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Inland envelope with 5 cent franking of the Dutch issue of 1891 with the portrait of the young Queen Wilhelmina. On the left you will see the the notice "Monster zonder Waarde", the Dutch expression for Sample without Value. The envelope was sent from Rotterdam to Scheveningen. The sender, Mr. A. Roosing was a trader "in peulvruchten". This means that he dealt in peas and beans. The inland postage for samples without value was a reduced rate of 2˝ cents for each 75 grams, with a maximum of 350 grams. Consequently the weight of the envelope was between 75 and 150 grams. For postal control, samples without value had to be sent in open envelope. The envelope shows the typical closing of a sample-without-value-envelope with holes for the cotter pin. With the exception of marks, numbers and prices - no written announcements were allowed. Probably the written letter "A" in the upper left corner is such a quality mark (first quality !) On the reverse you will find the quotation of the goods. The contents of peas or beans prevented clear cancellations, but the dates in the cancellation of the postage stamp, as well in the arrival postmark on reverse, are clearly legible as respectively October 22, 1894 and October 23, 1894. This item has been chosen as cover of the month because this category of sendings is rather rare and more so because the envelope fully shows all typical aspects of a sample without value. Such items are, of course, exceptions to the usual rules about condition.
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