For decades Royal Mail has told us that they preferred not to use anything other than 1st class and airmail values for their special stamps, even though this meant that the cost of sets was high, and few were being used on inland mail by people who wanted to send 2nd class mail.
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| 1929 PUC £1 |
I'm highlighting this hear now, although I cannot provide any details yet, but several of the stamp issues projected for the rest of the year have stamps with values other than 2nd, 1st and £2.20.
Royal Mail have said, "We have chosen to add the other values to ensure variety and also provide the option for more flexible use of special stamps for parcels."
This would, however, mean that some stamps might being issued for which there was no specific postage rate, and therefore no solo use.
Given reports on how stamps are treated on letters and parcels, I can only hope that the Stamps and Collectibles division of Royal Mail had some influence on the Operational areas of Royal Mail, and on their retail partner, Post Office Ltd.
This might just ensure that the pictorial stamps that they are making available for all users to actually use, might be treated in the mailstream in a way that made it worthwhile for people to use them.
Look out for these in future new issue announcements.
An interesting question indeed. I'd like to see small values which some other countries do, and then they could double as make-up values. A commemorative 1p or 2p or 10p might be good. A 35p would be useful - that's the amount needed to add to a first and a second to make £2.20 to send a postcard (I'm a fan of Postcrossing and it's nice to use several stamps on those). I fear that rather than being sensible, the post office may include larger values to sting philatelists even further. Will be interesting to say, so thank you for posting this question!
ReplyDeleteI doubt we'll see many low value commemoratives. The cost to print, distribute and sell low values is likely to be higher then the price of the stamp. When Australia Post issued 5c stamps for a WWF issue they had to use different paper and if I remember correctly they only sold them in complete sheets or as part of the set. I suspect they hoped the popularity of the issue would recoup the cost to print the issue. Low values appear in the Christmas Island Lunar New Year issues but again the numbers sold help cover the cost of production.
DeleteAn idea might be to issue two or three stamps that together make up the second or first class rate. Australia Post has done this with issues aimed at children and commemorative issues which need large numbers of stamps but would be too expensive if all of them where the domestic rate.
"A 35p would be useful - that's the amount needed to add to a first and a second to make £2.20 to send a postcard (I'm a fan of Postcrossing and it's nice to use several stamps on those)." Or to make up a £1.85 to £2.20. Using 35p of make-up stamps takes rather more space.
DeleteI remember when a typical set was 1st, 2nd, E, Worldwide which worked for me. Maybe the modern version could be 2 each of 1st and 2nd plus a £2.20.
2nd, 1st and £2.20 Special Stamps aren't used postally except by a diminishing number of collectors, other of course than for the Christmas issue, so surely "more flexible use of special stamps for parcels", presumably the make up values, won't happen other than by a few of those diminishing number of collectors.
ReplyDeleteI very much doubt if the Stamps and Collectibles division of Royal Mail has any influence on the Operational areas of Royal Mail where understaffed Mail Centres are only interested in shifting all the mail, no time for hand cancelling stamps. As for their retail partner Post Office Ltd anything other than Horizon labels for parcels would be far too much trouble, especially given the pittance nearly all sub-postmasters are now on, no salary and a few pence for each transaction. . .
No, you're wrong about them not being used. We have many examples of 1st & 2nd stamps being used for social correspondence (not just collector-dealer and vice versa). £2.20 not so much but as it is the basic airmail value Postcrossers especially want them - and they will use the £2 for surface mail.
DeleteSome of the ones on this forum are not from dealers/collectors - but not many!
Yes, it should really be "are very very rarely used postally" rather than "aren't used postally" which was from (a) us not having received any, other than the Christmas issue, for several years, (b) as a postman me so very very rarely seeing them postally used except to or from collectors and old ones from collections that had been bought up below face value and (c) many Post Offices not selling them, including my nearest one which also doesn't stock any make up values.
DeleteI've kept annual postage rate leaflets since the 1960s and noticed a gradual reduction in the difference between air mail and surface rates to sometimes well under 10%. I hadn't thought of Postcrossers but doubt if many others use surface mail, probably via Southampton, rather than air mail, from HWMC Langley near Heathrow.
I feel that other values would be pointless. My main town Post Office and local sub post offices no longer stock commemorative stamps. If posting anything at the post office, the adhesive labels are used automatically even for air mail letters, unless you specifically ask for 'real' stamps, which are definitives only. The only way I can buy commemorative stamps now is by mail order from Edinburgh. I even made a complaint to The Post Office company because a local post office didn't stock make up value stamps when postage increased because the postmaster told me no one sends letters anymore. I had to pay over the value of the postage needed
ReplyDeleteMy local Post Office which doesn't stock make up value stamps had run out of the basic airmail rate stamp and so two first class stamps were put on with the customer overcharged the then difference.
DeleteMy local main has stopped selling the special issue stamps, except for one presentation pack, and 2 miniature sheets (if there is a miniature sheet in the issue). They know full well that I use stamps, and would buy them. It is a shame - surely 1st class stamps sell....
DeleteHowever, I have found nice little sub-post offices over the years. The current one I visit, they'll even order in extra miniature sheets. When The Flying Scotsman issue came out, they weren't sent the miniature sheets, but they did order one for me to purchase when I went there for the next issue (Flowers).
I do like the change of attitude. Makes it more interesting. Though I have reservations. If the values are specifically high valued or if the values used are related to the anniversary (e.g. a 70p stamp for a 70th anniversary issue) then it'll mean more revenue but less use. However if they follow many other countries then we'll see commemoratives issued for specific rates then it'll be a positive. Australia Post for example has basically stopped issuing new definitives unless there's a rate change and since 2016 have looked like regular commemoratives. They continue to reprint make up rate stamps but no new low value or high value definitives seem likely.
