tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-69603827117805039752024-03-22T04:50:44.113+00:00Norvic Philatelics: Modern British Postal HistoryOnce Postal History was regarded as 'anything before 1840'. Later it was realised that postal history could have stamps on, but still many people think '19th century'.
The enlightened view is that Postal History is still being made! So how to define "modern"? For the present, I'll concentrate on the present reign - bearing in mind that this could mean including some items that are nearly 60 years old, there is a wealth of material, and I hope to show some very interesting pieces.Ian - Norvichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16436130277706268046noreply@blogger.comBlogger23125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6960382711780503975.post-72133091593660210642023-11-21T17:22:00.002+00:002024-01-08T10:36:33.636+00:00Ultra-modern Postal History: the transition period 2023 onwards<p><b>The first definitive (NVI and £2.20) stamps bearing the likeness of King Charles III were issued on 4 April 2023 and are detailed in our '<a href="https://blog.norphil.co.uk/2023/03/king-charles-iii-definitive-stamps.html" target="_blank">new stamps</a>' blog.</b></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmI6YK2rNDboNd34GZC0oCnzXTxe60ojdMKu1m-KyBG3sr2VIqG2u0A91CF7IiYPwWtK6HSEnkg5PbJkxfgRDH32fs2oSLeroe9fAo2_mUcajz8oXJyZNXh1lr9tERncAVrakMgVIuTpAUlTGda6nc5HN-L9hx8h8lVYX3jcKAt-KDHFI1MxefxAgI/s320/20230404-220-airmail.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="248" data-original-width="320" height="155" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmI6YK2rNDboNd34GZC0oCnzXTxe60ojdMKu1m-KyBG3sr2VIqG2u0A91CF7IiYPwWtK6HSEnkg5PbJkxfgRDH32fs2oSLeroe9fAo2_mUcajz8oXJyZNXh1lr9tERncAVrakMgVIuTpAUlTGda6nc5HN-L9hx8h8lVYX3jcKAt-KDHFI1MxefxAgI/w200-h155/20230404-220-airmail.png" width="200" /></a></div>As His Majesty had stressed that there should be no waste arising from his succession, to minimise any environmental impact,
existing stocks of definitive stamps that feature Her Late Majesty Queen
Elizabeth would continue to be distributed and remain valid for
use. <p></p><p> Although further valued stamps were issued <a href="https://blog.norphil.co.uk/2023/08/king-charles-iii-make-up-values.html" target="_blank">in August</a> these have not, at the time of writing, been seen in Post Office branches after the day of issue. Stamps supplied in the Royal Mail Swapout scheme (exchanging now invalid Machin and Country definitives) have only been Queen Elizabeth stamps.</p><p>This can clearly only continue while stocks of Queen Elizabeth stamps remain available in Post Office stores and at Royal Mail's warehouse. Before long we will see non-philatelic examples of mail with postage paid by King Charles stamps - or a mixture of those and Queen Elizabeth stamps. </p><b>H</b>ere is an example of <b>a packet sent to Canada by the International Signed service</b>, costing £11.20 with postage paid by 11 x £1 and a single 20p Queen Elizabeth stamp.<p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhyS7c2EGj0hCZ_VxXzZiVI9tuzcIjdGARIT0SOw3ztvmWKCweYGf0-oqFxL4HmHqejRkAP9Kl21C4A8Yl3KlJb8WIHKbOqIuv2tiCCcLxYU3BlwTHe_4ct39ccgzLuJ3Fz74rNbazAVey_5LPw-015y3gg-6g0ua1wqKYLvQtAcAP-e-3CStsoeITFoI0" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="915" data-original-width="1220" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhyS7c2EGj0hCZ_VxXzZiVI9tuzcIjdGARIT0SOw3ztvmWKCweYGf0-oqFxL4HmHqejRkAP9Kl21C4A8Yl3KlJb8WIHKbOqIuv2tiCCcLxYU3BlwTHe_4ct39ccgzLuJ3Fz74rNbazAVey_5LPw-015y3gg-6g0ua1wqKYLvQtAcAP-e-3CStsoeITFoI0=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>November 2023 International Signed 101-250g letter sent to Canada, with £11.20 in Datamatrix Machins all properly cancelled at Petersfield, Hampshire. <br /></i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>Unfortunately for collectors of Postal History, current practice at Post Offices is to use Horizon labels for postage on this sort of post. So this was more than likely sent by a dealer or collector. </p><p></p><p><b>Mixed frankings</b> <br /></p><p>Mixed frankings have, in the past,
been eagerly collected. There will always be philatelic examples
produced by collectors and dealers, but as supplies of some QE values
are exhausted other values may continue to be available. </p><p>Here's one I sent earlier(!), in May 2023 when old-style Machin stamps were still valid. I sent this to the USA with a mix of old Machins (to use them up) and a few datamatrix stamps. It's a bit messy because the Norwich Mail Centre decided to cancel the stamps which had already been cancelled at the Post Office Counter. </p><p>The rate for the up to 100g letter was £4.20 (£3.62 old plus 58p new). The King Charles low-value stamps had not been issued at this time.<br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjbcnShBEUfxNF__Z8VOUuJ-w1ViBqhP6cV-BTZ4jmmAHLA1UENFx_F_H21XgxFDqxR-VZsTmBT0d981ZtnR5ZD0zZr54sRKG_qBWRGu0-d5qHeBYE7Ff6PeaBFf-5X448qFkblKgEc-Fl923lJAxsDOVgqomjpEtVA5z4T9aeNWrvgz8mci_IyXZd0cj8" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="907" data-original-width="1200" height="483" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjbcnShBEUfxNF__Z8VOUuJ-w1ViBqhP6cV-BTZ4jmmAHLA1UENFx_F_H21XgxFDqxR-VZsTmBT0d981ZtnR5ZD0zZr54sRKG_qBWRGu0-d5qHeBYE7Ff6PeaBFf-5X448qFkblKgEc-Fl923lJAxsDOVgqomjpEtVA5z4T9aeNWrvgz8mci_IyXZd0cj8=w640-h483" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Under 100g letter sent by International Standard mail to the USA; postage of £4.20 paid by £3.62 still-valid old Machin and 58p new datamatrix stamps.</i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p><b>However, as with early First Flight covers (many sent by the leading
dealer Francis J Field) this sort of thing may not exist if it was not
for dealers and collectors.</b></p><p><b><u> </u></b></p><p><b><u>MIXED FRANKINGS PART II</u> - UPDATE 5 December</b><br /></p><p>The next stage in Mixed Frankings comes after the invalidation of the old Machin and Country definitives on 31 July 2023. Now there is the opportunity for a mixture of Queen Elizabeth and King Charles definitives.</p><p>When the latter were first issued on 29 August collectors and dealers took the opportunity to create philatelic mixed frankings, but not all post office branches received any significant stocks, in line with the King's instruction that there should be no waste and that the stamps of the previous reign should be used up rather than being wasted. </p><p>At the time of writing there have been no reports of King Charles stamps being supplied in the Swap Out scheme.<br /></p><p>It is only now, in December that King Charles definitives are being supplied to post office branches as a matter of course. PA sent this picture of two covers produced from this situation; his description is below the picture.</p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjAKvKjrU9vWNAT-pssXPgp0OLLSIEXdRcUFzs_mLY91Omip3-Y74MW-rymGtwRVPKFOERAJMMKKaAJGqN-Q_BGGBJzdXw46FFVqiRty5IQjWUfeLMPaT8OslNU7Z1EkzNrCos3P7grszwni36UJZljsD4VkWeJFj-bMs6tRXTWpv_yaqVOIJ3o-EXgdGk" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="875" data-original-width="1400" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjAKvKjrU9vWNAT-pssXPgp0OLLSIEXdRcUFzs_mLY91Omip3-Y74MW-rymGtwRVPKFOERAJMMKKaAJGqN-Q_BGGBJzdXw46FFVqiRty5IQjWUfeLMPaT8OslNU7Z1EkzNrCos3P7grszwni36UJZljsD4VkWeJFj-bMs6tRXTWpv_yaqVOIJ3o-EXgdGk=w640-h400" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Pair of covers from different post office branches with a mix of Queen Elizabeth and King Charles definitive stamps, November 2023. [1] 5p, 20p QE, 50p KC. [2] 5p, 10p QE, 3 x 20p KC.<br /></i></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i></i></div><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>"Whilst they might appear philatelic, in fact the Cruden Bay Outreach (lower cover) is
as supplied by the P.O. (28 Nov) and in the case of the Chudleigh one I
supplied the 5p and 20p whilst the P.O. added the 50p King (25 Nov)"</p><p>Cruden Bay is in Aberdeenshire, and Chudleigh is in Devon.</p><p></p><p></p><p><br /></p><hr width="75%" /><p></p><p>So that is the start: the King Charles stamps are starting to appear, so check out your local post office branches, especially those that do a lot of business, and please let me know what you find, or receive through the post. <br /></p><p><b>UPDATE 8 January 2024</b> - sheet versions of the 2nd class Charles stamps were on sale in my Crown PO in Dereham last week, but not booklets. I wonder how long it will be before the supermarkets start asking for Charles stamps - they have been known in the past to influence what they are supplied with.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>I'll use this post to add more covers, both inland and international, with any of the new stamps and especially either mix of old and new.</p><p><br /><br /></p><hr /><p></p><p></p><p></p>Ian - Norvichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16436130277706268046noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6960382711780503975.post-79948497417499535202023-11-07T12:12:00.004+00:002023-11-07T12:12:32.409+00:00Proactive methods to avoid surcharged or delayed mail<p><b>I recently found a cover from America with a label on the reverse which I showed in our <a href="https://blog.norphil.co.uk/2023/10/newsbits-october-2023.html">regular blog</a>. It was applied to incoming mail to remind the UK recipient of the correct postage rates if they sent a reply.</b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2PHEtcTd9v8v5sL8kTtPUemCR-X8Uw9aHdwbzgwnqN1PUSLQcsldAAN95F1ofZaJo3VrNiAnfyHYzhOG3VfsHxWiPa6e3FLtfGxS_d7wMdcG4Vq_oeT3Mwl9ddugeBVM90MS6bNKYXEUIHI1pyY_XvlhzggbsnDjympwKd3jv8AvBjeaCfS3Ak3MwoNQ/s639/Don't%20guess%20RM%20label.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="342" data-original-width="639" height="171" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2PHEtcTd9v8v5sL8kTtPUemCR-X8Uw9aHdwbzgwnqN1PUSLQcsldAAN95F1ofZaJo3VrNiAnfyHYzhOG3VfsHxWiPa6e3FLtfGxS_d7wMdcG4Vq_oeT3Mwl9ddugeBVM90MS6bNKYXEUIHI1pyY_XvlhzggbsnDjympwKd3jv8AvBjeaCfS3Ak3MwoNQ/w320-h171/Don't%20guess%20RM%20label.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Royal Mail rates reminder label, USA or Canada 2001<br /></i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>In that blog I asked if anybody had any others, and I am grateful to a couple of readers who sent me copies of other examples, which I will show in chronological order. Remember these are always applied to the reverse of the cover.<br /></p><p>From the website of the Great Britain Philatelic Society*</p><p><i>On 20th October 1986 a concessionary rate for members of the EEC (EU
from 1993) had been introduced for all-up mail – the lowest weight step
letter rate (up to 20g) became equal to the minimum inland first class rate. The distinction was retained for European airmail in 1991 but the rates became equal again in 1998.</i> <br /></p><p>This label was introduced as a reminder that the EU rate no longer applied and that the basic rate for all letters to Europe mail was 30p from <b>6 April 1998.</b><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhp2dYaaJXmSQCDyYy070E22T6oRwnJmwwRIq1Tq58QEN-YjHY3n953S8k8UoOonsqpO4czior5ssKOyLTuePMwj0ltczg2ZlwdqpCX8_ZeueSWQtscv3X9AXrIYHoBOqdfnqd9J2BL0GONYjlDeSMfsTLwY_kcg4E4VUCqnIa9ll7URWLvQ1MNChCH0tQ" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="638" data-original-width="1227" height="332" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhp2dYaaJXmSQCDyYy070E22T6oRwnJmwwRIq1Tq58QEN-YjHY3n953S8k8UoOonsqpO4czior5ssKOyLTuePMwj0ltczg2ZlwdqpCX8_ZeueSWQtscv3X9AXrIYHoBOqdfnqd9J2BL0GONYjlDeSMfsTLwY_kcg4E4VUCqnIa9ll7URWLvQ1MNChCH0tQ=w640-h332" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>26p first class rate no longer valid to Europe (including the Republic of Ireland), the rate now being 30p.<br /></i></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjL1rbs58TCaefMxgAyNDRrBOo2zFpmnLi_3w0UafhP4Xx8mCWcwc0wef3Dd4rp1gBW4awnFCyVknx2wlE0JE9v8yeQtcnplrWva6NSpPCV3LEZEVDIcnDWLm2rqVzRY79wavTbuXnGAz9frwc0Gfnb52Erm3ENHcQ4MJADayoWKcQzbvAv-JUiJ1Tsch8" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="666" data-original-width="1366" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjL1rbs58TCaefMxgAyNDRrBOo2zFpmnLi_3w0UafhP4Xx8mCWcwc0wef3Dd4rp1gBW4awnFCyVknx2wlE0JE9v8yeQtcnplrWva6NSpPCV3LEZEVDIcnDWLm2rqVzRY79wavTbuXnGAz9frwc0Gfnb52Erm3ENHcQ4MJADayoWKcQzbvAv-JUiJ1Tsch8=w640-h312" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>One price of 30p for Europe up to 20g - this applies to the Republic of Ireland.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p> </p><p>Rates changed twice in 1999 but we don't have any labels for that period. The next change was from <b>27 April 2000</b> when another range of labels was put into use. I don't know when these were introduced nor why there are two different styles<br /></p>
