Cheap postage

Hi

Since returning to the hobby at the beginning of this year I notice
that some stamp dealers offer cheap postage in the form of a stack of
old commeratives that for one reason or another are deemed
uncollectable. Also, almost every stamp dealer who has sent me
anything through the post has used stamps in this way.

Now this is great and I am all for it since it makes the post much
more interesting but I have a few questions and wondered if anyone on
here could offer some insight.

First of all - how does this impact the income stream of (since I am
in the UK) the Royal Mail. I hear that it is already making a loss -
does this practice make it worse. I suspect not since it is only a
small percentage of the population that is doing this.

Secondly, since commeratives are printed in limited quantities will
this practice have any effect on the scarcity of mint stamps.

Finally, how do collectors of used stamps feel about say a 1980 stamp
with a 2003 postmark. Would you consider it as collectable as one
with a 1980 postmark?

Thanks

Mike

Taking the money and providing the service 20 years later, at the price
maybe including 20 years inflation seems like pretty good cashflow
management.

Are the Brit 1st and 2nd class stamps of 1989 still valid for postage?

1989 2nd class 19p

2003 2nd class 20p

Even inflation free not a great return for an investor in stamps!



First of all - how does this impact the income stream of (since I am
in the UK) the Royal Mail. I hear that it is already making a loss -
does this practice make it worse. I suspect not since it is only a
small percentage of the population that is doing this.

Secondly, since commeratives are printed in limited quantities will
this practice have any effect on the scarcity of mint stamps.

Finally, how do collectors of used stamps feel about say a 1980 stamp
with a 2003 postmark. Would you consider it as collectable as one
with a 1980 postmark?

Thanks

Mike

This bargain applies only to countries that honor the initial purpose of the
stamp, i.e. 1st or 2nd class mail in the UK. In the USA, the
non-denominated stamps are valid for postage only in the amount originally
paid. Postal clerks have a printed sheet showing the stamps and their
postal value. It is a complicated thing, especially for the person who has
leftover stamps.

Tony

"Garry Law" wrote in message
...
Taking the money and providing the service 20 years later, at the price
maybe including 20 years inflation seems like pretty good cashflow
management.

Are the Brit 1st and 2nd class stamps of 1989 still valid for postage?

1989 2nd class 19p

2003 2nd class 20p

Even inflation free not a great return for an investor in stamps!



First of all - how does this impact the income stream of (since I am
in the UK) the Royal Mail. I hear that it is already making a loss -
does this practice make it worse. I suspect not since it is only a
small percentage of the population that is doing this.

Secondly, since commeratives are printed in limited quantities will
this practice have any effect on the scarcity of mint stamps.

Finally, how do collectors of used stamps feel about say a 1980 stamp
with a 2003 postmark. Would you consider it as collectable as one
with a 1980 postmark?

Thanks

Mike

Garry Law wrote in article
...
Taking the money and providing the service 20 years later, at the price
maybe including 20 years inflation seems like pretty good cashflow
management.

Are the Brit 1st and 2nd class stamps of 1989 still valid for postage?

1989 2nd class 19p

2003 2nd class 20p

Even inflation free not a great return for an investor in stamps!

snip

If you are referring to stamps with the denominations 19p and 20p, the
answer is that the 1989 stamp is valid for postage but only for 19p. In
other words, it will not pay for a second class letter any longer. If you
are referring to stamps with no denomination but which just say 2ND, then
both will pay for a second class letter today. No Value Indicated (NVI)
stamps in the UK retain their validity for the stated service
indefinitely, unlike the policy in some other countries.

Just to emphasise the difference, the first 1ST NVI Machin stamp was
issued on 22 August 1989 for 19p and is `worth' 28p today. (The 1989 2ND
stamp cost 14p at the time, not 19p.)

Douglas

mike wrote:
[snip]
Finally, how do collectors of used stamps feel about say a 1980 stamp
with a 2003 postmark. Would you consider it as collectable as one
with a 1980 postmark?

