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Pillar Of The Community
United States
862 Posts |
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I have 2 full sheets of mint USA 1956 SCJ90 postage dues stamps. My question is can they be used for postage? Pictures downloaded from internet.  |
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Pillar Of The Community
United States
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The short answer is no. Here is the applicable section from the Domestic Mail Manual: Quote:
2.0 Validity of Stamps
2.1Valid
All postage stamps issued by the United States since 1860, unless listed in 2.2, are valid for postage from any point in the United States or from any other place where U.S. Mail service operates. Precanceled stamps may be used to pay regular postage and fees for special services if the mailpiece is endorsed under the standards for the class of mail and service requested. Precanceled postage may be used only by permit holders authorized under P023. Unless excepted by standard, the total postage affixed must equal at least the postage charge for the class of the mail and, if applicable, the fee for the special service requested. All nondenominated postage and makeup rate stamps, including official mail stamps, are valid at the original rates of issue. Except for precanceled stamps that bear rate markings (e.g., First-Class Presort, Presorted, or Nonprofit Organization), nondenominated postage stamps may be affixed to international mail. See IMM 152.2d.
2.2Invalid
The following are not valid to pay postage for U.S. domestic or U.S.-originated international mail:
a. Postage due, special delivery, special handling, and certified mail stamps.
b. Stamps of other countries.
c. United Nations stamps, unless on mail deposited at the United Nations, NY.
d. U.S. stamps that are mutilated or defaced; cut from stamped envelopes, aerogrammes, or stamped cards; covered or coated in such a manner that canceling or defacing marks cannot be printed onto the stamps; or overprinted with an unauthorized design, message, or other marking.
e. Nonpostage stamps, such as migratory-bird hunting and conservation stamps, U.S. saving and thrift stamps.
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Pillar Of The Community
United States
862 Posts |
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tomiseksj,
Thanks for the quick reply. OK then I just add them to my USA sheet collection, small as it is.
But I thought stamps issued during the Civil War by the Union were not valid for postage from 1860 through 1863-5. |
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Pillar Of The Community
United States
527 Posts |
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The list should also include official mail stamps and pre-sorted mail stamps (maybe more) unless authorized to use them. Some time ago, a contributor to SCF started a thread showing a cover he had received from a seller. The seller had used one of the modern official mail stamps to help cover postage on the envelope he'd sent. As many of you know, right across the bottom of the official stamps it reads "Penalty for private use $300". The stamp and the cover both obviously escaped the scrutiny of USPS! |
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Bedrock Of The Community
United States
10626 Posts |
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Every stamp issued before 1861 was demonetized and was no longer valid for postage. All postage stamps issued after that were and are still valid for use. This was to prevent the southern states from selling them to raise money or using them in any way. |
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Pillar Of The Community
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raywrio,
Postmaster General Blair ordered stamps that issued prior to the start of the Civil War be demonetized and directed printing of a new series of stamps. If one interprets "since 1860" to mean "August 1861 or later" then the description is technically correct.
Steve |
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Bedrock Of The Community
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Besides, no one in their right mind would want to paste a mint stamp from 1860 on a cover today to pay a few cents postage when its collectible value is worth multiple times that amount!
If someone were stupid enough to do it, I doubt the USPS would even catch it 150+ years later, as the face value of the stamp(s) involved just doesn't make it pay for anyone to challenge the issue. And no one would want a used stamp from the 1860s with an ugly spray on cancel as used on today's mail anyway! It would devalue its collectiblity since only contemporaneous cancels are of interest to collectors. |
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Bedrock Of The Community
United States
10626 Posts |
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People still occasionally use 19th century stamps as postage, although not from the 1850's or 1860's. I just saw a cover last week with a damaged 5 cent Columbian on it that was only mailed a couple of years ago. |
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Pillar Of The Community
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4106 Posts |
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I have a number of $1.00 and $5.00 stamps (from the 80's), that have a bureau precancel - the precancel has only 2 lines, no text.. they are MNH. Can I use them for packages? |
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Bedrock Of The Community
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Quote:
I have a number of $1.00 and $5.00 stamps (from the 80's), that have a bureau precancel - the precancel has only 2 lines, no text.. they are MNH. Can I use them for packages? No. That is, not unless you are holder of a permit eligible to send precanceled mail. To re-quote section 2.1 of the above quote: Quote:
Precanceled stamps may be used to pay regular postage and fees for special services if the mailpiece is endorsed under the standards for the class of mail and service requested. Precanceled postage may be used only by permit holders authorized under P023. |
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| Edited by wt1 - 10/21/2012 12:23 am |
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smauggie, my 2 cent postage due sheets have heavy gum on them. Does that make a big difference in price? |
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Replies: 12 / Views: 1,831 |
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Posted 10/20/2012 1:17 pm
