Original antique New Year postcard mailed from Florin, Pennsylvania, a former Lancaster County post office and community now incorporated into Mount Joy.
The front features a beautifully detailed embossed bird perched among holly leaves and red berries, surrounded by a wintry decorative border. A small winter landscape appears beneath the bird with the greeting:
“A Happy New Year.”
The card has substantial raised embossing, including the bird, foliage, berries and border, giving it considerably more texture than an ordinary printed postcard.
The reverse is marked:
GOOD LUCK NEW YEAR SERIES NO. 1
The card was mailed to Miss Lena B. Smith of Perry Co., Pennsylvania, and retains its original 1¢ green Benjamin Franklin stamp.
The postal-history interest is especially good on this one.
Florin, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania had its own post office beginning in 1882. Historical sources indicate that the community was given the name Florin because the post office required a unique name.
The post office operated until 1963, making Florin a discontinued post office (DPO).
That same year, Florin was annexed into the neighboring Borough of Mount Joy, ending its existence as a separate community for municipal purposes.
The card bears a circular FLORIN / PA. postmark. The date appears to read:
JAN 1
7 A.M.
1911
That January 1 New Year's Day usage is a particularly nice match to the “A Happy New Year” subject on the front.
Type: Embossed Greeting Postcard
Occasion: New Year
Era: Divided Back Era
Year: 1911
Postmarked: Yes
Postmark: Florin, Pennsylvania
County: Lancaster County
Post Office: Florin, PA
Post Office Dates: 1882–1963
DPO: Yes – Discontinued Post Office
Theme: New Year / Birds / Holiday
Subject: Bird, Holly & Berries
Series: Good Luck New Year Series No. 1
Features: Embossed / Raised Design
Stamp: 1¢ Green Benjamin Franklin
Original/Licensed Reprint: Original
Number of Items: 1
Good antique used condition with age-related wear.
There is visible corner and edge wear, toning, surface soiling and scattered age spotting. The extensive embossing remains quite pronounced. Writing is present on the reverse.
The Florin, PA DPO postmark is substantially readable, although portions of the strike are lighter than others. Original stamp remains attached.
Please examine both photographs carefully for exact condition.
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