Ever more thoughts on Royal Mail Invalidation of non-barcoded definitive stamps: usage deadline extended by six months.

A number of people have written to tell me of the news appearing in the Mail on Sunday today, but I wanted to get an official statement, untainted by rhetoric or back-patting by journalists one of whom, at least, I have spoken to on this subject.

Official statement from Royal Mail's Matthew Parkes, Managing Director Stamps and Collectibles :

THE CHANGE

Royal Mail is transitioning to digital, barcoded stamps in order to provide new and innovative future services for our customers. In order to give our customers even more time to use up any remaining non-barcoded stamps, we have decided to introduce a six month grace period starting from the original deadline of January 31 2023 where non-barcoded definitive stamps will still be delivered as normal. 

 

To make things even easier for our customers, we have also agreed with Post Office to include swap out forms alongside freepost envelopes in Post Office branches. This means that customers will be able to fill out a form, insert it into a freepost envelope with any remaining non-barcoded stamps and hand it over for posting in a Post Office branch.

 

AS CONTEXT

 

Royal Mail first announced the transition to barcoded stamps in February 2022. Under the original scheme, Royal Mail had planned to stop accepting letters bearing non-barcoded stamps into its network from January 31.

Customers will not be out of pocket as there is no end date as to when customers should swap their non-barcoded stamps by. Customers will still be able to access the “Swap out” option after 31 January 2023. The process of swapping out is free and we are sending a leaflet and a swap out form to all 31 million UK addresses to make this even easier.

 

It seems that Royal Mail are following the governments of the UK in performing U-turns.  I suspect that the Post Office didn't want to get involved, at least not without being paid, although I know of at least one Crown office which has produced some forms because the attached Royal Mail Enquiry Office is only open for two hours early in the morning, on most days of the week and they keep getting enquiries!

And this leaflet, which can be used instead of one of the proper forms, has been delivered to many households already.

I suppose they will produce another one now.  Of course the Swap-Out scheme is open ended at present, and mixing the two dates into one story has been a feature of tabloid journalism for several months now.

Don't forget that instead of using the basic Freepost address you should use this address which will avoid any possibility of Post Office branches refusing to provide a certificate of posting.

I read somewhere, but not in the latest Mail article, that the number of people handling the stamps sent in had been trebled although there is no confirmation that this has happened.

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November 2022 Miscellaneous Updates

Most of the year's limited Post and Go news is in the January blogpost, along with very many comments. My thanks to Malcolm, Trevor, Chris and many anonymous correspondents.  Here for the record is this year's Postal Museum Lest We Forget Poppy stamp.

The Postal Museum Lest We Forget 2022 inscription on MA15 Poppy stamp.

Datamatrix Machin Dates

A number of additions have been made to the original list and if you have any more I would be very pleased to add them, with scans of course.

Thanks.

 

Blogposts

We're more than half way to the prize date when 5,555,555 page views are reached. Don't forget to take a timed screen capture - after you have refreshed the page.  Earliest one wins the prize!

Swapout

The Mail on Sunday is claiming a victory in its efforts to defer the entirely reasonable deadline for using pre-barcoded stamps, and says that forms and envelopes will be available from Post Offices (how many?)   I'm waiting for an official copy of the press release. 

Update - story confirmed, see Royal Mail Press Release.

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Lunar New Year Generic/Collector Sheet: Year of the Rabbit - 8 December 2022

It's that time of year again when, about six weeks before the event, Royal Mail issue the Lunar New Year Collector Sheet in time for the Chinese population to buy it and either use the stamps & labels or gift them to the friends. 

This year is the 12th in the series, and is announced as the final instalment in the Lunar New Year Collector Sheet series.  

The Year of the Rabbit runs from 22 January 2023 to 9 February 2024. 

The labels are designed by hat-trick design and feature paper cut-outs both on the bright red background of the sheet and the labels representing the five elements of Metal, Water, Wood, Fire and Earth. All the labels are complemented by the Fireworks definitive-sized stamp. 

