You Think US Stamps Are Hard To Get Off Paper

Undated handout released by Britain's Royal Mail Monday Feb 16 2009 of new postage stamps. The Royal Mail is reminding people that even in tough economic times they can only use stamps once. And just to be sure everyone gets that message Britain's postal service is issuing a fraud-proof stamp. The Royal Mail said Monday if you try to remove one of the new stamps from an envelope, part of it will tear off while part of it will remain behind. The new stamps also will be printed on tamper-proof paper to prevent forgeries.

Another pioneering development from the UK Post Office (aside from the puzzle stamps)

I wonder when that started? The Darwin stamp I received the other day came off easy.
It's getting to a point, where all stamp collectors should unite and refuse to buy sheets, mini sheets, FDC etc. Just collect the used stamps they find on envelopes. Then the Royal Mail and others can watch the profits drop. They are not helping us, so why should we help them.

Just my 2 cents worth.

Steve

P.S. If the mail exchange did their job correctly the first time, there would be no uncancelled stamps for us to use again.

That's not true, I've seen several cases where people just "removed" the cancelled part of the stamp, by cutting it in half. Then, when they have two halfs of the same stamp, they glue them together to receive a "new and uncancelled" stamp

It can hardly be economic. I think it is just a game to try to get one over on the postal service. More of a challenge than a real monetary need.

The British obsession with forgeries and reuse goes back to Victorian times. There is an issue called the "Lilac and Green" All the stamps in the series are either lilac or green. The reason?--those were the only two inks which were fugitive enough that the stamps could not be soaked off cover.

But shouldnt it be obvious when 2 parts of a cancelled stamp are joined together to form the likeness of an uncancelled stamp? should the post office immediately recognize this?

According to an announcement appearing in Linn's Stamp News of Nov. 24, 2008, the first G.B. stamp incorporating the new security measures was to be issued on Feb. 17, 2009. The announcement states the measures are to be limited to definitive issues. Of course, that will be unwelcome news to all 'machin' collectors. The measures to be applied are to be 4 small semi-circular slits which will prevent removal of the stamps from envelopes. Also all British definitives other than coils will be self-adhesive.

That would be interesting to look at. I hope somebody gets to post a pic of this kind of stamp in this forum soon

Here you go!

http://www.newsobserver.com/1635/st...1407513.html

oh boy...reminds me of the price stickers used by groceries...this is bad for collectors

It should be, but humans don't often look at the postage these days. That's why cinderellas and such get through. Heck, I'd say some 50% of the large envelopes I've received in the last year don't have any cancellations at all.

Maybe they are now using machines to do the cancellations...or maybe things are just getting inefficient