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

in_my_wellies

I had a good sort out of old stamps, some from my mothers.

I used a very old 1st class large letter. It was plain gold, very shiny and had no security cut outs or background lettering. It was a CD weighing about 80g, weighed at the PO

The person I sent it to had to pay a surcharge of £2 for no stamps. He did this online and when it was delivered next day could clearly see the stamp. When he complained he received a refund but we did wonder if they thought it was a very poor fake.

martindow

custardy said:

Codger1947 said:

The other day I watched a most interesting YouTube video by "My Mate Vince" on how to detect fake stamps.  I looked through my supply and they all look OK, except for some "Large 2nds" on which I cannot see security features when I look at them in sunlight.  I asked my local post office if they were genuine, and was told they were perhaps from a batch produced before the security features were introduced.  This seemed a bit strange to me.  Any thoughts?

Why would you think your PO would have a clue?
They sell stamps they get from a 100% legit source.RM

I take your point about the PO not being a reliable source of information, but in this case they could well be right.  See NBLondon's post above.

pnw72

Hi. I have quite a few stamps to swap out. I was wondering about the light blue Golden Jubilee 2012 stamp books. These are the standard stamps in books of 12. Does anyone think it's worth holding on to these, in case they are valuable in future? I also have a few Golden stamp books, but they are not labelled with any Jubilee wording. I bought them around 2012 and was wondering if they were for the Golden Jubilee too.

Thank you in advance

MSE_ForumTeam5

@pnw72 we've merged your query into this thread

soolin

pnw72 said:

Hi. I have quite a few stamps to swap out. I was wondering about the light blue Golden Jubilee 2012 stamp books. These are the standard stamps in books of 12. Does anyone think it's worth holding on to these, in case they are valuable in future? I also have a few Golden stamp books, but they are not labelled with any Jubilee wording. I bought them around 2012 and was wondering if they were for the Golden Jubilee too.

Thank you in advance

I find very few stamps are even worth face value on resale, you could try looking at completed listings on ebay to get a feel for pricing - but remember to factor in fees and postage. 

A book of 12 1st class here went for £7.95 including postage, but are actually worth £11.40 at face value. In fact it is worth buying them up and sending them in to be swapped for later use.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2012-Royal-Mail-Stamp-Booklet-MF6-Diamond-Jubilee-/185421571982?hash=item2b2bfca78e:g:cjMAAOSwFOlifAvz&nma=true&si=XbtscT%2Bzxqhex7GSFT0G7pOBpg4%3D&orig_cvip=true&nordt=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

24Tweezers

I used to participate in the Kantar Royal Mail surveys, and received over the years probably a dozen different presentation packs of special stamps as gifts from them.  (Sorry I don't know their proper name).  I have just stored them in a drawer, but should I be looking to swap them for barcoded ones?  I don't send many letters, probably less than ten each year so they wouldn't be used up before next January.  Thanks in advance.

soolin

24Tweezers said:

I used to participate in the Kantar Royal Mail surveys, and received over the years probably a dozen different presentation packs of special stamps as gifts from them.  (Sorry I don't know their proper name).  I have just stored them in a drawer, but should I be looking to swap them for barcoded ones?  I don't send many letters, probably less than ten each year so they wouldn't be used up before next January.  Thanks in advance.

It’s up to you whether you keep them as souvenirs or swap them. If you read back to the start of the thread you can see which are currently available to swap and which will remain in use past January next year. 

NBLondon

24Tweezers said:

I used to participate in the Kantar Royal Mail surveys, and received over the years probably a dozen different presentation packs of special stamps as gifts from them.  (Sorry I don't know their proper name).  I have just stored them in a drawer, but should I be looking to swap them for barcoded ones?  I don't send many letters, probably less than ten each year so they wouldn't be used up before next January.  Thanks in advance.

soolin said:

It’s up to you whether you keep them as souvenirs or swap them. If you read back to the start of the thread you can see which are currently available to swap and which will remain in use past January next year.

Hang on...  They are probably not swappable.   Presentation Packs usually contain Special Stamps (that is the Royal Mail term) and none of those are being swapped or barcoded.  So you can use them for postage into next year (unless RM change the rules next year).  Or keep them. Or sell them on eBay  Or give them to a charity shop.  Or use them to make artworks.

The only Presentation Pack you can swap is if you have Country Definitives e.g. https://shop.royalmail.com/2021-country-definitive-stamp-set   or a set of Definitives issued when the rates changed - but I don't think Kantar would have sent those.

If you still have any booklets of 1st Class or Large 1st then swap those for the barcoded versions.

soolin

NBLondon said:

24Tweezers said:

I used to participate in the Kantar Royal Mail surveys, and received over the years probably a dozen different presentation packs of special stamps as gifts from them.  (Sorry I don't know their proper name).  I have just stored them in a drawer, but should I be looking to swap them for barcoded ones?  I don't send many letters, probably less than ten each year so they wouldn't be used up before next January.  Thanks in advance.

soolin said:

It’s up to you whether you keep them as souvenirs or swap them. If you read back to the start of the thread you can see which are currently available to swap and which will remain in use past January next year.

Hang on...  They are probably not swappable.   Presentation Packs usually contain Special Stamps (that is the Royal Mail term) and none of those are being swapped or barcoded.  So you can use them for postage into next year (unless RM change the rules next year).  Or keep them. Or sell them on eBay  Or give them to a charity shop.  Or use them to make artworks.

The only Presentation Pack you can swap is if you have Country Definitives e.g. https://shop.royalmail.com/2021-country-definitive-stamp-set   or a set of Definitives issued when the rates changed - but I don't think Kantar would have sent those.

If you still have any booklets of 1st Class or Large 1st then swap those for the barcoded versions.

That’s why I said ‘if they are currently available to be swapped’ 

molerat

Letter received yesterday

68p second class