SEND A TELEGRAM

was introduced at all main Post Offices except Perth from early April 1933. It was also used in many smaller offices in all States except WA for about six years.

Use:

Earliest recorded date of use:
12 April 1933 at Hobart.

Latest recorded date of use:
13 August 1954 at Shepparton.

This slogan was generally withdrawn from use at the major offices (except Brisbane and one known example from Sydney) about the middle of 1939. It continued to be used extensively at smaller offices mainly in Queensland during the 1940-1941 period. Two examples are also known for Geelong in January/February 1942. All slogans were then withdrawn as a war time measure.

After the war, the SEND A TELEGRAM slogan was reintroduced at Colac in Sepember/October 1947 and in April 1954 and at Shepparton in August 1954.

There are 377 examples in the Census of this SEND A TELEGRAM slogan. The number of covers identified with this slogan at each of the 34 offices recorded as using the slogan are indicated for each Office entry below. For 16 Offices, less than 5 examples of the slogan are recorded.

Nature of the slogan and the Dies:

The slogan was 19.5 mm high and incorporated letters between 4 and 5.5 mm high (depending on the die).

Details of the main variations in format for each Office using multiple dies, including die variations and code numbers and posting details, are accessed by the hyperlinks.

There are slight differences for the shape of the letters in some dies between Offices - for example Sydney sometimes has a rounded G while Melbourne has a narrower G.

There appear to be 10 distinctive dies for the SEND A TELEGRAM slogan - in addition to the use of circles or boxes and the inscriptions at the base therein. These dies are identified by the relative position of the letters in the words A (line 2) and TELEGRAM in the slogan. The dies are ranked in order of the A moving progressively to the right:

Die 1: the A over EG of TELEGRAM.	the letter A has its peak below the right foot of E above; the A starts above the left side of E and finishes about the middle of G. the letter A is leaning slightly to the right except in late 1939 and after examples; SEND is 18 mm wide.	Examples: Sydney code 1 (City Box) - 9 June 1937. Melbourne Box - 13 May 1938. Marrickville circle - 26 August 1939.
Die 2: the A over EG of TELEGRAM.	the letter A has its peak to the left of the left upright of N above; the wider A starts above the left half of E and finishes above the right side of G. SEND is 20 mm wide.	Examples: Hobart circle - 12 May 1937. Bundaberg circle - 15 October 1940.
Die 3A: the A over EG of TELEGRAM.	the narrow A starts at the right side of E below and finishes at the right side of G. SEND is 15-18 mm wide.	Examples: Mount Gambier circle - 14 January 1939.
Die 3B: the A over EG of TELEGRAM.	the wide A starts at the right side of E below and finishes to the right of G; the L of TELEGRAM, if extended upwards, cuts through the S of SEND; SEND is 17 mm wide.	Examples: Ipswich circle - 19 April 1941.
Die 4A: A over G of TELEGRAM.	the narrow A starts slightly to the right of E below and finishes at the right side of G; the L of TELEGRAM, if extended upwards, just cuts the S of SEND; SEND is 17 mm wide;	Examples: Toowoomba circle - 13 April 1938.
Die 4B: A over G of TELEGRAM.	the narrow A starts to the right of E and finishes to the right of G (the two letters are in line); the letter A often has a flat top. the L of TELEGRAM, if extended upwards, misses the S of SEND (either just or considerably); the top of the G is slightly lower than the tops of the E and R; the horizontal bars of the Es in TELEGRAM are higher than for the R; SEND is 15-16 mm wide.	Examples: Lismore circle - 15 September 1937. Mackay circle - 24 November 1937.
Die 5A: A over GR of TELEGRAM.	the A begins on the left side of G and finishes just before R.	Examples: Hobart circle - 21 April 1933. Canberra circle - 19 April 1937.
Die 5B: A over GR of TELEGRAM.	the A begins on the right side of G and finishes on the left side of R; the top horizontal of R slopes down slightly.	Examples: Townsville circle - 20 April 1937.
Die 5C: A over GR of TELEGRAM.	the A begins about the middle of G and finishes about the middle of R. This is unique Brisbane die.	Example: Brisbane Pillars 2 - 30 April 1938.
Die 6: A over R of TELEGRAM.	A is directly above the R.	Examples: Sydney code 1 (in City Box) - 9 Nov 1933.
Die 7: A over RA of TELEGRAM.	the right side of A finishes beyond R. the M has a distorted right leg.	Examples: Sydney code 7 (in Pillar Box) - 11 Nov 1933.

Number of dies recorded: 7;

Earliest date recorded:
27 June 1933.

Latest date recorded:
7 July 1939.

Number in the Census: 55.

Number of dies recorded: 1;

Only recorded example of this slogan:
28 July 1938.

Number in the Census: 1.

Number of dies recorded: 1;

Only recorded example of this slogan:
12 September 1939.

Number in the Census: 1.

 

Bendigo, Vic.

Number of dies recorded: 1;

Only recorded example of this slogan:
17 March 1939.

Number in the Census: 1.

Number of dies recorded: 12;

Earliest date recorded:
17 April 1937 (Occleshaw).

Latest date recorded:
4 July 1940.

Number in Census: 52.

Number of dies recorded: 1;

Characteristic:
Die 3A: A over EG.
Diameter: 22 mm.

Earliest date recorded:
20 March 1940
(a late date for the slogan to be introduced).

Latest date recorded:
15 October 1940.

Number in Census: 2

Number of dies recorded: 1;

Characteristic:
Die 4A: A over G.
Diameter: 21 mm.

