Unwanted used stamps - charities want them
If you find yourself inundated with InCoWriMo mail and not enough space to keep the letters, please consider taking the stamps off the envelope (tear a section of the envelope around the stamp), and sending it on to charity. I shall hunt out some of the websites and charities willing to accept stamps (these then get sold on to stamp dealers by weight - kiloware).
Great Ormond Street Hospital (in London, for children) - (link no longer works).
http://usedstampsforcharity.weebly.com/ is a directory of some of the UK charities accepting stamps and the addresses (of the charities) to send to, e.g. Oxfam, RNIB (Royal National Institute For The Blind), RNLI (Royal National Lifeboat Institution), Cancer Research UK
Macmillan Cancer Support
An Australian directory https://www.givenow.com.au/otherways/stamps of some charities/community groups.
Oxfam in Canada
I'm sure there are charities in the US wanting stamps (google however doesn't want to show me them).
[The Veterans National Stamp and Coin Club (the old link no longer works, another website mentions them - http://www.sellingyourstamps.com/?page_id=24)
Holocaust Stamp Project (looks to have ended).
Stamps for the Wounded (USA)
Lions International Stamp Club, well for Australia, collects used stamps. Money raised in the case of Australia, goes to provide walking aids for disabled children
Re: Unwanted stamps - charities want them
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Morgaine
I'm sure there are charities in the US wanting stamps (google however doesn't want to show me them).
I've sent an email to the American Philatelic Society not far from me here in Pennsylvania asking if they can share a list of such charities in the USA. I'll share the answer when (and if) it comes.
Fred
Re: Unwanted stamps - charities want them
Here ya go:
Fred,
...[Personal yackety-yak deleted]....
There used to be several charities that solicited used postage stamps to sell but most of them have disappeared. Today I am only aware of a few philatelic organizations such as Stamps for the Wounded and us, the American Philatelic Society, who welcome donations of used stamps to help with programming (as opposed to selling). Stamps for the Wounded distribute stamps to rehabilitating veterans, we use them for programs in schools, scout merit badge programs, and for youth areas at stamp shows.
Ken Martin
Chief Operating Officer
American Philatelic Society
Visit us at www.stamps.org
Fred
Re: Unwanted stamps - charities want them
Thanks Fred, a little disappointing on the charity front. I've looked at the Oxfam US site - no mention of stamps there.
The UK has quite a few charities and many people can name more than a few. Can anyone think of any US charities for various disease research charities, children's charities, overseas aid...?
I think there is a stamp collecting for charity thing in Scandinavia (thought I read about it a handful of years ago).
Re: Unwanted stamps - charities want them
I found a direct link for Stamps for the Wounded: http://www.angelfire.com/va2/ayrhill/SFTW.htm (This is a US charity)
Re: Unwanted stamps - charities want them
This is all very helpful and I'm surprised we never knew about this before. I will be saving and sending my postage from now on.
Re: Unwanted stamps - charities want them
I shall do a thread for my forum too at some point! Might help some if they don't have to send the stamps internationally.
Re: Unwanted stamps - charities want them
Saving stamps for charity is so ingrained at Weevil Towers I honestly didn't think to promote it. Good job, Morgaine. :thumb:
Re: Unwanted stamps - charities want them
One of my Dutch penpals gives the stamps to her grandmother for the church to sell for funds. I suspect some other churches around the world would also accept stamps.
Re: Unwanted stamps - charities want them
Re: Unwanted stamps - charities want them
Update, I will send tomorrow a letter to a company selling kiloware to stamp collectors. Their website mentions buying from charities so I am asking them if they can provide a list of some of them. They did mention on their website about Guide Dogs for Blinds being "stamp collectors" in various countries (but I have yet to investigate which countries).
Re: Unwanted stamps - charities want them
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Morgaine
Update, I will send tomorrow a letter to a company selling kiloware to stamp collectors. Their website mentions buying from charities so I am asking them if they can provide a list of some of them. They did mention on their website about Guide Dogs for Blinds being "stamp collectors" in various countries (but I have yet to investigate which countries).
I haven't had a reply...
I'll have another search later for more charities worldwide.
Re: Unwanted stamps - charities want them
Found another good cause in the UK - Kicks Count (pregnancy charity - hoping to reduce stillbirth and neonatal deaths). They not only want stamps, but if you are able to get to one of their collection points in the UK, they'll accept plastics (bottles, packets, boxes) for recycling. https://www.kickscount.org.uk/blog/recycling
Re: Unwanted stamps - charities want them
Any idea what these charities get for cancelled postage? I can think of only a few modern era stamps that might be worth something cancelled and mailed to a collector. Unused postage in low value issues (1c to 25c) is sold in bulk at or below par by all the major stamp brokers.
Re: Unwanted stamps - charities want them
US postage has increased to such an extent that it has dissuaded me from paying the $8 to send the box of cancelled stamps to the charity that I had been sending routinely. It's only 60 miles away, but it might as well be 3,000.
Re: Unwanted stamps - charities want them
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Farmboy
Any idea what these charities get for cancelled postage? I can think of only a few modern era stamps that might be worth something cancelled and mailed to a collector. Unused postage in low value issues (1c to 25c) is sold in bulk at or below par by all the major stamp brokers.
No idea but is more than just pennies. For the stamp collector, they can buy kiloware (unsorted except perhaps by country/Christmas/ordinary/commemorative stamps still on paper of the envelope) from dealers (they get from the charities).
One stamp dealer is Nordfrim and they sell kiloware obtained from various charities.
Re: Unwanted stamps - charities want them
Quote:
Originally Posted by
FredRydr
US postage has increased to such an extent that it has dissuaded me from paying the $8 to send the box of cancelled stamps to the charity that I had been sending routinely. It's only 60 miles away, but it might as well be 3,000.
How often did you send? Perhaps they could organise someone to collect from you, or you take to them?
Re: Unwanted stamps - charities want them
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Morgaine
How often did you send? Perhaps they could organise someone to collect from you, or you take to them?
I used to send when accumulated weight reached 13oz/0.37kg, but even that weight has gone up to $6 first class mail. Over that weight must go Priority at higher rates, though flat rate boxes can be stuffed. I still cut and save stamps, and I probably have twice that weight in a box near my desk. I had been sending to the American Philatelic Society for their education program. (Perhaps if I was a stamp collector, there'd be more love.)
Re: Unwanted stamps - charities want them
Lions Club International has stamp clubs. Lions International Stamp Club, well, for Australia collects used stamps to sell on to dealers - money raised goes to provide walking aids for disabled children. Probably Lions Clubs elsewhere would also collect them.
Re: Unwanted stamps - charities want them
Some links broken :( more up-to-date version on my blog...