	19320104January 04, 1932	U.S.S. Vestal	Freemansburg, PA			20140819August 19, 2014	Sent from ship.
J682	Solo Use	19320209February 09, 1932	U.S.S. Ellis	Freemansburg, PA			20140809August 09, 2014	Sent from ship.
J682	Solo Use	19320222February 22, 1932	U.S.S. Rochester, Balboa, Canal Zone	Freemansburg, PA			20140619June 19, 2014	Sent from ship. Doubly scarce in that the J68 postage due stamp is postmarked on Leap Day, February 29, 1932!
J683	Combination Use	19320822August 22, 1932	Saint Paul, MN	Saint Paul, MN	Label: 'Undeliverable Second-Class Matter'		2005December , 2005	Precanceled SAINT PAUL, MINN. Church newsletter determined undeliverable on August 22, 1932, with precanceled 1-cent and half-cent postage due stamps affixed, ultimately returned to publisher on October 14, 1932.
J683	Combination Use	19321222December 22, 1932	Cincinnati, OH	Cincinnati, OH	Purple rubber stamp: 'Postage due 1½ cents'		20140513May 13, 2014	Precanceled CINCINNATI, OHIO. Note the different style precancels on the two postage due stamps.
J683	Combination Use	1933****??? 1933	Englewood, NJ	Englewood, NJ	Purple rubber stamp: 'Postage due 1½ cents' Purple boxed handstamp with numerous designations		20121013October 13, 2012	1.5-cent postal stationery, deemed 1.5 cents postage due.
J682	Solo Use	19341001October 01, 1934	Marcus Hook, PA	Marcus Hook, PA	Purple rubber stamp: 'POSTAGE DUE CENTS' with manuscript pencil ½		20180810August 10, 2018
J682	Solo Use	19361008October 08, 1936	Binghamton, NY	Binghamton, NY	Purple rubber stamp: 'Returned for Postage' with ½¢ in manuscript pencil		20180709July 09, 2018	Half-cent due cover with an additional 70 cents postage due; presumably this cover was the top cover on a stack of covers for which the 70 cents was due.
J683	Combination Use	19361221December 21, 1936	Muskegon, MI	Muskegon Heights, MI	Magenta rubber stamp: 'Postage due 1½ cents'		20160108January 08, 2016	Precanceled MUSKEGON, MICHIGAN.
J684	Multiple	19380730July 30, 1938	New Haven, CT	George Mills, NH	Purple rubber stamp: 'Postage Due 1 Cent.'		20130126January 26, 2013	Typically I only look for fractional cent rates being charged, but this is the only plate no. example I have seen on cover to date.
J692	Solo Use	19310615June 15, 1931	Chicken, AK	Tallahassee, FL			20141120November 20, 2014	Inverted TALLAHASSEE, FLA precancel. Cute cover with chicken pictoral stamp.
J793	Combination Use	1933074July 4, 1933	U.S. Railway Postal Exhibit, Chicago, IL	Perth Amboy, NJ	Manuscript pencil: 'Postage due'		20180105January 05, 2018	Cacheted cover sent from the Railway Postal Car Exhibit at the Century of Progress Exposition at the 1933 World's Fair in Chicago on July 4.
J794	Multiple	19350408April 08, 1935	U.S.S. Taylor, St. Petersburg, FL	St. Petersburg, FL	Purple rubber stamp: 'POSTAGE DUE, 2 CENTS' Purple rubber stamp: 'Held for Postage'		20131005October 05, 2013	Block of 4 indicating 2 cents due. Sent fromship U.S.S. Taylor, presumably on last day stationed in St. Petersburg.
J794	Multiple	19350628June 28, 1935	Cincinnati, OH	Waseca, MN			20171117November 17, 2017	Bottom sheet margin vertical pair, along with 3¢ due, paying 4¢ due on commercial reply envelope.
J793	Combination Use	19360222February 22, 1936	Haverhill, MA	Haverhill, MA			20150608June 08, 2015
J793	Combination Use	19370825August 25, 1937	East Rochester, NY	Rochester, NY	Manuscript pencil: 'Due 1½¢'		20180109January 09, 2018	Diminuitive square cover, approximately 84mm (3.25 in) on each side. Nathan Hale ½¢ stamp affixed as change when 2 cents was paid for the postage due.
J793	Combination Use	19380422April 22, 1938	Virden, IL	Chicago, IL	Purple rubber stamp: 'Postage Due 1½ cents'		20171118November 18, 2017	Appears to have been caught at the originating post office, held and postage due stamps affixed, and then the 1½¢ Harding affixed to pay the shortfall before being released. Presumably an overwight cover?