<p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhbuS2fa2rsBw_DMoX_s03EBg2DfOWZv0uD9c7Jo6Uc5Ss5XgJCK33AXw3D4nxURGNH0y_5THmlNtqTi7SQCA4thpUyF9JPRFj2WzbiSg0XxmAr3b3XDA4NTDuUrFSojB9GM9v7iSJZoPrHiBXH81v5mt9_DY-9GenwrpB1Y1f1TVK28P-5lFoeyMM60Hw" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="643" data-original-width="1248" height="330" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhbuS2fa2rsBw_DMoX_s03EBg2DfOWZv0uD9c7Jo6Uc5Ss5XgJCK33AXw3D4nxURGNH0y_5THmlNtqTi7SQCA4thpUyF9JPRFj2WzbiSg0XxmAr3b3XDA4NTDuUrFSojB9GM9v7iSJZoPrHiBXH81v5mt9_DY-9GenwrpB1Y1f1TVK28P-5lFoeyMM60Hw=w640-h330" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Replying to anywhere in Europe, including the Republic of Ireland, now 36p for 20g.<br /></i></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p>
<p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2PHEtcTd9v8v5sL8kTtPUemCR-X8Uw9aHdwbzgwnqN1PUSLQcsldAAN95F1ofZaJo3VrNiAnfyHYzhOG3VfsHxWiPa6e3FLtfGxS_d7wMdcG4Vq_oeT3Mwl9ddugeBVM90MS6bNKYXEUIHI1pyY_XvlhzggbsnDjympwKd3jv8AvBjeaCfS3Ak3MwoNQ/s639/Don't%20guess%20RM%20label.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="342" data-original-width="639" height="342" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2PHEtcTd9v8v5sL8kTtPUemCR-X8Uw9aHdwbzgwnqN1PUSLQcsldAAN95F1ofZaJo3VrNiAnfyHYzhOG3VfsHxWiPa6e3FLtfGxS_d7wMdcG4Vq_oeT3Mwl9ddugeBVM90MS6bNKYXEUIHI1pyY_XvlhzggbsnDjympwKd3jv8AvBjeaCfS3Ak3MwoNQ/w640-h342/Don't%20guess%20RM%20label.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Replying to USA or Canada 10g 45p, 20g 65p (from 27.4.2000).<br /></i></td></tr></tbody></table>
<p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiJsMcgo5iMiM8QC6XQYW-CyvEjkxa1E4VMrUoeSZp3clUe5t7dH_KNRVorymGa4CF5S4JjlZtvHSAxwPVk945wfjo0cjUOt4aRlPak7pjagWvYaLDPM93mYW8H5N-8Av0-YBTQ9DnbKmyzDvwiNLvVZk5_WZ4HB2ujQExo7TFSQlrmavgM_DQuRYN5Ovo" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="633" data-original-width="1235" height="328" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiJsMcgo5iMiM8QC6XQYW-CyvEjkxa1E4VMrUoeSZp3clUe5t7dH_KNRVorymGa4CF5S4JjlZtvHSAxwPVk945wfjo0cjUOt4aRlPak7pjagWvYaLDPM93mYW8H5N-8Av0-YBTQ9DnbKmyzDvwiNLvVZk5_WZ4HB2ujQExo7TFSQlrmavgM_DQuRYN5Ovo=w640-h328" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Replying to Australia or New Zealand, now 65p for up to 20g (no mention of 45p for 10g).<br /></i></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><p>A vertical format was used for some labels for the rate from <b>2 July 2001</b> and the label has a number - OE1060, but the previous "Don't guess it"style continued.<br /></p><p></p>
<p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjepfTvJZ41lf3Mf2PTC2CUKwu_2rvXqwlZwmtRCA9gqVWQtQzfLe193Gb3gj0ZVrm47wPiRZ49ZgP1_p_dCs8E5dMYWYF8Ngu_osmqc49-8_b235tQi_0kFbdKGCisFn7hmeYbbOEfT0tQvG_1K5sC-xk8-_3K0J7nrl8gPBYEL6Dx0spOHiYtbuf3FLE" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1217" data-original-width="624" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjepfTvJZ41lf3Mf2PTC2CUKwu_2rvXqwlZwmtRCA9gqVWQtQzfLe193Gb3gj0ZVrm47wPiRZ49ZgP1_p_dCs8E5dMYWYF8Ngu_osmqc49-8_b235tQi_0kFbdKGCisFn7hmeYbbOEfT0tQvG_1K5sC-xk8-_3K0J7nrl8gPBYEL6Dx0spOHiYtbuf3FLE=w328-h640" width="328" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>If replying, Airmail rates to the Republic of Ireland are 20g - 37p (from 2.7.2001)</i></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgG9ikq-pR0l9Y32rFO4eM9eApV6_jhYupvAGHwRVbVQhTfNYdvgReEsiBg6TXsuBvrw0kGxhK-PItgwJkngzszhs4J1sUvx2JdE4vx6XBGD5MZEyM9U9dvMGwb5urnNm6MCWR5XP4BIhxja5t13oUeFox1AeFjaM3GCFCGq9yMPX8smX-a3M1StBauR5M" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="448" data-original-width="842" height="340" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgG9ikq-pR0l9Y32rFO4eM9eApV6_jhYupvAGHwRVbVQhTfNYdvgReEsiBg6TXsuBvrw0kGxhK-PItgwJkngzszhs4J1sUvx2JdE4vx6XBGD5MZEyM9U9dvMGwb5urnNm6MCWR5XP4BIhxja5t13oUeFox1AeFjaM3GCFCGq9yMPX8smX-a3M1StBauR5M=w640-h340" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>If replying to the Republic of Ireland 20g 37p, 40g 52p (</i><i>from 2.7.2001)</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p>The rates were changed again from <b>4 July 2002</b> and the vertical format continued, form number OE1061.<br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhc9L2p3u7BeXqrgKrHTM2D76hYyPBh23AJu4YmuzQWPIKVPnQFSR4U62NBI8GQOpf_1h-vnqqh9LozfFgUqxLKTRPNlk87W8Sw4TElAkULDhPHHz_qNwjkR_D35gLAILBC7KQU9wX112YV_BpqSLYsWa5HWu8QGGXMdsluYEVZYqbgslLTvNdquM9MFJM" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="847" data-original-width="483" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhc9L2p3u7BeXqrgKrHTM2D76hYyPBh23AJu4YmuzQWPIKVPnQFSR4U62NBI8GQOpf_1h-vnqqh9LozfFgUqxLKTRPNlk87W8Sw4TElAkULDhPHHz_qNwjkR_D35gLAILBC7KQU9wX112YV_BpqSLYsWa5HWu8QGGXMdsluYEVZYqbgslLTvNdquM9MFJM=w365-h640" width="365" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>If replying, airmail rates to US & Canada are 10g 47p, 20g 68p etc (from 4.7.2002)<br /></i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><p>My thanks to SC for the vertical Ireland label, and MM for the rest. I think I have some somewhere, and if you have any of these or similar reminder labels, please send images to the address at top right.</p><p> </p><p><b>* Postage rates and many other resources are available free on the website of the <a href="https://www.gbps.org.uk/" target="_blank">Great Britain Philatelic Society</a>. But there is much more available to members only, so why not join?<br /></b></p><p><br /></p><p></p><hr /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p></p>Ian - Norvichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16436130277706268046noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6960382711780503975.post-7948515376574254162023-09-20T09:32:00.003+01:002023-10-05T15:49:10.999+01:00Barcoded country definitive use - show us yours!<p><b>As we all know, country definitive stamp usage was not high before the invalidation of the gummed ones and introduction of the barcoded self-adhesive ones. There was anecdotal evidence last year that the new ones were proving more popular.<br /></b></p><p>I thought it would be useful to record non-philatelic use of these stamps in an attempt to get all of the 2nd & 1st class ones, at least, and find out how long it took to get the set of 8. If I can get international use of any, including the airmail rate, then I'll add that.</p><p>These were issued on 11 August 2022, so this first use is over 12 months after issue. If you have earlier ones that are not philatelically inspired, please send images and an explanation. <br /></p><p>This new post is prompted by the receipt by my mother from my cousin of the first one I have seen, the 1st class Wales used from Ceredigion and postmarked Chester & N Wales 08/09/2023.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNEWX6UYIq5VUDlZYLG8qzEGk5QD6O13o35i1r8mbslFBoTplp8jvSSk8IkYawxbbusS5sxWGm8HM9oy0jSCLzQlcme29gQGpGCNhijSXkJfkqvUweaTFdUlBwISuPoYxDYzfNkKVGYe6-8bZhLyWpgZdEnWVfQFEUB4snEosCrXHl5Nqt3Vwq1SH0Xek/s1276/1st%20Wales%20barcoded%20comm%20used%20202309.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="903" data-original-width="1276" height="452" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNEWX6UYIq5VUDlZYLG8qzEGk5QD6O13o35i1r8mbslFBoTplp8jvSSk8IkYawxbbusS5sxWGm8HM9oy0jSCLzQlcme29gQGpGCNhijSXkJfkqvUweaTFdUlBwISuPoYxDYzfNkKVGYe6-8bZhLyWpgZdEnWVfQFEUB4snEosCrXHl5Nqt3Vwq1SH0Xek/w640-h452/1st%20Wales%20barcoded%20comm%20used%20202309.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>1st class Wales barcoded country definitive used in September 2023.<br /></i></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /><u>Update 5 October:</u></p><p>My thanks to JF for sending this clipping of a 2nd class Northern Ireland barcoded stamp used locally on 2 October 2023.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5JSXh_9YdeQa6BVCRlUlPdut-NxY3cc1xN5xBCBoPQTcaA5Ydd3qkf5AmmKXmeXp37TICn0Oq9hRte3bLZ66_b1jQj9V45VFeADmvcqgmzgsR9xFVycgl50OPH5jKGM21dz9h983VmOc66QjfiGjHz-8A-12dOKTir-xf4pqixYidgQHwC8_2Y2I9M7U/s1000/NI%20Barcoded%202nd%20class%20used%2020231002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="369" data-original-width="1000" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5JSXh_9YdeQa6BVCRlUlPdut-NxY3cc1xN5xBCBoPQTcaA5Ydd3qkf5AmmKXmeXp37TICn0Oq9hRte3bLZ66_b1jQj9V45VFeADmvcqgmzgsR9xFVycgl50OPH5jKGM21dz9h983VmOc66QjfiGjHz-8A-12dOKTir-xf4pqixYidgQHwC8_2Y2I9M7U/w640-h236/NI%20Barcoded%202nd%20class%20used%2020231002.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>2nd class Northern Ireland barcoded country definitive used October 2023.<br /></i></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p></p><hr /><p></p>Ian - Norvichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16436130277706268046noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6960382711780503975.post-77076262708498743562023-08-22T14:14:00.010+01:002024-03-11T12:12:35.894+00:00In the post after the Machin and Country definitives invalidation on 31 July 2023<p><b>My plan in this post is to show how Royal Mail treat items posted with the postage paid entirely or partly with recently invalidated stamps. We know that a further unofficial grace period seems to have been granted in some areas for mail to work through the pipeline. Given the staff shortages and resultant processing and delivery delays, this seems a wise move. <br /></b></p><p></p><p>My plan at this stage is to show </p><p>- examples of mail which should have been surcharged as it bears invalid stamps, but which has not;</p><p>- examples of mail correctly surcharged;</p><p>- examples of mail incorrectly surcharged (though not that which only has forged stamps on).</p><p><br /></p><p><b>1. Mail which should have been surcharged.</b></p><p>a. Here's a 1st class Northen Ireland stamp (self-adhesive from a Smilers Sheet) used on 16 August in the Bristol Mail Centre area to Devon. (Thanks to RW).</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq-w9W4nIKa2bvrDFMsfDZjNsWyxGMfMFanI767kke7JNnXoZ0i_cdwff-s3JQ96ufWtPeR3aNdJHl9mwPo24w51L8Hc9iKrcMOxTpHi3AzpxKEka2QD_UKXB_stFDVwWt56aM7F9MxgDgIaYhh2wwfvOj4PEXD_jgtOEUxTAHoxbczK7bGqZXKbrqJG0/s1200/20230822_121824.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="725" data-original-width="1200" height="386" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq-w9W4nIKa2bvrDFMsfDZjNsWyxGMfMFanI767kke7JNnXoZ0i_cdwff-s3JQ96ufWtPeR3aNdJHl9mwPo24w51L8Hc9iKrcMOxTpHi3AzpxKEka2QD_UKXB_stFDVwWt56aM7F9MxgDgIaYhh2wwfvOj4PEXD_jgtOEUxTAHoxbczK7bGqZXKbrqJG0/w640-h386/20230822_121824.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Invalid 1st class Northern Ireland stamp posted 16 August 2023 not surcharged (should have been £1.10).<br /></i></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p> b. My thanks to CP for sending this example of a 1st class Machin, processed by North & West Yorkshire Mail Centre on 9 August 2023. Whilst one can understand the machine-processing of the Northern Ireland stamp above, hand-cancelling seems to suggest either that the message hasn't quite got through, or that some mail is going through because nobody can be bothered to apply the rules. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9U-iPG8VL7HtVy38K8p0uK0BEHkW7I4pHvU3s9GuduFGXwPK2nN0tNx038J2LQjIZ9VY1UxLT9eeYZn49wCYd-ctzboteIhwfQfoa_swY445ujS4i0kdV6N_06n_enNwk82HokY05Qrd8LbLreke-4HaxEstf0xW9a2lgnaOGGp4x3F7r8iBsW5k8tb0/s580/2023-08-10%20-%20Non-Barcode%20Stamp%20Cancellation%20N&W%20Yorkshire.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="580" data-original-width="512" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9U-iPG8VL7HtVy38K8p0uK0BEHkW7I4pHvU3s9GuduFGXwPK2nN0tNx038J2LQjIZ9VY1UxLT9eeYZn49wCYd-ctzboteIhwfQfoa_swY445ujS4i0kdV6N_06n_enNwk82HokY05Qrd8LbLreke-4HaxEstf0xW9a2lgnaOGGp4x3F7r8iBsW5k8tb0/s320/2023-08-10%20-%20Non-Barcode%20Stamp%20Cancellation%20N&W%20Yorkshire.jpg" width="282" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Invalid 1st class Machin cancelled North & West Yorkshire 9 August 2023.</i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p>c. PA (see also section 2) sent this picture of a 2nd class letter posted with pairs of 10p & 20p barcoded stamps but with a cylinder block of Northern Ireland 2½p Machin regionals - which are no longer valid. This was posted at the Castle Hedingham (Essex) Post Office on 1 August 2023 and processed through the SE Anglia Mail Centre in Chelmsford.