Cubierta (philately)
Cubiertas ( German Letter of insurance brands ) are a class of postage stamps , the payment of the fee for insurance value letters document and simultaneously seal the value letter. They have a format of about 13 × 6.5 centimeters with an upper part that contains the intended use and the value imprint and the lower part with a field for specifying the letter content. Cubiertas were published between 1865 and 1909 by the Colombian State Post and the postal services of the Colombian departments of Cundinamarca , Santander and Tolima . After 1909, cubiertas were replaced by ordinary postage stamps.
use
Letters with cash or checks were openly delivered to the post office with a declaration of content. The postman checked the contents and filled out a Cubierta, then sealed the letter on the flap. Normal postage stamps were required on the address side for the actual mail delivery.
The recipient had to open the letter in the presence of the postman and acknowledge receipt of the money or check on the envelope. The envelope remained with the post office and was usually destroyed after a retention period. For this reason, used Cubiertas are rare and are valued more highly by collectors than unused copies.
literature
Ullrich Häger: Large encyclopedia of philately . Bertelsmann, Gütersloh, 1973, pp. 91-92. ISBN 3-570-03229-9