Over the past six months, significant developments have occurred in the realm of ‘Post and Go’ stamps, particularly within the United Kingdom. These self-service postage labels, introduced to streamline mailing processes, have seen notable changes and announcements affecting collectors and postal enthusiasts alike.

Royal Mail’s Decision to Cease ‘Post and Go’ Operations

In September 2023, Royal Mail announced the termination of its ‘Post and Go’ services by the end of the year. This decision followed a comprehensive review, citing factors such as the absence of new issues in recent years and the impending need to update designs due to the change in monarchy. Consequently, all remaining ‘Post and Go’ kiosks were scheduled to be decommissioned by December 31, 2023. (Norphil Blog)

Impact on The Postal Museum’s Offerings

The Postal Museum, a prominent institution housing ‘Post and Go’ machines, responded to Royal Mail’s announcement by releasing its final set of overprinted stamps. These stamps, available until December 31, 2023, featured unique designs commemorating various themes. The museum also offered limited-edition First Day Covers and Presentation Packs, marking the end of an era for their ‘Post and Go’ offerings. (Postal Museum)

Continuation of ‘Post and Go’ Services in Crown Dependencies

While Royal Mail concluded its ‘Post and Go’ services, postal administrations in the Crown Dependencies—Jersey and Guernsey—confirmed their commitment to continue offering these stamps. Both Jersey Post and Guernsey Post announced plans to maintain their ‘Post and Go’ machines and release new issues in 2024, ensuring that collectors and customers can still access these unique postage labels. (Norphil Blog)

Collecting Opportunities and Market Trends

The cessation of Royal Mail’s ‘Post and Go’ services has sparked increased interest among philatelists. Collectors are keen to acquire remaining stocks and limited editions before they become unavailable. Online marketplaces, such as eBay, have seen a surge in listings for ‘Post and Go’ stamps, reflecting their growing desirability and potential as valuable collectibles. (eBay)

Conclusion

The past six months have been transformative for ‘Post and Go’ stamps, with Royal Mail’s decision to end the service marking a significant shift. However, the continued commitment from Jersey and Guernsey Posts offers a silver lining for enthusiasts. As the landscape evolves, collectors have a unique opportunity to preserve a piece of postal history, underscoring the enduring appeal of ‘Post and Go’ stamps in the philatelic community.

One of the most common questions sent to us is from readers trying to confirm the current ‘worth’ or face value of obsolete (or even current) Post and Go ‘Non Value’ or NVI stamps where used for postage. There doesn’t appear to be any official reference for this information but there has been previous confirmation of the principles used by Royal Mail’s revenue protection, which allows us to produce the following, updated and indeed simplified by the tariff change of 1st September 2020.

The rule applied is that any NVI stamp that indicates a weight step that no longer exists should be rounded up to the next weight and take on the value of that weight step. Where a zone is not indicated then all zones are covered and the stamp takes the value of the most expensive zone in that weight step.

Where these stamps are being used for pre-payment at a Post Office counter posters should consider that NVIs stamp were originally supplied for use for a particular purpose – e.g. specific inland or international mail letter rates and although techncially they are valid for use for other services, such use is exceptional and may result in refusal or re-direction to direct Royal Mail channels.

Royal Mail’s prices change annually – usually on the Monday nearest to the 1st April (The beginning of Royal Mail’s new financial year). This year the changes are introduced on Monday 27th March 2017.

Royal Mail ‘headline’ rate change is 1p on 1st Class and 2nd Class to 56p and 65p respectively but, dig a bit deeper and significant rises – in international – especially European letter rates that impact Post and Go stamp collectors, can be found.

The ‘1st Class Reel’ NVI values to change are that of the ‘1st Class’ (from 64p to 65p) , ‘1st Class Large’ (from 96p to 98p) and ‘World 10g/Euro 20g’ value (from £1.05 to £1.17), ‘Euro 100g’ (from 152p to 157p), ‘World 20g’ (from 133p to 140p) and finally ‘World 100g’ from 225p to 227p resulting in a 29p increase (3.6%) in the cost of a collectors strip from £7.75 to £8.04 (Ouch).

For ‘2nd Class Reel’ rates they change from ‘2nd Class’ (from 55p to 56p) and ‘2nd Class Large’ (from 75p to 76p) changing the cost of the strip from 130p to 132p.

