Quote:
Can the (what we Americans call) facer-canceler machines in Canada check for the microprinting?
I doubt it very much.
Canada Post probably uses facer-canceller equipment similar
to what is used by the USPS.
The tagging on the stamps arranges letters that they all face the same direction on the various conveyor belts
for automatic cancellations.
Then the Optical Character Reader (OCR) machines
which are programmed to read the postal code on letters,
applies appropriate bar codes representing the postal code,
which aids in moving the letter in the right destination.
From the little I know about these Distribution Centre Facilities the equipment draws
on a data bank, verifying that the stamp is a Canadian
stamp issued in the last 40 years or so but can't tell if the stamp
on the envelope is of the proper current rate.(or a P stamp)
One would figure this should be an easy process nowadays and
letters without the correct postage would be rejected and dealt with manually.
But I think CP doesn't really care or worry about that
when one considers all the uncalled mail which goes through the system.
Ok, so why the micro printing?
Canada Post looses tens of millions of dollars annually
because of counterfeited stamps.
The equipment these crooks use prints a fairly passable
product but as of now cannot duplicate the micro-printing
nor in most cases the tagging.
Therefore the lack of these features makes it easy
to differentiate a genuine stamp from a fake and would
help in prosecuting these crooks when the case comes
up in court.
Check out the article below regarding counterfitting
Canadian stamps
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montr...ys-1.1375040 Quote:"Our machines are
extremely sophisticated,"
Canada Post's Losier said, insisting few counterfeit stamps go unnoticed.
I think the only thing those
sophisticated machines can tell
is if a stamp has fluorescent tagging or not.
Probably the main reason for micro-printing is to add some interest
for stamp collectors.
Posted 05/18/2016 9:06 pm
