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

Spoonie_Turtle

Olinda99 said:

i don't post many parcels so use stamps - i don't possess a printer anyway. 🙂

Some of the online postage options allow printing the label at the point of posting the parcel (I think RM customer service points rather than Post Offices but didn't take very much notice last time as I was printing it myself at home).  Not that that would help you use up stamps, of course.

soolin

The middle set can be swapped out, the top and bother sets no. I can't read the middle set but I have assumed they are decimal and not old currency. 

custardy

Spoonie_Turtle said:

Olinda99 said:

i don't post many parcels so use stamps - i don't possess a printer anyway. 🙂

Some of the online postage options allow printing the label at the point of posting the parcel (I think RM customer service points rather than Post Offices but didn't take very much notice last time as I was printing it myself at home).  Not that that would help you use up stamps, of course.

Royal Mail online postage options are always going to be RM only  I would bet. 
They are moving away from POC and given the death signs around POC its no surprise.
Label printing services are RM CSP only

NBLondon

soolin said:

The middle set can be swapped out, the top and bother sets no. I can't read the middle set but I have assumed they are decimal and not old currency. 

The middle set are decimal replicas of pre-decimal designs. It's "Wilding Definitives II" from 2003 commemorating 50 years (approx) of that design being released.   The top set is the 2005 Castles Definitives which marks 50 years of those higher value designs being released.  Neither should be swappable.    They can be split for postage or sold on eBay as they are.

The last one is a 2005 Smilers booklet.  Not swappable, still valid for postage as 1st class.

{Extra nerdy explanation....   Wilding refers to Dorothy Wilding who took the photograph of the young Queen in 1952.  Actual Wilding stamps were de-monetised in 1972 after decimalisation.    The current design are called Machin after Arnold Machin who sculpted the bust of the Queen still used today.}

TOP_CAT

How would you term or name  the 1st class picture type of stamps in the last photo that have a small queens head in the corner and also if they were second class ?

NBLondon

TOP_CAT said:

How would you term or name  the 1st class picture type of stamps in the last photo that have a small queens head in the corner and also if they were second class ?

Those ones are called Smilers.  They are "Special Stamps" in RM terminology but not really commemorative as they don't  mark anything in particular.   I don't think we've ever had a 2nd class Smiler - there were some airmail values in 2010 (E and W)  As far as I can work out; the Smilers are not swappable and remain valid for postage.

NBLondon

JamesRobinson48 said:

NBLondon said:

Those ones are called Smilers.  They are "Special Stamps" in RM terminology but not really commemorative as they don't  mark anything in particular.   I don't think we've ever had a 2nd class Smiler - there were some airmail values in 2010 (E and W)  As far as I can work out; the Smilers are not swappable and remain valid for postage.

Your very well-informed feedback is gratefully appreciated!

As you know, there are Machins and/or regional stamps embedded in all prestige stamp booklets and also in many minisheets. Some of those philatelic products trade on the market at well below face value. I assume that, in principle, Machins and regionals are always swappable irrespective of the format in which they were issued?

Yes.  If you've got Machins in a prestige book pane or minisheet and are prepared to break it - they can be swapped for barcoded versions.  If you've bought that at below face value then you're making money on the deal.

soolin

It’s really not worth selling those top ones. They sell for considerably less than face value 
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/GB-CASTLES-Definitives-Miniature-Sheet-Stamps-SG-MS2530-MNH-2005-/325191673986?hash=item4bb6ef2882%3Ag%3AmZ4AAOSwUDNign6T&nma=true&si=IunBlDdCEiFQ5kCpTnlgZKd3JVY%253D&orig_cvip=true&nordt=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

There are £3 worth of stamps and that sale made the seller approx £1.15 after fees and postage. 

NBLondon

soolin said:

It’s really not worth selling those top ones. 

I said they could be sold - I didn't say they could be sold profitably 

I have long had the habit of buying older commemoratives on eBay to use for postage.  It's weirdly up and down - I've had some great bargains and some where I've thought - who paid that?  Whether the values are convenient ones may make a difference too.  I wouldn't bid 10p for that Castles set because the stamps aren't a useful value - but this is:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/134127412348?hash=item1f3a9de47c:g:0mgAAOSwfl9ii9YL

I have bought these under face back when it could be used as 4x 1st class - today it can be used as 2x 1st and 2nd.   I'd pay no more than £2 for it though.

anotheruser

petersy said:

anotheruser said:

petersy said:

anotheruser said:

petersy said:

molerat said:

It would have been  nice to get books back but you sent in 1st class stamps and got 1st class stamps back.  Just tear them off in strips of 4 x 2 and fold in half into a booklet, simples.

I think you've missed the point.

We purchased booklets from the RM website (which is what we paid for and what we wanted) and now through no fault of our own we have to change what we originally purchased with no recourse. Would you accept this with any other product purchased online? I doubt it.

No, you purchased stamps.
How they're transported or stored is irrelevant.

I buy a product online.
How it arrives or method of arrival is of no concern to me (obviously so long as the product isn't damaged).

You won't see it like that because you're desperate for books but it's just one of those things.  You're not missing out, so just manage as best you can with the sheets and go back to buying books.

We purchased books of stamps and we expected books of stamps back.

If you bought a new red car from a dealer and they delivered a green one, I suppose you would be happy with that.

Just because you don't use books of stamps, don't assume that others don't want them.

You purchase stamps.
The method of how they are stored is irrelevant.

If I purchased a green car that was due to come on the back of one of those multi-car carriers but it arrived on the back of a low loader instead, I wouldn't care - I still have the green car.

You purchased stamps, you got stamps in return.
You did not purchase 1st Class stamps and got a different product (like 2nd Class stamps) in return.

If I purchased a green car, that is the product and I expect a green car.
If a red one arrives, I am not receiving the product I bought.

The stamp books are not the product, the stamps are.
I appreciate sheets are not ideal (I have had my books back on sheets too!), but I store all my stamps in a little tub anyway so just split the stamps along the perforated lines and they al fit in the tub, better than the books did I should add.

I'm sorry you won't see it the way nearly everyone else does but there is NOTHING that you can do to change the fact of what you have.

Yes, we have to put up with a different product from that which we originally purchased.

It's a con.

I won't be replying again.
I don't know why you cannot accept you have purchased STAMPS, not the books they are in.

But you'll just have to continue stomping your feet that you didn't get books.
Nobody cares.