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DMurphy
November 1st, 2014, 04:44 PM
I live in the USA and we have many choices in stamps that are available depending on the season and special releases throughout the year. Is this the case in other countries?

I try to match the stamp to the person and to the purpose of the letter, a stamp that reflects either one of my personal interests or that of the recipient for a personal letter and a much more conventional stamp for a business letter. So I do take time to think about the person who will be receiving the letter and whether they will appreciate the subtlety of the stamp. Currently I have Hot Rods, Circus Posters, and now Batman Stamps. For international postage the choice is not nearly so diverse, in fact my first letter to Australia had to go with a Christmas Wreath in July as the post office has very little demand, I was glad that I was able to get the much more colorful Sea Temperatures at another office.

Going into the holidays I will have many choices for stamps to place on Christmas cards and letters. I am not a stamp collector as I view stamps as I do my fountain pens as a special tool that has the ability to make me feel good and hopefully to brighten the recipients day as well.

So I will ask the question again do you put thought into your selection of a stamp?

Chrissy
November 1st, 2014, 05:36 PM
Here in the UK we often have several different types of stamp available at any one time.

On postcards, larger picture stamps can take up too much room.

Dreck
November 1st, 2014, 05:38 PM
I do, inasmuch as I can, while buying them. I generally buy a book or two of whatever I find most appealing (or least distasteful, if my options are limited). I don't care for cars, planes, freaky clowns, or the celebration of either Batman or Abraham Lincoln. As a result, I have some lovely landscapes (the P.O. was out of the vintage seed packets). For international postage, we're limited to those hideously garish globes, so I make do with what's available. I do have some nifty "Cthulhu-ish" fake postage that I will occasionally stick on an envelope for my pen-friends who'll appreciate it.

Nashtah
November 2nd, 2014, 12:05 AM
Stamps in China

At the post office there is one set of stamps for sale if that. By set I mean stamps of the values .1,.2,.3,.8,1.2,1.5,2.8,4.2,4.5 and 6. this set of stamps has not changed in the last year and most post offices carry few stamps as they would like to sell the machine bar code stamps.

However one can get lots of stamps if one buys them on taobao, after sending over 200 letters and postcards with one stamp, it was suggested I look there for stamps. I can buy tons of other stamps that are from this year as well as stamps from 1995 forward. The best fact is that online the stamps are at less than face value. I last bought 1400 face value for 675 but that does not mean that I will be able to use all of the face value as 120 will be sent as unneeded postage, in 5.4 stamps when all I need is 4.5.

I try not to send more than 4 letter in a row with the same stamp but beyond that I pick at random.

Holsworth
November 2nd, 2014, 02:57 AM
I often buy a few interesting sets of stamps at a time that last me a few months. There aren't as many international ones but I often just use two first class stamps instead.

alc3261
November 2nd, 2014, 05:00 AM
In the UK we have Economy International at 81p, this works very well for Penpal letters but the stamps are a boring "Holly Green" definitive. I do like nice stamps but the Post Office doesn't want us to use 81p stamps so won't do interesting ones. Sorry pen pals :(

Holsworth
November 2nd, 2014, 05:17 AM
In the UK we have Economy International at 81p, this works very well for Penpal letters but the stamps are a boring "Holly Green" definitive. I do like nice stamps but the Post Office doesn't want us to use 81p stamps so won't do interesting ones. Sorry pen pals :(

I bought a big pile of 5p stamps for that reason. Interesting 1st class plus a couple of 5ps and you're at 82p which is fine for international economy.

Waski_the_Squirrel
November 2nd, 2014, 06:44 AM
I like to buy a bunch of stamps in a roll. That means they're all the same, but easy to find. Currently it's ferns.

For my international mail, my local post office has only had Christmas stamps, so all my international people have been getting Christmas stamps, even in the summer. I only have two of those left, so I'll have to find out what's down there now.

Potter
November 2nd, 2014, 10:40 AM
I used to use whatever 'definitives' my local Post Office had, but just recently I've started to be more adventurous and brought some commemoratives direct from the Philatelic Bureau in Edinburgh, the only problem is that they only sell stamps in sets so I end up with values that I don't use often, like £1.47. So now I've seen that you can buy unused stamps on Ebay at an average of 20% off face value, so I'm going to have a go at these. I shall have to go to the Post Offfice to buy a selection of low values to make up the difference, but my envelopes will get a whole lot more colourful. Hope my correspondents approve.

Chrissy
November 2nd, 2014, 11:33 AM
In the UK we have Economy International at 81p, this works very well for Penpal letters but the stamps are a boring "Holly Green" definitive. I do like nice stamps but the Post Office doesn't want us to use 81p stamps so won't do interesting ones. Sorry pen pals :(

I knew of this but was aware that this service isn't airmail. How long do letters take to arrive?

Dreck
November 2nd, 2014, 11:38 AM
I like to buy a bunch of stamps in a roll. That means they're all the same, but easy to find. Currently it's ferns.

Our PO is out of the ferns :(

It sounds like we have it a lot easier than most folk who must buy in various denominations. 1st class is 40-some cents; each additional ounce (or a postcard) is an additional 32¢. International is a flat $1.22 for the first ounce. Three different stamps take care of almost everything.

Morgaine
November 2nd, 2014, 12:06 PM
I used to use whatever 'definitives' my local Post Office had, but just recently I've started to be more adventurous and brought some commemoratives direct from the Philatelic Bureau in Edinburgh, the only problem is that they only sell stamps in sets so I end up with values that I don't use often, like £1.47. So now I've seen that you can buy unused stamps on Ebay at an average of 20% off face value, so I'm going to have a go at these. I shall have to go to the Post Offfice to buy a selection of low values to make up the difference, but my envelopes will get a whole lot more colourful. Hope my correspondents approve.

