u.S. Postal Stamps

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Why are there lines across the stamp values on u.S. Postal Stamps? For example:

472504-01-main-838x537.jpg

587504-01-main-600x777.jpg

541404-01-main-600x600.jpg


Yes, the lines appear on the "real" stamps you buy. They didn't use to look like that:

Washington_1962_Issue-5c.jpg
 
Thanks but they're not precanceled - The stamps I showed are not for presorted first-class or standard mail (the standard for precanceled stamps).
 
Hmm, well sorry if that's not correct. My dad was a big stamp collector, I used to see them all the time. I have no idea what other reason would be used to draw lines through the denomination like that then.

You're right though the denomination is incorrect for those classes of service. I noted that what you posted don't appear to be actual photographs of stamps you saw, where did you see that?

The only other reason I could think of is that they are specimens (or images used for display) and are lined out to differentiate them from actual issues.
 
Images linked directly from usps.com and wikipedia.com's websites.

And yes, the actual, physical, newly purchased stamps also have the same lines through them.
 
Note that they are discussing whether those stamps are real or not.

That would be totally dumb. Issue a Forever stamp that is not Forever, and put a date on it that you would have to decode to get the denomination. How asinine. Just print the denomination then.

Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
Here is an explanation of why some "Forever" stamps are no longer "Forever" (crossed out):

http://stevecase.org/blog/index.php/the-myth-of-the-forever-stamp/

Not sure why the others in your post are crossed out.
 
I don't think that is correct. On the USPS page for the Farmers Market stamps (which show Forever lined out) they say "These Forever stamps will always be equal in value to the current First-Class Mail® one-ounce rate."

http://uspsstamps.com/stamps/farmers-markets

Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
Here is a possible explanation of why some "Forever" stamps are no longer "Forever" (crossed out):

http://stevecase.org/blog/index.php/the-myth-of-the-forever-stamp/

Not sure why the others in your post are crossed out.
 
Not that it couldn't or wouldn't happen of course.

I'm waiting to see pictures of actual stamps with the line, especially those Forever ones. Until then I am going with the display/specimen theory
wink.gif


Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
Yeah, that would have been really stupid.

I guess we are still waiting for the correct answer then.
 
More than likely it's illegal to copy and "print" a stamp verbatim so you have to mutiliate your scan. The line is aesthetically better than VOID.
 
Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
Here is a possible explanation of why some "Forever" stamps are no longer "Forever" (crossed out):

http://stevecase.org/blog/index.php/the-myth-of-the-forever-stamp/

Not sure why the others in your post are crossed out.


that blog post lost all credibility in the first sentence.
"Most people appreciated when the United States Postal Service started marketing the “priceless” Forever Stamp in 1997"
of you click on the Link in the words "Forever Stamp", it takes you to the USPS "Forever Stamp Fact Sheet", the First Line of which reads "The first Forever Stamp went on sale in April 2007 and it featured an image of the Liberty Bell. "

the blogger was only off by a decade...
 
Originally Posted By: eljefino
More than likely it's illegal to copy and "print" a stamp verbatim so you have to mutiliate your scan. The line is aesthetically better than VOID.

Well, it's illegal to copy and print a stamp regardless if the original has the word "Forever" crossed out or not. I still don't get it.
 
Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
Originally Posted By: eljefino
More than likely it's illegal to copy and "print" a stamp verbatim so you have to mutiliate your scan. The line is aesthetically better than VOID.

Well, it's illegal to copy and print a stamp regardless if the original has the word "Forever" crossed out or not. I still don't get it.


I think he meant its also illegal for them to put an actual stamp image on their webpage.
 
Originally Posted By: Rand
I think he meant its also illegal for them to put an actual stamp image on their webpage.

OK, but the OP said he has seen actual stamps sold at USPS facilities with that crossed out "Forever" word.
 
The OP made that claim, but notice that he has neither further commented on it nor produced pictures.

I call bull. I think it is just a specimen or image.

Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
Originally Posted By: Rand
I think he meant its also illegal for them to put an actual stamp image on their webpage.

OK, but the OP said he has seen actual stamps sold at USPS facilities with that crossed out "Forever" word.
 
On precancels, yes. Do you have pictures of Forever stamps or even those 70c ones?

Originally Posted By: cookiemonster
Images linked directly from usps.com and wikipedia.com's websites.

And yes, the actual, physical, newly purchased stamps also have the same lines through them.
 
Originally Posted By: cookiemonster
Images linked directly from usps.com and wikipedia.com's websites.

And yes, the actual, physical, newly purchased stamps also have the same lines through them.
Why didn't you post pics of the stamp you had in your hand?
 
Yup. OP needs to provide proof or else we're just spinning wheels here. And not just pic of a stamp he printed at home but an actual stamp he purchased from the post office.

By the way, here is another page I found that says only the internet images are crossed out, but not the actual stamps. See the comments below the text:

http://blog-stampofapproval.com/2012/02/...vailable-today/

Supposedly this was a USPS maintained blog site that later became http://uspsstamps.com/, but I don't really know the authenticity of it.
 
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