When the rapid wear-out rate of rubber handstamps became of concern to postal authorities, stereotype metal handstamps came into being in mid-1932 and were issued for about 25 years. Early examples of 25 subject devices failed to give good impressions, so the size was reduced to 10 subjects (2 by 5). When the “dating” order went into effect in 1938, the customary space between lines was narrowed from 12.5 to 8mm. to allow more room for dating on each stamp. However, even after this date, a few towns with very long names needing three lines of type were supplied with devices having wider spacing between lines like 706 and 707. In the last years of the stereotype handstamps, devices showed hair-lines above and below the legend.
