@ ziffer-freak [#256]

Hello Andy,

today I received a post card in the mail, a nice special use of these stamps. I thought I might share it.

When post cards first appeared the address was to be written on one side and nothing else, so messages were written on the picture side. Later "Split Cards" allowed messages to be written on the address side in the space provided if addressed to Switzerland, France, or Italy. Other countries did not allow messages on the address side until 1907. If messages were written on the address side, postage due was collected by the receiving country. This obviously was quite confusing for travelers on holiday.

The card below shows the perfect card to the USA 1906.



This shows written message in disallowed location with postage due assessed, 1904.



Finally the card I got today. The sender wrote on the address side, and to avoid postage due paid 25 centimes for the letter rate, 1904. These are not seen very often.