Correos: How Things Have Changed

Our member Bendix from Germany has shared his experience with the Spanish post office on a trip to Spain.
http://goscf.com/t/79361
Things have changed a lot over time.

Two decades ago, when visiting the main post office of a larger town in Spain, I would have a look at a display case with recent issues. Most of those main post offices had a philatelic counter. Frequently, there would be a poster depicting the issues of the previous year. On some occasions, I bought the yearbook of Spanish and Andorran issues of the previous year.

The displays of postage stamps and philatelic counters have gone. If you want the yearbook, you should order it from 'filatelía' in Madrid. The post offices no longer stock them. You may even struggle to find the stamps to affix them to your mail.

When I visit a town or village in Spain, one of the first things I do, is buy postcards to send to friends in Europe, South-America, and Asia. Spain issues stamps with face values and stamps with a tariff indication. Tariff A is for inland mail and includes Andorra. Tariff B is for European destinations not covered by tariff A. Tariff C is for the rest-of-the-world, except USA, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, and Australia. In January 2022 a D-tariff (€2.10) was introduced for mail to USA, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, and Australia. At the same time, Russia was placed in zone 'D.'

My first experience with this tariff was in February 2022, when I was in San Lorenzo de El Escorial. I had to tell the very helpful staff at the local post office about the new tariff for Russia. It took some time before they found the required stamps to affix to my postcards to Russia.



Many post offices only stock packets of five self-adhesive stamps with tariff-indicator. Judging from the lack of a barcode on the back of the backing paper, these might be taken from specially printed sheets. Some have a book or cardboard box with sheet stamps kept under lock and key. Frequently, the counter clerk will disappear for a few minutes to search for that book or box.

Nowadays, I stock the tariff stamps. They remain valid after an increase in postal rates. If I have any left, I can use them on my next trip to Spain. I bought a considerable number of € 2.10 stamps in June, at the post office in Huelva. I ran out of these stamps in November. Because there was a chance of the tariffs being raised in January 2023 - that did not happen -, I visited a few post offices asking for D-tariff stamps. The post offices did not have them. Since it is difficult to find low-value stamps to make up any difference in new and old tariffs, I decided to buy only the necessary number of stamps.



So, last Friday (27 January 2022), I had to go to the post office in Castelló de la Plana to buy some stamps for the D-tariff. The counter clerk, one of her colleagues, and a man who appeared to be the senior clerk were very obliging.

The counter clerk and her colleague, however, were not aware there existed a D-tariff. The clerk and the senior clerk looked for these stamps, but they did not have them. According to the counter clerk, the computer did not even allow to order them from the supplies department. She suggested I returned the next day with the written postcards, so she could affix computer labels. She considered selling me A-tariff stamps. At € 0.78 each, I would need to buy three stamps for a total amount of € 2,34 to cover the € 2.10 postage to Russia. But she did not want me to overpay.

Together with the senior clerk, she went on the hunt for stamps that, combined, would cover the € 2.10 postage. They did find € 1 stamps. These were the 2020 LGTBI Pride Day stamps.



It would be funny to put those on a postcard to Russia. But the senior clerk and I considered the Russian bigots might throw the card in the dustbin or cause my correspondents troubles for propagating homosexuality. Since they had no € 0.10 stamps, it would not have helped much.

I considered coming back for the horrible computer-generated labels that tend to obscure part of the message. When I asked until what time they would open, the senior clerk realised it would be Saturday. The post office does not open on Saturday.

So, I ended up buying the required number of stamps times three of the A-tariff stamp.


(not a very good picture)
Next, I decided to stock up on B- and C-tariff stamps. I asked for ten each of the stamps. They had exactly ten examples of the 'Solidarity with Ukraine' C-tariff stamps issued 30 May 2022.



(the barcode they scan, so the computer can track the remaining stock)

Well, that was the reality. The computer, however, said "no!" According to the bits and bytes, they had only nine of those stamps left. Consequently, it refused to accept the sale of ten of those stamps. The counter clerk detached one stamp and sold me the remaining nine. She detached a stamp from a sheet of another issue for the C-tariff to make up the requested number of stamps.

After about 20 minutes, not counting the time I waited for my turn, I walked out of the post office with my stamps.

All this that you have written could have been written by any Spanish collector; It is not different for locals or foreigners.

