Royal Mail introducing bar-coded stamps

[servodude]

It's a code comprising a grid of squares not a line of bars, therefore not a bar code. QED.

It may not have bars, but it's a 2D barcode. Or a matrix code.

Scott.

Squares are just bars that are as fat as they are tall

[Lanark]

They're simply trying to stop unfranked stamps being steamed off and reused.

Yes you can thank Ebay for this one
Stamps unfranked off paper no gum - GB UK 100% positive Feedback
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/325016574836

GB Off Paper. No Gum, No Postmark = FRAUD.
https://stampboards.com/viewtopic.php?t=41052

[Mike4]

It's a code comprising a grid of squares not a line of bars, therefore not a bar code. QED.

It may not have bars, but it's a 2D barcode. Or a matrix code.

Scott.

Squares are just bars that are as fat as they are tall

Oi you, BEHAVE!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barcode

[swill453]

Oi you, BEHAVE!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barcode

From that page:

Later, two-dimensional (2D) variants were developed, using rectangles, dots, hexagons and other patterns, called matrix codes or 2D barcodes, although they do not use bars as such.

Scott.

[raybarrow]

Hi Folks,
Thought I'd try to exchange my stamps for Barcoded ones. Downloaded the form to find that 'Pictorial' stamps don't need to swapped out and will still be valid after the deadline. They are Christmas stamps with what look like angels on - 2020/2021? I'm not sure.
Can't see why there should be a difference unless there is some advertising contract going on.

We use so few stamps these days they might not get used by Christmas 2022.

Any ideas why they are exempt? I presume they will all be destroyed anyway.
Ray.

[Dod101]

Hi Folks,
Thought I'd try to exchange my stamps for Barcoded ones. Downloaded the form to find that 'Pictorial' stamps don't need to swapped out and will still be valid after the deadline. They are Christmas stamps with what look like angels on - 2020/2021? I'm not sure.
Can't see why there should be a difference unless there is some advertising contract going on.

We use so few stamps these days they might not get used by Christmas 2022.

Any ideas why they are exempt? I presume they will all be destroyed anyway.
Ray.

I cannot answer your question but I think I will comfortably use up my modest supply over next Christmas if not before. The deadline is 31 January 2023 presumably to allow for this.

Dod

[richlist]

I sent my stamps off to be exchanged for barcoded ones.
The new ones arrived this morning.....it took 6 days .......and I got 5 more stamps than I sent them. Given the price of stamps it's a worthwhile bonus.

[JohnB]

Christmas stamps remain valid, other picture ones cannot be swapped and need to be disposed of

[chas49]

Christmas stamps remain valid, other picture ones cannot be swapped and need to be disposed of

That's not quite right - the RM website says:

What stamps shouldn’t I send in for swap out?

Special Issue stamps that are produced as one offs to commemorate an event as we are not adding barcodes to these types of stamps so non-barcoded versions remain valid for postage after 31 January 2023.

Christmas Stamps: although we are adding barcodes to Christmas Stamps — non-barcoded Christmas Stamps will remain valid as postage after 31 January 2023 — so there is no need to swap them out.

Any stamps which are pre-decimalisation are not eligible for swap out — as they don't have a postage value.

[pje16]

pre-decimalisation - Feb 1971
Who still has stamps from then, only collectors who wouldn't be trying to use them

[Gersemi]

What stamps shouldn’t I send in for swap out?

Special Issue stamps that are produced as one offs to commemorate an event as we are not adding barcodes to these types of stamps so non-barcoded versions remain valid for postage after 31 January 2023.

Thats good news, I still have an Olympic first class stamp from 2012. I don't use many of those!

[stevensfo]

What stamps shouldn’t I send in for swap out?

Special Issue stamps that are produced as one offs to commemorate an event as we are not adding barcodes to these types of stamps so non-barcoded versions remain valid for postage after 31 January 2023.

Thats good news, I still have an Olympic first class stamp from 2012. I don't use many of those!

Just out of interest, are there any stamp collectors these days under the age of 60?

I remember as a teenager, reading that mint stamps were worth a lot more. One day I bought half a sheet of yellow mint stamps with my pocket money. Probably c.1974. Years later of course, I learned that other stamp collectors had done the same and the stamps were worth only their face value.

Same as first-day covers. Remember those? Why, oh why, were we hoodwinked into that scheme?

Steve

In a hundred years, they'll be saying the same thing about bitcoin etc.