ReplyDeleteBigger issue for many is overall cost of individual issues with Royal Mail issuing 2 of almost every value along with miniatures sheets for numerous issues every year. I've been collecting for 50+ years and this year I have for the first time cut down on what I receive.
ReplyDeleteCollecting has become nothing more than a cash cow for Royal Mail, not helped by them not even issue stamps at point of sale but printing labels instead so that the non collecting public never actually seen the new issues, therefore not generating new interest in the hobby itself
I have been trying to work out what the stamps will be in the upcoming Black Adder issue at £12.10 for the stamps I am stumped! I have a friend who lives in Spain so at Christmas and on his Birthday he gets a special stamp with appropriate value so this year £2.20
ReplyDeleteNot relevant to this topic but -
ReplyDeleteIn my nearest Post Office today the customer in front of me had bought a First Class stamp to put on an envelope and I heard the assistant saying "no, no, you put all of it on the envelope". I realised that the dummy perforation had suggested that the barcode wasn't really part of the stamp. That makes me think that many people who still buy stamps in 'books' must tear off the barcode with the likely result that the envelope is surcharged.
I have come across this in kiloware many times recently. Data matrix issues with the data matrix torn off. Surprisingly they had gone through the system.
DeleteAs for the commemoratives, no post office between Chepstow and Gloucester stock these anymore, informing me they cannot get hold of them.
I must be quite lucky then... no idea why the little post office with card shop I visit stocks them, whereas my local main stopped selling the commemoratives except for 2 miniature sheets and a presentation pack last summer, has them, and is willing to get more in if they don't have in stock.
DeleteThe USPS have the additional ounce, and the non-machinable surcharge nvi stamps. Maybe alternative values RM should issue are the ones that take a commemorative 1st class up to large rate, 2nd up to 1st, etc... I bought the Machin values for some of those differences (9p, 17p, 22p.... ) about 10+ years ago.
ReplyDeleteI'm "happy" I can use just 2 first class stamps for my overseas mail.
I don't want to be too cynical, but does "We have chosen to add the other values to ensure variety and also provide the option for more flexible use of special stamps for parcels" not simply mean that we'll get stamps for parcelforce rates? That is anything from £9.95 per stamp onwards? I really can't see special stamps being issued for low value make up values. It would be too much of a u-turn. But I could be wrong of course.....
ReplyDeleteI think to try to entice the younger philatelists lower value stamps should be included as well as 2nd & 1st this would cut the cost of special issues but perhaps RM don't like this
ReplyDeleteAn excellent idea ! the more higher values and the more design differences the easier for the counterfeiters ! - Royal Mail can't identify there own stamps and various printers of QEII so they now they want to make the same short term gains of a failing division 'Stamps & Collectable' to the detriment of the group.
ReplyDeleteDon't give the RM any crazy ideas. Here in the US, USPS issues new priority mail and priority express mail stamps every year. This year, these cost US$9.65 and US$28.75 each, respectively. And many definitives can only be purchased in rolls (or coils as they are called here) of 100 (currently US$63 each), with some being printed by three different printers, so you'll HAVE to buy all of them (unless you purchase singles from a dealer at a mark-up). Some commemoratives can only be purchased in sheets, so you'll end up with even more postage you didn't need to begin with. This is one of the reasons I gave up in the end.
ReplyDeleteAnd they wonder why philatelists are (literally) a dying breed!
Delete"values other than 2nd, 1st and £2.20"
ReplyDeleteCall me a cynic, but that sounds like a move to have all stamps in a set priced HIGHER than even the standard 1st class rate (just as 2nd class have been all but abandoned, as noted in the opening paragraphs).
Prediction: Royal Mail will claim that they need to have higher priced stamp sets because fewer are buying them (even though collectors' failure to use stamps actually to pay for postage makes their sale 'money for nothing'), leading to even fewer people buying them!
'Special stamps' should be the norm for 2nd, 1st and first-tier airmail rates - almost every issue should contain each of those values - with definitives only serving as a backstop to cover Post Offices potentially running out of stocks between issues.
Or just give it up as 'too much like hard work' and produce definitives only.
RW (the other Robert)
ReplyDeleteI am also lucky here in Devon my Crown office has all the latest Stamp Issues and also some lower Values (Plus King Charles III Definitive Booklets), in their stock, and my Local Post Office in my Village also get all Issues i.e Stamps, Mini Sheets, Prestige Booklet. if anyone is still looking for past Issues I might be able to help just send a message to Ian and maybe he will forward it on to me,?
I would think that only 2nd & 1st are needed as the 1st Class rate is £1.10 you only need 2 to make up the Overseas rate of £2.20 (job done) I don't see the point of having high Values as it makes to Set cost high but 1st would serve all .
Regarding older Issues of 1st & 2nd and all older Values from when Postage was in Pence, Royal Mail have no idea what they are and put a Pen through them they say it's because they don't want to lose Revenue, if they cancel all mail then they would not lose any Revenue and it would make Collecting better for use all, I have in the past year or so had many Dozens if not more stamps that I could have Collected or even sent to Charities but due to the Royal Mail they are only fit for recycling.
Blackadder stamps made a brief appearance on Royal Mail's shop today and as usual some people were able to grab screen shots before they disappeared. Those who are desperate can see them here https://www.stampboards.com/download/file.php?id=329177
ReplyDeleteMy comprehensive blogpost will be published at midnight Thursday/Friday.
They are also pictured in all their glory on the CSO blog.
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