The Postage Stamp Of Authority

The stamp of authority

came across this curiosity in the Daily Record last month. The item mentions that Police together with the Royal Mail idea they had solved the employment of letters amongst bogus get-go shape stamp stamps afterwards a charge surfaced inwards the Midlands expanse - only around equally good turned upwards inwards Scottish Christmas mail. The imitation stamp stamps are like to normal gilt get-go shape stamps, solely duller inwards colour together with lacking a safety mark. Anyone who receives post bearing such a stamp volition live surcharged the stamp's value together with a treatment fee.

Below: a postman demands the postal surcharge from an innocent householder

thinks this is close unkind. It's non the recipients' mistake that they convey received letters bearing imitation stamps, then why brand them pay a surcharge for the privilege?

Merpel thinks it's solely fair that people should role imitation get-go shape stamp stamps when the Post Office has been offering a imitation get-go shape service for then many years.

Both kats wonder what arrangements the Post Office makes amongst regard to the copyright inwards its stamp stamps, peculiarly where it may live a licensee of pre-existing fine art works. Might the counterfeiters seem upwards infringement actions both from the Post Office together with from the originator of the stamp's design?

Postwatch here
Postal criminals here
How the play Postman's Knock here
The Postman Always Rings Twice here and here (once inwards 1946 together with i time again inwards 1981, if yous tin move await that long ...)