J793	Combination Use	193906**June 1939	Northbranch, KS	Mantua, NJ	Purple rubber stamp: 'POSTAGE DUE CENTS' with manuscript 1½ Purple pointed finger rubber stamp with reasons return (under postage due stamps)		20151121November 21, 2015
J792	Solo Use	1940****??? 1940	Philadelphia, PA	Philadelphia, PA	Purple rubber stamp: 'POSTAGE DUE... ½ (manuscript) CENTS'		20110523May 23, 2011
J793	Combination Use	1940****??? 1940	Chicago, IL	Chicago, IL	Purple rubber stamp: 'RETURNED TO SENDER From Chicago, IL Postage Due ?????' Magenta rubber stamp: 'Form 3(547) ????' Purple rubber stamps: 'NOT THERE' 'T3769' 'C-1519'		20170306March 06, 2017
J793	Combination Use	1940****??? 1940	Pittsburgh, PA	Long Beach, CA	Purple rubber stamp: Large pointed finger with 'RETURN TO SENDER UNCLAIMED Due 1½ Cents' Unreadable magenta stamp under postage due stamps.		20171118November 18, 2017	Commercial cover from stamp dealer Adam K. Bert, with Scott #631, Harding 1½¢ imperforate affixed. Unclaimed and returned to sender. Note the red Fourth Class Mail label.
J793	Combination Use	194001**January 1940	New York, NY	Rochester, NY	Multiple purple rubber stamps: 'FORWARDED FROM ROCHESTER, N. Y.' 'Postage due 1½ cents' 'Advise correspondents or publishers of your correct address.' 'NOTIFIED'		20230303March 03, 2023	Commercial cover mailed from Chemical Service Corporation in NYC to Vaccum Oil Co. in Rochester, NY. It appears to have been forwarded on January 19, 1940 (see inquiry division cancel on reverse) to the company's new address in Olean, NY, where it was received on January 23, and the 3 postage due stamps affixed.
J793	Combination Use	194002**February 1940	Saint Louis, IL	Highland, IL	Purple rubber stamp: 'Postage due 1½ cents' Manuscript '2 cts due' Purple boxed handstamp with multiple reasons for return, with 'Moved, Left no address' checked		20141215December 15, 2014	Interesting in that the manuscript and rubber-stamp amounts for postage due differ.
J793	Combination Use	19401010October 10, 1940	Buffalo, NY	Hamburg, NY	Purple rubber stamp: 'RETURNED FOR ADDITIONAL POSTAGE' Manuscript: 'Due 1½'		20141213December 13, 2014
J793	Combination Use	194012**December 1940	Reading (Branch?), PA	West CHester, PA	Manuscript pencil: 'Due 1½¢'		20180820August 20, 2018	Margin copy of Nathan Hale ½¢ stamp affixed as change when 2 cents was paid for the 1½¢ due.
J793	Combination Use	194105**May 1941	Champaign, IL	Jackson, MI	Purple rubber stamps: 'Forwarded.' 'Postage Due 1&389; cents'		20141218December 18, 2014	Commercial #10 envelope sent from Alpha Tau Omega national office, publicizing the ATO Congress event in French Lick, Indiana on June 18-21, 1941. Forwarded, and thus postage due.
J793	Combination Use	19440113January 13, 1944	Philadelphia, PA	Green Tree, PA	Purple rubber stamps: Pointed finger with 'RETURNED TO SENDER' 'Postage Due 1½ cents' Manuscript pencil 'No such P.O.'		20191124November 24, 2019
J793	Combination Use	19451216December 16, 1945	Burlington, VT	Worceser, MA	Purple rubber stamp: 'Postage due 1½ cents'		20181226December 26, 2018	Oversized cover 158mm x 130mm (6.25in x 5.125in).
J793	Combination Use	19461217December 17, 1946	Memphis, TN	Baldwin, KS	Purple rubber stamp: 'POSTAGE DUE.....CENTS' with 1½ in pencil Manuscript pencil: 'Cannot be forwarded'		20171117November 17, 2017	Commercial #10 size cover with 1½¢ due, 2¢ paid and a mint Nathan Hale ½¢ attached to the cover in change.
J882	Solo Use	19810422April 22, 1981	Minneapolis, MN	New Brunswick, Canada	Purple rubber stamps: 'RETURNED FOR POSTAGE' 'POSTAGE DUE'		20171117November 17, 2017	Usage long out of period for J88. Philatelic Foundation certificate states that it is a genuine albeit philatelic usage. Their cover analysis states that the cover went through the mails and is not a 'handback' cover.