Cover Types and Subcategories my Thoughts

I admit that I am no expert on postal history-OK, now we move on. In my research and EBay searches I have figured out there are two types postal history. For our purposes, main groups-envelopes aka “Covers” and post cards. For envelopes I have determined there are a number of purpose/functional categories. But for me it is very interesting how these sort out. I grabbed some images from the Bay to give some examples of each of the main categories-and we will examine individual covers in the collection in the future.

In general there are seven broad categories of envelopes AKA covers-professional/business, government, charities and help associations, education, religious, philatelic, and personal.

What has been really interesting in this project is how business seemed to carry on as usual during the war, especially in the Nationalist zone. The businesses are subdivided in to financial (banking, insurance, and sales), trade (export, and import), services (legal, etc.), transportation (shipping and freight, automobiles, and air), media (news, film, and radio), agriculture (such as citrus and dairy), prepared food, and alcohol and drink.

For government covers I have categorized them as falling in to the following sub categories; geographical divisions (federal, provinces, local cities, towns, and colonial); diplomatic (embassies and consulates), military (officials), and specific government agencies and departments (propaganda and information, and trade).

Charity covers include those from the International Red Cross, and Republican and Nationalist specific organizations. Education covers are those from universities and other educational organizations and institutions. Religious covers are those to and from religious institutions, schools, and charities and groups.

The category of covers that we see often is no surprise, philatelic-or those covers mailed or un-mailed that have envelopes or cancellations whose purpose is to show off the stamps featured. These covers are sometimes sent to dealers and or other collectors, if sent at all. When you see one you will know it.

Personal covers are some of the most interesting as these are personal side of participants in the war-or those on the sideline. Military covers from soldiers to loved ones. Covers include those sent from hotels-which seem to have been very common then or any other envelops not fitting in to one of the seven categories.