Royal Mails prices can be found here: Royal Mail Tariff 2017

Royal Mail’s prices change annually – usually on the Monday nearest to the 1st April (The beginning of Royal Mail’s new financial year). This year Easter Monday puts a (chocolate flavoured? ) spanner in the works and so prices change on Tuesday 29th March.

Essentially this tariff has very little in the way of the surprises of recent years – but one that could be missed is the difference – for the first time- for postage purchased online verses the price for good old stamps or postage labels applied at a Post Office. For the first time Royal Mail are disincentivising the use of stamps over postage bought online. Granted there has been a difference in pricing for some years for postage applied via a franking machine, but the prices were not really comparable since the necessary equipment had to be purchased/leased and maintained, so only for high volume users did the savings really make any sense.

Royal Mails prices can be found here: Royal Mail Tariff 2016

In summary: Online postage prices have been frozen and the stamped postage generally increased by a few pence. Many prices have not changed including those for International letters between 20g-100g.

Where does this leave Post and Go collectors? The NVI values to change are that of the ‘1st Class’ (from 63p to 64p) , ‘1st Class Large’ (from 95p to 96p) and ‘World 10g/Euro 20g’ value (from £1 to £1.05), resulting in a 7p increase in the cost of a collectors strip from £7.68 to £7.75.

The BPMA – 80th Anniversary of Inland Airmail -1st Class on 2nd Class Reel ERROR

New Error

As part of this and subsequent software modifications a further ‘incorrect’ setting arose – known as a ‘Carousel error’- where incorrect stamps are added to the ‘Carousel’ that customers select to purchase their stamps. In this case those stamps that are added to the 2nd Class carousel in error (the 1st Class Letter and 1st Class Large Letter Stamps) meant that they were incorrectly dispensed from the 2nd Class reel – but all other purchases were unaffected. This meant that many collectors had visited the BMPA machine, purchased their Collectors Strips (which would have been printed normally) not noticing this error for the many days it had existed. It is known that a dealer from Germany and one from the Netherlands who purchased single stamps had not noticed the error until later as all of their collectors strips had been printed in the correct way on the correct reels . As this is not a ‘reel’ swap then only 1st class and 1st Class Large values exist printed in this way and ‘collectors Pairs’ of differing values cannot exist (as they would have been printed normally). So far only single stamps have appeared on Ebay although multiples of the same value could exist as well . http://www.ebay.co.uk/usr/postagelabelsuk/

Countdown to Autumn Stampex 2014

At Autumn Stampex 2014, Royal Mail will issue a special “Poppy” Post and Go stamp with a commemorative overprint “First World War Centenary” . The single image ‘Poppies on a reel’ will be also be available from NCR and Wincor units (A ‘first day’ of 21st October has been quoted in the Philatelic Bulletin, but this is unlikely to be enforced as branches will update their machines once stocks are available).

A mock up of the stamps is shown, and this is subject to change.

The stamps are available via pre-order here

Building on the success of the existing static location at BPMA, Royal Mail are installing the A002 kiosk as a static kiosk at the Royal Navy Museum in Portsmouth.  The Royal Naval Museum, in Portsmouth’s Historic Dockyard, is one of Britain’s oldest maritime museums. The Museum’s aim is to preserve and present the history of the ‘Fleet’ – the ships and the men and women who manned them.

Initially Union Flag and Machin stamps will be installed but thoughts must be as to why this location has been chosen and the potential for a ‘Ship’ or other Naval related  theme for the Post and Go 2015 issues. The first day will be 28th July 2014.

Acknowledgement:  http://iarroyalmailpostandgo.com/latestnews/

Royal Mail Series B

Appearing from the outside as taller with a slicker, more streamlined appearance, inside a faster PC able to process orders and print stamp quicker with an improved screen combined with software with a simpler interface and capability to connect to smart phones apps promises a powerful package ready for the road in the UK and worldwide.

The first appearance of the “series B” machines will be Spring Stampex where three new Royal Mail series B machines will be showcased.
These machines will be designated ‘A003’, ‘A004’, ‘A005’ (‘A’ Indicating Self-Service) and will have updated print string as follows:-

B2GB14 A001-0000-001

The first character ‘B’ indicates a ‘Series ‘B’ machine , followed by Month, print location and Year designations.

The print counter has additional characters allowing for 999 prints in a single session and a reduced number of characters in the session number before the counter resets to zero.