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCUrm7Z2BIxbYwmSsWYl2BB_RQsgDhXWUIB96AgO1m_pEk4gz7skQ20p3y_fG3I1mrnLRvOfI6jJAgZzv5hcBmvcw5_tS8SdHzW0pVrNQ_xZOYQCFltIZ_y261a2y7I5AlBop8IJ5RrO1NvajDpWKF-POwaYYwBEDrShf2aGYMbztyFRnY5MF14lpjGpw/s1100/Post%20Vday%20not%20surcharged%201%20AU%2023%20SE%20Anglia%20(Castle%20Hedingham).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="733" data-original-width="1100" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCUrm7Z2BIxbYwmSsWYl2BB_RQsgDhXWUIB96AgO1m_pEk4gz7skQ20p3y_fG3I1mrnLRvOfI6jJAgZzv5hcBmvcw5_tS8SdHzW0pVrNQ_xZOYQCFltIZ_y261a2y7I5AlBop8IJ5RrO1NvajDpWKF-POwaYYwBEDrShf2aGYMbztyFRnY5MF14lpjGpw/w640-h426/Post%20Vday%20not%20surcharged%201%20AU%2023%20SE%20Anglia%20(Castle%20Hedingham).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Combination cover with barcoded Machins and invalid Northern Ireland country stamps, with no surcharging, posted 1 August 2023.<br /></i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>d. This selection was not only accepted at the Post Office counter (sent by the Signed For service) but accepted all the way through the system and delivered without surcharge. (Branch and addressee details not known.) I don't know the details but there is potentially £8.38 of postage here (only £4.63 valid) neither of which makes a valid postage rate.<br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOQGOioidubrEYYywc0-u3q2pv5QBt8mDb4BUo28L9_wWO3_F9Ux2091l0H6ArLenR_kUrVKgQ_-eNThKLESgNgWZf_x_TE3v8fIR42Zi6S-80Kzq0yQXRk_PkFZKF814yWs27LlJ-IlSMbL8WeCuCZUqYmA1lP4OUhRsA7grNLfCHRM9leRz4v5xPWRA/s1024/Scottish%20Parliament%20accepted%20Aug%202023.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="885" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOQGOioidubrEYYywc0-u3q2pv5QBt8mDb4BUo28L9_wWO3_F9Ux2091l0H6ArLenR_kUrVKgQ_-eNThKLESgNgWZf_x_TE3v8fIR42Zi6S-80Kzq0yQXRk_PkFZKF814yWs27LlJ-IlSMbL8WeCuCZUqYmA1lP4OUhRsA7grNLfCHRM9leRz4v5xPWRA/w554-h640/Scottish%20Parliament%20accepted%20Aug%202023.jpg" width="554" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Scottish Parliament sheet containing invalid country definitives accepted at the Post Office and delivered without surcharge. (Date believed to be August 2023).<br /></i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>e. (4 October) This letter posted to Canada at a Southampton branch office has only the Machin World 20g rate stamp, and was not surcharged at Southampton mail centre - although we have seen other examples from Southampton MC which valid stamps which have been incorrectly surcharged.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRooep4rs12xm7-IK4dY8PSU9uqyu81Vm8JDoVIXofFJZ8F2-8xQmjZgt9KwiNltCuixTXvwyjgC_zPE3FEFUdcipy1Ha8XHbFznXfBuuiprQ-syWa-tlYB_UvfNfheqgKSazHVYS7QIz-KprpneGdTN_cnCMA42z_CySPcAQxiI58tstqBylN20okzF8/s800/Screenshot%202023-10-04%20at%2014.38.31.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="588" data-original-width="800" height="470" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRooep4rs12xm7-IK4dY8PSU9uqyu81Vm8JDoVIXofFJZ8F2-8xQmjZgt9KwiNltCuixTXvwyjgC_zPE3FEFUdcipy1Ha8XHbFznXfBuuiprQ-syWa-tlYB_UvfNfheqgKSazHVYS7QIz-KprpneGdTN_cnCMA42z_CySPcAQxiI58tstqBylN20okzF8/w640-h470/Screenshot%202023-10-04%20at%2014.38.31.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Worldwide 20g stamp sent from Southampton to Canada 11 September 2023 but not surcharged.<br /></i></td></tr></tbody></table><br />
<p>f. (8 March 2024). Supplied by RL for the postmark to be used on the other blog, this stamp is invalid and should have been surcharged at the (new since October last) rate of <s>£5.00!</s> - £2.50 (up from £1.10), thanks for the correction! This is the rate for using a non-barcoded stamp.<br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjOPPiixVYFrPmxe52tJlxko2PpEb4yechGXUhdvLOlCGC3x5Gfr2lA-ZEVgkdVtJdBFVoupdGAz1q-c8CvZIsCa15b32yKNNOiU4iaVoOriWQTEmu6pc3bueDlxot82H4T_C8pf3xVGBQiVOrcRqK-hAkopWt867cop4m3ZFPY9Dh5dUdO7UskwTeOs0k" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="251" data-original-width="778" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjOPPiixVYFrPmxe52tJlxko2PpEb4yechGXUhdvLOlCGC3x5Gfr2lA-ZEVgkdVtJdBFVoupdGAz1q-c8CvZIsCa15b32yKNNOiU4iaVoOriWQTEmu6pc3bueDlxot82H4T_C8pf3xVGBQiVOrcRqK-hAkopWt867cop4m3ZFPY9Dh5dUdO7UskwTeOs0k=w640-h206" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>International Women's Day slogan Cumbria Dumfries & Gallowy 05/03/2024, unsurcharged 2nd class Northern Ireland non-barcode definitive.<br /></i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br />
<p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b>2. Mail which has been correctly surcharged</b></p><p>a. My thanks to PA who provided the first example of a correctly surcharged letter posted via Gatwick Mail Centre on 10 August 2023, which has a new type of yellow 'Fee to Pay' label, inscribed 'Stamp No Longer Valid for Postage'. <br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQzjgc6bqWKCoBDKOVJWSB079lHMIjkZ_4owI8xfx51n1-qApyuqv-IgDf3rRYE5gemQPoo2Pa46UvfUltVIeEunCX-Zwh5zKGPvauth_L3cKi2PqwPJWa4axChOb3xQvyE6DMV8XzUdfWVz9rZNi51vobv_Cvt4oKNnaMLiz2HxMA4iakEQpH4zFZLRE/s1200/Post-Vday%20surcharged%2010.08.23%20Gatwick.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="841" data-original-width="1200" height="448" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQzjgc6bqWKCoBDKOVJWSB079lHMIjkZ_4owI8xfx51n1-qApyuqv-IgDf3rRYE5gemQPoo2Pa46UvfUltVIeEunCX-Zwh5zKGPvauth_L3cKi2PqwPJWa4axChOb3xQvyE6DMV8XzUdfWVz9rZNi51vobv_Cvt4oKNnaMLiz2HxMA4iakEQpH4zFZLRE/w640-h448/Post-Vday%20surcharged%2010.08.23%20Gatwick.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYDgQWNjudhqZOlXAzwNi9CgYs4ZnF6k9Rv8upNTGxu6jRVHAZqnSFeV4IWxN-uLj1GOe_i7C1zrL4K8M8WmY2dQk8k7nK6qXgg_RINx_UWEOyyetf-akojlU4koguxdgFSfteSyiyAu75UI2aaDLkkZsfUwCTHG_kuznahPX70nT2xMYwnAvAK0aA5c8/s547/SNLVFP%20Fee%20to%20pay%20label.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="418" data-original-width="547" height="306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYDgQWNjudhqZOlXAzwNi9CgYs4ZnF6k9Rv8upNTGxu6jRVHAZqnSFeV4IWxN-uLj1GOe_i7C1zrL4K8M8WmY2dQk8k7nK6qXgg_RINx_UWEOyyetf-akojlU4koguxdgFSfteSyiyAu75UI2aaDLkkZsfUwCTHG_kuznahPX70nT2xMYwnAvAK0aA5c8/w400-h306/SNLVFP%20Fee%20to%20pay%20label.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Stamp No Longer Valid for Postage</b> 'Fee to Pay' £1.10 label on 1st class Machin definitive posted Gatwick 16 August 2023<br /></i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>UPDATE 22 December 2023. Surcharge rates increased from 30 October, which means that this one caught the new rate! </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidiF0w49ptHI5GSfN91_qPD1sGxHLNK49qmCIZmk_izBwzI08VCP4jelgB0Nnt5ZboWO-ZpeEpX82qG5cElJIoyddiEhLOJXRIjoK2K48mD0EgSIjHFfibiwsCmMgYOKPvjNsWklzjX65MooSnkI6HEpl5FW7XjUZyO4gWk6D-6hDrxm6EqCpNxcGWEgU/s640/Screenshot%202023-10-02%20at%2021.25.18.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="537" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidiF0w49ptHI5GSfN91_qPD1sGxHLNK49qmCIZmk_izBwzI08VCP4jelgB0Nnt5ZboWO-ZpeEpX82qG5cElJIoyddiEhLOJXRIjoK2K48mD0EgSIjHFfibiwsCmMgYOKPvjNsWklzjX65MooSnkI6HEpl5FW7XjUZyO4gWk6D-6hDrxm6EqCpNxcGWEgU/w538-h640/Screenshot%202023-10-02%20at%2021.25.18.png" width="538" /></a></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhEPerFLq2WLexrIIqp4SMYoosboeRAOl-jAZN91XnveRr77k024uRBAhasBqHiqccZtl3P9sSuNrTogeJQREKMDy-EQbAlO-4cknComC5rJV-8Ei7Rit6HkPaECPIRbzxPtBLRkb03R1OsVuwoidTkxLXYN0O2vjvGg8OLQNwHncxarwxNs2tFSHnghDI" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1197" data-original-width="844" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhEPerFLq2WLexrIIqp4SMYoosboeRAOl-jAZN91XnveRr77k024uRBAhasBqHiqccZtl3P9sSuNrTogeJQREKMDy-EQbAlO-4cknComC5rJV-8Ei7Rit6HkPaECPIRbzxPtBLRkb03R1OsVuwoidTkxLXYN0O2vjvGg8OLQNwHncxarwxNs2tFSHnghDI=w451-h640" width="451" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>£2.50 'Stamp no longer valid', surcharge 1 November 2023 at new rate effective 30 October.<br /></i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><p><br /></p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p><b>3. Mail which has been incorrectly surcharged.</b></p><p>a. Some confusion in southern England (Southampton Mail Centre?) where this letter to the Handwritten Letter Appreciation Society was similarly surcharged to 2a above, but with a valid 1st class Penny Black stamp - which was a commemorative, unlike the double-head stamps which are no longer valid.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvMdIk7Ea-wjW9wprazkj76T6WTcRMAudrF3z-z3i7YsGohdmbimervo_hIck4Y_87ilgnksM_IqiXDgKWO3AVsfGTpZECmlJ4C5EhhYhN8rVETLd8PAKed1gKb8mjhfwKbScibFX7EerXeyS7v5dE3wu8mpdeDXuEZCVp2Y7htHgSEcHz-8QEuj4gkuM/s2048/Post%20Vday%201st%20QVictoria%20head%20deemed%20invalid.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvMdIk7Ea-wjW9wprazkj76T6WTcRMAudrF3z-z3i7YsGohdmbimervo_hIck4Y_87ilgnksM_IqiXDgKWO3AVsfGTpZECmlJ4C5EhhYhN8rVETLd8PAKed1gKb8mjhfwKbScibFX7EerXeyS7v5dE3wu8mpdeDXuEZCVp2Y7htHgSEcHz-8QEuj4gkuM/w640-h480/Post%20Vday%201st%20QVictoria%20head%20deemed%20invalid.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>1st class Penny Black stamp deemed invalid and £1.10 surcharge raised.<br /></i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>b. I sent this to a dealer in Birmingham on 11 August, returning the genuine <a href="https://blog.norphil.co.uk/2023/07/why-produce-forgeries-of-old-special.html" target="_blank">Children's tv stamps</a> that I borrowed for comparison with the forgeries.<br /></p><p>Using a valid Decimal Wilding from the Diamond Jubilee PSB (nobody wanted these, they all wanted the Machin), not only was it surcharged it took 19 days to arrive at the conclusion that it was no longer valid!</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjopV46AixcXcfs66dWLZJ3eHzVXMMhBM_68oKHiuFqsnkkrtFruOLzhaDl6bEbj3uJRWSNX8Ba_SDC9TvX7qFXaKKSNDeMfKLTIsifh8JZX1D5Nb3oLIpIEeSGoxmTdrAjDJRBISuiDLrniE4_e5GEKltUnq5spfTTMc87DBkt9lwqNa1E0ZSellbU-Mk/s1440/Norvic-Jerwood%20surcharged.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="851" data-original-width="1440" height="378" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjopV46AixcXcfs66dWLZJ3eHzVXMMhBM_68oKHiuFqsnkkrtFruOLzhaDl6bEbj3uJRWSNX8Ba_SDC9TvX7qFXaKKSNDeMfKLTIsifh8JZX1D5Nb3oLIpIEeSGoxmTdrAjDJRBISuiDLrniE4_e5GEKltUnq5spfTTMc87DBkt9lwqNa1E0ZSellbU-Mk/w640-h378/Norvic-Jerwood%20surcharged.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Norvic outbound cover with 1st class (1/-) Wilding declared invalid by Birmingham Mal Centre.<br /></i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>c. It seems that the line at some offices is 'when in doubt surcharge it' judging by this from Sheffield Mail Centre which is wrong on all coounts.<br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiborosokY-nab6_U8J2nDXkO8j_pYKXzu7MYb8kd7xJHQdDSQ_eDRJx4k76tkk4ugQSlErinRpXSAIusBmG8-cphaimEGROMx3VZMqtQQk89vpPFqXSSwVeXI-xI88eSHUU4mTTdjmHsyzYc2rUu7b11PQezIhm6h7xcCjzMmXs3tr6J979cXwc4RWyHA/s1491/Wembley%20lion%20invalid%20sheffield2023.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="893" data-original-width="1491" height="384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiborosokY-nab6_U8J2nDXkO8j_pYKXzu7MYb8kd7xJHQdDSQ_eDRJx4k76tkk4ugQSlErinRpXSAIusBmG8-cphaimEGROMx3VZMqtQQk89vpPFqXSSwVeXI-xI88eSHUU4mTTdjmHsyzYc2rUu7b11PQezIhm6h7xcCjzMmXs3tr6J979cXwc4RWyHA/w640-h384/Wembley%20lion%20invalid%20sheffield2023.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>2007 Wembley Lion 1st class definitive declared invalid and incorrectly surcharged at Sheffield or Mount Pleasant Mail Centres 8 August 2023.<br /></i></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p>d. (October 4). Another example of an incorrectly surcharged letter, this one stamped with a 1st class 1d red Smilers stamp.<br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJH9KA-czGERWojaT8PpOGx52aHYMfY_d8rqQp5zKcQwL-XZm_1_pyjW6Adga2o9Rfyttx1VRy22FoYJzTeySNKNMBTVfz7lLAuGuLBYiAGn5Yw_8thyoo0JxfFRAH1U1jEOj08ZmukEgVOdvjAQhNeHO4GJjqJvk3eMDLMl-EJpJ0e9Vrc80Xq0b8wUI/s1100/P_20230925_151338.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="773" data-original-width="1100" height="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJH9KA-czGERWojaT8PpOGx52aHYMfY_d8rqQp5zKcQwL-XZm_1_pyjW6Adga2o9Rfyttx1VRy22FoYJzTeySNKNMBTVfz7lLAuGuLBYiAGn5Yw_8thyoo0JxfFRAH1U1jEOj08ZmukEgVOdvjAQhNeHO4GJjqJvk3eMDLMl-EJpJ0e9Vrc80Xq0b8wUI/w640-h450/P_20230925_151338.