Can one exchange unused postage stamps for cash at a Post Office ?

leamphil · **Joined:** Tue Jan 22, 2008 7:00 pm **Posts:** 40

Can one exchange unused (& valid) postage stamps for cash at a Post Office ?

I'm guessing not, but when exactly was it stopped ?
If it hasn't stopped then where does it say how to do it ?

That was the purpost of perfinning stamps, to stop them being stolen and used as cash.

Winston W · **Posted:** Thu Aug 26, 2021 1:00 am

leamphil wrote:

Can one exchange unused (& valid) postage stamps for cash at a Post Office ?

I was under the impression no, although you could in Victorian times.

However back in 2008 https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/di ... sed-stamps a contributor wrote this:-

Quote:

You can resell them to the Post Office (not over the counter though - you'll have to mail them in) for a 15% fee. You will probably need the original receipt.

I assume the contributor was British rather than American and also don't know if what the contributor wrote was correct back in 2008 or still applies today.

leamphil · **Joined:** Tue Jan 22, 2008 7:00 pm **Posts:** 40

Thanks - I do not believe you can exchange stamps today - this may be a result of the split of Royal Mail from the Post Office on 1st April 2012 ?

leamphil · **Joined:** Tue Jan 22, 2008 7:00 pm **Posts:** 40

I've asked Royal Mail and the Post Office if the facility to buy back unused postage stamps still exists today, and, after a period where they each said "not us, ask the other", I eventually got a clear "No we don't, the stamp buy back service was halted many years ago" from RM. Unfortunately they don't know when they formally stopped.

My guess is April 2012 when RM and the PO split.

PO Guides in 1977 and 1985 still had the facility. Posts on moneysavingexpert in 2009 indicated that the P674 form was still available (printed 1992) with the stamps to be sent to the Philatelic Bureau.

Winston W · **Posted:** Wed Sep 08, 2021 3:58 pm

Thanks for that info. I hadn't realised there was any sort of buy back scheme into the 21st century, even if that was at a 15% discount.

mike.mood@talktalk.net · **Joined:** Fri Apr 10, 2020 10:05 pm **Posts:** 23

The attached press release shows that the Post Office was still buying back pre-decimal stamps until 1985!

"... continued to provide the service" one's bottom!!! "... forgotten to discontinue the service" more like

Can one exchange unused postage stamps for cash at a Post Office ?

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