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

Norman_Castle

I don't really collect stamps but keep nice or interesting one. I've got a few writing slopes which they add interest too. I also save Christmas stamps to use at Christmas which is much nicer than the standard stamp. The barcoded stamps look ugly.

I knew a furniture restorer who regularly worked for a dealer who specialised in antique desks. He always used the often very old and attractive stamps found in the desks. 

Thrugelmir

Always bought books of stamps well ahead of any planned price rises. Saved a lot of money over the years by doing so. 

NBLondon

I was under the impression that it's only the 1st and 2nd definitive Non-Value Indicators which are being replaced/withdrawn and can be swapped.  A definitive with a value is still valid as is a pictorial commemorative.

I'd expect other definitives to follow suit in due course e.g. £1.70 Europe rate.

soolin said:

Lots of discussion about this on various forums now, some suggest only definitive some say all. However if this is a security /anti fraud measure then it would seem odd to allow pictorials and commemoratives still to be used, some of them have a face value of over £1 so it would seem a massive loophole as any fraudsters would just start faking them instead. 

My impression is that the majority of forgeries out there are definitive 1st and 2nd because once the print run is set up they can be churned out repeatedly and sold on eBay because there are plenty of buyers.  There have been some forged Christmas 1st and 2nd too.   A forger could copy e.g. something from the Rolling Stones set of last month but appearing to have hundreds of these to sell would be far more suspicious than the everyday red stamps.

I also suspect that RM won't actually be checking the barcode on every stamp that goes through the machinery to see if it is being re-used or a forgery.  More likely it will be a sampling process.  But announcing that they can do this might help by discouraging people from re-using uncancelled stamps or trying it on with known/suspected forgeries.

soolin

NBLondon said:

I was under the impression that it's only the 1st and 2nd definitive Non-Value Indicators which are being replaced/withdrawn and can be swapped.  A definitive with a value is still valid as is a pictorial commemorative.

I'd expect other definitives to follow suit in due course e.g. £1.70 Europe rate.

soolin said:

Lots of discussion about this on various forums now, some suggest only definitive some say all. However if this is a security /anti fraud measure then it would seem odd to allow pictorials and commemoratives still to be used, some of them have a face value of over £1 so it would seem a massive loophole as any fraudsters would just start faking them instead. 

My impression is that the majority of forgeries out there are definitive 1st and 2nd because once the print run is set up they can be churned out repeatedly and sold on eBay because there are plenty of buyers.  There have been some forged Christmas 1st and 2nd too.   A forger could copy e.g. something from the Rolling Stones set of last month but appearing to have hundreds of these to sell would be far more suspicious than the everyday red stamps.

I also suspect that RM won't actually be checking the barcode on every stamp that goes through the machinery to see if it is being re-used or a forgery.  More likely it will be a sampling process.  But announcing that they can do this might help by discouraging people from re-using uncancelled stamps or trying it on with known/suspected forgeries.

If it is just definitives then that helps me - although I am finding stashes of a dozen books a time in various boxes - all bought before price rises and as 'insurance' against a rainy day , I found another stash of 24 books of old 1st class yesterday as well as 2 sheets of 50 (100 in total) old 1st LL. I'm probably looking at near £1000 on definitives alone.

I always thought if I ended up broke I could at least carry on selling things that I had in stock and not have to worry about postage - this is a result of being extremely poor when young and always having the mentality 'prepare for the worst'

NBLondon

The swap out system is starting from 31st March - so I'd suggest getting the paperwork for that as soon as it comes out and making a plan to exchange your stocks.  Then you'll have £1000 plus of different coloured definitives for the rainy day.  And if you have value indicated definitives which aren't a current price point - grey 50p for example; use them up when you can.  Reading the RM website again suggests that these might be replaced by barcoded versions at a later date.

cx6

Do you know if you have to post the stamps away for a swap-out, or just take them to your local PO to be swapped.

molerat

cx6 said:

Do you know if you have to post the stamps away for a swap-out, or just take them to your local PO to be swapped.

Post them so likely taking a risk with anything other than SD

cx6

Right - like I'm going to take the chance of posting hundreds of pounds of stamps away to RM for 'swapping'

custardy

Nr ineresting to see what the 'packs' are.
I wonder if they will use RM Tracked 

Brie

@cx6

This is what the website says.  I would have thought one might be able to swap small quantities at the post office even though it doesn't say that.

Transition to Barcoded Stamps

Non-barcoded stamps will be phased out but will remain usable until 31 January 2023. Customers are encouraged to use their non-barcoded stamps before this date. Alternatively, non-barcoded stamps can be exchanged for the new barcoded version through Royal Mail’s ‘Swap Out’ scheme. 

The ‘Swap Out’ scheme will open on 31 March 2022. Forms will be available via a variety of channels, including local Customer Service Points; the Royal Mail website and via our Customer Experience team. Customers will be able to use a Freepost address. Further details will be announced shortly.