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>1st class Penny Red Smilers stamp incorrectly surcharged either at South East Anglia or Mount Pleasant Mail Centres, 8 September 2023.</i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>e. 8 March 2024. This is actually a stamp that we sold for postage and the buyer used it to send an order to <u>his</u> buyer. It was surcharged at the new (post 31 October 2023) rate of £5, refused, and returned but not charged.</p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhnbp1K4lWGOtDB_sn2dPDzb7HVvDf3FjYMlImTMAOUqfY8JPXyJqhVIk6N708lEuaIyjAeWUZchsdW4IbxHcYmi-S6T7TOS0hCh9Zp9vArzHZyWF3SwdXCscgSs02R2ohX6zcLeAxcybHRec7iqZARyqCIAI1QgJUkIjCncIRBXHgUvc6ciSX3gtRxyzo" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1014" data-original-width="1366" height="476" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhnbp1K4lWGOtDB_sn2dPDzb7HVvDf3FjYMlImTMAOUqfY8JPXyJqhVIk6N708lEuaIyjAeWUZchsdW4IbxHcYmi-S6T7TOS0hCh9Zp9vArzHZyWF3SwdXCscgSs02R2ohX6zcLeAxcybHRec7iqZARyqCIAI1QgJUkIjCncIRBXHgUvc6ciSX3gtRxyzo=w640-h476" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Gummed 1st class 'Hello' stamp incorrectly charged as counterfeit at the new rate of £5.<br /></i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><p></p><p> </p><p> </p><p><b><i>If you have examples of any of these, or any other interesting post-invalidation covers, please send scans to the email address at the right (under 'About me'). Thanks.</i></b><br /></p><hr /><p></p><p></p>Ian - Norvichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16436130277706268046noreply@blogger.com4Norwich, UK52.6292567 1.297880230.515901538031851 -33.858369799999984 74.742611861968143 36.454130199999987tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6960382711780503975.post-71515906961641247942021-04-05T16:22:00.003+01:002021-04-05T16:27:43.289+01:00New rate confusion, issue date confusion for 2020/21 tariff changes.<p><b>The last 12 months of the Covid-19 pandemic have been difficult for all of us, and for postal operators there were, back in the spring, sudden and immediate difficulties when many countries imposed travel bans leading to an almost complete cessation of airline travel.</b></p><p>Although airfreight was still being carried, a lot of mail is normally carried on commercial passenger flights and this introduced many delays into mail delivery. Not only that, but postal operators around the world had to pay more for their cargo to be carried. This, coupled with changes to the <a href="https://blog.norphil.co.uk/2020/07/parcel-prices-to-usa-increased-by-40.html" target="_blank">Terminal Dues</a> (TD) process forced on UPU members by the USA, meant that tariffs changed, and for Royal Mail, that meant more than one change.</p><p>Small Parcel prices were increased effective 1 July as a result of that TD change; this had no effect on letters and no new stamps were issued.</p><p>On 31 July Royal Mail announced new rates effective <a href="https://blog.norphil.co.uk/2020/07/uk-basic-international-postage-rates-to.html" target="_blank">1 September</a>. The immediate and most obvious effect for letter writers was a rounding up of the basic letter rates - £1.42 to £1.45, £1.63 and £1.68 to £1.70*, and £2.42 to £2.50 or £2.55. </p><p>But no new stamps were issued. This was unfortunate with no 3p, 8p or 13p stamps available and up to three make-up stamps had to be added to the old rate stamps. (<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">*This now covered worldwide letters to 20g and Europe letters to 100g so was a very well-used rate. Fortunately some commemorative stamps were soon issued.</span>)</i><br /></p><p>This was rectified in December when new stamps were issued in readiness for another change on <a href="https://blog.norphil.co.uk/2020/12/royal-mails-third-set-of-price.html" target="_blank">1st January 2021</a>. The new stamps included two for large letter rates which came into force on that date, a re-issue of the £2.55 value (a new printing), and a new £1.70 stamp. These stamps were issued on 23 December, meaning that they could be used for the existing (1 September) rates before the new tariff was in force, although a little late for Christmas!</p><p> </p><p>A customer in Israel sent a scan of this cover for the clean quality of the slogan, which was useful for the slogan postmarks post on our 'Latest News' blog. </p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yQmG7WIa6SU/YGsom9ucTzI/AAAAAAAAZto/eSohro3vcag7BffOLWo267fVbPxjZCrZwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1024/file.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="997" data-original-width="1024" height="624" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yQmG7WIa6SU/YGsom9ucTzI/AAAAAAAAZto/eSohro3vcag7BffOLWo267fVbPxjZCrZwCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h624/file.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p>As you can see this is the <b>new £1.70 stamp issued on 23 December</b>, but here it is used on a 20g letter to Israel from Sheffield on <b>15 December</b>. So a pre-release by a post office in Sheffield's area - but a stamp which it would have been very useful to have had three months earlier!</p><p><br /></p><p>It's very difficult to get non-philatelic use of special stamps these days, especially the airmail rates. Whilst serious postal history collectors like to have them used 'in period' it is very difficult to get agreement from them on just what this means, especially currently. Is it "before the next stamp of the same or equivalent value is issued"? Is it a fixed period, such as 2-3 months? Well with fewer letters being sent abroad in 2020 due to flight cancellations and non-acceptance by the destination country, the period could perhaps be stretched quite a long way.</p><p>Stamps marking the <a href="https://blog.norphil.co.uk/2020/04/end-of-second-world-war-update-8-may.html" target="_blank">End of World War 2</a> were issued on 8 May 2020, so January 2021 might be considered over-stretching the definition, but this is definite non-philatelic use, again to Israel, in January 2021 - by which time there had been three tariff changes! This £1.63 rate stamp showing the Rangoon Memorial, Myanmar, passed through the postal system unscathed and unsurcharged from Romford Mail Centre.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZVyQZeaBZ1o/YGsqTdLVCcI/AAAAAAAAZtw/hiD2WXuBIZErvU96K7ZF4fQiAedeWNpdwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1024/file-1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="621" data-original-width="1024" height="388" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZVyQZeaBZ1o/YGsqTdLVCcI/AAAAAAAAZtw/hiD2WXuBIZErvU96K7ZF4fQiAedeWNpdwCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h388/file-1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p> </p><p>Postal History is being made daily. Look closely at your incoming mail, and anything that friends and relatives offer you. You never know what you might find! Happy Hunting.</p><p></p><hr /><p></p>Ian - Norvichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16436130277706268046noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6960382711780503975.post-48500307841379004312021-03-05T22:33:00.007+00:002023-08-11T21:54:05.405+01:00Mystery parcel piece - where to, and what service?<p><b>The piece shown has stamps on to the value of £18.30 and was posted on 7 August 2001. It probably isn't philatelic, otherwise the stamps would be soaked off and in albums. So what and why?</b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LLt6--XWNOg/YEKwXHdycII/AAAAAAAAZgI/YzQR9lU2QxY6u57SWMmN0dWD7ZJfHHOvQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1566/%25C2%25A318-30%2Brate%2Bfor%2B10kg%2BSpecial%2BDelivery%2BLetter%2B7%2BAugust%2B2001.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1566" data-original-width="813" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LLt6--XWNOg/YEKwXHdycII/AAAAAAAAZgI/YzQR9lU2QxY6u57SWMmN0dWD7ZJfHHOvQCLcBGAsYHQ/w332-h640/%25C2%25A318-30%2Brate%2Bfor%2B10kg%2BSpecial%2BDelivery%2BLetter%2B7%2BAugust%2B2001.jpeg" width="332" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Piece of parcel wrapper with £18.30 in postage - 2001.<br /></i></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p>Fortunately the website of the <a href="https://www.gbps.org.uk/" target="_blank">Great Britain Philatelic Society</a> has a comprehensive (but not yet complete) set of postage rate tables, at least post-war. </p><p>My first thought was that for it to be this expensive it must be a parcel, or overseas sending (or both). A look at the inland parcel rates disproved this. And a look at the packet and letter airmail rates for all destinations was equally fruitless.</p><p>It didn't help that I read the date as 7 AP 01, when it seems in fact to be 7 AU 01 - significant as rates changed in July 2001.</p><p>I eventually tracked it down to the exact rate for a Special Delivery letter/packet/parcel between 2kg and 10kg, with minimum compensation of £250.</p><p>The whole exercise took less than 20 minutes: yes, postal history is a little time-consuming, but very rewarding. It would have been more attractive with the SD label and address, but one can't have everything. It certainly wouldn't have been easy to keep the whole wrapper!</p><p></p><hr /><p></p>Ian - Norvichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16436130277706268046noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6960382711780503975.post-39125170769694816272020-05-04T22:11:00.001+01:002020-05-04T22:11:21.028+01:00The World's First Postage Stamp - Centenary<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<b>This week marks 180 years since the Penny Black was made available, and it's first day of use should have been 6 May 1840. Now I know very little about Penny Blacks and they certainly don't fall into the category of Modern Postal History, so....?</b><br />
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On my main blog are a number of links to others. These were all active when originally linked but some writers have fallen by the wayside - but their blogs remain. So here is a good example of (reasonably) modern postal history from 1940, depicting usages of the Centenary set of 6.<br />
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If I can put my hands on them, I'll add some of my covers here later.<br />
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<a href="http://greatbritainphilately.blogspot.com/2012/11/1940-centenary-of-worlds-first-postage.html"><b>Great Britain Philately</b></a>, written in 2012.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RmHyXc18vDg/XrCEhlsYYbI/AAAAAAAAXvw/yPJghvg7LNIZsb5v1lF2HFATq3ZoaPfswCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/1940-Exhibition-fdenv-reused-support-the-red-cross.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="384" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RmHyXc18vDg/XrCEhlsYYbI/AAAAAAAAXvw/yPJghvg7LNIZsb5v1lF2HFATq3ZoaPfswCK4BGAYYCw/s640/1940-Exhibition-fdenv-reused-support-the-red-cross.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Red X Cover prepared for the 1940 Stamp Centenary Exhibition but used (apparently in 1943) by the Red X Churches Committee, with a red postage paid postmark.</i></td></tr>
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Ian - Norvichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16436130277706268046noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6960382711780503975.post-68612787037367165342020-04-26T18:50:00.003+01:002021-02-17T14:10:41.147+00:00More registered PS envelopes <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b>I've been sent a number of images of covers which may be of interest to readers, while I sort out what of mine to show first.</b><br />
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RW has sent some more registered postal stationery envelopes which he picked up in the 1970's, both of which refelct an absence of the normal Registered Label.<br />
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The first is from a sub-office in Barrow-in-Furness, and has a manuscript 'Barrow 9' on a 'mute' label with the roll number of 13. These labels are most often seen used from Field Post Offices, where the FPO datestamp is used in the blank area - which must be why the label is larger than regular ones.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-T7DcL2ph6Tw/XqWtWMfabFI/AAAAAAAAXnc/6bBtnxJ7DAME0kmoQ1V16UTLwrGJuPpDgCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/Regd-Barrow-in-Furness-ms-label.jpg"><img border="0" height="390" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-T7DcL2ph6Tw/XqWtWMfabFI/AAAAAAAAXnc/6bBtnxJ7DAME0kmoQ1V16UTLwrGJuPpDgCK4BGAYYCw/s640/Regd-Barrow-in-Furness-ms-label.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-p4FUN653HLA/XqWtdqkfaiI/AAAAAAAAXns/tY02j7MxWjkSpKDcCL0Z7xfkPbaPnazzgCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/Regd-Barrow-in-Furness-ms-lcds.jpg"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-p4FUN653HLA/XqWtdqkfaiI/AAAAAAAAXns/tY02j7MxWjkSpKDcCL0Z7xfkPbaPnazzgCK4BGAYYCw/s320/Regd-Barrow-in-Furness-ms-lcds.jpg" width="275" /> </a></div>