A 1980 stamp with a 2003 postmark would be of little value to me.
American collectors do not seem to care about this as much as do
European collectors.

This may be because the USPO/USPS generally has applied cancels so that
the part with the town and date fall on the envelope and only the
"killer" or slogan part cover that stamp. In many European countries,
it is very common for much of the CDS (circular date stamp) to fall on
the stamp.

I have wondered why European postal services do this. It seems to me
that, from the perspective of the Post Office, it makes more sense to
have the CDS on the envelope where it can be more easily read.

Of course, as a collector, I prefer stamps with a nice
socked-on-the-nose CDS, so I am glad that they do this.

= Eric

On Mon, 08 Sep 2003 11:30:05 -0700, Eric Bustad
wrote:

mike wrote:
[snip]
Finally, how do collectors of used stamps feel about say a 1980 stamp
with a 2003 postmark. Would you consider it as collectable as one
with a 1980 postmark?

A 1980 stamp with a 2003 postmark would be of little value to me.
American collectors do not seem to care about this as much as do
European collectors.

This may be because the USPO/USPS generally has applied cancels so that
the part with the town and date fall on the envelope and only the
"killer" or slogan part cover that stamp. In many European countries,
it is very common for much of the CDS (circular date stamp) to fall on
the stamp.

I have wondered why European postal services do this. It seems to me
that, from the perspective of the Post Office, it makes more sense to
have the CDS on the envelope where it can be more easily read.

Of course, as a collector, I prefer stamps with a nice
socked-on-the-nose CDS, so I am glad that they do this.

Before you totally blanket this, check out France. Many, many times I
have seen envelopes with SON and a clear cancel on the envelope.

Both, that is...

Tracy Barber

I too don't worry about the date stamp if it has been used for correct
postage.What I will not collect is stamps from so-called "combination"
covers where for example a mint non decimal stamp is placed on an
envelope and cancelled with an appropriate artificial cancel then a
decimal stamp is added and a current cancel used to passit through the
post. It seems to me that it produces an attractive cover in
appearance but to collect the pre-decimal stamp as a genuine used
article off-cover is cheating a bit

Malcolm


TC wrote in message . ..
On 8 Sep 2003 01:39:27 -0700, (mike) wrote:

Hi

Since returning to the hobby at the beginning of this year I notice
that some stamp dealers offer cheap postage in the form of a stack of
old commeratives that for one reason or another are deemed
uncollectable. Also, almost every stamp dealer who has sent me
anything through the post has used stamps in this way.

Now this is great and I am all for it since it makes the post much
more interesting but I have a few questions and wondered if anyone on
here could offer some insight.

First of all - how does this impact the income stream of (since I am
in the UK) the Royal Mail. I hear that it is already making a loss -
does this practice make it worse. I suspect not since it is only a
small percentage of the population that is doing this.

Secondly, since commeratives are printed in limited quantities will
this practice have any effect on the scarcity of mint stamps.

Finally, how do collectors of used stamps feel about say a 1980 stamp
with a 2003 postmark. Would you consider it as collectable as one
with a 1980 postmark?

Thanks

Mike


Mike:

Personally, I do not worry. Remember, the PO profited,
in the past, from selling these stamps and not delivering
a service for them.

They got the profit up front and forgot that some day
they would have to provide a service. It is like a company
selling gift certificates and hoping that nobody ever cashes them.
Foolish indeed.

Also, remember that where one of these stamps paid postage
on a letter 50 years ago, you now need a dozen or more
to have the same letter delivered.

The number of letters bearing such stamps are MINISCULE
compared to today's mail stream. Remember, 75% of today's mail
is commercial.

As to number two, I collect the used stamps regardless of dates.
They are still valid for postage , aren't they?

Only in the case of rare or valuable classics do I find that
collectors really pay aattention to the dates, unless
we are talking COVERS of course.

Blair



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