Auxiliary Markings Club
What Are We?
The Auxiliary Markings Club (AMC) brings together a diverse group of collectors who are interested in the movement of the mails -- especially mail that had problems. The evidence of those problems are the markings applied to envelopes and packages as the mail was processed. They may have to do with inadequate postage, problems with the delivery address, accidents that occurred with planes, trains, ships or trucks carrying the mail, or literally hundreds of other reasons.
Auxiliary Markings Club (AMC)
- Home page (here)
- Awards-Covers-Pages
- Bibliography
- Bylaws 2005
- Bylaws 2023 to approve
- Constitution 2005
- Constitution 2023 to approve
- Earliest Known Use
- Markings List brief
- Markings List full
- Newsletter
- Newsletter Index 2022 Adobe PDF
- Press Releases
AMC on Facebook
AMC on YouTube
Philatelic Resources (elsewhere)
- American Philatelic Society
- Civil Censorship Study Group
- Errors, Freaks & Oddities Club
- Machine Cancel Society
- Mobile Post Office Society
- Postal Bulletins USPS searchable
- Stamp Smarter Learning Center
- Typology: Bechuanalands and
Botswana Postal Markings
Classification - Typology: Botswana Meter Marks
- Typology: Botswana Official Free
Marks - Typology: Botswana Permit Marks
- Typology: Botswana Registration
Labels - U. S. Stamp Society
The Auxiliary Markings Club is deeply saddened to report that Dr. Anthony (Tony) Wawrukiewicz, esteemed editor of the Auxiliary Markings newsletter for the first 19 years, renowed philatelist, author, and radiologist, passed away on July 11, 2023. The Auxiliary Markings Club members extend our condolences to his family; he will be deeply missed. A special memorial issue was mailed to all members on August 2nd and is included in all 2023 club memberships. His successor, Andrew Kelley, will continue to edit our newsletter.
Our next informal Auxiliary Markings "show and tell" session is scheduled for Friday August 11, 2023 at 1 pm in room 14 of the Great American Stamp Show, Huntington Convention Center, 300 Lakeside Ave., in Cleveland, Ohio.
The Auxiliary Markings Club now has new Facebook and YouTube pages: AMC on Facebook and AMC on YouTube
Auxiliary Markings Club Membership
AMC on Facebook and AMC on YouTubeAuxiliary Markings Club Membership
Our members may have a primary interest in a type of auxiliary marking (e.g. "pointing fingers") or find auxiliary markings interesting as a sideline to the collecting of a special area (e.g. Prexie Postal History). The AMC serves both types of collectors; helping all to understand the origin and meanings of markings, and facilitatiing the exchanging of material of interest. Our club was founded in late 2003 by John Hotchner and Douglas Quine with the assistance and cooperation of Linn's Stamp News. With over 30 charter members, editor Tony Wawrukiewicz published the first edition of our quarterly Auxiliary Markings newsletter in January 2004.
We invite YOU to join / renew with us. Together we can help each other, encourage more collectors to sample this fascinating field, and encourage dealers to carry the kinds of material that we enjoy. Look at our website, and our newsletter tables of contents from every published issue. You can join / renew by regular mail, or using PayPal here on the website and access every back issue on-line.
- Enroll / Renew ONLINE NOW for 2023 membership (1 year). Annual club dues are $18. You will receive all 4 printed issues for the year. (Charges will show on your statement as "Auxiliary Markings Club" - a PayPal verified business.)
- Enroll / Renew ON PAPER NOW for 2023 membership (1 year), please complete the Sign-Up Form (Adobe Acrobat PDF or Microsoft Word format) and mail $18 to the membership secretary. You will receive all 4 printed issues for the year.
Definition of Auxiliary Markings
Auxiliary Marking: Postal marking applied to covers by handstamp, machine cancellation, a stick-on label, manuscript markings, or by mechanical or electronic methods such as addressograph or computer, indicating that the covers were given special attention due to some special circumstance. A broad definition would include accompanying postal service letters, and ambulance covers in which damaged or misdirected mail has at times been delivered, and markings placed on covers by institutions other than the postal service, such as the military, prisons, hotels, etc. Auxiliary Markings are sometimes known as Instructional Markings or Supplementary Markings.