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<b>Incidentally this is a good example of the solo use of a ½p stamp used to make-up the (20+3p) 23p envelope after the 1st class letter rate increase.</b><br />
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The second cover shows a civilian use copying the FPO use for a mute label, used at Bolton and Bury 30 Jan 79 - possibly the sorting office as it shows both place-names. If it were a sub-office or even a head post office, one would expect the counter date-stamp to be used.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-h4KFXEsyPUw/XqWuo1hFUgI/AAAAAAAAXn8/tXS965C2dYIank9R9V-hX5gd6sU9GalZACK4BGAYYCw/s1600/Regd-Bolton%252BBury-dumb-label.jpg"><img border="0" height="392" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-h4KFXEsyPUw/XqWuo1hFUgI/AAAAAAAAXn8/tXS965C2dYIank9R9V-hX5gd6sU9GalZACK4BGAYYCw/s640/Regd-Bolton%252BBury-dumb-label.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HkaPa5ZoH8E/XqWuqvfxNcI/AAAAAAAAXoE/NZrXfymxd7EsISVa1cVWZ6gwBAsxy1V6gCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/Regd-Bolton%252BBury-dumb-label-cds.jpg"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HkaPa5ZoH8E/XqWuqvfxNcI/AAAAAAAAXoE/NZrXfymxd7EsISVa1cVWZ6gwBAsxy1V6gCK4BGAYYCw/s320/Regd-Bolton%252BBury-dumb-label-cds.jpg" width="296" /></a></div>
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Both these are examples of postal history which will be of especial interest to collectors in or studying the area - 'County' societies and study groups exist. If you saved this sort of thing and no longer want it, they are the people who might be interested.<br />
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If these were short-lived situations it is quite possible that they went unnoticed locally at the time, and providing this cover will add to the body of postal history and philatelic knowledge for that area.<br />
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</div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><b>UPDATE 17 February 2021</b>. My thanks to MikeM for sending a part cover from the Isle of Wight. Unfortunately the stamp and date part is missing, but the label is endorsed '<span style="color: #2b00fe;">Shanklin 3</span>'. Mike thinks this dates from after 1959 based on the text on the reverse.</div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KDJOU0_ua5U/YC0jcjz0s1I/AAAAAAAAZbI/5-8bJUXhftsaIXho7wGNsI_qf96cm0qswCLcBGAsYHQ/s1654/Shanklin%2Bblank%2Bregistration%2Blabel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1190" data-original-width="1654" height="460" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KDJOU0_ua5U/YC0jcjz0s1I/AAAAAAAAZbI/5-8bJUXhftsaIXho7wGNsI_qf96cm0qswCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h460/Shanklin%2Bblank%2Bregistration%2Blabel.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
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Ian - Norvichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16436130277706268046noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6960382711780503975.post-1138576481633159602020-04-26T18:49:00.004+01:002020-04-27T08:45:14.500+01:00Speical Delivery, Registration, the 10d drab, and use-up time! <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<b>My thanks to MC for providing three more images of covers in his collection, each of them with something special about it.</b><br />
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The first is a <b>Special Delivery </b>cover from Ilkeston in Derbyshire to North Ferriby in Yorkshire in 1968. In those days Special Delivery meant Special - not like today where it combines Registration with a timed next-day delivery service.<br />
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According to the Great Britain Philatelic Society website:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"<i>Under this Service Letters and Parcels are forwarded by Mail in the
regular course of post to any Express Delivery Office in the Kingdom,
and on arrival there are sent out for delivery by Special Messenger.</i>"</blockquote>
The term Express being replaced by Special in 1938.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bLwH_EPKz1Y/XqWxmPavvcI/AAAAAAAAXoU/7t_AYAYyf8E564K5_maYwPx3qSZKvG0rQCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/sd10.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="378" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bLwH_EPKz1Y/XqWxmPavvcI/AAAAAAAAXoU/7t_AYAYyf8E564K5_maYwPx3qSZKvG0rQCK4BGAYYCw/s640/sd10.jpg" width="640" /></a> </div>
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The fee for Special Delivery was 3s (shillings), paid here by the pair of 1/6d stamps. Back in the day, it was quite likely that the first delivery to this company was so early that no special effort was required by the delivery office and this accompanied the first normal delivery.<br />
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Postage is paid by the <b>10d drab/stone</b> definitive, for the fourth step, 6 - 8 ounces. Unfortunately this is only a part-front, but for very large packets that is often the case.<br />
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Second is a <b>registered airmail cover</b> also using the <b>10d drab</b>, this time x 3 with additional 9d green & 2d brown definitives. This makes a total of <b>3s5d</b>. <br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hWxp9761EFE/XqW0UwQDaPI/AAAAAAAAXog/oRcBr0Q5SLg7Ztw6C0wRg_EcVD35WfkGgCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/Regd-1969-3x10d%252B9d%252B2d-RAF-regd-label.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="442" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hWxp9761EFE/XqW0UwQDaPI/AAAAAAAAXog/oRcBr0Q5SLg7Ztw6C0wRg_EcVD35WfkGgCK4BGAYYCw/s640/Regd-1969-3x10d%252B9d%252B2d-RAF-regd-label.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Although this is an airmail envelope, it was not sent by airmail, as RAF Rissington is in Gloucestershire. I suspect the serviceman sending his insurance premium to Royal Insurance had these envelopes left over from a recent overseas posting and saw no reason not to use them.<br />
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The postmark is LITTLE RISSINGTON RAF / CHELTENHAM GLOS although the text is so crammed into the space that if it was incomplete you might read it as 'RAF SO'. The 1st class letter rate was 5d for the first 4 ounces. <s>and 9d for 4-6 ounces, with the basic registration fee of 3s. Although there were higher registration fees, none would make the rate except the maximum of 3s9d with no postage paid!</s><br />
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<span style="color: red;"><b>UPDATE</b>: oh, the shame of it. No excuse, but it took an American to point out my error (thanks Gary). I mis-read my notes of the fees, and copied that to the total postage. The postage on this is only 3/5d, so basic letter rate plus basic registration.</span> <br />
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The final cover <i>is </i>registered airmail, this time to Canada, from London. In fact from Trafalgar Square B.O. in London. And by the type of envelope I would suggest it was sent by Stanley Gibbons or possibly one of the many other stamp dealers in The Strand area. The giveaway is the mixed pre- and post-decimal day definitives including the 8d red which was replaced by the blue in January 1969 just six months after it was issued. The date on this item is January 1972.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-M04b5vlaCSg/XqXH3DiOQSI/AAAAAAAAXos/kAAZUtGGh8M_HJAkxA-u5wPnLVxssvJXgCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/Regd-1972-Canada-10x8dred%252B1hp.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-M04b5vlaCSg/XqXH3DiOQSI/AAAAAAAAXos/kAAZUtGGh8M_HJAkxA-u5wPnLVxssvJXgCK4BGAYYCw/s640/Regd-1972-Canada-10x8dred%252B1hp.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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There are 10 x 8d red definitives, = 80d = 6/8d = 33<span style="color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "futura"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">½</span>p. With the 1<span style="color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "futura"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">½</span>p stamp making a total of 35p, this covers the 20p registration fee and 15p postage for the second step 1 ounce rate.<br />
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In discussions about whether a cover is commercial or (blatantly) philatelic, this falls between the two. It is clearly commercial if it is a dealer sending stamps to a customer. The stamps are 'out of time' in that their usage is three years after they ceased to be sold at the post office.<br />
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But a month later they would have been truly 'out of time' and invalidated for postal purposes, so it made sense for the sender to use up what were probably large stocks of a stamp which most collectors at the time already had from when it was first issued.<br />
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So it is a mixed franking, commercial, 'just-in-time' cover, and a good example to have in a collection if only to tell the story of how, within weeks, the stamps could not have been used.<br />
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There's much more to come, but for now, that's all on the Machin front.<br />
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Ian - Norvichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16436130277706268046noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6960382711780503975.post-6287457043854763692020-04-17T20:42:00.003+01:002020-04-17T20:42:57.846+01:00Registered Postal Stationery Envelopes and labels (or not)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<b>This is a subject that I may well make into an online display, since I already have many pages which I have shown to our local club. </b><br />
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Whilst the pre-war rates were interesting, and foreign usage especially ripe for various combinations of adhesives depending on weight and insured value, one of the best periods is the 1970s, as I am of the opinion - until proved otherwise - that many of the envelopes used in that period of rapid inflation in postal rates, were never used at post offices without the addition of adhesives because the rate had increased before they could use them.<br />
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And in some cases, uprated stock was further uprated, especially in 1975 when the postage rates increased twice. But that's for later. <br />
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Tonight I'm showing an ordinary registered stationery envelope sent by a reader (RW). It's a basic 23p envelope, officially uprated by <span style="color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "futura"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">½p</span> when the letter rate increased. First issued in 1971 the 23p covered the 20p registration fee and 3p 1st class letter rate. On 10 September 1973 the letter rate increased to 3<span style="color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "futura"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">½p</span> hence the addition. That rate lasted until June 1974.<br />
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The letter was posted from Yeovil to a holiday camp in Paignton, presumably containing a deposit in banknotes for a holiday booking - not everybody had a bank account, and cash payments were common 50 years ago.<br />