2023 is specifically the year of the 'Water Rabbit' and those born in a 'Water Rabbit' Year are thought to be gentle, amicable, able to adjust readily to different conditions, as well as having slightly a weak mindset and principles. Lucky numbers are 3, 4 and 5 and lucky colours for 'Rabbits' are red, pink, purple and blue. 

We've not been given an embargo date for this so I shan't reveal it at present.   Instead I'll show one of the previous 11 sheets.

Year of the Rooster/Cockerel Collector/Generic sheet.

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November 2022 slogan postmarks and other interesting postal markings

November started with continuation of the Swap-Out slogan which now seems to be the default, for obvious reasons.  If we get or anybody sends a copy of good impressions in November it will be posted here. 

The first new slogan for November is for Armistice Day, my thanks to JH for sending this reasonable example from Birmingham Mail Centre dated 08/11/2022

Lest We Forget.
Armistice Day
11 November 2022

Lest We Forget slogan used at Birmingham Mail Centre 08/11/2022

UPDATE 10 November: My thanks to the ever-reliable RW who has sent this version from Southampton (his Exeter ones are usually unusable, though1)

Lest We Forget slogan used at Southampton Portsmouth & IOW Mail Centre 08/11/2022

UPDATE 23 November:   Somebody at Exeter Mail Centre has found some ink!  Thanks to RW for this image which has been sent back from Hong Kong, showing a clear Lest We Forget slogan in the iLSM format for 10-11-22

Lest We Forget slogan used at Exeter Mail Centre 10-11-2022

 

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UPDATE 15 November.  Royal Mail were quick to generate a slogan postmark to mark the success of the England cricketers' success over Pakistan in the T20 World Cup Final, announcing this slogan on social media at 1.30pm on Sunday.

Congratulations
England!
Men's T20
World Cup Winners
13 November 2022

Royal Mail's social media feed showed this publicity picture at 1.30 on Final Day

My thanks to MM and AT for sending examples, both in a similar layout so far.  The five-line format from Jubilee Mail Centre and the four-line format from South Midlands Mail Centre on a c5 envelope with a PPI, so quite unnecessary!  This is being used from 14 to 17 November.

Men's Cricket T20 World Cup Winners slogan, Jubilee Mail Centre 14-11-2022

Men's Cricket T20 World Cup Winners slogan, South Midlands Mail Centre 14-11-2022

My thanks to JBS who has supplied the best image so far, surprisingly from Exeter Mail Centre!

Men's Cricket T20 World Cup Winners slogan, Exeter Mail Centre 14-11-2022

UPDATE 23 November: Thanks to JG who supplied this much clearer image from the IMP machine from the SE Wales Mail Centre dated 14/11/22

Men's Cricket T20 World Cup Winners slogan, SE Wales Mail Centre 14/11/2022

 

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UPDATE 23 November:   The default 'Swap-Out' slogan has been used from time to time in November.  Here's a particularly clear example from Manchester's IMP machine dated 21/11/22 thanks to JG

Use non-barcoded stamps slogan used at Manchester Mail Centre 21/11/2012

 

 

 

 

 

I would expect a new Christmas-related slogan to appear before the end of the month.

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OTHER POSTMARKS & POSTAL MARKINGS

My thanks to LT for sending this image of a letter posted at Ore Post Office in Sussex. It's another case of using up Machins (4 x 17p for 68p 2nd class), and with a very clear 'CONTINGENCY BRANCH 64' self-inking datestamp.

Contingency Branch 64 self-inking datestamp used at Ore, Sussex, 11 NOV 2022.

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This is the place where all news about November postmarks - provided by readers or discovered by us - will be posted.  Please check back and refresh the page before sending anything which may have already been sent since you last looked: this will save you time scanning and writing.  Variants on postmarks already shown are also welcome.

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Christmas issue 2022, out on 3 November

Royal Mail's Christmas issue this year is reduced to only six stamps and retail booklets, plus the unnecessary miniature and generic sheets.

This year's stamps are illustrated by Katie Ponder, "in her unique style, providing a fresh and contemporary feel but with references to art deco which add a timeless quality to the classic nativity story".

