Can FDCs Be Used After The Issue Date ?

Guys

I was wondering weather FDCs can be reused after the issue date ?

I mean lets say a FDC was released in 1990 but it was not used and I want to use it now so can I do that ? Please let me know..

Thanks

I have no idea of the right answer, but I don't see why any cover, with uncancelled stamps, cannot be legally sent, as long as the value of the stamps meets the postal requirements.

No but FDCs usually have pre cancelled stamps isint it ? so can we really re use it again with the same stamp on ? tricky one !

FDCs have been canceled.

No canceled stamp can be reused for postage.

Kirk

I dont get it. what is FDC used for then ??? is it just a collectible ?!

I mean FDCs can be postally used right ? If not, How is a FDC used then ?

First day covers are either postally, or philatelically used stamps on cover, on the day a stamp is issued. These same stamps are sold off cover as new and remain valid postage until they are used ... there is no expiration date on postage stamps (everything issued after 1861, starting with Scott #63, can still be used as valid postage ... assuming they are currently unused)

I don't know the year, but the US Postal Service started selling FDCs to collectors decades ago. They are nothing more than CTOs and of little value.

Brian

I hope this is not true. I defer to agree and need to find out more because I have seen FDCs being postally used.




I understand this. But what if the cover was not addressed and used on the same day the stamp was issued is my question. Technically my question might seem foolish but I was just wondering.

To be "postally used" it must be addressed to someone and travel.correct ?

As long as the stamp has no cancelation, you can use it. But it would seem odd for the USPS to issue a FDC with no cancelation on the stamp. 1) you would have no way to tie the stamp to the cover and 2) it defeats the purpose of using a stamp on the first day of issue.

ok let me put it this way. The FDC has cancelled stamp. Fine. But it is not yet addressed and used. So if the stamp on the cover meets the postage requirement can it still be used (after say 20 years)? hope this makes sense.

The reason I ask this question is I have a unaddressed FDC and was wondering if I can still use it. simple.

lol, I still don't know if I understand correctly, so I'll try one more time :)

1) You can reuse any cover you want. Cancelled stamps on cover are not valid. You will have to add additionally postage to make it valid.

2) If a FDC is not addressed, but has a stamp on it that is canceled, then it is a philatelically used FDC (this is a CTO imo). Whether or not it has been addressed is irrelevant. Again, you can use the cover, but the stamp is not valid postage. You would have to add postage to use it.

3) Anything added to a cover devalues it ... writing, additional postage, etc. Covers are valued in the condition and period in which they were issued. Although this might not make a difference on a modern cover, 100 years down the road I can see someone saying 'What the heck were they thinking?!?'

Cheers!

perfect. makes sense now.
thanks a lot.

That's a little harsh, Brian. I have a feeling several SCF members would disagree.

You can send a SASE to be canceled on day of issue and that is why you see postally addressed First day of issue covers. Other than that they are cancelled to order (by order of the post office) and basically are collectables. Using an old FDC and adding postage to send to someone would make it unique but decrease value . The initial attraction was having a new issue stamp postaly cancelled (CTO) but they just overdid the quantity. Bottom line their pretty but thats about it.

I don't have any argument with the above comments. It is true the FDC's are attractive and that's about it (i.e. not much monetary value) but some (including myself) still find them enjoyable to collect.

Keep in mind that the unaddressed FDC's can also be accomplished by using simple removable adhesive return address labels, as I do. Back in it's day, FDC's used to be more "exciting" as one could not get the cancellation unless the request was mailed to the first day of issue city (along with funds for the required postage) in advance of the stamp's release. Nowadays, because the post office doesn't want to get involved in measly remittances, you have a 60 day "grace period" to buy the stamps at your local post office and mail them in for the first day cancellation.

It kind of defeats the purpose, I know, but in reality, I suppose in the past the post office needed more than a day to properly cancel all of the first day of issue cancellation requests, so it amounts to pretty much the same thing.

When I buy new issues at the post office, I always try to mail one to myself from the local post office so it bears an "unofficial" local cancellation on the day of issue. While not an "official" first day of issue and probably worth nothing to most collectors, I find it a good way to prove that I purchased the stamp and used it on the first day of issue, since I could only get that dated cancellation by mailing it on the specific first day of issue.

As often said with the stamp collecting hobby, it comes down to collecting what you enjoy; whether or not it meets the term "collectible" in others' minds is not really not the issue. You have no one to please except yourself.

I don't mean to .

I'm sure many people would disagree with my statement, but the fact remains ... stamps sent to the USPS for FDC cancellations as well as purchasable covers from the USPS store are, by their very definition, CTOs. Although the value of said items is up for debate!


Brian