Earliest date recorded:
12 April 1938.

Latest date recorded:
12 May 1941.

Number in Census: 6.

Number of dies recorded: 1;

Characteristics:
Die 5A: A over GR.
Diameter: 20 mm.

Earliest date recorded:
30 April 1934 (Occleshaw).

Latest date recorded:
19 April 1937.

Number in Census: 4.

 

Number of dies recorded: 1;

Characteristics:
Die 5A: A over GR.
Diameter: 21 mm.

Earliest date recorded:
26 September 1938.

Latest date recorded:
1 April 1954 (Occleshaw)

Number in Census: 10.

Number of dies recorded: 1;

Characteristics:
Die 4A: A over G.
Diameter: 22 mm.

Earliest date recorded:
22 January 1942.

Latest date recorded:
4 February 1942 (Occleshaw).

Number in Census: 2.

Number of dies recorded: 1;

Characteristics:
Die 5A: A over GR.
Diameter: 21 mm.

Earliest date recorded:
14 July 1933.

Latest date recorded:
23 October 1940.

(There is a significant break in the census covers from 17 October 1934 to 29 December 1938).

Number in Census: 7.

Number of dies recorded: 2;

Earliest date recorded:
21 April 1933.

Latest date recorded:
17 May 1937.

Number in Census: 16.

Number of dies recorded: 1;

Characteristics:
Die 3B: A spans from E to the right of G.
Diameter: 22 mm.

Earliest date of this format:
22 August 1935.

Latest date of this format:
19 April 1941.

Number in Census: 27.

Number of dies recorded: 1;

Die 4B: A over G.
The G is slightly smaller than the other letters.
Diameter: 22 mm.

Only recorded example of this format:
15 September 1937 and 22 Jan 1941.

Number in Census: 2.

Number of dies recorded: 1;

Characteristics:
Die 4B: the wide A extends from the end of E to nearly the beginning of R.
The L, if extended up, misses the S.
Diameter: 21 mm.

Earliest date of this format:
24 November 1937.

Latest date of this format:
19 September 1940.

Number in Census: 26.

Number of dies recorded: 1;

Characteristics:
Die 4B: A over G of TELEGRAM.
Diameter: 22 mm.

Only recorded example of this slogan: 24 December 1937.

Number in Census: 1.

 

Number of dies recorded: 1;

Characteristics:
Die 3A: A spans EG from mid E to mid G.
Diameter: 22 mm.

Only recorded example of this slogan: 26 August 1939.

Number in Census: 1.

Number of dies recorded: 1;

Characteristics:
Die 2: A spans E and G.
G is rounder.
Diameter: 22 mm.

Earliest date recorded:
5 August 1935.

Latest date recorded:
14 August 1940.

(There is a significant break in the census covers from 21 April 1937 to 12 April 1939).

Number in Census: 12.

Number of dies recorded: 5;

Earliest date recorded:
22 December 1936.

Latest date recorded:
23 July 1940.

Number in Census: 26.

Number of dies recorded: 1;

Characteristics:
Die 3A: A over EG.
Diameter: 22 mm.

Only recorded example of this slogan: 14 January 1939.

Number in Census: 1

Number of dies recorded: 1;

Characteristics:
Die 1: A over EG (with A unusually leaning to the left).
Diameter: 20 mm.

Earliest date recorded:
4 November 1935 (Occleshaw).

Latest date recorded:
24 April 1937.

Number in Census: 6.

Number of dies recorded: 1;

Characteristics:
Die 3A: A over EG.
Diameter: 22 mm.

Only recorded dateof tis format:
30 April 1941.

Number in Census: 1.

Number of dies recorded: 1;

Characteristics:
Die 2: A spans EG.
Diameter: 22 mm.

Earliest date recorded:
18 September 1936 (Occleshaw).

Latest date recorded:
30 December 1938.

Number in Census: 4.

Number of dies recorded: 1;

Characteristics:
Die 1: A over EG.

Only recorded date of this format: 9 October 1941 (Occleshaw).

Number in Census: 1.

No reported usage.

Number of dies recorded: 1;

Characteristics:
Die 3B: A over EG.
Diameter: 21 mm.

Earliest date recorded:
19 April 1937.

Latest date recorded:
18 July 1941.

Number in Census: 22.

Number of dies recorded: 1;

Characteristics:
Die 5A: A over GR.
Diameter: 22 mm.

Only example of this format:
13 August 1954 (very late use).

Number in Census: 1.

 

Number of dies recorded: 19;

Earliest date recorded:
13 May 1933.

Latest date recorded:
3 May 1938.

Number in Census: 54.

Number of dies recorded: 1;

Characteristics:
Die 4A: A over G of TELEGRAM
Diameter: 22 mm.

Earliest date recorded:
5 January 1939.

Latest date recorded:
9 October 1940.

Number in Census: 13.

Number of dies recorded: 1;

Characteristics:
Die 5B: A over GR of TELEGRAM
Diameter: 21 mm.

Earliest date recorded:
25 August 1933 (Occleshaw).

Latest date recorded:
22 November 1939.

(There is a significant break in the census covers from 24 January 1934 to 20 April 1937).

Number in Census: 14.

Number of dies recorded: 1;

Characteristics:
Die 4A: A over G.
Diameter: 21 mm.

Earliest date recorded:
4 January 1939.

Latest recorded date:
9 October 1940.

Number in Census: 4.

Number of dies recorded: 1;

Characteristics:
Die 4A:A over G.
Diameter: 22 mm.

Only recorded date of this format: 16 September 1940.

Number in Census: 1.