Modern American Spray Cancels... Thoughts?

I did a quick search to see if this topic has been raised yet, and didn't catch anything specific.

I have to say that today's American spray cancels are NASTY! They look awful, can be hard to read, and in my opinion, ruin the practice of collecting used copies of modern commemoratives.

What are your thoughts?

You mean like these?
I like the concept, but detest the quality.
So, my question is, as the technology improves,
which it may,
will these old "nasty" ones become more collectible?
or are they something for the recycling bin?

I don't like them at all!

If you think those are bad then feast your eyes on these Canadian
cancels.
I've noticed though that cancels from the Toronto area are worse than
from other parts of Canada.

First 2 from Toronto






One from Nova Scotia.

I agree all of these spray-on cancels are terrible looking and probably the farthest thing from most collector's minds, but the fact remains that these are the cancels in use today and it seems it won't change anytime soon.

If we, as collectors, elect not to collect them, that's our privilege. However, as far as postal history is concerned, they could easily become the future collectible pieces of this decade. If their "unattractive" appearance means that less will find their way into collectors hands (and with the dwindling use of stamps on today's mail, in general), it seems to me they could have the potential to be a collectible in the future (only because of scarcity--not quality).

I've never witnessed the actual application of these spray-on cancels, but it seems to me that with all of the technological advances in postal handling equipment, the quality of these spray-on cancels could certainly be improved by their makers. I suspect that it is more for economic reasons, however, that the spray-on cancels are what they are. Improved imaging equipment to make the cancels more attractive would ultimately cost more. Since the postal authorities are accomplishing their goal in using the present spray-on cancels to mark the stamps to avoid re-use, it's just their way of doing so at the the least amount of cost.

The Nova Scotia one isn't too bad. It proves there are better systems than what the US is using right now.

I agree with wt1. Normal usage of US stamps on covers are becoming harder to come by. I like to preserve at least one example of contemporary stamps on cover.

Since I have decided not to collect self adhesives, I don't think I will run into many spray on cancels. I think they are hideous

Since self adhesive stamps don't soak off paper too well, perhaps I should also try and keep covers intact. I sure don't get many with commemoratives, though!

This one has to have a couple fans not counting miss Piggy!

don't like 'em at all.

I know of at least one avid cancel collector who specializes in them. He collects not only by logo, but even the basic cancel he collects by city, zip code, processing center/machine.

I agree, they do look ugly and are often unreadable.

It does save USPS money however, making tens of thousands of fewer cancellers each day.

Now, in almost all the big cities, many times all they have is the spray cancellers and the Sharpies.

If you live in a major metropolitan area and your local post office still gets (or is willing to make) dated hand cancellers, count yourself fortunate. I think by now, most of big cities have converted to the single regional centralized processing centers by now. I live in a major metropolitan area and most of the post offices in the region have their mail routed to gigantic sorting facility, so few of the post offices have the hand cancellers anymore. The closest post office I know of that is guaranteed to have a hand canceller is 25 miles away. But that teller also does passports, so it's a great big hassle for me to get a hand cancel.

Every post office I have been to in the Twin Cities has hand-cancellers. Doesn't mean they always use them though.

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Got this CDS on a customs document . . . with an inverted date no less.

Smauggie,are you going to the stamp show this morning in St Paul ?

Why yes, I am.

I'm taking my Son there and want to be one of the first ones through the door. I'm hoping to track down a couple of items and also want to hit the bargain bins first ! So if you are there and see a tall guy (6'4") walking around with his 6 year old, stop me and say Hi. :)