Oh I frequently send mail upto TWO weeks after the postmark date, I find the handstamp teams quite flexible.
I’ve just sent off for some of the 1st Jan postmarks as this month’s bulletin was published late.
They prefer if your items of mail are promptly posted within a few days on the date, but are flexible with a week or so.
With the permanent postmarks, you can also request it to be back dated with up to a month.
Also when sending off for First Day of Issue Postmarks, I’ve never had the stamps and PHQ cards delivered on the day of issue, so I’m always sending my maxicards in a few days to a week after the postmark date.
Not had a problem so far.
Thanks both! This is really useful to know.
@Maddymail If you send them after the FDI, do you specify you’d like the First Day cancel as opposed to the date?
So most of the postmarks have the date as part of the design, this cannot be changed, for example with the latest Iron Maiden Issue, regardless of when I post the cards & stamps to the Handstamp Centre’s and the stamps will be cancelled with a 12th Jan 23 postmark (FDI or sponsored).
The only exceptions are sponsored postmarks that are avaliable for periods of time, such as this postmark, where it is recommended to request a date, for example when the Queen died, I was away at the time, so at the end of the September, I sent off for postmark to be back dated with a postmark with a changeable date.
Ahh okay, that makes sense! Thanks so much for explaining. I didn’t realise there were any available for longer than a month (other than the permanent ones at the end of the bulletin)!
I’ve sent off for the Permanent Handstamps before, just on the back of written & stamped postcards, but never any of the special ones. But I am considering trying to create some maxicards this year for the first time and want to make sure I get it right 
Resumption of International Mail from 19:00hrs today
Something I posted on the 12th of January (private swap) to Germany arrived today 
Well that’s encouraging.
I just got an email saying all my stamps were invalid . . .luckily I didn’t send 100s of pounds worth but still, I could’ve used them up to Summer now!
Where did you buy them from?
Royal Mail online site mostly, and a few smaller denominations from a charity shop, so it may have been them? They were in sealed presentation packs though 
That’s very frustrating for you then.
I’m very lucky it was only £14 and not much more but still quite annoyed they didn’t give a reason other than ‘we’ve looked over them and they are invalid.’
Invalid for swap are the special issue/commemoratives. Exception - in the celebrating the nations series, in the miniature sheet there are country definitives and these are among the stamps getting the chop.
E.g.
I’m getting low on stamps (and don’t have any money to buy new ones at the moment) so I took a chance on some dastardly Universal Mail stamps that I bought a while ago before I realised they were total rubbish.
One got ripped up by something stuck to it, so off that went to the bin and the other one is on a postcard on its way to Austria. Let’s see how long it takes to get there! 
GB-1610984
For postcrossers posting internationally from the UK, how much does it cost, and what’s the best / cheapest stamp to use please. Is one 1st class large letter stamp suitable to cover the postage costs? Thank you😊
Hello Manon,
Welcome to the forum! 
Please have a look at this post for postage costs: Prices of stamps for postcards in all countries/territories (wiki)
Hope it helps!
Sorry, no. A first class large letter is £1.45. A worldwide postcard is £1.85
I use 2 x first class (normal size) and overpay £0.05, but that is because most commemorative stamps don’t have the £1.85 option.
Yep!! £1.85 and I also use two 1st class stamps but if you go to www.philatelink.co.uk you can buy discounted stamps. A 1st class costs about 73pence. As they are older commemorative stamps they won’t go out of date (it’s only the small Queen’s head stamps that need barcodes). I’ve been using this stamp seller for about a year now and they are BRILLIANT!!
It’s a bit cheaper so sending multiple cards is a little more affordable. AND… you get some really cool stamps!!! Winner!!!
