I used 2nd class large letter stamps on 4 of the addresses I drew last month. Three have arrived safely and the one to Australia is still travelling.
I don’t know if it makes any difference, but I now write the total postage underneath the stamps as well. A couple of my postcards with very old, but still valid, stamps went awol on their way to generally reliable countries, so I hope it acts as kind of an insurance in case the machines spit my cards out and they have to be checked by humans (who may or may not know NVI stamp values/feel like adding up lots of old stamps).
That’s interesting. I sometimes wonder when I drop my postcards in, if I’m the only person doing that that day. In fact, not just interesting, but encouraging too.
Wow… At least your post office is getting the stamps. Mine is trialling not getting them (other than the presentation packs, and 2 miniature sheets I bought from them). On day of issue, I went to Anglesey to get the stamps, and afterwards needed to get to Llangollen - they didn’t get any of the Marines but they were ordered, RM sent them Aardman instead…
My local main/crown - well, I’m sure they’d be able to sell the 1st class stamps (although they did order a while back quite a few of the dragons…), and previous commemoratives have ended up in the counter books.
This is the only post office my side of London that stocks special themed and collectable stamps.
Apparently I am one of only two people who regularly purchase them (the other is also called Mark, we have yet to cross paths).
If it wasn’t for us two, they wouldn’t stock them. Once in a blue moon, other ask for them.
Probably helps, that I try to keep them sweet with tubs of Cadbury Roses at Christmas and Indian Savoury food (as its run by a young Sikh Punjabi family) for them to also postmark my stamps.
I’ve read somewhere that RM Stamps & Collectables team keep tabs on how well Post Offices sell these stamps, if not many are sold, they don’t offer these stamps to these post offices.
It’s always disheartening to see stamp & collectable cabinets filled with other items such a USB phone chargers, etc, WHSmiths I’m looking at you!
I haven’t had any complaints about writing the total postage paid on my sent cards, and it’s not against the rules. I generally try to put it near the edge of the card so it’s not in the way, but I’m not about to stop doing it on postcards with multiple stamps and NVIs.
I briefly chatted with a postie emptying a box in a rural north Essex village. Not a sausage in the box for him to pick up, but he of course still had to drive out to the location to check.
I know one penpal had problems with the E marked stamps… and has now had them swapped out. Perhaps writing total of postage isn’t such a bad thing… especially with the NVI stamps. One person a while back behind a post office counter misinformed customers on using NVIs for international postage.
I’ve not had trouble with the E or similar Worldwide stamps, though I did write the price plus area and weight restrictions under the stamp on those ones just in case.
Before that B word ending in T, I wouldn’t have had any qualms sending teabags, the odd one or two, in letters to penpals in Europe. However, not so sure now…
As for Economy… well, perhaps they’ve softened their stance - was for non-letters/postcards to outside Europe but now we’ve got that B word ending in T…
I don’t think I’d risk the teabags @geo_ . Non food stuff seems a safer bet.
As for the International Economy rate, I’ve never tried it. In my early days on Postcrossing I saw some received cards with great big blue stickers on the picture side declaring insufficient postage had been paid and they had therefore been sent by a slower method - I’ve always assumed those ones had legitimately been sent at the International Economy rate and it rather put me off the idea.
Well actually in early 2021, just as the UK left the EU Customs Area,
I sent three envelopes to Lithuania all about week apart of each other (as part of the forum Tags), two with bars of Chocolate and the other with two sealed tea bags.
The chocolate bars had to go at the £4 something rate as they where just over 100g in weight, one of which I put a customs form on.
Heard nothing for about two months then all three arrived together, all opened by Lithuanian customs, but no charge to the recipient.
Recently I sent a couple of the limited edition Elizabeth Line Oystercards to EU postcrossers, some have been opened by Customs, regardless whether it has a form or not, the Netherlands has been very strict and all my recipients have had to pay to get them released.
I don’t know about using the economy rate (I only use that for postcards outside of Europe) for things like the above, I usually hand over the counter at the post office for the clerk to check my work and issue a proof of postage receipt, should I wish to claim a refund on the postage if something goes wrong.
There was that one of the Royal Wedding, Prince William & Kate in the carriage… that got the nasty blue sticker placed over Kate’s face… The sender had only used a 1st class stamp on to Germany…
Ah, perhaps I assumed wrongly then. I’m an impatient old soul though so I think I’ll still be paying my £1.85 so my postcards arrive more quickly. Many more price increases though and I may change my mind.
Thank you all! I think I’ll forgo the teabag to be safe but I’ll have to keep an eye out for other paper/flat items to send instead. One of my favourite things to send penpals has been this Ruth Martin Travelcard holder from the Postal Museum: Ruth Martin Travel card holder – The Postal Museum Shop, it’s gone down well every time.
I use International Economy on all postcards outside Europe and as far as I know, none of mine have ever arrived with an ‘insufficient postage’ sticker. I just don’t use an airmail sticker when I use the economy rate. However, I always check the price on the price finder and only use £1.60 worth of stamps if it stated I can use it. I was just surprised that they state the Economy Rate for European countries as well on the sending guide pages when they don’t on the price finder. It doesn’t make it very clear!