In-Period Cancels?

Picked up a nice block of 4 from newfoundland but the cancel is from Kitchener 1971. I assume this would be "out of period", but it raises 2 questions:

1. What is the definition of "out of period?" ie. how much time must pass before a stamp is no longer considered used in period?

2. What does an out of period cancel do to the value of the stamp? Does it simply eliminate any premium that may have been gained by an in-period cancel?

For me, a stamp or postal stationery is out-of period if replaced with a similarly denominated item. (there can be exceptions though).

http://postalhistorycorner.blogspot...p-issue.html

So if you buy an issue on the last day offered before the new issue, then your usage of the issue in the days/weeks to come would be out of period?

It would be out-of-period for me. But there out-of-period usages which I find acceptable.

The following cover was mailed during the 36 cent period with a 34 cent stamp. The 34 cent stamp is out-of-period but affixed shortly after the rate change and the release of the 36 cent stamp.



I would love to have a cover mailed after March 13, 2014 franked with a 63 cent stamp and taxed. A cover with a 63 cent stamp and uprated to 85 cents (63c + 22c) would be interesting but not something that would appeal to me.

Commemoratives are a bit different. Generally I don't mind if a commemorative is used in the year it was issued. The 1970 Expo stamp was issued on March 18. This July cover is acceptable:



The Permanent Stamp Era : 2006 - 2013

The first "P" stamp was issued on November 16, 2006 during the 51 cent letter rate period.



Although the letter rate increased to 52 cents on January 16, 2007, the 52 cent permanent stamps were issued on December 27, 2007.



I consider that the first "P" stamp was in-period from November 16, 2006 to December 26, 2007, i.e. until it was replaced by the "P" definitive stamp issued on December 27, 2007.

That really sounds confusing, doesn't it?

QUIZ TIME

1. Why is this an in-period usage of the 5 cent Karsh definitive? The 5 cent Wilding definitive was issued on April 1, 1954!



2. Is this in-period or out-of-period?



It is a good idea to know when stamps were issued when buying covers. Out-of-period usages can be very disappointing. Dealers are not likely to advise customers, so it is essential to be vigilant.

Thanks lorddenning!

My answers to your quiz:
1. The 5c Wilding was issued April 1954 along with the regular 5c Wilding, but the other values in the reg series were issued in June. I am guessing the rest of the set G set was not issued until sometime in 1955? Unitrade lists usage period for O40-O45 as 1955-1956
2. Yes, in period, there was no 20c equivalent issued until #362 in 1956. Even the 10c Eskimo Hunter #351 was not issued until Feb.21, 1955

JR1960

Both correct! Great going.

#1 was tricky, had to do my homework on that one!

Some of us place our own parameters on "in-period" like my own personal goal that Christmas postal history have stamps used from the date of issue through January 31 of the imminent year following...typically about three months or so. I do make exceptions to my own rule when it seems clear that the usage is not philatelic, i.e. a postal clerk uses a still-in-the-drawer Christmas stamp to uprate or meet a specific fee or rate like postage due, registration, change of address and the like.

But that's just me, of course!

petermac that's a good point as well. I was specifically inquiring about the term that Unitrade uses "in-period cancels" to describe pricing premiums, but unfortunately I could not find their definition of the term.

JR 960
As a Newfoundland collector, I would not want the Canadian cover with Newfoundland stamps cancelled in 1971; to me, that really crosses the line and the "cover" would be of little interest. I would be more tolerant of currently cancelled covers bearing stamps issued in the last five years or so. But when I receive letters from ebay sellers with stamps from widely varying years of issue, I soak the stamps as the cover is clearly "philatelic" and the off-paper stamps are of more interest to me than the intact envelope.

"I soak the stamps as the cover is clearly "philatelic" and the off-paper stamps are of more interest to me than the intact envelope."

Agreed, that is what I do