In the past, auxiliary markings have not been not well defined and information about them has been dispersed. As we grow, it is our intention to bring together available information in our newsletter, on this website, through an exhibit copy service (exhibit copies), a club library, in other publications, and by facilitating communications between interested members.
Auxiliary Markings include:
- addressograph markings
- ambulance envelopes
- cancellations
- censor markings
- crash markings
- delay markings
- disinfection markings
- handstamped markings
- military markings associated with deliverability
- pointing fingers
- postage due markings
- return to sender markings
- security screening markings
- spray markings
- yellow forwarding labels
- and ..... (your favorites)
Auxiliary Markings Club (AMC) - Calendar
- Our next informal Auxiliary Markings "show and tell" session is scheduled for Friday August 11, 2023 at 1 pm in room 14 of the Great American Stamp Show, Huntington Convention Center, 300 Lakeside Ave., in Cleveland, Ohio. Our Auxiliary Markings newsletter editor Andrew Kelley will host; members and the general public are welcome.
Auxiliary Markings Club (AMC) - News
- The Auxiliary Markings Club is deeply saddened to report that Dr. Anthony (Tony) Wawrukiewicz, esteemed editor of the Auxiliary Markings newsletter for the first 19 years, renowed philatelist, author, and radiologist, passed away on July 11, 2023. The Auxiliary Markings Club members extend our condolences to his family; he will be deeply missed. A club memorial will be published at a later date. His successor, Andrew Kelley, will continue to edit our newsletter.
- The Auxiliary Markings Club now has Facebook and YouTube pages: AMC on Facebook and AMC on YouTube
- In March 2023, the Auxiliary Markings Club board approved free on-line open access to high resolution newsletters through 2020.
- Current members have on-line access to all high resolution newsletters. (Your user name and password are required when clicking on the "members only links" and are available from the webmaster or the membership secretary.)
- New member Russ Ryle has suggested that we post member Research Help Wanted notices at our web site: www.postal-markings.org/award.html#rres. His posting is the first and we invite other members to submit theirs.
Dennis Ladd has created a free complete index for the Auxiliary Markings Club newsletter (through 2022) in Adobe Acrobat (pdf) format. Please advise him of any corrections or additions at: 
- The AMC exhibit copying service has John Hotchner's Auxiliary Markings ten-frame exhibit, Alfred Kugel's Auxiliary Markings of the German Colonies and Offices Abroad one-frame exhibit, and Ralph Nafziger's First Day Covers in the Mailstream seven-frame exhibit available for your library. On-line, email, and postal ordering information are provided below
- Auxiliary Markings Club awards are described below and winners are listed on our Awards page
Auxiliary Markings Club publishes Private Auxiliary Marks on Hollywood Fan Mail by Regis Hoffman and Thomas J. Richards. Fan mail to Hollywood movie stars is known from 1918 to the present day, from every corner of the globe. A fan letter is identified by the addressee being an actor or actress, usually in care of a movie studio in Hollywood or a nearby Southern California city. This 60-page monograph (the first by the Auxiliary Markings Club) discusses the myriad auxiliary markings associated with Hollywood fan mail:
- Marks used by Hollywood studios to indicate that the fan letter was sent to the incorrect studio.
- Forwarding marks used by the Hollywood studios.
- Marks used by Hollywood fan mail services and publicity agencies.
- 54 fan mail covers bearing auxiliary markings illustrated in full color.
- Over 70 auxiliary markings recorded and classified.
- The Auxiliary Markings Newsletter is now available on-line to current members with all back issues (including some in color that were originally published in black and white) at https://www.postal-markings.org/newsletter.html.
- In an effort to streamline our website, improve the quality of our search engine listings, and prudently invest membership funds, we have migrated the postal-markings.com (".com") web link to postal-markings.org (".org"). The ".com" page was a "safety net" for those who mistyped our web address (URL). As a volunteer organization rather than a commercial enterprise, the ".org" address has always been the correct address. If you have bookmarks to our obsolete ".com" pages, please update them to the ".org" pages.
