Darwin Royal mail M/S February 2009

Hello, staying with GB, but something issued February 12th this year. A rather nice M/S - the Darwin issue. Not content to issue 6 stamps for the commemorative issue Royal Mail have to issue a M/S with 4 additional stamps. Even though, it is a very nice one in my view.

I collect M/S. Well I did. Until I realised that Royal Mail were issuing them more and more just because I collect them.. ha ha.. only joking.. well actually not quite. I have cancelled my M/S order. It is getting too farcial, their stamp issuing policy. I will wait 5 years and pick everything up at an auction somewhere for half the face value. I mean seriously...... how many of these will you ever see postally used? None because even mine are not franked.

Anyway, a dear friend sent this to me...... how kind..... thinking it would be nice to have a postally used copy. Well this is postally used but only if I keep it on the envelope that shows it went through the mail - see red lines...

I wrote last night about Royal Mail not franking stamps, and introducing non soluble gums to stop people reusing the stamps. How can they miss franking something as large as this M/S? Do you want to know my view. They don't care. They really don't. It is all revenue from stamp collectors if you ask me. This example is a classic case. Ignorant a view as that may be..... it certainly doesn't seem any other way. And I end up with a lovely M/S not really postally franked.

I've resurrected my Fiji collection. Time to go and enjoy those. Did I tell you it was my birthday next week :-) no need to send me GB commemoratives. Fiji pre 1969 will be just fine.. used of course :-) Any duplicates you have :-) I'll trade. Just email me at cddstamps@gmail.com

Enjoy your stamps .......... Michael