Rural letter carrier’s cash and stamp box

c. 1902-1930

The front and top of this metal box open to four shelves designed to store stamps, money order application forms, cash, and other postal accoutrements. Rural delivery service carriers purchased this type of box to manage their official and pecuniary transactions with patrons on their route. Unlike city carriers, rural carriers operated as mobile post offices, bringing a variety of postal services to customers' homes. The box could be secured with a padlock. The handle was replaced by Smithsonian conservators.