- As mentioned in the April 2010 newsletter, the Held for Postage study group has collected their holdings into a 'Held for Postage' Mail Auxiliary Markings study group PDF "catalog" to allow other members to review the materials and add in any missing materials. Please advise them of any items that you have which are not represented in this "catalog".
- The Board of the American Philatelic Society has approved the Auxiliary Markings Club as Affiliate #252 of the APS. In July 2007, we were a featured affiliate in the American Philatelist; the note may be viewed on our public relations page
- Cooperative information sharing with International Machine Cancel Society: PDF download copy of Michael Ludeman's 28 page A New Type of "Return to Sender" Endorsement Created By Ink Jet Printer Technology Part 1: Texas P&DCs"
- By popular demand, our Auxiliary Markings Club is accessible through both www.postal-markings.org and www.postalmarkings.org
Auxiliary Markings Club Award of Merit
Criteria: The Auxiliary Markings Club sponsors the Auxiliary Markings Club Award of Merit to recognize the exhibiting of auxiliary markings. The exhibit must have won a national Silver Award or better and include a significant percentage of auxiliary markings. The award is open to any exhibit in a National (WSC) stamp exhibition. Membership in the Auxiliary Marking Club or the sponsoring organization of the exhibition is not a requirement for winning the award. Show organizers may contact the Award of Merit coordinator, Matthew Liebson, to obtain award certificates:
Richard B. Graham Award for Excellence in Exhibiting Auxiliary Markings
Criteria: The Auxiliary Markings Club sponsors the Richard B. Graham Award to recognize the exhibiting of auxiliary markings. The exhibit must have won a national Silver Award or better and include a significant percentage of auxiliary markings. The award is open to any exhibit in the open competition class at the show hosting the Auxiliary Markings Club annual convention. Membership in the Auxiliary Marking Club or the sponsoring organization of the exhibition is not a requirement for winning the award.
President's Award for Single Frame Auxiliary Marking Exhibiting Excellence
Criteria: The Auxiliary Markings Club sponsors the President's Award to recognize the exhibiting of auxiliary markings. The exhibit must have won a national Silver Award or better and include a significant percentage of auxiliary markings. The award is open to any exhibit in the single frame competition class at the show hosting the Auxiliary Markings Club annual convention. Membership in the Auxiliary Marking Club or the sponsoring organization of the exhibition is not a requirement for winning the award.
Auxiliary Markings Club - Officers 2023-2024, Editor, and Webmaster
Auxiliary Markings Club History
The Auxiliary Markings Club was founded in September 2003 when John Hotchner published an open letter in Linn's Stamp News suggesting that such a club be created and Douglas Quine responded with a proposed web site design. Tony Wawrukiewicz subsequently volunteered to be the newsletter editor and the Auxiliary Marking newsletter began publication in January 2004 for dues paying members.
John Hotchner, Douglas Quine, and Tony Wawrukiewicz were made honorary life members in 2017.
Auxiliary Markings Club - Past Events
- Our First Quarterly AMC Zoom Presentation on July 12 at 7:00 PM EST was presented by Gordon Smith on “Typologies! A personal approach to classification". A video of the presentation is available at AMC on YouTube. A PDF of the presentation is available online: https://postalhistory.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Auxiliary-Markings-Club-Typology-Presentation.pdf - If you use information from the presentation, please credit it and provide a link to it.
- The Auxiliary Markings Club "show and tell" session was held at PIPEX on May 7, 2023 at 11 am at the Monarch Hotel in Clackamas Oregon. There was a lively discussion about many of the unusual auxiliary markings covers purchased at the show.
- The Auxiliary Markings Club was a convening society for ARIPEX 2022 in Mesa, AZ (next to Phoenix) from February 18 - 20, 2022. The popular AMC show-and-tell session was on February 18 at 3 PM.
K. David Steidley, Ph.D. ran the meeting.
- the Auxiliary Markings Club (postal-markings.org) held our second informal online Zoom “Show and Tell” of US and foreign covers on Nov. 12, 2021 at 6 pm eastern.
- the Auxiliary Markings Club (postal-markings.org) held our first informal online Zoom “Show and Tell” of US and foreign covers on Aug. 20, 2021 at 3 pm eastern as part of the APS Virtual Stampshow.
