Used stamps exchanges.

May I ask what main rules of the club were offended - less than 100 stamps, many damaged stamps, many duplicates? Why is only 1?

Maybe postage costs were higher and receiver had to pay for it?

I am also very interested in this rating. Why only 1? It cannot be the cover???

Why 1 star?????

1st notice... than 2nd notice.... return.... $3.00

Is it because of the insufficient postage? ( 28c + 1c + 1 ounce )

The postage rate within the United States for a once ounce or less first class letter is 49 cents. If you have any of the USPS Forever stamps, it will take only one stamp to send the less than one ounce letter.

Interesting cover. Rate in USA is $0.50, so sender used a 0.28+0.21+0.01 stamps. Most people in the USA have lower denomination stamps that are still valid for postage.

this envelope is worth $ 3,
that is a 5* pack even before it is opened. :)

this is ugly stamped, so about 1 :-)

I had to pay $3 to receive these stamps... 6 times the normal postage rate. Plus my personal time to get to the post office. 1 STAR!

pheromat, why you had to pay $3? Is it a fine (penalty) for the "additional ounce" stamp instead of usual post stamp?

I just checked the USPS website. To mail a letter between those two zip codes for $3.50, that letter had to weight 13 ounces. I doubt that letter weighted that much. A letter with 100 stamps is only 1 ounce. Think the Postal Service got this one wrong. If the letter only had 100 stamps in it, then the sender shouldnt get 1 star, its not his fault that the USPS screwed up.

Kris, this letter weighs less than one ounce. It must be stamped of 50 cents.
The question is whether it is possible to pay the ordinary letters with an "additional ounce" stamp.

Natalie, yes you can, have done it myself several times. The stamp has a value of .21 cents. Not sure why the receiver had to pay an additional $3. Doesnt make sense.

So it's strange... That's why I should like to know from pheromat the reason of this additional payment of $3.
An interesting philatelic thing by itself.

It may have been because of the thickness. Most of the stamps were on one side of the envelope. I'll try to add another picture.

Jim, OK. You paid $3, but you don’t know exactly why. Therefore, you have decided that it's the sender's mistake...

I said the letter it self is worth 3 $ and 5 stars, because it has the fine Cancellation and therefor it has more history than a normal envelope. now "pheromat should print out this link and then the value of the envelope will only rise. the stamps on the letter do not matter anymore, it is the story.

Hey y'all...this is the sender. I have no idea why it would cost him $3 to receive it, truly. I have a postage scale right by my desk and weigh every outgoing swap. Might have been thickness...but that should have only been a nominal amount. Somewhere, someone in the postal service decided it qualified as a 'package',I guess, but I don't know why. I've offered $3 in mint stamps to cover the postage. I'll look into it. I've been doing this for awhile and haven't had this happen before.

I hadn't been on the site to check messages in a while or I would have replied earlier. Hopefully no harm, no foul after the $$$ is covered and he'll re-rate. If not, I'll chalk it up as a learning experience I guess.

pinkpolarbear, originally there was shown an envelope on the photo - http://imglink.ru/pictures/30-10-18/af4febdefb74e16925969c617e5fab23.jpg
Now the picture is the second photo, showing the thickness of the envelope. pheromat thinks that perhaps the thickness was exceeded, and therefore the postal servants thought that this envelope was not an ordinary letter (up to 1/4 inch). But it's his assumption only. I think otherwise. It seems to me, the reason was the appointment of these stamps for extra (additional !) weight. On the USPS site is written - The words "ADDITIONAL OUNCE" on this stamp indicate its usage value. ( http://about.usps.com/postal-bulletin/2015/pb22416/html/info_007.htm ) And in this case, postal servants have decided to be principled. But this is not always the case.
In Russia when you pay for something the payment check should always indicate the purpose and the reason of the payment . As it is in the United States - I don't know.
pheromat spent his time visiting Postal Office, paid the money, but not even asked the postal servants why. Because of that he got angry at you.
Personally, I would never did this.
Would you so pleased to ask the USPS customer service about the legal usage of the "ADDITIONAL OUNCE" stamps for similar cases?

Thanks Natalia. I use additional ounce stamps all the time to make up total postage needed for all kinds of swaps...I swap a LOT of things, not just stamps, which is why this is so baffling to me!

The additional ounce stamps are a value of 71 cents, if they are current issues. I used lower denominations to cover the required 50 cents for First Class because, well, we are stamp collectors! I almost always try to use interesting stamps and addt'l lower denominational stamps to make my envelopes interesting and colorful!

He did mention the thickness and that could be the issue if all the stamps shifted to one side of the glassine envelope. If the thickness is over a certain fraction of an inch or if the thickness is not evenly distributed within a certain fraction of an inch, it does jump up to a package price. I even usually tack a dab of paper glue to the glassine envelopes to keep them from sliding around so it doesn't happen, but I guess it did.

I ran out of the larger glassine envelopes I usually use for 100 stamps so I suppose over stuffing a smaller one could have been the cause.

Am mailing out over $3 in US mint stamps to cover the financial loss. The extras are just by way of an apology. I wish I could do something about the time he spent in line at the post office...

Am hoping he will re-rate based on the stamps themselves. I'll chalk this up to a 'live and learn' experience and hope my reputation as a good stamp swapper doesn't suffer too terribly much!

pinkpolarbear, I have no doubt about your fairness in this club.
But I would like to know the official reply from USPS service about this fine of $3, because all our assumptions are only our assumptions, nothing more. I was trying to ask this question on the USPS official site (usps.com) but it's possible for residents in the United States only... So I can't hear anything from there, but you can :) It would be very interesting for all of us, I think.

I did send more than $3 in mint US stamps, recent issues, He apparently has chosen not to re-rate. They should have been received.. mm, a couple of weeks ago. And I made sure the contents were flat, flat, flat, lol.

When at all in doubt, I've started measuring thickness of the envelope!

My local mail carrier and post office couldn't answer the question as to 'why' someone decided it needed $3 additional postage. They know I'm careful about attaching correct postage so they too were surprised. Without having the actual envelope as it was sent, contents included, there's no way to know. All we know is someone decided it was a package.

Thanks for all the input and suggestions everyone.

Time to put this matter to rest I think.


Stamps in the US are valid until used, regardless of age. And that would have been just 50 cents (half a dollar) not $3. And as long as the denominations add up to adequate postage, there's no problem using various denominations, even if they say 'additional once' or 'two ounce' or 'non-machinable'.