2022 Christmas 1st class stamps

2022 Christmas 2nd class stamps

2022 Christmas airmail stamps

The same designs are included in the Miniature Sheet, in two rows. 

2022 Christmas Miniature Sheet

As usual, the generic 'Colelctors' sheet has been produced even though the Smilers product was abandoned years ago.

2022 Christmas 'Collectors sheet'

Technical details

The range was designed by Baxter & Bailey using illustrations by Kate Ponder exclusively for Royal Mail ©

The 39 x 30 mm stamps are printed in sheets of 50 by Cartor Security Printers in gravure (ie by Walsall). The Miniature sheet is 179 x 74 mm and according to the FDC insert is printed in litho, but that was not confirmed in Royal Mail's publicity information. 

The Christmas 2022 Collectors Sheet includes a set of 20 stamps (8 x 2nd Class, 8 x 1st, 2 x £1.85, 2 x £2.55) set against a beautifully illustrated backdrop by Katie Ponder. The Sheet will be printed in Self Adhesive, and is also likely to be Litho printed thoughthis had not been confirmed in the information provided by Royal Mail.

Retail booklets of 8 will be available for the 1st and 2nd class stamps. The covers are green (2nd) and purple (1st) the same as the definitive stamps. 

UPDATE: For production reasons the Booklets do not carry any cylinder numbers.  (Thanks Rob)

These are scans of the actual booklets:

Product range

Set, miniature sheet, retail booklets, collector sheet, first day covers (2), stamp cards (7), presentation pack.

The text on the FDC insert has particularly interesting slant on the Christmas story.

Christmas 2022 first day cover insert (click to enlarge)

The Presentation Pack is "written by The Revd Lucy Winkett, Rector of St James's Church, Piccadilly. She explores the relationship between timing, eternity and the significance of the nativity to Christians."  I don't know whether she also wrote the text on the insert.

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You missed out on a prize! Blog visits = 5,500,000

No, this isn't an invitation to a scam!

I intended to offer a prize to anybody who could send a genuine timed screen grab of when the blog visitors count reached 5,500,000 - but it all happened too quickly for me to set it up.

First post on the blog, just over 14 years ago.

 

Thank you all for visiting over the years: we got off to a good start during the London Olympics in 2012, and despite, for example, very little news about Post and Go and other changes, the number of visitors keeps rising.

 

Look out for 5,555,555 - there will be a prize and I will try to prepare readers for this event!

PS: For readers who still see a low number (JH), you may need to refresh the page.  I have just opened the computer and it showed 5,500,096 but when I refreshed the page it jumped to 5,500,148.

See update here.

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Datamaatrix NVI forgeries shipped direct from China!

Users of GMail and other Google applications will be familiar with promoted advertisements appearing in various places - indeed if you are using a desk-top device then you will see Google produced ads on this blog.  It's a relatively unobtrusive way for us to generate some micro-pennies of income!

As some readers will know, in addition to the norphil email address I also use a gmail one.  I read my mail on my phone or my desk-top, in the latter case through a web browser, in my case Firefox.  Adverts are displayed at the head of some categories of email lists - usually the tab headed 'Promotions'.  Last week - and again today - I saw this:

I don't usually click on these but it seemed likely to be interesting, and so it turned out.  This website 'stampssaleonline.shop' uses the Royal Mail logo, and images, and offers new stamps at half-price.

A separate source says that stamps like these, and booklets, are now being shipped to customers direct from China* - here are images of the stamps he received - 1st class and 2nd class booklets of 8, 2nd class and 2nd class Large business sheets of 50.

*I've since been told that these were sent to the Yodel warehouse in the NW and delivered to customers from there.

I don't have precise evidence that the stamps shown came from the website shown, but that has been inferred to me.

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Christmas 2022 - 3 November 2022

This year's Christmas stamps on the religious theme will be issued on 3 November and again the issue date is the embargo date.  However I have been told that the stamps and booklets are appearing on Royal Mail's shop website - even earlier than I would have accepted given the cover producers' embargo date of 25 October.

