The bicycle on postmarks

Last week we looked at the officially issued stamps featuring bicycles. However, a great many cancellations were also issued: red frankings and cancellations. As a private individual, however, you only sporadically received a piece of mail with a bicycle cancellation or red franking instead of a regular stamp in your letterbox. Yet you wanted more of them. So how do you get hold of them? I bought the postcards that were popular back then (the eighties) with pre-printed stamps. I sent them to (bicycle) companies that you knew or hoped had a nice stamp or red franking. You wrote your story on the postcard and the reply was accompanied by ……. yes, exactly! The oldest known stamp featuring a bicycle dates from 1940. 1954. Start of the Tour de France in Amsterdam. A nice bicycle stamp! 1959 and 1963. Some beautiful postmarks of the Tour of Valkenburg. 1971. Big stamp with World Cyclo-cross Championships. 1977. Exhibition stamp in Museum about THE BICYCLE 1981. Stamping of the World Artistic Cycling Championships. 1991. Triathlon Almere. 1993. 100 years of ANWB In addition to these cancellations, however, a great many Red Frankings with bicycles can also be found. 1984. Cyclo-cross World Championships. 1986. 10 years of the ENFB cyclists' association 1986. Cycling and bungalow holiday 1990. Meerssen 1992. I'm glad I ride a bike. 1992. Red postage Cycling Event in Valkenburg And finally, the red postage from bicycle manufacturers 1977. Batavus 1978. Union 1983. Sparta 1985. Motobecane 1985. Citizens As you can see, a wonderful collection! But I'm not done yet. Next week, the Stadspost. And I can assure you, they haven't been sitting still either.