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The Goldcroft sub-postoffice used registration labels captioned Yeovil, with the branch identification the numeral 5*. But apparently Goldcroft's supply of labels had been exhausted and not replenished (hard to believe), or lost! So the postmaster improvised in manuscript, and recorded the letter in the ledger as usual.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--mfv06TKsaw/XpoFVoLXUiI/AAAAAAAAXDY/eL57bo_7Ljcnr9RGw_lLku3xYvs-FtJxwCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/yevoil%2B2.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="392" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/--mfv06TKsaw/XpoFVoLXUiI/AAAAAAAAXDY/eL57bo_7Ljcnr9RGw_lLku3xYvs-FtJxwCK4BGAYYCw/s640/yevoil%2B2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-A5st-vUkD0A/XpoFeqTjiqI/AAAAAAAAXDk/qxwBrLMDIN0OkzYVKPpAzOZUkG3vHaUdwCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/yevoil%2B1.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-A5st-vUkD0A/XpoFeqTjiqI/AAAAAAAAXDk/qxwBrLMDIN0OkzYVKPpAzOZUkG3vHaUdwCK4BGAYYCw/s200/yevoil%2B1.jpg" width="193" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-T3tOeFewXec/XpoFe2C_agI/AAAAAAAAXDo/5Kv_Ja_TCYAqAaiDXHYN9X2YZX_qIqkawCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/yevoil%2B3.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="175" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-T3tOeFewXec/XpoFe2C_agI/AAAAAAAAXDo/5Kv_Ja_TCYAqAaiDXHYN9X2YZX_qIqkawCK4BGAYYCw/s320/yevoil%2B3.jpg" width="320" /></a> <span style="color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "futura"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"></span> </div>
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Fifty years ago, while many people rescued the mail from their office, few kept the envelopes intact - they did it mainly to collect the stamps.<br />
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* More about this on the <a href="https://somersetph.blogspot.com/2019/12/somerset-sub-office-numbers.html">Somerset Postal History Blog</a>. <br />
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We don't know how long this situation at Goldcroft lasted, nor how many registered letters were sent. But what we do have is a rescued cover with a story behind it. Whilst manuscript registration 'labels' are relatively common in many African countries and some islands in the West Indies, this is the first I have seen in the UK.<br />
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Ian - Norvichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16436130277706268046noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6960382711780503975.post-3454820385480591122020-04-06T21:12:00.000+01:002020-04-09T16:12:19.323+01:00Huge Special Delivery cover and small printed papers<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<b>As part of my de-cluttering exercise in Norvic Towers I've been emptying the attic. Not the best place to store stamps or postal history, and of course I don't. Which doesn't mean that I don't find things there!</b><br />
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<b>Special Delivery.</b><br />
<b> </b> <br />
When my wife and I received this stamps were the last thing on my mind - it contained a card for our wedding! At that time I still thought postal history was something that the grey-haired old men exhibited at major shows and won medals for. I collected stamps, but although I liked my Saudi Arabia and Scandinavian stamps on cover those are other stories, and I wasn't too concerned about GB. So it was put away with a lot of other cards etc and memorabilia from the time.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-o5XxEm9qwdc/XotThP56SII/AAAAAAAAW7M/8S8nizfvFUYmpK2XGL2W-kbQxaMt6HbWACK4BGAYYCw/s1600/GB-1976-spec-del-piece.jpeg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="384" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-o5XxEm9qwdc/XotThP56SII/AAAAAAAAW7M/8S8nizfvFUYmpK2XGL2W-kbQxaMt6HbWACK4BGAYYCw/s640/GB-1976-spec-del-piece.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>From early September 1976 this is prepaid at 78<span style="color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "futura"; font-size: 13px; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">½</span>p for the inland <b>Special Delivery</b> rate. </i></div>
<br />
<br />
According to the very excellent <a href="http://www.gbps.org.uk/information/rates/inland/special-delivery.php">GBPS website</a> the SD fee was 60p from 29 September 1975 to 19 August 1979. Postage is 18<span style="color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "futura"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">½</span>p which represents the 4th step, or 151-200g First Class from 7 June 1976 to 12 June 1977.<br />
<br />
Only when you see the whole thing, do you appreciate that the weight - for a massive greetings card in cardboard sleeve - was probably correct:<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-i5OX5300aaA/XotUvS1rWCI/AAAAAAAAW7Y/PGvBaQGWyYIvLXMk0A_UPcVbp2G2RnT3ACK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_4173.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="482" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-i5OX5300aaA/XotUvS1rWCI/AAAAAAAAW7Y/PGvBaQGWyYIvLXMk0A_UPcVbp2G2RnT3ACK4BGAYYCw/s640/IMG_4173.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
It's approximately 20 x 14 inches (520 x 370mm). It's fair to say that my late aunt and uncle were quite extravagant and making a point.<br />
<br />
You will notice that I have taken a liberty with the Special Delivery label! The cover was badly foxed, damaged, and far too big to store or show sensibly, so I cut it down. We know it was posted from Essex to Somerset, and even though one of the 20p stamps is damaged, it is still a good piece to have.<br />
<br />
<hr />
<b>OHMS Newspaper Wrappers</b> <br />
<br />
The second half of today's post is illustrated by two newspaper wrappers sent (one at least in 1968) from Edinburgh to Germany, both paying the lowest (2 ounce) printed paper reduced rate of 2d.<br />
<br />
My thanks to MC for allowing me to show these gems - I'm really quite envious of a 2d rate, and of the <span style="color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "futura"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">½</span>d block used on their own. <br />
<br />
One is stamped with a 2d Machin definitive and the other with a block of 4 x <span style="color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "futura"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">½</span>d Machins.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cO7qv0I6uV8/XotV-r_BCjI/AAAAAAAAW7k/aBY0RrTMqwYEs2cF8jn9qQ4CtsKRwAiEwCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/Reduced%2Brate.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cO7qv0I6uV8/XotV-r_BCjI/AAAAAAAAW7k/aBY0RrTMqwYEs2cF8jn9qQ4CtsKRwAiEwCK4BGAYYCw/s640/Reduced%2Brate.jpg" width="478" /></a></div>
<br />
What is especially interesting for me is the original source of these. Although attributed by the return address to the Registrar-General in Edinburgh, the wrappers - sent to the Federal German Ministry of Health - originated at Her Majesty's Stationery Office printing works in Annandale Street, Edinburgh - the site has since been redeveloped. <br />
<br />
I can tell this by the <b>H M / S O</b> perfins - perforated initials in the stamps:<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-aufAHvgGfwQ/XotW_TlRstI/AAAAAAAAW7w/D1a07Xhxew83gd4x0mPuVghPYd0h5LNkACK4BGAYYCw/s1600/HMSO%2Bperfin%2Bsolo.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-aufAHvgGfwQ/XotW_TlRstI/AAAAAAAAW7w/D1a07Xhxew83gd4x0mPuVghPYd0h5LNkACK4BGAYYCw/s200/HMSO%2Bperfin%2Bsolo.png" width="167" /></a></div>
<br />
Under the 2d stamp is the Official Paid mark, which wasn't valid for sending outside the UK, so stamps were used. Two copies of (I suppose) a Bulletin from the Registrar, were sent in each wrapper. (2 CPS - CPS may well refer to the title but I don't know what it is.).<br />
<br />
The HMSO in-house perfin machine was set up long before the Machins were issued - at least as early as 1949. The machine possibly had two settings; one was for small definitives - sheets of 12 columns across. The other was for large definitives, possibly the Wilding Castles. So on the decimal low value Machins - only 10 columns across - the sheet margins were also perforated. But the high value Machins were also used, mainly on overseas parcels of books or other publications. In this case the sheets were folded in half vertically along the
gutter, so not only is the gutter perfinned, but the stamps on one
side are perfinned normally, and on the other side they are reversed,
which makes an interesting pair.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Z4pMITyeKXk/XouLtz79eLI/AAAAAAAAW78/TbVp4p-Q00MwZ1o21du02RmMG0s2DBfdACK4BGAYYCw/s1600/hmso_perfin_5p_block4.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="277" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Z4pMITyeKXk/XouLtz79eLI/AAAAAAAAW78/TbVp4p-Q00MwZ1o21du02RmMG0s2DBfdACK4BGAYYCw/s320/hmso_perfin_5p_block4.jpg" width="320" /> </a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6iGcqlNJvCI/XouLxiIM8nI/AAAAAAAAW8E/NoENiUXm1RwDRvV083KZ3GTzoomrS9ZxACK4BGAYYCw/s1600/hmso_perfin_hvs205.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="184" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6iGcqlNJvCI/XouLxiIM8nI/AAAAAAAAW8E/NoENiUXm1RwDRvV083KZ3GTzoomrS9ZxACK4BGAYYCw/s640/hmso_perfin_hvs205.jpg" width="640" /></a> </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Although I did have some of these I have passed them on to somebody who will appreciated them more - although I have kept a couple of covers. <br />
<br />
If you collect perfins, you can still find these occasionally in dealers' 'back of the book' stock, and look out also for their predecessors from 1922-1949. This design mimicked the watermark widely used in security printing, and also appeared on many of the stationery and office equipment items, such as rulers. Unfortunately the authorities pointed out that use of the Crown on the stamps was not permitted, so the design was changed. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IyyAkLZYuFg/XouMvXYuSqI/AAAAAAAAW8U/prUOWWf2lbkkm07yiYAETdLY-A37YRFKACK4BGAYYCw/s1600/hmso_perfin_scrowno_kg6.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IyyAkLZYuFg/XouMvXYuSqI/AAAAAAAAW8U/prUOWWf2lbkkm07yiYAETdLY-A37YRFKACK4BGAYYCw/s200/hmso_perfin_scrowno_kg6.jpg" width="181" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
The Board of Trade also fell foul of this ruling but that department didn't use any alternative.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<hr />
</div>
</div>
Ian - Norvichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16436130277706268046noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6960382711780503975.post-20817821035383251302020-04-02T14:41:00.000+01:002020-04-02T14:41:13.148+01:00Insured letter puzzle - 1989 to Germany<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<b>I promised that I would be doing so more on this blog soon, and I'm starting by showing a puzzle sent to me by a reader, MC.</b><br />
<br />
Royal Mail introduced registered envelopes in 1878 and the last produced that showed a value was in 1984. From 1986 envelopes with NVI indicia were issued, in two main sizes, G H and K, but within these first two there were 5 different variants! And that was only the first NVI design as shown below.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RuHQOPrYAXI/XoXpPoSLDrI/AAAAAAAAW3s/X45aSr0u1Eo4TRrY5kcx66xrGkzjqJ5VQCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/Edin-Ger-Insured-NVI.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="386" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RuHQOPrYAXI/XoXpPoSLDrI/AAAAAAAAW3s/X45aSr0u1Eo4TRrY5kcx66xrGkzjqJ5VQCK4BGAYYCw/s640/Edin-Ger-Insured-NVI.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<b>Sent from Edinburgh to Germany on 13 November 1989</b>. This is prepaid for the minimum postage and registration fee within the UK, but between 1986 and 1998 there was also a concessionary reduced minimum rate for EEC destinations, equal to the basic first class inland letter rate. It applied to all-up mail to 1991 and airmail thereafter. This means that no extra postage was necessary on this letter to Germany, provided it was under 60 g in weight.<br />
<br />
But what about the <b>insurance</b>? According to the GBPS website postage rate pages (open free to non-members) the fee for insurance over £150 and up to £300 was £1.80 - yet there is no sign of any extra postage.<br />
<br />