UPDATE 26 October:  Readers are leaving comments about the fact that this is a religious stamp rather than secular, as if this is a break from the norm. The Christmas stamps for 2019, 2020, and 2021 have all been religious.  I raised this with Royal Mail in 2020 and was told:

I wouldn’t say there is a change as such more a practical recognition of the feedback we receive on Christmas stamps.

Check your collections - if you still buy them - or your catalogues or even this blog and you will see that the people have spoken!  Maybe not very many of them, but the vocal minority told Royal Mail that they welcomed religious stamps.  

I think we would probably agree, though, that we don't want them to follow the lead of other multi-cultural societies (USA, Canada) and produce stamps for Kwanzaa, Diwali, Hannukah, etc

Whilst I would like to see more recognition of this country as a multicultural society, if Royal Mail did follow this path they would not issue a single stamp as these are, but a set of 4-6!

So, to get back to the current Christmas stamps - I'll post the pictures and other details shortly.

 

I'll put full details of the stamp set, miniature sheet, presentation pack, stamp cards, first day covers, and Generic collector sheet will be shown here in due course.

The Commonwealth Stamps Opinion blog, now has them here.

UPDATE 24 October 2022

No news on Winter Post and Go stamps yet, although Manchester already has Winter Greenery in one machine - see comments on the P&G News post https://blog.norphil.co.uk/2022/01/post-and-go-news-in-2022.html That is the most likely place to see Post and Go News now.

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What's the cost of 1st & 2nd class mail? It depends who you are.

We all know that a basic 2nd class letter costs 68p to post whilst 1st class is 95p - the biggest difference there has ever been, a margin easily made up by using an old 27p stamp.  But it isn't the same price for everybody and your incoming mail can make an interesting postal history collection.

Large business users can get big discounts for bulk mailing, more for pre-sorting, more for having a sorting barcode built into the address.  We'll never know the rate paid for most direct mail that comes through our door because most of it is handled by another company with Royal Mail only involved for the final delivery.

Franked (or Meter) Mail does show the price paid.  In the past this was generally the same rate as paying with stamps, and may still be now, but there are still discounts to be had and these produce a range of prices shown below.

2nd class 68p - Letter 51p, Advanced Letter 48p

2nd class letter 51p, 2nd Advanced Letter 48p - September 2022

1st class 95p - Letter 78p, Advanced Letter 75p

1st class letter 78p, 1st Advanced Letter 75p.

 2nd class Large

2nd class 250g letter £1.31 rather than £1.65 for using stamps.

 

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Philatelic Sales in London - 2022

Occasionally we receive emails from collectors - international and from the UK - who are visiting London, and who would like to buy their collectable stamps and other philatelic products from the Post Office at face value. 

There are no philatelic counters at Post Office branches as such, and many branches now carry no stocks - with few exceptions - of special stamps.  Even Crown Offices often have very small supplies sent to them, maybe one sheet of each certainly of the airmail values in a set.

The principal source for collectors is now Broadway Post Office.  The details below were provided in 2018 on the closure of Trafalgar Square PO. I understand that a full range of philatelic material is now available at this branch. The opening hours remain the same.

If you use the Post Office Ltd website branchfinder, and select 'Collectibles' as a category it will show many in central London.   In fact Aldwych was listed as a Philatelic Counter in a Philatelic Bulletin but they have no more stock than an ordinary branch.  

Not included in the results, even if you use its own postcode is The City of London PO at 12 Eastcheap, London, EC3M 1AJ but I am told that this has a limited philatelic service - for example they had all four country definitives not just in presentation packs but in sheets. 

This office is open Monday - Friday until-1800 with opening hours from 0830 (W/Th/F) to 0930 (Tues) and 0900 Monday. 

Update 27 October from Comments:

For Visitors to West London, Leeland Road Post Office in West Ealing stock collectable stamps in all values, I've purchased some stamps of all 2022 issues from here. 

 

NOTE: If you are making a comment about London or other branches' holdings of philatelic stocks it would be helpful to know where they are.  I realise that this might jeopardise your own purchases(!), but an approximate location (London, Dorset, Gwynedd, etc) would help others nearby to ask questions - and if you do leave a name or pseudonym instead of 'anonymous' it would help separate the comments.

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