Pre-Cancel Question

I have, among other coils, a strip of 105 Scott 1905a. Apparently I had to buy that many to be guaranteed a plate number back in '84. So I find two tiny plate numbers on this strip (#1). I have two questions:

1.) Can these stamps still be used as regular postage or are pre-cancels dead upon arrival? And like is Bulk Rate only for bulk rate?

2.) How are coil plates collected? Just the single stamp or a set of three, five or whatever?

As an aside, I have German coils which I had to have 11 in a strip as otherwise they could come from a sheet. Here they have two nice smooth edges to indicate a coil issue. So even one stamp is good enough.

Fred
PS I bought all these stamps so I could have something to do when I get old. Well, I'm old and have too much to do but these stamps need to be organized anyway. :-)

Generally you cannot use pre cancelled stamps on mail. You can however go down to the post and apply (free) for a precancel use permit, which allows you to use them on mail (as long as the total of the stamps equals to current postal rate.)The items must be mailed from the issuing post office as well. A few rules, but the cost is good (free) and it lets you use up all the precancels you have excess of.

US Precancels are generally collected in strips of 5 with the center stamp containing the plate number. Of course, more recent issues wherein up to five designs are present increases that number to up to 11 stamps (still with the plate number at the center) so that one example of each stamp is on either side of the plate number.

OK thanks. Now all I have to do is figure out what to mail. :-)

fred, lf you still like to use the precancels, go to the post office that you normally use and ask for form 3615. There is a special section on this form for collectors - you do not have to pay a fee! Peter

Would these be pre-cancels and would they be of any value to collectors?

Yes, they are all US precancel stamps, although the examples shown are very common varieties and therefore have little monetary value to most collectors. They are, however, still collectible and make for a nice beginning of a precancel stamp collection.

"OK thanks. Now all I have to do is figure out what to mail. :-)"

Use them on Christmas cards to people you ordinarily correspond with, then they can return them to you. But don't use red or green card envelopes. Whether you can mix allowable precancels with ordinary postage, I don't know.

Doug222, yes you can mix precancels and regular postage if you'd like, as long as the amount is correct and you take it to the clerk for cancelling.

Peter

Thanks for your responses gentlemen.