It beats me how letters which <u>must</u> be handed over the counter at a Post Office ever get processed with insufficient postage.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-q0xjd3ZyA74/XoXq_muCa3I/AAAAAAAAW34/Bp8qQ2WePTMUwel5FT-JP0jWU4ElAjPLwCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/Insured%2BNVI%2BPS%2Bback.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="384" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-q0xjd3ZyA74/XoXq_muCa3I/AAAAAAAAW34/Bp8qQ2WePTMUwel5FT-JP0jWU4ElAjPLwCK4BGAYYCw/s640/Insured%2BNVI%2BPS%2Bback.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
I don't have any ideas - other than the obvious one that somebody made a mistake - there's no obvious sign of missing stamps.<br />
<br />
Does anybody else have any idea?<br />
<br />
<hr />
<br /></div>
Ian - Norvichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16436130277706268046noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6960382711780503975.post-47700674396385000452019-03-26T10:58:00.002+00:002019-03-26T11:03:07.161+00:00Common stamps - but what were they used for?<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wlS7pkJr99k/XJn-xB6jw8I/AAAAAAAAUPY/uz9eIRocfTAA7Twp3pPkrvSKY4EaNOFfwCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/pre-decimal-8d.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="110" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wlS7pkJr99k/XJn-xB6jw8I/AAAAAAAAUPY/uz9eIRocfTAA7Twp3pPkrvSKY4EaNOFfwCK4BGAYYCw/s200/pre-decimal-8d.png" width="200" /></a><b>The first set of Machin definitives included an 8d in red (or bright vermillion) issued on 1 July 1968. This was just one of the range from ½d to 1/9d replacing the Wilding definitives started in 1952.</b><br />
<br />
But with the 4d brown difficult to process, that value was changed to red, and the 8d to pale blue (light turquoise-blue) on 6 January 1969. But was there a specific purpose to this value, both colours of which are not at all uncommon in either mint or used condition?<br />
<br />
According to <i>British Postal Rates 1937-2000</i> (Johnson & Peet) the uses at the time of issue of <span style="color: red;">the 8d red</span> were:<br />
<br />
Inland Letter 4 - 6 ounces (until 15 September 1968)<br />
Inland Printed Papers 8 to 10 ounces (until 5 January 1969)<br />
Foreign Printed Papers Surface 8 to 10 ounces (to 31 August 1968)<br />
Foreign Samples Surface 4 to 6 ounces (to 31 August 1968)<br />
Foreign Newspaper airmail Group B destinations ½ to 1 ounce and 2nd class airmail group C up to ½ ounce (both to 5 January 1969)<br />
<b><br /></b>
The specific uses of the <span style="color: blue;">8d pale blue</span> all ran from 6 January 1969 to 14 February 1971:<br />
<br />
Inland letter 2nd class 6 to 8 ounces, and printed papers 8 to 10 ounces<br />
Foreign Surface Printed Papers 4 to 6 ounces and Samples 6 to 8 ounces<br />
Foreign Airmail 2nd Newspapers Group B ½ to 1 ounce and 2nd class Group C up to ½ ounce.<br />
<br />
So, how how easy is it to find any examples of these uses on full cover or wrapper today? Well, I would suggest very difficult. Newspaper wrappers are usually discarded, bulk printed paper envelopes or packaging are rarely 'attractive' (or small) enough for people to have collected in the past, and of course collectors in foreign destinations would (at that time) want the <u>stamps</u> for the collections.<br />
<br />
So although the red had been replaced by the time of the use shown here, it is still scarce enough, and attractive enough to be worthy of including in a postal history usage collection. These two Printed Paper usages from Norwich to Australia, the red on 26 February and the blue on 20 November 1969 sold fifty years later on eBay <b>for AU$65.99 - £35.50</b> at present.<br />
<br />
But I'm not actually certain what postage rate they were paying, given the above tables! <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://i.imgur.com/27kGPNY.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="466" height="640" src="https://i.imgur.com/27kGPNY.jpg" width="497" /></a></div>
<br />
Another aspect of Postal History collecting is the inclusion of at least the name and address of the recipient (and maybe the sender), and sometimes content. From these pictures we can establish the background of the addressee:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Austine Marshall</span><br /><br />Another
outstanding lady [amateur radio] operator was Austine Henry (nee Marshall), VK3YL,
first licenced in 1930. In many ways, Austine had similarities with
Florence. She constructed her own transmitters, for which she won prizes
and was a keen operator who was deeply respected by other amateurs.<br /><br />In
1934 Austine joined the R.A.A.F. Reserve and during WWII, went on to
train many operators in Morse code at the WIA during WWII. </span></blockquote>
Postal History collectors - certainly the purchaser of this pair - should be grateful that Mrs Henry kept the envelopes in which, presumably, she received QSL cards (confirmation of radio contact from other radio amateurs.\<br />
<hr />
Ian - Norvichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16436130277706268046noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6960382711780503975.post-63774593647497118022018-03-22T11:57:00.001+00:002018-03-22T11:57:33.473+00:00Postcards are a good source of solo uses.<b>The postcard pictured was drawn to my attention when it recently sold on online auction site eBay.</b><br />
<br />
The rate to Zone C (which includes Australia) from 3 October 19966 to 15 February 1971 was 10d, so this is a good and not easy to find solo usage of the 10d Machin. Not easy to find in Britain, but maybe easier in the pacific area? So how did it fare?<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://i.imgur.com/rjv5orT.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="513" data-original-width="800" height="410" src="https://i.imgur.com/rjv5orT.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
It's not perfect with a few rust spots around the stamp and airmail label, but otherwise quite good for a postcard. From a starting price of £5, it remained at a low level until a bidder came up and tipped it through to £20-ish. That bidder seems to have dropped out, being outbid by the early bid of £100. But even that was not enough as a late (snipe?) bid for £102 won the day. The seller is located in the UK; bidding is hidden, so we cannot tell where the buyer was.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
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Ian - Norvichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16436130277706268046noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6960382711780503975.post-35774136349311565482018-02-20T15:27:00.001+00:002018-02-20T15:27:15.702+00:00Odd-looking postal rates are likely to be right!<b>Most people can recognise an obviously philatelic cover, with excess postage or out-of-period (albeit valid) usage. The logical conclusion of this is that most people can also recognise a cover which is properly stamped at a proper rate using stamps available at the time.</b><br />
<br />
Sometimes, however, you find a cover with a postage rate that almost has to be right, because nobody would make it that wrong!<br />
<br />
Here are three pieces which I picked up at London's Spring Stampex. The first is a <b>surface-mail picture postcard from Newquay, Cornwall, to South Carolina on 13 September 1968</b>. Stamped with a 5d blue Machin definitive (SG 735) it doesn't look odd, because we are used to seeing so many inland letters and cards with this stamp from 1968-71. But that rate took effect later, from 16 September.<br />
<br />
The 5d rate for surface postcards worldwide ran from 3.10.1966 to decimal day (15.2.71). The Machin stamp was issued on 1.7.1968. So although the 5d Machin on a postcard in this period is not unusual, it is interesting to see it used before it served the same purpose on inland mail.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BkH8G-XjSAs/Wow4jfe_61I/AAAAAAAARyY/vPW7A24XrecbOv-LwXIMKVnXDXN7dX-9gCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/B0051-GB-USA-5d-surface-PC-19680913.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="408" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BkH8G-XjSAs/Wow4jfe_61I/AAAAAAAARyY/vPW7A24XrecbOv-LwXIMKVnXDXN7dX-9gCK4BGAYYCw/s640/B0051-GB-USA-5d-surface-PC-19680913.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
The second is a small (125 x 80 mm) unsealed envelope containing a card. This was sent from <b>Romford, Essex, to South Carolina on 8 November 1983 with 14<span style="color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "futura"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">½</span>p postage paid by a 12<span style="color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "futura"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">½</span>p and 2p Machin definitives.</b> An unusual rate, but by the unusual combination of stamps, I deduced that it was probably 'right'. And so it proved. This is the first step <b>(20 g) Printed Paper Rate</b> for letters worldwide.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BbwTtmCshvQ/Wow57txeHcI/AAAAAAAARyo/_zwDICP4sKgTfDY-aKFtEFVMTi4oGoKhACK4BGAYYCw/s1600/B0052-GB-USA-14h-surfacePPR-20gletter-19831108.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="410" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BbwTtmCshvQ/Wow57txeHcI/AAAAAAAARyo/_zwDICP4sKgTfDY-aKFtEFVMTi4oGoKhACK4BGAYYCw/s640/B0052-GB-USA-14h-surfacePPR-20gletter-19831108.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Lastly, an airmail letter from <b>Carmarthen to South Carolina on 7 February 1979, prepaid at 18½p</b>. Now I was used to seeing 10½p, 11½p, 13½p, 19½p and 20½p stamps on postcards - and there are stamps for all of these rates, but not for 18½p - so is it correct? Again, the answer is yes. This is the second-step 20 g rate for Zone 2 letters (the first step was 11p). So although the 13p dog stamp is used on its day of issue, the addition of the 5p and ½p stamps to make up the 18½p rate is perfectly right.<br />
<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QjfCFR8S8MQ/Wow7fcXQOjI/AAAAAAAARy0/Z1u9y2ZiNkwtjurfu8HylFE8-19eJkbQACK4BGAYYCw/s1600/B0053-GB-USA-18h-airmailZ2-20gletter-19790207.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="408" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QjfCFR8S8MQ/Wow7fcXQOjI/AAAAAAAARy0/Z1u9y2ZiNkwtjurfu8HylFE8-19eJkbQACK4BGAYYCw/s640/B0053-GB-USA-18h-airmailZ2-20gletter-19790207.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
So although it happens to be a first day cover - and indeed it may have been used deliberately on the day of issue - it's a perfectly correct non-philatelic cover.<br />
<br />
<b>I think if you went to a dozen dealers looking for these last two, you probably wouldn't find anything at those rates, even with other stamps to make up the rates.</b><br />
<hr />
Ian - Norvichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16436130277706268046noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6960382711780503975.post-13539581335585058042017-08-05T20:57:00.002+01:002017-10-25T17:29:46.784+01:00International mail: solo uses, and high value research.<b>My latest finds, from the local philatelic society fair included some really nice examples of postal history items which require a bit of digging and delving - to find out whether they are 'right'.</b><br />
<br />
<b><u>Three letters to Greece</u></b><br />
From 26 April 1976 the postage rate for letters to Europe was 10p for 20g, so this letter, without a clear UK postmark (<span style="color: blue;">see update below</span>) but with an Athens arrival of 31 May 1977, was correctly prepaid with the standard 10p light orange-brown.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BvS-6R1RFCA/WYYdNqK4y0I/AAAAAAAAQzc/B_BvzJyV-isr60HEK_0IgmPFYDN2uLOXACK4BGAYYCw/s1600/UK-Greece-1977-10p.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="440" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BvS-6R1RFCA/WYYdNqK4y0I/AAAAAAAAQzc/B_BvzJyV-isr60HEK_0IgmPFYDN2uLOXACK4BGAYYCw/s640/UK-Greece-1977-10p.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
On 13 June 1977 the rate was increased to 10½p. This letter - with the Athens arrival mark of 4 September 1977 on the reverse, and a violet boxed C85 (or 685) cancelling the stamps - was prepaid with the same 10p stamp and an additional ½p stamp.<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="color: blue;">My thanks to PA for this additional information, which coincidentally identifies the postmark on the <u>above</u> cover as Reading:</span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="color: blue;"><i>The cancellation is actually 635.
