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1943 Amarillo, Texas Censored Military Cover

A 1943 postmarked envelope from Amarillo, Texas, featuring two purple 3-cent Thomas Jefferson stamps addressed to Captain Crowningshield.

Estimated value

$5 - $15

Rarity

Ordinary(3/10)

Type

Museum Object

Category

Stamps

Brand

United States Post Office Department

Era

1943

Origin

🇺🇸 United States

Artist / Creator

Elaine Rawlinson

Authenticity

Very High(95%)
6

1943 AMARILLO, TEXAS CENSORED MILITARY COVER: IDENTIFICATION

WWII-era postal cover featuring a horizontal pair of 3-cent violet Thomas Jefferson stamps (Scott #807) from the 1938 Presidential Series (Prexies). The envelope displays a clear circular date stamp (CDS) from Amarillo, Texas, dated April 2, 1943. Handwritten notations include 'air mail' and a recipient address to 'Captain Crowningshield' in New York. The stamps are canceled with a wavy line machine slogan, typical of United States Post Office Department (USPOD) operations during the mid-20th century.

Compare with other stamps in the archive: 10-Cent Pan-American Union Air Mail Stamp (Scott #C25), Belgian Congo, Queen Elisabeth Mask Issue (1928-1930) - 6 Francs, Belgium 1912 definitive series postage stamp, 10-centime carmine on blue frame, cancelled 'MONS S-GENERAL'.

CROSS-CULTURAL PARALLELS

Where This Object Echoes

American Military Tradition1941-1945

The use of formal ranks (Captain) in civilian-facing correspondence during wartime mobilization.

Ritual & Ceremonial Use

  • •V-mail and military correspondence as the primary psychological link between the home front and active service members.

Meaning Through Time

1940s

Air Mail represented a high-priority, urgent communication method requiring a premium rate.

POSTAL HERITAGE

Postmarked at 11:30 AM on April 2, 1943, this cover reflects domestic mail logistics during World War II. The 6-cent total postage (two 3-cent stamps) satisfied the domestic air mail rate effective from 1934 until March 1944. The recipient's military title suggests correspondence related to the ...
Postmarked at 11:30 AM on April 2, 1943, this cover reflects domestic mail logistics during World War II. The 6-cent total postage (two 3-cent stamps) satisfied the domestic air mail rate effective from 1934 until March 1944. The recipient's military title suggests correspondence related to the mobilization of officers during the height of American involvement in the war. The 1938 Presidential Series, designed by Elaine Rawlinson, was the standard definitive issue for the duration of the conflict.

PHILATELIC NOTES

1

The 3-cent Jefferson stamp was the workhorse of the 1938 Presidential Series, with over 130 billion individual stamps printed by the Bureau of Engraving and Printing.

2

During April 1943, Amarillo was home to the Amarillo Army Air Field, a major B-17 training base, which explains the high frequency of military-related mail from this region.

SCARCITY

Ordinary40-55%
CommonLegendary

Standard antiques commonly found at estate sales and flea markets. Plentiful supply meets modest demand.

Rarity 3/10. Curiosa currently catalogues 14 stamps items at rarity 3 or higher.

Typical Characteristics

  • Moderate production runs
  • Common at estate sales
  • Entry-level collectibles

Confidence Factors

  • Date stamp and stamp issues are chronologically consistent with 1943 postage rates
  • Paper oxidation and ink fading patterns match 80-year-old postal ephemeral
How does authenticity detection work?

PHILATELIST'S VERDICT

Cabinet of Curiosities Generalist

Interdisciplinary Investigator

The postmark is exceptionally clear and matches the known postal rates and stamp issues of the period with no chronological discrepancies.

KEY EVIDENCE

  • 1Clear Amarillo circular date stamp with 1943 year set.
  • 2Presence of Scott #807 3-cent Jefferson stamps from the 1938 Prexie series.
  • 3Correct 6-cent rate applied for domestic air mail in 1943.
  • 4Handwritten address to a military officer consistent with WWII demographics.

UNCERTAINTIES

  • •Significant foxing and surface staining visible on the bottom left and right edges.

WHAT WOULD IMPROVE CERTAINTY

  • →Check for a return address or sender name on the reverse for genealogy research.
  • →Examine if a letter is still present inside the envelope, which significantly increases value.
  • →Verify if the recipient, Captain Crowningshield, appears in 1943 Army registers.

CONDITION & GRADE

Fine (Postal History)

Grading breakdown

Scoring based on the readability of the Amarillo postmark and the intactness of the stamp pair, though deducted for visible foxing and handling wear.

Condition

The paper shows moderate toning and foxing consistent with acidic pulp envelopes of the 1940s. Edges exhibit minor wear and a small tear on the right side. The stamps are well-aligned but show typical machine cancellation disturbance.

PHILATELIC VALUATION

$5 - $15

Updated: Jul 2, 2026

Who buys this

WWII postal history collectors and specialists in the 1938 Presidential Series.

What increases value

  • •Clarity of the Amarillo postmark
  • •The specific military recipient title
  • •The 'Air Mail' notation

What lowers value

  • •Heavy foxing and staining on the envelope
  • •Commonality of the 3-cent Jefferson stamp

What makes top-tier examples

  • •Rare APO (Army Post Office) markings
  • •Presence of a censorship stamp
  • •Original contents included

Grade & condition

Paper integrity, cancellation clarity, and absence of staining.

Rarity & demand

OrdinaryModerate demandSells quickly
Browse similar stamps objects

For informational purposes only, not a formal appraisal.

YOUR INPUT VS. SCAN

How your provided context compares with Curiosa.com scanner findings.

What Aligned

  • User stated 'Original/Authentic' - visual cues including 1943 cancellation and stamp series confirm authenticity.
  • User era '1943' - perfectly matches the 7943/1943 circular date stamp visible.

What Conflicted

  • User stated 'Condition: Mint' - visual evidence shows circular dating stamps and cancellations, meaning the stamps are 'Used' and the cover shows foxing/wear, which precludes a technical 'Mint' grade in philately.

FROM THE CABINET OF

MO

mouris1987
Wonderseeker•1 item

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