Try ringing the RM shop up (haven't done so for a couple of years) but you should be able to buy sheets of stamps of a particular value.

Morgaine
November 2nd, 2014, 12:08 PM
In the UK we have Economy International at 81p, this works very well for Penpal letters but the stamps are a boring "Holly Green" definitive. I do like nice stamps but the Post Office doesn't want us to use 81p stamps so won't do interesting ones. Sorry pen pals :(

I knew of this but was aware that this service isn't airmail. How long do letters take to arrive?

I did a test a few months back - a couple of letters I haven't heard about their receipt, but many others have arrived within a fortnight if not earlier, though the countries I was testing - USA, Canada, Australia.

alc3261
November 2nd, 2014, 12:19 PM
In the UK we have Economy International at 81p, this works very well for Penpal letters but the stamps are a boring "Holly Green" definitive. I do like nice stamps but the Post Office doesn't want us to use 81p stamps so won't do interesting ones. Sorry pen pals :(

I knew of this but was aware that this service isn't airmail. How long do letters take to arrive?

3-6 days only. To be honest I think they send them Airmail!!

VertOlive
November 2nd, 2014, 01:58 PM
I'm definitely stamp obsessive. I have 7 different sheets of "special edition" stamps, and 2 sheets of postcard stamps. Sometimes I'm simply matching colors (Johnny Cash looks nice with JH Stormy Grey ink), or I think the recipient might enjoy a certain illustration on a stamp. To avoid the use of the downright awful international wreath stamp, I'll either buy the older edition on eBay or mix and match other stamps even if I go a little over with the postage.

I've been having panic attacks when faced with the creepy clown stamps, so some replies may be slow in coming...:rolleyes:

DMurphy
November 2nd, 2014, 04:24 PM
I've been having panic attacks when faced with the creepy clown stamps, so some replies may be slow in coming...:rolleyes:

I did not know that you have clown issues! I would have chosen different stamps for you. I know that there are many who have an aversion to clowns, as I used to be a full white face clown I have always found this very odd.

VertOlive
November 2nd, 2014, 08:03 PM
My husband offered to go through the envelopes and cover the clowns with stickers, but when he got a good look at one he slapped it down on the table and said "Oh Heck NO!", and stepped out for a cigarette.

I guess he's got it too...:noidea:

ypsilanti
November 2nd, 2014, 08:32 PM
I have PILES of different stamps. Oftentimes I'm very selective, in a 'mail art' kind of way. Between making an envelope and choosing postage stamps (and sometimes rubber stamps), I can spend as much time dressing a missive for its journey as I did writing it. This weekend's work was stuffed into ready-made envelopes with straightforward stamps. Slacker.

mrcharlie
November 3rd, 2014, 02:35 AM
There is almost always a very generic flag/liberty bell/statue of liberty type forever stamp in print from the USPS, and I try to buy and use "anything but that". Right now I've got the 2014 songbirds stamps; very colorful.

If I have more than one type I guess I choose which one based on the recipient sometimes, only if I have one I think they would really like or dislike. Most of the time that isn't a consideration.

Potter
November 3rd, 2014, 10:14 AM
I have PILES of different stamps. Oftentimes I'm very selective, in a 'mail art' kind of way. Between making an envelope and choosing postage stamps (and sometimes rubber stamps), I can spend as much time dressing a missive for its journey as I did writing it.

I'm replying to one of your letters today, as usual the envelope is a treat, I did appreciate the rather risque young lady on it, plus the colourful Circus stamps, great stuff, thanks

Chrissy
November 3rd, 2014, 03:11 PM
In the UK we have Economy International at 81p, this works very well for Penpal letters but the stamps are a boring "Holly Green" definitive. I do like nice stamps but the Post Office doesn't want us to use 81p stamps so won't do interesting ones. Sorry pen pals :(

I knew of this but was aware that this service isn't airmail. How long do letters take to arrive?

3-6 days only. To be honest I think they send them Airmail!!

That's very interesting. Thank you for the tip.

Ian
November 17th, 2014, 09:50 PM
I like to match the stamps I put on my postcards to the location I am visiting. Sheets of old mint stamps can often be purchased for close to face value. When I visited Washington DC in August to go to the pen show, I used the 1946 100th anniversary of the Smithsonian with the 1996 150th anniversary of the Smithsonian. I don't know if anyone notices, but I enjoy doing it.

14948

elderberry
November 17th, 2014, 10:47 PM
Here in Germany we do have a small selection of stamp motives, however most post offices carry only one of them and if you order them online the shipping cost is ridiculous. Like € 4,- for a sheet of stamps. So I'll keep using any old ones. Currently € 0,60 stamps with some red flower and € 0,90 stamps with the spectrum of light. The latter are pretty nice actually.
Besides there'll be another price increase again at the end of the year, so new stamps coming up again. Sigh.

DMurphy
November 20th, 2014, 10:21 AM
@Ian that is a very cool idea to use the old and the new stamps together, it would be interesting to see who picked up on the significance of the two stamps.

@elderberry I guess once again we are spoiled in the U.S. as we have many different designs and they are available in most post offices.

jbb
November 20th, 2014, 11:57 AM
I recently discovered that you can buy all sorts of old usable U.S. stamps on ebay for under face value. In the batch I bought there were ½¢ stamps, 1¼¢ stamps and a mountain of other little stamps.

https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3863/14821272712_0b78d4631a_b.jpg

jbb
November 20th, 2014, 12:01 PM
If you want to pay extra for your stamps places like zazzle.com will print postage stamps with any picture you submit. Here are mine with my FP Geeks avatar.

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7314/9097526540_efe05b64a3_b.jpg