- the Auxiliary Markings Club general membership meeting and "show and tell" session was held at 11 a.m. Friday, June 14, 2019. St. Andrews Parish Hall, Door 17, 1899 McCoy Road, Columbus, OH
- the Auxiliary Markings Club had a "show and tell" session at INDYPEX 2018 at the Hamilton County Fairgrounds, 2003 Pleasant Street, Noblesville IN at 11 am Saturday, October 6, 2018.
- the Auxiliary Markings Club had a "show and tell" session at the APS StampShow in Columbus, OH. The session was at 3 p.m. Friday, August 10, 2018 in room B 242 in the convention center.
- January 28-31, 2016: AmeriStampExpo / Southeastern Stamp Exposition, Hilton Atlanta Hotel, 255 Courtland St, NE, Atlanta, GA 30303 was Auxiliary Markings Club Annual meeting and "Show and Tell" event on Saturday January 30 at 12 noon in the Crystal Ballroom B room at the Hilton Atlanta Hotel. Auxiliary Markings Club Detailed Schedule of Events January 28-31
- June 11, 2016 at 11 am was World Stamp Expo / New York City: Auxiliary Markings Club "Show and Tell" event
- August 20-25, 2015 was the APS StampShow in Grand Rapids, MI with our Show and Tell session included 16 participating collectors.
- May 15-17, 2015 was our Annual Meeting at ROPEX in The Greater Canandaigua Civic Center, 250 North Bloomfield Road, Canadaigua, NY. The Club had 37 frames of exhibits, a table, and a dinner. The Board of Directors meeting was held on Friday, May 15. The General Membership meeting with a "show and tell" session was Saturday, May 16.
- An Auxiliary Markings Club "Show and Tell" Meeting: was held at the APS AmeriStampExpo in Riverside, CA February 13-15, 2015. The session was scheduled for room 3 in the Riverside Convention Center at 1 p.m. Friday, February 13 to share and discuss covers with auxiliary markings.
- March 22-24, 2013: St. Louis Stamp Expo: Auxiliary Markings Club Annual meeting celebrated our tenth anniversary. Meeting included a board meeting, general membership meeting and "show and tell" session, a Friday evening dinner, two seminars, and we had a table at the show, along with several exhibits.
- August 8-11, 2013: APS StampShow, Milwaukee, WI had a "show and tell" session at this show.
- The StampShow 2011 AMC "Show and Tell" Meeting: Greater Columbus Convention Center, 400 North High Street, Columbus, OH on Friday August 12, 2011 at 1:00 pm in room E150 to share your interesting covers with the members.
- The 2011 AMC Annual Meeting was held at ROMPEX 2011: Crowne Plaza Hotel - Denver International Airport, I-70 and Chambers Rd, Denver, CO, May 13-15, 2011. The Annual General Membership Meeting was held in the Copper Mountain Room of the hotel on Saturday May 14, 2011 at 11 am and the following agenda was planned:
- Call to Order
- Introduction of Board members
- Summary of Friday’s Board meeting
- Treasurer’s report
- Membership report
- “Show and Tell” session
- The 2010 Auxiliary Markings Club Annual Meeting was held at TEXPEX 2010: Saturday April 17, 2010 at 1 pm, Teak Room, Doubletree Hotel Dallas Near the Galleria, 4099 Valley View Lane, Dallas, TX. Agenda:
- Call to Order
- Introduction of Board Members
- Summary of Friday’s Board meeting
- Treasurer’s Report
- Membership Report
- Show and Tell session for members
- We had an Auxiliary Markings Club Show and Tell session at AmeriStamp Expo/ TEXPEX was held February 20-22, 2009 at the Arlington Convention Center, 1200 Ballpark Way, Arlington, Texas. The AMC Show and Tell session was at 11 a.m., Friday, February 20, 2009 in room M-10 of the Arlington Convention Center. This is an opportunity to show your covers and perhaps solve some mysteries and obtain answers to your questions about your covers. It has become a popular activity.
- The AMC 2009 Annual Meeting was held at PIPEX 2009. PIPEX 2009 was May 22, 23, and 24 (note corrected dates) at the Doubletree Hotel Lloyd Center in Portland, OR. The Show hours will be 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Sunday. PIPEX will include over 200 frames of exhibits, over thirty dealers, including the United States Postal Service, a large youth program, a “Grandma’s Attic” booth to answer questions and provide free appraisals, a silent auction, first day covers, and seminars and meetings sponsored by participating societies but open to the public. Admission is free to the public.
- AMC Annual Meeting CHICAGOPEX 2008: Sheraton Chicago Northwest Hotel, 3400 W. Euclid, Arlington Heights, IL, Saturday, November 22, 2008 at 1 pm - 2 pm in Woodfield I meeting room
- American Philatelic Society courses on the road are being offered before CHICAGOPEX 2008: "Exhibiting for the Prize" with Rich Drews and "Collecting British Machins" with David Alderfer on November 19-20, 2008
- AMC Annual Meeting CHICAGOPEX 2008: Sheraton Chicago Northwest Hotel, 3400 W. Euclid, Arlington Heights, IL, Saturday, November 22, 2008 at 1 pm - 2 pm in Woodfield I meeting room
- The AMC held a "Show and Tell" meeting on Friday, August 15, 2008 at StampShow 2008 in Hartford CT.
- The AMC held a "Show and Tell" meeting on Friday, January 11, 2008 during AmeriStampExpo in Charlotte, NC.
During the course of the one-hour meeting, we heard from nine attendees. I led off showing a 1936 US FDC with German markings, which I translated to read "Treat this special message as air post propaganda" on the front, and "Hold until the end of the month at Glanchau. Then return" on the reverse. The FDC also had a French backstamp. I also showed several other unusual (to me) markings. Alan Warren showed a Byrd FDC with "Return to sender, do not reuse envelope" on it. Charles O'Brien showed a cover sent from the US to the Falkland Islands during the Falklands war. The cover was held in Buenos Aires and not delivered owing to the war. A backstamp included Argentina's claim of illegitimate occupation by Great Britain. The cover was returned to the sender.
Alan Parsons showed a stampless NY cover with markings, a "disaster" cover with appropriate markings, and a ladies cover with a circular marking. Steve Edmondson showed a March, 1946 cover to a German POW in California. It was returned with a pointing hand "repatriated." David Straight showed a cover with a pointing hand "Mail in Dispute." Joann Lenz showed an FDC from Illinois to Hong Kong with a complex "return to sender" marking. Mike Lampson showed an official mail cover with a pointing finger in German. I showed a few more covers, including the cover of a magazine marked "received without contents" that I received recently. I also showed a copy of a CDS inscribed "postage stamp lost in transit." John Hotchner had a crash cover, and brought a box full of covers with various auxiliary markings, which many of us enjoyed browsing through after the meeting. The hour quickly passed as we all (10) enjoyed the shown covers. - Ralph
- Auxiliary Markings Club Officers Spoke at >APS 2007 Summer Seminar Electives
Three officers of the Auxiliary Markings Club showcased their collecting expertise during the American Philatelic Society’s 2007 Summer Seminar, June 17-22 at the American Philatelic Center in Bellefonte, Pennsylvania. Philately makes room for all types of collectors, including those who concentrate on metered mail and, in more recent times, personalized postage. AMC Webmaster Douglas B. Quine covered these topics and more at Wednesday morning’s General Session. This was an opportunity to learn of Pitney Bowes’ historical role in postal automation and ongoing role in the changing environment of moving the mail. AMC Treasurer Gary G. Hendren conducted an elective on silent precancels — precancels that do not contain the town and state name in the imprint on the stamp. Through many examples, Gary showed participants how to identify silent precancels and gave an awareness of what to look for on covers and in collections and stockbooks. United States FDCs, with stamps that went through the mail, sometimes have a wide variety of auxiliary markings, receiving cancels, and more. AMC Director Ralph Nafziger’s elective examined these markings, ranging from those applied at the sending post office, to those applied after the FDC was received. Routes, rates and the time spent in transit by these elusive auxiliary-marked FDCs were also discussed. The Summer Seminars, which are open for registration, are more fully described in the APS Summer Seminar Press Release
- Washington DC 2006 - World Philatelic Exhibition was a phenomenal show (the show web site is managed by our own Tom Fortunato who has posted images). The Auxiliary Markings Club was out in force. We participated with a frame in the "Society" area hosted by our own John Hotchner. We held our annual meeting, which was well attended.
