I have been receiving the mail for all the stamps that I recently bought from dealers all over the world. Plenty of nice stamps on the envelopes. So far, Only three have had the Sharpie attack. (By the way, I pulled down my offer as I was given some instructions that may help to remove the Sharpie/grease pen markings. I'm going to give it a try. I'll let you know how that goes.
Some sellers live in countries where I have never received mail from. We have often had discussions here of which countries permit the use of older stamps. A couple of envelopes had older stamps on them. The one from The Netherlands had a souvenir sheet from 2007. Today I received an envelope from Poland. It had stamps on it from the late 1990s and early 2000s. Envelopes from the Czech Republic have had stamps from the early 2000s, and Bulgaria as well. Those are four countries that we haven't mentioned before that I know of.
Just received an envelope from Venezuela. Of course, it wasn't sent by their postal service which doesn't actually function these days, it was delivered by fedex. The shipper only charged me $3 shipping - does that sound right? Fedex will deliver an international letter for that price? Us poor Venezuela collectors - it sure is a challenge to find recent, postally used Venezuela when they don't have a post office to speak of. I rarely find anything used issued after 1980.
And - so true about the Canadian mail not being cancelled.
I've also been receiving a large amount of mail from stamp collectors posted with flag definitives or meters. On the other side of the coin are the envelopes that have a bazillion older lower rate stamps. Those are fun to give to the mail clerks. They often have puzzled looks on their faces and ask "are those stamps?" or "aren't those too valuable to mail?" LOL
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"Just one more small collection, hun, really! LoL "
Linn's "Stamp Market Tips" column for February 1, 2016, states that Swiss stamps from 1964 to date are still valid for postage, and that many other stamps issued back to 1938 are also valid for postage. They did not elaborate which stamps from 1938 to 1963 are still valid.
To add to the list of countries where use of older stamps is valid, I received a package from the Czech Republic today. It had stamps on it that dated back to 1993. Looks like all stamps of the Czech Republic are valid for postage.
I wonder if stamps from Czechoslovakia would pass the mails?
A Service Dog gives a person with a disability independence. Never approach, distract or pet a working dog, especially when (s)he is in harness. Never be afraid to ask questions to the handler (parent). 09 Feb 2016 01:41:57pm
re: Incoming Mail
When you don't see a Canadian stamp cancelled, look in the bottom of the envelope (front or back) to see if there is a bar code (usually in red).
The worst thing about Canada Post is when you aren't able to get the parcel or registered letter of you're not home so they slap a BIG adhesive label onto your beautiful cover or on the parcel that has plenty of open areas, but no, they feel the need to ruin your stamps instead. I had a bear block (aren't those $8 stamps?) that was slapped but a label. That label was stuck and only solution was to soak. Since the label crossed the perfs, I lost my block and ended up with three usable used stamps.
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"Let's find a cure for Still's Disease, Breast Cancer and Canine Addison's Disease. We CAN find a cure and save lives!!"
Today I received philatelic-related parcels from three countries from which I had never received mail before.
They are:
Hong Kong - no stamps, but has a USPS/Hong Kong Post joint shipping label with first class US mail indicator and USPS delivery confirmation. Interesting about this is that it arrived in 5 days.
Russia - two packages actually both franked with stamps. The oldest stamp was from 2013.
Pakistan - franked with stamps dating back to 1988. The stamps are all on the back. The front of the cover has a hand stamped image of an airplane with "BY AIR MAIL" in text along the fuselage. It was delivered to the wrong address, and the incorrect recipient indicated such on the cover.
I received a packet from Canada. It has stamps on the envelope, but of course, the stamps are not canceled. Nothing new with that.
"... Hong Kong - no stamps, but has a USPS/Hong Kong Post joint shipping label with first class US mail indicator and USPS delivery confirmation. Interesting about this is that it arrived in 5 days ..."
Some suppliers of small items (eg cellphone skins) are running fulfillment centers in China, from which the goods are picked, and packed, and containerized, and trucked to the nearest airport, and flown air cargo to the USA, and placed in the domestic mail stream.
No foreign markings.
Cheers,
/s/ ikeyPikey
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"I collect stamps today precisely the way I collected stamps when I was ten years old."
I agree, I rarely see it too. However, what bothers me more than an 'un-cancelled' stamp(s) are ones with pen marks across them. The stamps I have scanned here are sought after with nice clear cancels. These are only good for the scrap bin. BTW - these arrived only 2 days ago!!
Why the scrap bin, there may be some collectors here on SOR, that would love to have a copy of those $5 stamps, or the Holocaust kids would certainly put them to good use.
Mike
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"It's been three years now, since I joined a support group for procrastinators. We haven't met yet..."
I received this on a package last week. Looks like the postal clerk was playing snakes and ladders. Of interest is the top centre brown $1 stamp. It was first issued in 1966.
It is the inconsistency that irritates. Received this cover today, not a sharpie in sight but neither was a cancellation.
The sender had gone to a lot of trouble to pick a nice sheet and then had actually sealed the envelope using Scotch tape that he turned over and ended on the sheet. Fortunately I managed to remove it without damage.
Agreed! I'd rather have the uncancelled stamps with cancels on them, at least they'd be legit instead of "unused- no gum". And taking them to the post office and requesting over the counter cancels isn't an option since my post office seems to only have the red ink pads at the counter.
Don't ask me how this made it through. Partial sheet of 25 stamps folded over the envelope with no post marks or tears. The partial sheet is only partly stuck down in spots.
