How times have changed !

Back in the year dot, they cancelled Stamps with anything they could lay their mitts on, some years on they invented hand stamps, then they became really modern using machines.

I received a letter 2 days ago with an envelope that, as usual looked to have scribble on one stamp out of 6! I thought no more about it, however the irritation got the better of me as I had many funny thoughts going through my head.

So I looked hard at it and it looked like only the currency figure had been cancelled out in scribble, out came the magnifying glass! Well blow me down, this poor envelope had put on the brakes and skidded through the fast paced high tech machine, allowing all those underneath to go through UNCANCELLED!!!! The cancel was so faint it was barely readable but on this one Stamp it looked like scribble!

Now you have to admit that is something else when hi tech machines make works of art out of errors!!!

Unfortunately the Camera lies but the eye only sees on the middle top row, a mark over the 11.5p Stamp. However the faint cancel is now clearly seen.

I think the machine saw the Policeman's gesture and had a WOW moment?!!

It does become obvious the cancel did not skid but whatever it did do on the poor middle Stamp looked really like Scribble!

And you may think the bottom 3 escaped the cancel, not so, if you look hard you can see the orange aligning mark of the machine, usually clearly seen on white envelopes?

HOW TIMES HAVE CHANGED

Edited By Julian on 20/02/2021 14:27:47

Irrespective of the cancellations Julian, you're last statement "HOW TIMES HAVE CHANGED" is very relevant with today's stamp issuing authority. Fred.

I agree Fred, I don't think RM ever got over the running down and non funding on machines which were decrepit and worn out and getting up to date machines, buy Government in their long standing battle of wanting it sold off along with the demand for better wages from workers. I would assume its changed a bit now as we see some modern signs of cancelling at least. I have been getting some good Stamps through the door recently!