These rectangular ‘killers’ were applied to uncancelled stamps in the Reading
<u>Foreign Section</u> in the 1970’s. i.e the letter could have been posted from
anywhere in the South East. Reading FS was in a separate building from the MLO
at that time.</i></span> </blockquote>
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The third one, to the same addressee but from a different sender, uses the shortlived 10½p yellow, issued on 25 February 1976 and replaced on 26 April 1978 with the grey-blue version. Finding covers to Europe franked with a single stamp for the right rate is not easy and the destination of Greece rather than, say, France or Germany is even better.<br />
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The other international cover I bought today is a gem: not pretty, not tidy, but a gem of an exercise in rate research. This is an <b>airmail insured packet to South Africa</b>, <b>prepaid £3.35</b> with the use of 3 x decimal £1 stamps, a 20p dull purple, and 3 x 5p pale violet, and clear New Barnet Parcel Post marks dated 23 December 1976. My initial thought was that insurance must have been expensive, but in fact it is only a low fee.<br />
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My source was the website of the <a href="http://www.gbps.org.uk/information/rates/">Great Britain Philatelic Society</a> (GBPS) which has an excellent series of postage rate tables for inland and overseas mail including 'special services'. In these tables I found that insurance fee for this date was 65p for up to £175 and 70p for up to £210, so this packet insured for £200 needed the 70p fee. The balance of £2.65 was obviously the postage, but how is this arrived at?<br />
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The airmail small packet rate tables show 130g is 49p, and each additional 10g is 3½p. 3½p doesn't divide evenly into £2.65 (=75.71) so it probably wasn't a small packet, although 130+ (75x10g) 750g is still within the limit of 1kg for a small packet. Curious.<br />
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The GBPS website doesn't include all the parcel post rates - for some periods there were many different rates for the countries around the world and in some periods they changed more than once during the year. But the site does reference the publication of amendments to the Post Office Overseas Letter Post Scheme in the <a href="https://www.thegazette.co.uk/?webType=0&txtSearchTerms=5690&radSearch=ww1&selFromDay=1&selFromMonth=1&selFromYear=1900&selToDay=31&selToMonth=12&selToYear=1997&selMedalType=&selHonorType=&frmSearchSubmit=Search">London Gazette</a>, the official public record for certain legislation, regulation, and official notices, etc. Here, I found that the rate for an Airmail parcel sent outside Europe varied from £2.20 to £3.60 for the first ½ kg, depending on destination, but the rate for South Africa was... £2.65: the packet was prepaid exactly as it should be, as you would hope for something posted over the Post Office counter!<br />
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The clue as to whether it was a Small Packet or Parcel lies in the Barnet parcel post label on the reverse. A Customs Form would have indicated the weight, but I suspect that was removed on arrival in South Africa, where the white label shown was attached, indicating a fee of 50c for Wharfage.<br />
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When the basic inland postage rate was only 8½p for second class, a £1 stamp would almost certainly only have been used on parcels. To find three on one cover - even a slightly damaged cover - is very pleasing!<br />
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<i>(Click on the images to see a larger version.)</i><br />
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<br />Ian - Norvichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16436130277706268046noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6960382711780503975.post-76031699572459709652017-07-20T15:28:00.003+01:002022-06-02T21:53:05.004+01:00Recent acquisitions: a 1972 parcel tag and an enigma<b>As I haven't had time to sort through my collection into any order, and thereby make some properly structured posts, the next few will be recent acquisitions - more or less as I get them, or at least as I finish researching them.</b><br />
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This <b>1972 Parcel Tag</b> originated in Norwich in 1972. Although the parcel postmark is not clear, the nursery kindly added the date at the right and of course their return address is printed on the tag.<br />
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Evidently there was something wrong with the address, and the plants were returned. Coincidentally there is (now at least) a garden centre in Orchard Road, Coton, Cambridgeshire, where Mrs R P Barnes may have lived once.<br />
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21p paid for an <b>inland parcel</b> up to two pounds in weight (about 900 grammes which would now cost £2.90). The postage is paid by the 20p 'high value' and 1p Machin definitives issued in 1970/71.<br />
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This other cover, though, is something of an enigma. I bought it knowing that it was almost certainly wrong! It's been sent by<b> Recorded Delivery</b> (apparently), on 24 May 1975? - I couldn't be sure. But I did know that on decimal day, 15 February 1971, the minimum inland postage rate was 2½p - and recorded delivery had been 9d, becoming 4p on decimalisation. So the postage had to be at least 6½p, not the 5½p represented by the 2 x 2½p and single ½p stamp.<br />
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On close inspection the year on the datestamp does appear to be 1975, by which time the 2nd class postage rate had risen to 5½p. At the same time the recorded delivery fee was 7p, so the correct postage would have been 12½p (or 14p for 1st class). We will never know whether this was handled under the recorded delivery system or not - but if it was, it was underpaid by 7p. I suspect the sender knew what postage was required for the letter. The Post Office almost certainly affixed the recorded delivery label, and may even have taken the fee - but if they did, they forgot to apply the extra 7p stamp!<br />
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Ian - Norvichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16436130277706268046noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6960382711780503975.post-512201638188156382014-06-26T19:40:00.001+01:002020-04-22T16:01:36.858+01:00Remarkable Lives stamps now being used by Royal Mail's bureau<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<b>Royal Mail Tallents House have been using stamps on some mail for at least a year, with last year's Butterfly stamps being the most common until recently.</b><br />
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<i>Complete Set of 10</i></center>
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Now the Remarkable Lives stamps issued earlier this year are being used:<br />
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Ian - Norvichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16436130277706268046noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6960382711780503975.post-72146945029833925552014-03-05T16:33:00.001+00:002020-04-22T15:59:22.658+01:00More Modern British Postal History Coming Soon.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<b>I've been prompted by a recent article in Britain's Stamp Magazine to take another look at modern postal history, so look out for some more postings in this blog before much longer.</b><br />
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Just for starters, proof that special stamps are still used here.<br />
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2013 Butterfly set and Football Heroes set <br />
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These are all on complete covers.<br />
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Ian - Norvichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16436130277706268046noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6960382711780503975.post-29042270760088788372010-03-17T20:53:00.007+00:002010-06-17T10:25:26.777+01:00Premium services: registered post, special delivery, and recorded delivery<span style="font-weight: bold;">The fee for registration and special delivery was 3 shillings on top of the basic letter rate, but there was no 3s stamp.<br />
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</span><span style="font-weight: bold;">Special Delivery 1967</span> - 4d brown and 2 x 1/6d Machins<br />
<img alt="Image" src="http://wilding.norvic-philatelics.co.uk/%7Eian/gbmodph/predec/sd-4d+2x18dm-1967.jpg" /><br />
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">Registered 1970</span> - 5d blue and 2 x 1/6d Machins with a nice <span style="font-weight: bold;">Burnham Market village registration label</span>. Even now the permanent population is less than 1,000 although it is swelled all year round by visitors from London and has acquired the nick-name <span style="font-style: italic;">Chelsea-on-sea</span>.<br />
<img alt="Image" src="http://wilding.norvic-philatelics.co.uk/%7Eian/gbmodph/predec/reg-5d+2x18dm-1970.jpg" /><br />
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">Recorded Delivery.</span> Registration cost a lot of money in 1960 and there was a need for a low-cost confirmation of delivery, without the insurance element. The recorded delivery service was introduced in 1961 with an initial fee of 6d. By 1967 the fee had been increased to 9d, still considerably less than the registration fee. Recorded Delivery could also be used with second class mail from the introduction of the 2-tier system in September 1968. The letters had to be posted over the counter, but no special handling was involved until delivery and ordinary machine postmarks were applied, rather than the counter stamps used for the higher-cost services.<br />
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">4d Machin and 9d Wilding</span>, <span style="font-weight: bold;">1s Wilding and 1d Machin</span>, 1968 (By this time Machins had been issued for all the values shown here.)<br />
<img alt="Image" src="http://wilding.norvic-philatelics.co.uk/%7Eian/gbmodph/predec/rd-9dw+4dbm-1968.jpg" /><br />
<img alt="Image" src="http://wilding.norvic-philatelics.co.uk/%7Eian/gbmodph/predec/rd-1sw+1dm-1968.jpg" /><br />
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">1d and 1s Machins,</span> 1969<br />
<img alt="Image" src="http://wilding.norvic-philatelics.co.uk/%7Eian/gbmodph/predec/rd-1sm+1dm-1968.jpg" /><br />
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1st class rate <span style="font-weight: bold;">5d blue with 9d green Machin</span> 1969<br />
<img alt="Image" src="http://wilding.norvic-philatelics.co.uk/%7Eian/gbmodph/predec/rd-5d+9dm-1969.jpg" /><br />
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">Recorded Delivery</span> (continued) - 1st class 5d rate and 9d Recorded Fee<br />
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- paid by <span style="font-weight: bold;">2d and 1s Machins</span> 1969<br />
<img alt="Image" src="http://wilding.norvic-philatelics.co.uk/%7Eian/gbmodph/predec/rd-1sm+2dm-1969.jpg" /><br />
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- paid by <span style="font-weight: bold;">4d centre band and 10d Machins</span> 1968, a nice use of the 10d unfortunately on an oversize cover<br />
<img alt="Image" src="http://wilding.norvic-philatelics.co.uk/%7Eian/gbmodph/predec/rd-4dm+10dm-1968.jpg" /><br />
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- paid by a pair of <span style="font-weight: bold;">7d Machins</span>, 1968. Possibly my favourite colour of all for Machins<br />
<img alt="Image" src="http://wilding.norvic-philatelics.co.uk/%7Eian/gbmodph/predec/rd-2x7m-1968.jpg" /><br />
<hr />Ian - Norvichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16436130277706268046noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6960382711780503975.post-1452083263443595042010-03-17T20:48:00.003+00:002010-03-17T20:52:49.841+00:00Underpaid, surcharged - postage due<span style="font-weight: bold;">Underpaid mail was assumed to be posted at 2nd class rates and usually surcharged accordingly although sometimes, as now, it escaped detection.</span><br /><br />Stamped with a 1d Machin, and therefore surcharged at (4d-1d) x 2 - with <span style="font-weight: bold;">6d postage due </span>(1970) (although from the manuscript marking they obviously had to think twice about it!)<br /><img src="http://wilding.norvic-philatelics.co.uk/%7Eian/gbmodph/predec/2tier-upaid1dm-6ddue-1970.jpg" alt="Image" /><br /><br />Unpaid, <span style="font-weight: bold;">surcharged 8d</span> but not always with postage due stamps applied. (1967 & 1970) (The one with the dues is actually before the two-tier system)<br /><img src="http://wilding.norvic-philatelics.co.uk/%7Eian/gbmodph/predec/2tier-upaid-2x4ddue-1967.jpg" alt="Image" /><br /><img src="http://wilding.norvic-philatelics.co.uk/%7Eian/gbmodph/predec/2tier-upaid-due-1970.jpg" alt="Image" /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Underpaid</span> - 1d Machin treated as 2nd class, 2d Wilding treated as 1st class. (1st class mail had the time above the date, 2nd class has no time shown.) The 1d Machin might have been seen as a 4d brown, although the 4d red had been in use for over a year. Both these 1970.<br /><img src="http://wilding.norvic-philatelics.co.uk/%7Eian/gbmodph/predec/2tier-upaid1dm-1970.jpg" alt="Image" /><br /><img src="http://wilding.norvic-philatelics.co.uk/%7Eian/gbmodph/predec/2tier-upaid2dw-1970.jpg" alt="Image" />Ian - Norvichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16436130277706268046noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6960382711780503975.post-27101830340874818352010-03-17T20:37:00.003+00:002010-03-17T20:44:24.079+00:00The 4d second class rateThe similarity in colour of the 5d dark blue and 4d dark brown caused some problems in manual sorting. Separating the two at lower light levels was difficult so a new 4d red was introduced on 6 January 1969. Despite this supplies of 4d brown - with 1 or 2 phosphor bands - and Wildings continued to be used in the run-up to the 1971 decimalisation.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">4d red used December 1969</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://wilding.norvic-philatelics.co.uk/%7Eian/gbmodph/predec/2tier-4dred-1969.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 730px; height: 436px;" src="http://wilding.norvic-philatelics.co.uk/%7Eian/gbmodph/predec/2tier-4dred-1969.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">4d blue Northern Ireland</span> (from the pre-Machin era: the colour matches the Wilding 4d) - obvious philatelic use, but there was a lot of using-up to do! The regional stamps were valid anywhere in the UK<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://wilding.norvic-philatelics.co.uk/%7Eian/gbmodph/predec/2tier-4d_nire-1970.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 740px; height: 430px;" src="http://wilding.norvic-philatelics.co.uk/%7Eian/gbmodph/predec/2tier-4d_nire-1970.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">4d red Scotland & Wales locally used</span>. The Welsh stamp is postmarked Chester but North Wales received its supplies from Chester and some centralisation of postal sorting meant that some mail posted in north-east Wales received a Chester postmark.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://wilding.norvic-philatelics.co.uk/%7Eian/gbmodph/predec/2tier-4d_scot-1970.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 683px; height: 461px;" src="http://wilding.norvic-philatelics.co.uk/%7Eian/gbmodph/predec/2tier-4d_scot-1970.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://wilding.norvic-philatelics.co.uk/%7Eian/gbmodph/predec/2tier-4d_wales-1970.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 683px; height: 470px;" src="http://wilding.norvic-philatelics.co.uk/%7Eian/gbmodph/predec/2tier-4d_wales-1970.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Ian - Norvichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16436130277706268046noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6960382711780503975.post-61520212962524257942010-03-14T14:00:00.001+00:002010-03-14T15:36:44.492+00:001968: Two-tier post introducedOn 16 September 1968, in an attempt to give them greater flexibility in moving the mail by holding some back for later processing, the Post Office introduced '<span style="font-weight: bold;">Two Tier Post</span>'. First class post would have a target of next-day delivery, while 2nd class would be delivered in 2-3 days, depending on location and volumes. Because most business mail entered the mailstream late in the day, it made sense to segregate out the less urgent and hold it over for processing when there was less volume entering the system. The printed paper and postcard rates were abolished at this time.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Postage rates 16.9.68 to 14.2.71</span><br />Up to 4 ounces, 1st class 5d (the 5d blue Machin had been issued on 1 July), and 2nd class 4d. The 4d brown Machin was issued on 5 June 1967 but that had two phosphor bands, and so a new 4d brown with a single phosphor band was issued on 16 September, when the new system was introduced.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://wilding.norvic-philatelics.co.uk/%7Eian/gbmodph/predec/2tier-5d_machin-1969.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 732px; height: 436px;" src="http://wilding.norvic-philatelics.co.uk/%7Eian/gbmodph/predec/2tier-5d_machin-1969.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />The <span style="font-weight: bold;">regional stamps</span> were issued before the new system started, on 4.9.68. These continued with the existing Wilding designs. <span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /><br />Wales 5d regional</span> postmarked Chester 2 June 1970. Some north Wales POs were supplied from Chester, and some north Wales mail was taken to Chester for sorting and postmarking.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://wilding.norvic-philatelics.co.uk/%7Eian/gbmodph/predec/2tier-5d_wales-1970.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 685px; height: 467px;" src="http://wilding.norvic-philatelics.co.uk/%7Eian/gbmodph/predec/2tier-5d_wales-1970.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Scotland 5d regional</span> postmark Dundee 13 November 1970<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://wilding.norvic-philatelics.co.uk/%7Eian/gbmodph/predec/2tier-5d_scot.-1970.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 685px; height: 467px;" src="http://wilding.norvic-philatelics.co.uk/%7Eian/gbmodph/predec/2tier-5d_scot.-1970.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />4d brown centre band used 27 September 1969<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://wilding.norvic-philatelics.co.uk/%7Eian/gbmodph/predec/2tier-4dsep-1969.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 581px; height: 463px;" src="http://wilding.norvic-philatelics.co.uk/%7Eian/gbmodph/predec/2tier-4dsep-1969.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />4d brown (2 phosphor bands) with two ½d Machins to make the 5d rate on day one of the new system:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://wilding.norvic-philatelics.co.uk/%7Eian/gbmodph/predec/2tier-5d-4b2h-1968.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 698px; height: 467px;" src="http://wilding.norvic-philatelics.co.uk/%7Eian/gbmodph/predec/2tier-5d-4b2h-1968.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><hr color=red>Ian - Norvichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16436130277706268046noreply@blogger.com0