How To Open Modern Covers?

I get these letters from time to time, and would like to hear opinions on the best way to open them. I know they don't have a lot of monetary value, but I find them interesting enough to same, none-the-less:

A good oldfashioned letter opening knife will do the job nicely along the edge where the backflap is.

If that is not possible (perhaps the backflap opening is glued tight), then use a regular scissor to cut the very end of the cover that is opposite to the franking - with the cover shown in the image that would be the left short side.

I slice open with a letter opener along the bottom edge of the cover. The back flaps are well sealed there unlike at the top. At the top the corner ends do not completely glue down and with time and handling are subject to folding/catching on other items.

Prison or prisoner mail is quite a popular and collectible area.

thank you.

Joe

I like to use a pair of scissors and make one straight cut, and remove as little as possible on short edge. If stamp is too close to edge I will clip the left side of cover. Leaves it clean without jagged edges or damage if the paper decides to tear using a knife or letter opener.

Regarding the letter in question I would argue it's definitely worth at LEAST a dollar. If I saw it in a dollar box I'd pick it up. What's common to one man is another's rarity

Hey:

That cover says it's from St. Pete in FL. The postal marking (or whatever that is--looks like a weird Pitney-Bowes meter imprint of some sort) says "PA Dept of Corrections."

What's up with that??!!

It definitely looks like an interesting cover. I wonder if the letter was still inside.

Josh

Dumb question perhaps, but why was the letter not delivered or returned to sender?

Josh (Mastodon) -- re-read all the info.
This is corrections mail before and after the USPS handles it.
Critical thinking suggests "mail being returned to incarcerated" persons in correctional facilities is problematic on many fronts. "PA" is referenced in first line as a sorting aide; that's a firm (company, concern, 3rd-party, outsourced business) that is handling PA correction's "return" mail for prisoners to ensure no contraband, etc. instead of individual facilities having staff having to open & process, etc.

Noocassel -- you might be the only reader who thinks the letter was not delivered (i.e., there's no Return to Sender implied or evidence it occurred). Did your post reflect what you really meant to ask?

The letter was, indeed, delivered. Which is why I have it. I have a collection of a dozen or so like this. I'm not a cover guy, but I found them interesting.

Here are some more from my collection: