Why do we spell out "box" in P.O. Box?

Here’s what I found for POB.

POB Point of Beginning (land surveying)
POB Post Office Box
POB Patrick O’Brian (author)
POB Place Of Birth
POB Professional Oversight Board (UK FRC)
POB Public Oversight Board
POB Paris Opera Ballet
POB Persons On Board
POB Pension Obligation Bonds
POB Professional Office Building
POB Personnel on Board
POB Plastic Ono Band (John Lennon album)
POB Physician Office Building
POB Prevention of Blindness
POB Point Of Banking
POB Point of Business (service management system)
POB Principles Of Business
POB Pilot on Board
POB Psychological Operations Battalion
POB Passenger on Board
POB Paper-Over-Board (type of book binding)
POB Public Order Battalion (Iraq)
POB Portable Oxygen Bottle (aerospace)
POB Pop Off Boys (band)
POB Pat on Back
POB Parade Of Bands
POB Point of Breaking (applied solid mechanics)
POB Product of Boredom (webcomic)
POB Patrol Observation Base
POB Phemas Of Beijing Company
POB Protected Outlet Box
POB Publication Orthopédique Biomécanique
POB Point of Blame
POB Persistent Object Backend/Base
POB Percentage of Base

And I thought I was lazy.

According to this link,

http://acronyms.thefreedictionary.com/POB

we CAN!

(Edited to add, I just realized this is where @Bluefreedom‘s info came from. Sorry!)

When used on an envelop, as part of an address, it is not necessary. In most written contexts it is clear what is meant. I use only POB and it has never been mistaken for anything else.

For looks, in a formal letter, it would be better to type out the entire words.

Personally, I have trouble even spelling the “P.O.” part.

@jeffgoldblumsprivatefacilities Not lazy, just curious. Ok.. maybe a little lazy, but I do spell out “box.”

In Post Office lingo, pob means only one thing, unless it is someone’s name.

The shift came several years back where POB was starting to be accepted; however, it’s just not taken off like some other acronyms. I use POB, it’s just a habit I started, as it was the preference of the VP I worked for, years ago. It just stuck.

Rarely, though, when I receive correspondence, do I see POB being used regularly.

@jeffgoldblumsprivatefacilities…Where you been hiding, fly (I’ve been away some….maybe its me thats been hiding)? Good to see you!

How about PO and a tiny square?

@galileogirl PO(box) might look like POO.

@Allie Good call. How about a box with P.O. inside of it?

@jeffgoldblumsprivatefacilities PO-in-the-box sounds good to me. I’m pretty sure the USPS would hate it though. Party poopers …or POOpers.

Where’s astrochuck when you need him?

PO◘

@tigran I still think that looks like “poo.”