Glossary Term

Backstamp

A backstamp is a postmark applied to the back of a cover, usually recording the date a letter passed through a transit office or arrived at its destination.

Also known as: arrival mark, receiving mark, transit mark, back stamp

A backstamp is a postal marking struck on the reverse of a cover. Unlike the postmark on the front, which cancels the stamp and records the point of posting, a backstamp documents what happened to the letter afterwards — typically the date and place it passed through a sorting office or arrived at the destination post office.

Types of Backstamp

  • Arrival (receiving) marks record when a letter reached the delivery office. Comparing the front postmark with the arrival mark shows how long the letter spent in transit.
  • Transit marks are applied at intermediate offices along the route — for example, a railway sorting carriage, a port of entry, or an exchange office between two postal administrations.
  • Registration and special-service marks confirm handling of registered, express, or censored mail.
  • Missent and redirection marks show that a letter went to the wrong office or was forwarded to a new address.

Why Backstamps Matter to Postal Historians

For postal history collectors, backstamps are often more interesting than the stamp itself. They reveal:

  • Routing — whether a letter from Europe to South America travelled via Lisbon or Southampton, for instance.
  • Speed of service — how quickly mail moved on a new air route or railway line.
  • Historical context — wartime delays, censorship, or suspensions of service.

A cover with a clear, complete set of transit and arrival backstamps tells a coherent story and is prized accordingly. Faint or missing backstamps can make a cover’s journey harder to verify.

The Decline of Backstamps

Through the 19th and early 20th centuries, many post offices routinely backstamped incoming mail. As volumes grew and machine sorting spread, the practice declined, and by the later 20th century most ordinary letters carried no backstamp at all. Registered mail is the main exception in many countries.

Collecting Tips

When buying covers, always ask to see the reverse. Backstamps can confirm a cover’s authenticity — a forged or “made-up” cover often lacks the transit marks a genuine item of that route and period should carry. Specialist postal history handbooks list the backstamp types used by individual offices and are invaluable for checking consistency.

Frequently Asked Questions About Backstamp

Why do some old envelopes have postmarks on the back?

Many postal administrations applied a receiving or transit postmark to the reverse of mail as it arrived at a sorting office or destination. These backstamps let the post office — and today's collectors — trace a letter's route and timing.

Do backstamps add value to a cover?

Often, yes. Clear arrival and transit backstamps document the journey of a cover, which is central to postal history. An unusual routing, a wartime transit mark, or a scarce destination office can make a cover considerably more desirable.

Are backstamps still used today?

Rarely on ordinary mail. Automated sorting largely replaced manual receiving marks in the second half of the 20th century, although registered and special-service mail in some countries still receives arrival markings.

Related Terms

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