Archive for the 'Clerk Printed Labels' Category

Latest Horizon Labels appear in operational Post Offices

Horizon Postage Label

Following on from their introduction at Europhilex 2015, the latest design of Horizon Postage Label has now been seen in day to day use in operational (not event) Post Offices.

The example shown is from Moorgate Post Office a few days prior to relocation of that office.

Europhilex launch for updated ‘precanceled’ Horizon Labels

At Europhilex 2015, as is usual with International Exhibitions in London, as well as the usual Royal Mail ‘Philatelic’ offering, an operational Post Office was established on the gallery.

As part of this and similar to London 2010 where the now widespread  ‘Gold’ Horizon had its ‘First Day’ , Post Office Ltd introduced the latest updated design of Postage Label, with reduced size Queens Head (to allow for more information to be printed) and change to a colour more reminiscent of ‘2000’ Machin stamps.

The first day of use (and therefore introduction of the base label) was 13th May 2015. This is believed to be followed by a limited use in selected branches in the following weeks.

As can be seen, as well as the change of colour, the design features a reduced size Queens Head (Previously announced by Royal Mail at the BPMA Friends Open Day at Debden a year ago on 17th May 2014) and a ‘precancel’ to serve as a reminder that items bearing labels cannot be reused, even though they are not routinely postmarked or cancelled.

The increased ‘white space’ is understood to be made available for a future change in the overprint itself.

Another tariff day, another dollar

New NVI and OV stamps plus a Horizon label 

Monday 30th March 2015 – ‘Tariff Day’ ,  the day that Royal Mail change their prices.  Some up and some down -including some significant drops in the Medium Parcel rates and penny or increases so most other rates.

One of the main changes to interest to collectors is related to the introduction of a new international ‘Large Letter’ size and related increases to the international weight bands for Letters.

But what does this mean to collectors of Postagelabels and Post and Go Stamps  ?

With the demise of the Wincor-Nixdorf Post and Go we are left with the NCR units in the Post Office network plus the IAR units in Royal Mail operational and fixed ‘Philatelic’ locations.

NCR and IAR NVI Stamps

These have been updated to include the two new “100g Letter’ stamps for the new weight bands (replacing the previous 60g step). The collectors set has been updated accordingly.

 

NCR OV Stamps 

To reflect the introduction of the new International Large Letter size, new Large Letter text has been added to create new OV stamps as applicable.

These appear with a ‘LgLetter’ description and are available in the A, IS, IT and ITS versions.

Our catalogue has been updated accordingly. Please ask for a copy.

Horizon Labels 

One Horizon label has been updated. For details of this change watch this space.

2nd April Label Horizon Label Changes

On 2nd April 2013 a new system of “Size Based Pricing” was introduced by Royal Mail. This resulted in the introduction of two new sizes and so new Horizon indicators  – ‘Small Parcel” (1SP 2SP)  and “Medium Parcel”  (1MP 2MP) were introduced which replaced the ‘Packet’ Size (Both of which are available as either 1st or 2nd Class). In addition the ‘Standard Parcel” (SP)  service was withdrawn.

As the size based proces also applies to British Forces numbered destinations via the BFPO corresponding indicators of BSP and BMP were also introduced.

 

‘D’ day at Camden Pop Up shop ..Advent produces a new Date Identifier for December

 

As we enter Advent the Hytech machines at Camden Pop-Up shop have a updated ‘Date identifier’ – with the Text String ‘rolling over’ to ‘ADGB12’ on the 1st of December.

See post below for detail of the Hytech ‘Next generation’ Text String. Originally the Text String was ANGB12 and now is ADGB12. This means the MA12 Hytech Christmas Robins with a ANGB12 identifier are now obsolete.

The first ADGB12 Session number for A3 was 226 and A4 was 225.

Horizon Label Accounting Codes-The Definitive Guide

On Monday 29th September 2011,  two new ‘accounting codes’ were added to the existing printed overprint applied at the time of posting to the Horizon label.

These codes are solely for the easy identification of the VAT rate/ product combination for each label, where a subsequent refund has to be made, ensuring any VAT is accounted for correctly.

There are 33 different “Royal Mail” codes and 4 different ‘Parcelforce’ codes- the table below shows the different codes that apply to each Label Identifier.

The ‘RM/PF ‘ Code maps to the Indicia- The ‘PPUK ‘Code maps to the VAT Rate.

Label Identifier

VAT Rate

Royal Mail Code

PP

UK Code

No.

1st

Exempt Rated VAT

a

4

1

1st

Zero Rated VAT

a

5

2

1L

Exempt Rated VAT

b

4

3

1L

Zero Rated VAT

b

5

4

1LL

Exempt Rated VAT

c

4

5

1LL

Zero Rated VAT

c

5

6

1PK

Exempt Rated VAT

d

4

7

1PK

Zero Rated VAT

d

5

8

2L

Exempt Rated VAT

e

4

9

2L

Zero Rated VAT

e

5

10

2LL

Exempt Rated VAT

f

4

11

2LL

Zero Rated VAT

f

5

12

2PK

Exempt Rated VAT

g

4

13

2PK

Zero Rated VAT

g

5

14

A

Exempt Rated VAT

h

4

15

A

Zero Rated VAT

h

5

16

AX

Zero Rated VAT

r

5

17

AX

Standard Rate VAT

r

6

18

RSF

Exempt Rated VAT

i

4

19

BL

Exempt Rated VAT

m

4

20

BLL

Exempt Rated VAT

n

4

21

BPK

Exempt Rated VAT

p

4

22

FF

Exempt Rated VAT

t

4

23

SU

Exempt Rated VAT

x

4

24

SU

Zero Rated VAT

x

5

25

SD

Exempt Rated VAT

y

4

26

SD

Zero Rated VAT

y

5

27

SD

Standard Rate VAT

y

6

28

SP

Exempt Rated VAT

z

4

29

SP

Standard Rate VAT

z

6

30

FP

Zero Rated VAT

o

5

31

FP

Exempt Rated VAT

o

4

32

FP

Standard Rate VAT

o

6

33

Label Identifier

VAT Rate

Parcelforce Code

PP

UK Code

BF

Exempt Rated VAT

5

7

34

PE

Zero Rated VAT

6

8

35

PS

Zero Rated VAT

7

8

36

PS

Standard Rate VAT

7

9

37

How do I work out what VAT is applicable to my item?

The applicable VAT rate for a particular postal item is determined by its destination.

For items being sent inland or within the EU then most items are ‘Exempt’ –

However, some Premium services are Standard Rate -e.g.-Special Delivery Next Day where

any ‘Add-ons’ are applied (Such as Saturday Guarantee) plus Airsure and Parcelforce “Express” services.

Outside of the EU then items are ‘Zero’ rated (including the Channel Islands).

Example codes:-

Special Delivery’ – Next Day would be ‘y4’,

Next Day with Sat G’tee is ‘y6’ and

SD to Channel Islands is ‘y5’

Please do not copy this information without attributing the source – Copyright Postagelabelsuk.com 2011

 

New ‘accounting codes’ added to Horizon Postage Labels.

A change to the Horizon postage labels has taken place today, which has resulted in some additional codes being added to the overprint, to be used for Post Office internal accounting purposes for example it will be possible to identify which product a ‘SD’ label refers to – SD by 9, SD next day, SD to Channels Islands etc, as each different type will have a specific code added.

The two additional characters have been added at the end of the ‘Postage PaidUK’ and ‘Royal Mail’ or ‘Parcelforce’ lines.  An image will added as soon as possible.

New ‘RSF’ Gold Horizon Machin Label -MOR and RPR Retired

In a widely expected change and to simplify  the transaction,  on Monday 18th April the Gold Machin Label identifiers ‘MOR’ and ‘RPR’ were discontinued. A new identifier ‘RSF’ was introduced for circumstances where a ‘Home Shopping Return’ requires a ‘Recorded Signed For’ add-on. This means that a max value of 77p is possible.

For a full and updated list of current and past Horizon label identifiers see :-

http://postagelabelsuk.com/?page_id=711

Hytech Postalvision Stampex Machin ‘Post and Go Stamps’ First Day Cover

We have now received the First Day Covers back from the handstamping centre from last weeks Stampex trial of Hytechs Postalvision equipment, which produces slightly different versions of the Machin Post and Go Stamp (detailed below) . These are available for purchase  in our ATM shop as well as via  Ebay.

Hytech Postal Vision Trial in full swing at Spring Stampex

The Trial of Hytech “Postalvision” Post and Go kiosks is currently in full swing at the Spring Stampex in London. On the first and second days the two machines did brisk business with collectors keen to obtain examples of the unique Machin strips that were available.

The Hytech machines use the familar Machin head Post and Go stamps, vending the ‘collectors strip’ of 5 values similar to the Wincor-Nixdorf  kiosks but the machine IDs are two digit (instead of  single digit  ) –

machines 21 and 22 are in use.

   The session id is six digit (Instead of five). The ‘Branch Code’ is set to the year as is usual in an exibition setting of 002011.

Examples are available for sale via our Ebay shop or using our ATM shop.