Biro Cancellations - Royal Mail Policy

[Peter Harvey]

Okay, sorry this is not a Forces Postal History question, or discussion point.

For those of you that would not have read the article by John Gray in Stamp and Coin Magazine, you can find it here https://www.collectors-club-of-great-britain.co.uk/stamps-coins/articles/gb-stamps/biro-cancellations-on-stamps--time-for-action

It appears that Royal Mail have a policy to cancel stamps by pen where they have missed cancellation in another way, so from a collectors view point destroying the stamp and any collecting interest there may be in retaining it. The article asks any collector that receives a 'biro cancelled' stamp to email the Chief Executive of Royal Mail, Moya Greene at moya.greene@royalmail.com

If you would like to support this campaign, please read the article. My own opinion is that Royal Mail need to deal with their technical issues and ensure all stamps are correctly cancelled. I have emailed several times, very nice replies and confirmation that this is RM policy. Please help stop this by complaining to Royal Mail if you receive any biro cancelled stamps through the post.

[Michael Dobbs]

I fully support the request - too many stamps spoilt by the biro cancellations.

mike

[Alan Baker]

Having received a similar item today, I wonder if this is a ploy to prevent recipients knowing how long the letter has taken to deliver, as no date stamp is now used

[Ross Debenham]

I think this is a problem everywhere. I received the attached for the USA last week, admittedly not defaced by biro but something worse I believe. If post offices world wide employed people to obliterate envelopes there would not be a problem