Mysterious Card

The most mysterious card I recd today from USA posted on 24th November 2020.with no address of sender or receiver, with no card I’d, and still USA postal services sent card to India and surprisingly the Indian post authorities felt ì am the lucky recipient of card. This must be very unique thing to happen. See the card images.

49 Likes

U must actually be very lucky to receive such a nice card. :smile:

8 Likes

Probably address was on a sticker and was lost on last step of delivery. Plus there is a strichcode on the bottom of card; it may include address.

4 Likes

I don’t know much about code, but is the for sender or recipient. Also there is no mark or sign of any sticker.nor any card I’d. So I am wondering, if the card is meant for me or someone else. Only sender of this card can solve this mystery.

I think I may have sent a card that will become someone’s mystery card, too. However, I wrote a message and included the ID. I printed the address to use the character based version, but today the address is still on the paper. I mailed 3 cards yesterday, including that one.

Maybe the sender used washi tape or similar to stick the message and address on the card? At least some washi sticks very poorly on cards (especially on the shiny paper types!) and leaves no marks when it tears off. I have got few open envelopes from mail after the washi used for sealing them had given up. It seems that washi totally loses its stickiness in freezing temperatures, so the card could have lost its message and address during airplane transport.

1 Like

Maybe it was written with invisible ink😜

21 Likes

How cool would that be?! :sweat_smile:

3 Likes

Since the card originated in the US, the code is regarding the recipient. It is sprayed on by the automated sorting machines at USPS distribution centers.

I wonder if there might be information on the internet about how to decode it?

Very cool!

Have you asked the admins to locate the ID? (If you go to “Register a Postcard” there is a message about this with a link at the right of the screen). I would guess they may be able to because the cancellation is so clear and with so few cards sent and received it’s not like you have a whole bunch of cards coming to you from NYC.

I agree with other who said the address was probably stuck on some way that held it there long enough for the barcode to be printed. The barcode then led it to be automatically sorted right down to the postal carrier’s route, if not your specific address.

Why the message was also lost…who knows? But at least you should be able to clear up if the card was an Official on its way to you or not. Then the mystery will be explained…or deepend!

1 Like

Amazing! Please keep us updated!

I’ve actually thought of doing this with lemon juice but I changed my mind, the receiver might accidentally burn the card if I do :joy:

2 Likes

I thought about that too! :joy:

1 Like

Here is an example of a code that appears on mail sent to my address.
The first 9 digits are my “ZIP code + 4” (postal code). It tells State, City, and area within the City.

When I search for the postal code on the mystery card, it comes up as one of the outlying areas of Rome, Italy. I have no idea if that’s correct.

Looking at the card again the area on the back is so clean. I think they must’ve printed out info and used a not-so-sticky gluestick? It came clean off cause there’s a stamp and postal markings? :thinking:
What a cool card!

Edit, @aerobear I looked at some of my cards as well, that means the top number is also part of the zip code, right?
Learn something new every day. The zip code up top is the last three numbers in the sender’s zip code. :eyes:

@Sleep Yes, the zip code up top is the first three numbers in the sending location zip code. Here’s the top part of a card I sent to myself (to get a sample postmark).

I have also requested admin to find card ID. I hope they are able to do it from such a clean card.

Yes, postal code says it originated from New York, but how does one determine, I am the receiver. The card is so clean without any glue/ paste/sticker mark or impression.

1 Like

You may be right. But Indian postal in Mumbai must have some reason to deliver it to me. There are more than 115 postal offices in my city. Why only me. That is the mystery.

Now I am getting more curious to solve this mystery.

2 Likes