If at all there would be a difference, my guess would be that the staff had more patience with me than they would have had with a local. They were extremely obliging.

But, certainly, I agree Spanish people will encounter the same problems when they want to send their Russian friends postcards, or add to their collections. I just wanted any 'D' or € 2.10 stamp. If that is a problem already, I imagine adding all issued 'D' and € 2.10 stamps to your collection is a Herculean task.

When I get to the philatelic office they say: "Hello, how are you, here again?" with more disdain than surprise.
Tourism represents almost 10% of the country's gross domestic product, we have to take care of the goose that lays the golden eggs. If you pay attention to the international news, you will have heard that Spain has had a higher economic growth than the rest of Europe. We Europeans, like others, have been locked up for two years and we wanted to get out. Tourism left 159,000 million euros in Spain.
Spain is a country safe, economical and with friendly people, which is why it has become a favorite place for many Europeans for years.

There are no "D" tariff stamps, only A, A2, B and C, this tariff appeared last year.
There are 3 previous € 2.10 stamps that covered other rates and in 2022 another 4 stamps were issued to cover it, but with meager issues like all those now. I don't know if they have done or will do something this year, I closed the Spain collection in 2014.

Interesting story about rates (tariff A,B,C,D) Nice to see the clerks were trying to be helpful.
Don't think the Ukrainian colors will fly well to Russia either

Pat

You made me laugh out loud Pat; you are right, they would not like the stamps with the flag of Ukraine.

I forgot to mention that the first stamp of 2022 of € 2.10 was issued in february, so it was logical that there were none in the office in january; It is impossible for them to have 2002 stock in any office.

Since 2016 I have been in charge of updating the rates in the Spanish forum that I frequent the most, I leave you with the ones for this year.

I am quite sure I used a few of them last year. Edit: I must have got them at Plasencia's post office, in November.
20-6-2022: Amnesty International 'D'
From the 'filatelía' site.




After most restrictions were lifted and travel became possible again at the end of June 2021, it took me about a month to make my first trip.

2002, I would agree to. If you meant 2022, they had the 2022 Ukraine stamps and the 2020 LGTBI+ Pride stamps I posted above. I bought both in Castelló, last Friday.

Last year, I could still buy the packets of five 2016 Camino de Santiago 'B' stamps, or 2017 Manzanares el Real Castle 'B' stamps. The 'C' stamp they gave me in Castelló to substitute for the one Solidarity with Ukraine stamp the computer said was not in stock was a 2015 San Augustín de Florida stamp. They still had a part sheet of those. But many only stock the packets of five stamps.

I did consider using that one with an 'A' stamp. Whereas I am quite sure the bigots would have caught the LGTBI+ pride stamp, I doubt they would catch that one. My friends from around Moscow have access to western news. They should know better. But my friends from Siberia do not have that access to our news. They are being fed propaganda. As much as I lament their ignorance, they are my friends. Also, the risk is too big that I do get them into troubles with the authorities.

It would be a nice stamp to stick on letters to Russian institutions such as an embassy, or one of their banks.

I didn't know about the rate stamp D, it's the first time I've seen it, I must include it in the rate chart, thank you.
I retract having said that it did not exist.
I closed the collection of Spain when the JCI King abdicated and I am not aware of the news, in addition to the fact that you do not see a stamp on a letter if it is not because a collector sent it to me.

As I already wrote, the first €2.10 stamp of 2022 was issued after your visit and it is impossible for any office to have stock from 20 years ago.

To avoid the wrath of a number of ladies I need to look out for those 'B,' 'C,' and 'D' or equivalent stamps. Otherwise, I might have missed it as well. There was a time when I required the 'A' one as well, but that became a 'B.'

I must confess I may have got the wrong end of the stick when someone mentioned 'Airbus.' Although KLM flies 737 and ERJ-190s to Spain.

It was one of your posts that made me aware Russia was re-classified in January 2022. So, when I went to San Lorenzo de El Escorial in February, I had to tell the people at the post office Russia no longer was in Europe. They did not have the 'Disello' € 2.10 stamp that had been issued exactly a week earlier. In June, the post offices in Huelva and Tordesillas did have them. I was back home before they issued that 'D' tariff stamp. That, I got in November at the Plasencia post office. The Guadalupe post office did not have it.

What can I say: I just like love pescaitos fritos, bravas, tortilla, arroces and fideuà.