Indiana Postal HistoryCovers, cancels and mail routes of the Hoosier State

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How to Start an Indiana Postal History Collection

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A collector's desk with an open album of covers, an ink map of Indiana counties, a magnifier and tweezers
Illustration: A collector's desk with an open album of covers, an ink map of Indiana counties, a magnifier and tweezers.

Postal history rewards focus. A pile of random covers is just a pile. A collection with a clear aim, whether a county, a route or a postmark type, becomes a research project that grows more interesting with each addition.

Pick a theme

  • A county. Indiana has 92 counties. Collect one cover from every post office that existed in your home county, past and present.
  • A town. Follow a single office from stampless days through the modern era, one cover per marking type.
  • A route. Choose a railway line, canal or road and collect markings connected to it.
  • A theme. Santa Claus, covered bridges, college towns or place names with a story all work.

Where to find covers

Stamp shows, local club auctions, antique malls, online marketplaces and estate sales all turn up Indiana material. Be specific in your searches: use the town name and the word "postmark" or "cover". Local historical societies and libraries can also help with lists of offices and opening dates.

Handling and storage

  • Hold covers by the edges and use stamp tongs for loose stamps.
  • Store in polyester sleeves or acid-free mounts, away from light and damp.
  • Do not soak or peel a stamp from a cover. The postmark on the cover is the point.
  • Write notes in soft pencil on the mount or a separate page, never on the cover itself.

Document as you go

Record where each cover came from, what you paid, the office's years of operation and anything you learn from the contents. A simple spreadsheet keeps it organised, and the records add to a cover's story if you later sell or donate it.

Start small, stay curious, and let the collection lead you into the archives. Each town has a story, and a postmark is often the first page of it.

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