You will notice on the $5 stamp honouring the 50th Anniversary of our Maple Leaf flag, that the postal clerk did not let the cancel touch the Maple Leaf. I've seen many of these stamps, used, and out of respect, the postal clerks are making an effort not to deface our national emblem. They won't let the cancel touch the Maple Leaf.
The Maple Leaf Forever.
David
Ottawa, Canada
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"President, The Society for Costa Rica Collectors"
This week I received this cover from an eBay dealer located in Saigon, as you can see from the postmark.
In addition to being an attractive cover, there's an interesting political aspect to it as well. From Wikipedia:
"In 1976, upon the establishment of the unified communist Socialist Republic of Vietnam, the city of Saigon (including Cholon), the province of Gia Ãịnh and two suburban districts of two other nearby provinces were combined to create Ho Chi Minh City in honor of the late Communist leader Hồ Chà Minh. The former name Saigon is still widely used by many Vietnamese, especially in informal contexts."
Here's the back of the cover:
Note that the return address shows Ho Chi Minh City as the cover's origin.
I have at least one other post-Vietnam War covers which is also postmarked "Saigon" and also have backstamps indicating the origin as Ho Chi Minh City, but no covers at all with Ho Chi Minh City postmarks. It seems odd that the communist government of Vietnam would allow the use of Saigon in postmarks, or anywhere else for that matter.
I was impressed with the presentation of the stamps that I ordered. Each stamp or pair or set of stamps was neatly enclosed in a small plastic envelope, not a great environmental choice but certainly tidy. The order included some stamps that I've never before seen for sale, including four official stamps denominated in kilos of rice. Here they are:
Silence in the face of adversity is the father of complicity and collusion, the first cousins of conspiracy.. 13 Mar 2016 12:19:27am
re: Incoming Mail
" .... The former name Saigon is still widely used by many Vietnamese, especially in informal contexts."
I suspect that may be the case for many moons.
ّ,¸¸,ّ¤؛°`°؛¤ّ,¸¸,ّ¤؛؛°`°؛¤ّ,¸¸,ّ¤؛°`°؛¤ّ,¸¸,ّ¤؛؛°`°؛¤ّ Istanbul was Constantinople
Now it's Istanbul, not Constantinople
Been a long time gone, Constantinople
Now it's Turkish delight on a moonlit night
Every gal in Constantinople
Lives in Istanbul, not Constantinople
So if you've a date in Constantinople
She'll be waiting in Istanbul
Even old New York was once New Amsterdam
Why they changed it I can't say
People just liked it better that way
So take me back to Constantinople
No, you can't go back to Constantinople
Been a long time gone, Constantinople
Why did Constantinople get the works?
That's nobody's business but the Turks
ّ,¸¸,ّ¤؛°`°؛¤ّ,¸¸,ّ¤؛؛°`°؛¤ّ,¸¸,ّ¤؛°`°؛¤ّ,¸¸,ّ¤؛؛°`°؛¤ّ
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".... You may think you understood what you thought I said, but I'm not sure you realize that what you think you heard is not what I thought I meant. .... "
Silence in the face of adversity is the father of complicity and collusion, the first cousins of conspiracy.. 16 Mar 2016 02:47:47am
re: Incoming Mail
Wow, the rare wavy line overprint, what a find !
Issued for shipboard use on the high seas.
Some people are just fortunate.
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".... You may think you understood what you thought I said, but I'm not sure you realize that what you think you heard is not what I thought I meant. .... "
I have sold many stamps on SOR. Very seldom do I drop an envelope directly into the mail box. I take the envelope over to my local Post Office and have the envelopes hand cancelled. I have received many larger envelopes with the stamps ruined by a grease pencil or ball point pen. I do not want that to happen to my mailings. In some cases I have the stamps cancelled and then I cover the postage with clear plastic secured by scotch tape. My experience tells me that all larger envelopes are seldom cancelled. One Postal Clerk told me they were instructed to use grease pencils on large envelopes and parcels. It seems they are afraid they may break something inside the package if it is struck by a cancel. My method takes more time and costs me a bit for gas but I feel good that maybe I have saved a nice stamp from being ruined.
I receive a lot of mail and any stamps that arrive without cancels go over to the Post Office and I have them cancelled. I know, I know the purists will yell fowl. I think, the stamp has served it's purpose and deserves a place in some one's used collection. I just find it very difficult to throw a stamp away. It hurts.
I have a white eraser that takes grease pencil marks off of stamps. It is a 'Staedtler' Mars Plastic. It is made in Germany.
What happens if I have parcel ready to post and my daughter (or grand daughter) accidentally scribbles on it with a pen? Do I need to replace the stamps?
You could take it to the post office and tell them what happened and see what they say. Maybe they'll let it pass. But generally, once defaced, the stamps are no longer valid for postage.
Are your daughter and grand daughter taking the exam to become postal clerks?
My daughters aren't postal clerks. I just think that postal clerks should be required to have a legitimate way to cancel stamps that surpasses a crayon cancel or the use of the nearest biro or sharpie.
The stamps were cancelled neatly individually and then protected with a plastic overlay before being sent on their journey through the shark-infested mailstream.
Silence in the face of adversity is the father of complicity and collusion, the first cousins of conspiracy.. 01 Apr 2016 01:02:55pm
re: Incoming Mail
I guess it takes longer to send images to Australia and then the computer has to turn them upside down when they get there.
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".... You may think you understood what you thought I said, but I'm not sure you realize that what you think you heard is not what I thought I meant. .... "