Royal Mail barcoding stamps - existing stamps valid only until 31 Jan 2023

cx6

Just a heads up - RM are now issuing all definitive stamps with attached barcodes (as I understand it) - presumably this is to allocate each stamp a serial number so it can't be used twice? Also the barcodes can be scanned by eg your phone for advertising messages etc.

Existing stamps will only be valid until 2023 so just  heads up if you buy your stamps in bulk make sure they are the barcoded ones. Also use your existing stamps by 31 January 2023.

https://www.royalmail.com/sending/barcoded-stamps?iid=H1_BARCODEDSTAMPS

emmajones1976

The old stamps can be swapped for the new ones if people so wish, so no need for people to rush around like headless chickens using them up

https://www.royalmail.com/sending/barcoded-stamps?iid=H1_BARCODEDSTAMPS

soolin

emmajones1976 said:

The old stamps can be swapped for the new ones if people so wish, so no need for people to rush around like headless chickens using them up

https://www.royalmail.com/sending/barcoded-stamps?iid=H1_BARCODEDSTAMPS

Oh good, I've got hundredsand hundreds of pounds worth of stamps here - possibly even £1000+ - I often buy mint presentation packs at auction for less than face value but as I now print all my parcel labels due to the delivery confirmation I am not using a tenth of what I used to use.

I must start working out what creative ways I can find to make up a standard 96p large letter with as few stamps as possible using the strange ones I have and having enough room on the envelope. I'm going to be hard pressed to use them by 2023 even going flat out though so will b elooking to hand some back for a swap.

Brywalker

One upside is that it might curtail the sale of counterfeit ones on Ebay. 

soolin

I've just pulled out some of my box files and I have more mint stamps than I realised, quite a few of them in their original presentation packs .

This is going to affect a great number of people .

cx6

Brywalker said:

One upside is that it might curtail the sale of counterfeit ones on Ebay. 

I suspect that this is, in part, the reason they are doing it.

cx6

@soolin - you almost certainly know this, but if you pay **some** of the postage by stamps and some by print-out you still get a tracking number. As far as I know you only don't get a tracking number if you pay all by stamps. 


*** parcel force - don't pay by stamps they are not valid for parcel force.

I am not a stamp boffin but can you get more for mint stamps in their presentation packs than their face value by selling to collectors?

emmajones1976

soolin said:

I've just pulled out some of my box files and I have more mint stamps than I realised, quite a few of them in their original presentation packs .

This is going to affect a great number of people .

Surely people dont buy these presentation sets of stamps to then whack them on envelopes, do they? I thought they were produced as collectables?

soolin

cx6 said:

@soolin - you almost certainly know this, but if you pay **some** of the postage by stamps and some by print-out you still get a tracking number. As far as I know you only don't get a tracking number if you pay all by stamps. 


*** parcel force - don't pay by stamps they are not valid for parcel force.

I am not a stamp boffin but can you get more for mint stamps in their presentation packs than their face value by selling to collectors?

emmajones1976 said:

soolin said:

I've just pulled out some of my box files and I have more mint stamps than I realised, quite a few of them in their original presentation packs .

This is going to affect a great number of people .

Surely people dont buy these presentation sets of stamps to then whack them on envelopes, do they? I thought they were produced as collectables?

They are meant to be collectable but in reality they are not. I suspect that collectors are getting elderly or even dying and relatives are consigning stuff to auction - and thats where I buy it. There are very few collectors any more.

I'm sitting here opening 'collectors' packs at the moment , removing the stamps to add to my usable stash and throwing the card inserts and fancy leaflets away. You should see some of the wonderful stamps I have on my large letters going out tomorrow!

 It isn't easy buying at auction though as you have to make sure the boxes you buy are likely to be worth more than auction bid price with buyers premium - but I often do very well, I always hope to end up paying around 80% of face value.

Off topic as they are 'used' and of no use for postage but First day covers are now almost entirely worthless - it is rare to see anyone pay more than about 10% of face value for them at auction - yet when they were purchased new they were expensive .

soolin

cx6 said:

@soolin - you almost certainly know this, but if you pay **some** of the postage by stamps and some by print-out you still get a tracking number. As far as I know you only don't get a tracking number if you pay all by stamps. 


*** parcel force - don't pay by stamps they are not valid for parcel force.

I am not a stamp boffin but can you get more for mint stamps in their presentation packs than their face value by selling to collectors?

I'm lazy, it's easy to print out parcel labels as I even have a label printer- the tracking is added directly to ebay and I don't have to do anything other than get them receipted at PO. It's hard enough trying to make up 96p for a large letter using odd stamps like 14p or 8p and more modern standard 1st or 2nd class.

cx6

To use up my stamps I will be putting eg £3 on a package, going to the PO and paying them 20p to make a small parcel total.

Gets me out of the house.