For those of you that are unaware ordinary 1st and 2nd class stamps are no longer going to be valid for postage from the end of January next year. If you do post with an ordinary stamp then your recipient will be charged.
The only exceptions to this will be commerative stamps eg Harry Potter, DC stamps etc. Basically any stamps that aren't the normal ones. From the end of this month there will be an website where you can swap stamps for newer bar coded ones. The bar coded stamps remain valid for use beyond January
I have been using my ordinary stamps on postcards via postcrossing as two first class stamps are sufficient postage for overseas. Fortunately I have gotten rid of the majority that way as I have mostly Harry Potter stamps left. The ones I might be swapping are my 10p ones and the 1st class large ones unless I use them in the meantime.
Just thought I would give a heads up to anyone who may have stashed stamps or in this world of email doesn't send many cards or letters.
Wannabe CPN : -)
"He who is tired of Weird Al is tired of life." - Homer Simpson "I hear those voices that will not be drowned" Sanity is a nasty disease. The world would be a happier place without it. - Rilic
RIP Kat 4th July 1987- 11th June 2013
Yes all newer stamps have bar codes Jenna. Only bar coded stamps will be valid after 31st of January next year unless they're commentorative stamps. Your recipient will be charged unless it's going overseas then it won't be sent. I know you do postcrossing Jenna so if you're like me and have a stack of stamps in different dominations you're better off using them now rather than waiting until they expire.
It's also validated in the British Isles part of the postcrossing forum.
Emma you cant swap non bar coded stamps for the new ones at the post office. You can pick up the form once it's available there but you have to send the stamps off in order to receive the new bar coded ones.
Last edited by not_so_insig : 30-03-2022 at 10:39 PM.
Wannabe CPN : -)
"He who is tired of Weird Al is tired of life." - Homer Simpson "I hear those voices that will not be drowned" Sanity is a nasty disease. The world would be a happier place without it. - Rilic
RIP Kat 4th July 1987- 11th June 2013
Yes all standard non bar coded stamps will cease to be valid postage in January 2023.
Wannabe CPN : -)
"He who is tired of Weird Al is tired of life." - Homer Simpson "I hear those voices that will not be drowned" Sanity is a nasty disease. The world would be a happier place without it. - Rilic
RIP Kat 4th July 1987- 11th June 2013
I've just googled prices and have found other stuff which has now made me mad.
From the Guardian:
Quote:
Royal Mail is adding special coding to stamps, making it possible for people to watch videos, messages and other information.
The move from Tuesday follows a successful trial, with the aim of connecting a letter with the digital world.
Customers can scan the coding – which takes the form of a rectangular 2D barcode – in the Royal Mail app and will eventually be able to watch videos, information about services, or birthday messages and other greetings from senders.
What's the point in sending a ****ing letter then? That's like upgrading a biro to work on a tablet and sending that in the mail instead.
I honestly thought the barcoding was simply for sorting and tracking or something to streamline the process, not this bullshit.
And yes prices go up from tomorrow actually - 10p increase for 1st class and 2p increase for 2nd. It now costs nearly a pound to send a first class letter. But hey, you get digital extras with it now!
Wannabe CPN : -)
"He who is tired of Weird Al is tired of life." - Homer Simpson "I hear those voices that will not be drowned" Sanity is a nasty disease. The world would be a happier place without it. - Rilic
RIP Kat 4th July 1987- 11th June 2013
I've just googled prices and have found other stuff which has now made me mad.
From the Guardian:
What's the point in sending a ****ing letter then? That's like upgrading a biro to work on a tablet and sending that in the mail instead.
I honestly thought the barcoding was simply for sorting and tracking or something to streamline the process, not this bullshit.
And yes prices go up from tomorrow actually - 10p increase for 1st class and 2p increase for 2nd. It now costs nearly a pound to send a first class letter. But hey, you get digital extras with it now!
Madness.
to quote a member from Back in the Day,
FOXTROT
THIS
SIERRA
It's not just the UK that has barcoded stamps it appears. I received a bar coded stamp from Germany on a postcard last month. Unfortunately it wouldn't scan in the Royal Mail app
The newer stamps are now bigger and the maximum amount available is 8 in a booklet as opposed to 12 before.
Wannabe CPN : -)
"He who is tired of Weird Al is tired of life." - Homer Simpson "I hear those voices that will not be drowned" Sanity is a nasty disease. The world would be a happier place without it. - Rilic
RIP Kat 4th July 1987- 11th June 2013
