Melbourne - Send a Telegram

The SEND A TELEGRAM slogan was introduced to Melbourne at a comparatively late date and it was used for a relatively short time of only 15 months - from 17 June 1937 to 15 September 1938.

Unlike for Sydney and Brisbane, Melbourne used only five dies covering both basic shapes and four variations of letter arrangement. Two different letter sizes were used within the box format.

the top inscription for both Box and Circle shapes was always Melbourne;
for the box format, the base inscription was aways VICTORIA. No type of box for posting was indicated.
for the circle format, the base inscription was always VIC. AUST .

The following Table provides a guide to these dies with hyperlinks:

Date stamp	Words at base	Dies	% of Melbourne Census
Box	VICTORIA	1	14
		3A	14
		4B	41
Box	PAID	1	2
Circle	Vic. Aust.	1	7
		4B	14

There are only 15 recorded covers with the Send a Telegram slogan.

Box - 4 mm words Box - 3 mm words

Datestamp: Box;

Number: None;

Base inscription: VICTORIA.

Characteristics:

Die 1: A spans the EG.
MELBOURNE is in 3 mm high letters.

Earliest date of this format:
11 June 1937.

Latest date of this format:
13 May 1938.

Number in Census: 2.

11 June 1937.

Datestamp: Box;

Number: None;

Base inscription: VICTORIA.

Characteristics:

Die 3B: A spans the EG.
MELBOURNE is in 4 mm high letters.

Earliest date of this format:
23 June 1938.

Latest date of this format:
15 September 1938.

Number in Census: 2.

23 June 1938.

Datestamp: Box;

Number: None;

Base inscription: VICTORIA.

Characteristics:

Die 4B: A spans the G of TELEGRAM.
MELBOURNE is in 3 mm high letters.

Earliest date of this format:
22 November 1937.

Latest date of this format:
15 September 1938.

Number in Census: 7.

22 November 1937.

Datestamp: Box;

Number: None;

Base inscription: PAID.

Characteristics:

Die 1: A spans the G of TELEGRAM.
MELBOURNE is in 3 mm high letters.

Only recorded date of this format:
23 July 1940.

Number in Census: 1.

23 July 1940.

Datestamp: Circle;

Base inscription:
VIC AUST.

Characteristics:
Die 1: A over the EG.

Only recorded example of this format:
22 November 1937.

Number in Census: 1.

22 November 1937.

Datestamp: Circle;

Base inscription:
VIC AUST.

Characteristics:
Die 4B: A spans the G of TELEGRAM.

Earliest date of this format:
21 June 1938.

Latest date of this format:
25 June 1938.

Number in Census: 3.

21 June 1938.