door Officially, such a card is called a Bewijs van bevoegdheid voor het afhalen van stukken (Certificate of Authority for Collecting Documents). Quite a mouthful, which is why it is usually referred to simply as a Postbuskaartje (P.O. Box Card).
It is a small bearer card (i.e. without a name or photograph), which allows the holder to collect post from the P.O. box indicated on the card during the period specified. It was therefore important not to lose it!
A fee had to be paid for this service provided by the P.T.T. The total amount was to be paid using postage stamps affixed to the card, which were then postmarked. The aim was to use as few stamps as possible to cover the required fee.
There are many different P.O. Box cards – known as P-numbers – and many print runs with numbers. Especially with the various types of stamps used, one can build a fine collection.
The rates for P.O. Box cards are listed in the tariff book by Mr W.S. Da Costa, ‘Binnenlandse en internationale posttarieven van Nederland 1850-1990’ (Domestic and International Postal Rates of the Netherlands 1850–1990), as well as in the ‘Handboek Postwaarden Nederland’. (Handbook of Dutch Stamps and Postal Stationery).
However, most collections will be missing one particularly rare P.O. Box card: the ‘Bewijs van bevoegdheid voor het afhalen aan het station’ (Certificate of Authority for Collection at the Station).
This is a very special card with its own P-number: P387. With this card, it was possible to collect one letter directly at the station, which would arrive daily on a scheduled train. It is clearly stated on this ‘P.O. Box card’ (as we’ll call it here, although it has nothing to do with a postbox) that it did not grant access to the platform.
The editors of the Handbook of Dutch Stamps and Postal Stationery, with extended tariff sheets, have not been able to determine exactly how long this special certificate remained in use. It is known, however, that it existed at least until 1957. Rate sheet B-34.
We can now extend this date to 1960. In the auction of 23 August 2025, René Hillesum Filatelie in Zwijndrecht will offer such a ‘P.O. Box card‘ from 1960.
It is franked with six 10-guilder Juliana en Profil stamps. This total of 60 guilders represents the correct rate for collecting one single letter on daily basis at the station (Staatsspoor) in The Hague (‘s-Gravenhage).
It was therefore a very expensive hobby. Sixty guilders in 1960 is equivalent to around €240 today. The average monthly salary in 1960 was 460 guilders.
The applied postage precisely matches the rate listed in the Handbook of Dutch Stamps and Postal Stationery: 10 guilders per calendar month.
In reality, however, this certificate was even more costly. It was intended for the second half of 1960 but was not issued until 16 August 1960, and was postmarked on 17 August.