Ralph Nafziger arranged a show and tell with eight of our members showing items of interest in a show and tell format. Mike Mead, Tony Wauwrukiewicz, Bill Geijsbeek, Alan Warren, Ralph Nafziger, Mark Goodson, Jackie Alton and Doug Merenda presented us with interesting puzzles, solved and unsolved.
We discussed having regional meetings, as our membership is spread so widely across the country, with members in other countries as well. We will have such a meeting in Chicago in conjunction with StampShow in August.
Those fortunate enough to make it to the National Postal Museum, could see John Hotchner's "20th Century United States Auxiliary Markings Documenting Delay of, or Inability to Deliver, the Mail: The First Fifty Years."
- September 23-25, 2005 Second Auxiliary Markings Club annual meeting at the Southeastern Stamp Show (formerly Peach State Stamp Show) www.stampclubs.com/sestampshow.htm. The club's awards were offered for the best exhibits.
June 18-20, 2004 first annual meeting of the Auxiliary Markings Club
ROPEX, Webster Community Field House, Webster Thomas High School, 800 Five Mile Line Road, Webster, NY (suburb of Rochester). Exhibits of any kind are welcome from club members. The first competitions for the Richard B. Graham Award for Excellence in Exhibiting Auxiliary Markings and the President's Award for Single Frame Auxiliary Marking Exhibiting Excellence (described above) will be held at ROPEX 2004. The ROPEX show web site had details about area hotels (which book early).
- January 31, 2004 at 1 pm in Room 3: Auxiliary Markings Club Membership Forum
AmeriStamp Expo, Norfolk SCOPE, 201 E. Brambleton Ave., Norfolk, Virginia
discussion of methods that can be used for organizing auxiliary markings, meet board members and fellow collectors
Auxiliary Markings Club - memberships, renewals, exhibit copy purchases, and donations
- Enroll / Renew ONLINE NOW for 2023 membership (1 year). Annual club dues are $18. You will receive all 4 printed issues for the year. (Charges will show on your statement as "Auxiliary Markings Club" - a PayPal verified business.)
- Enroll / Renew ON PAPER NOW for 2023 membership (1 year), please complete the Sign-Up Form (Adobe Acrobat PDF or Microsoft Word format) and mail $18 to the membership secretary. You will receive all 4 printed issues for the year.
- DONATIONS to the AUXILIARY MARKINGS CLUB (charges show on your statement as "Auxiliary Markings Club" - a PayPal verified business)
- EXHIBIT COPIES from the AUXILIARY MARKINGS CLUB
The AMC exhibit copying service offers exhibits for your library by three club members at cost as a service to our membership. We regret that copying costs have increased substantially in addition to the $5 (small exhibit) to $10 (large exhibit) surcharge for international shipping (outside USA) because the costs which we have been absorbing have become so high. Should you decide to order a copy, do so by ordering on-line (below), by emailing Ralph Nafziger at
, or writing Ralph Nafziger, P. O. Box 1476, Albany, OR 97321. Remember that any copy you receive will be a second generation, a copy of a copy. Though not as clear as the initial copy it remains a fine reference.
- John Hotchner's Auxiliary Markings ten-frame exhibit unbound or spiral bound
- Alfred Kugel's Auxiliary Markings of the German Colonies and Offices Abroad one-frame exhibit unbound or spiral bound
- Ralph Nafziger's First Day Covers in the Mailstream seven-frame exhibit unbound or spiral bound
- Jerry Johnson's Delays in the Delivery of Mail six-frame exhibit unbound or spiral bound
- Regis Hoffman and Thomas J. Richards' Private Auxiliary Marks on Hollywood Fan Mail monograph ALL spiral bound
- John Hotchner's Auxiliary Markings ten-frame exhibit unbound or spiral bound
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