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We refer to the article by Dave Elsmore in The Courier, No. 56 on the issue date correction
as published in December, 2013.

On reading page 18 more carefully, we see that that "No less quantity than 12 tickets will be sold."
This remark applies to the illustrated extracts shown by the author.

It seems clear that one could not buy these 'tickets' singly as the notices state. Thus, an individual
would not be willing to buy a dozen 3d parcel tickets just to send the occasional packet by railway
to someone else in Tasmania. However, a business might be willing to buy one or more sheets for
affixing to packets of merchandise to customers, etc.

Could this be one reason for the rarity of these Parcel Tickets? Also, their very plain appearance
did little good for their chances of finding a home in someone's collection. Many of these tickets
would have been promptly discarded by the recipient.

I am told that examples of usage prior to 1900 have not been seen, even though these tickets had
been available to customers as early as 1886 as shown by the official notices in Elsmore's article.
Perhaps examples of such usage will soon come to light?

Correction to previous posting:

The 3d and 6d are apparently unrecorded as used before 1900, although
regulations (1886) said they were available in quantities of at least 12,
not singly as collectors may have believed. Certainly, they are rare.

However, the usage of 1d must be prior to 1900 as they were no longer
on issue after 1895 (see The Courier, No. 56, pp. 22-23).

Bill,
I have been collecting Tas Railway Tickets for some 15 years and have seen less than half a dozen of these tickets in any value during that time.
I have two 3d tickets in my collection only. These are on the back of an envelope addressed to Tattersalls in Hobart. Exactly what they were paying is a mystery as the envelope would only attract 2d if posted through the mail.It has no postal markings. I can only assume it was part of a much larger consignment that was best sent by rail.
The tickets are hand cancelled 1903 and also cancelled with the TGR Accountants small circular handstamp.
I have seen nothing before 1900.

Pete

Pete

David McNamee illustrated a 6d Parcels Tickets on a "parcel" (really a letter) to Tattersalls
on page 15 of his book Beating the Odds but does not tell us the rates for this service. It
could be part of a bundle of letters sent together as you surmised.

It seems that the sender tried to avoid the Post Office that was trying to put Tattersalls
out of business. There are also the parcel invoices that occasionally turn up on covers
addressed to Tattersalls as illustrated on page 21 of the same book. His example looks
rather tatty; I have an example on cover that is intact, except for a spike hole.