The Meter Stamp Society, an APS affiliate, is dedicated
to the collection of postage meter stamps, topical slogans on postage
meter stamps, computer postage (CVP), framas, photostamps and similar
items. The Society sponsors a meeting at national philatelic shows
about every 18 months. The last meeting was at StampShow
2011. The next meeting is Stampshow 2013 in Milwaukee August 8-11, 2013.
Check out the Meter Stamp Society on
News Items
USPS
Starts First Class Mail Tracking Test
The USPS
Started a trial, apparently only in the Washington, DC area, to
sell packest of five sheets, each containing five barcode
stickers. With these barcodes the First Class Mail item can be
tracked on USPS.COM.
From 1981 to 2005 editors Clay Rubic and then
Ross Irwin, provided detailed news of postage meter activities
in Canada as a Study Group affiliated with the Postal History
Society of Canada (www.postalhistorycanada.net).
Since that time Professor Irwin has provided Canadian news for
the Meter Stamp Society Bulletin. The entire collection of
newsletters, a complete Article Index and the original CMSG
Catalog, are now available at both websites in searchable PDF
format. This collection provides extensive information about the
development of postage meter usage in Canada and included
inventory lists of known meter numbers for the early postage
meter types. Located in our Library
and at the
Postal History Society of Canada site.
CVP, Custom Postage and
Postage Meter Catalogs
Computer
Vended Postage
USA: Postwertzeichen mit variablem Wertaufdruck (1989-2010)
Karim Roder
CVP postage (aka
PC Postage) of the USA covered in this catalog is printed (at
least partially) at a PC or a vending machine.
US Custom
Postage generally contains an image provided by the user or an
image that the vendor wants to market. The stamp sheets are
printed by the vendor and mailed to the user. These stamps are
used very much like normal stamps. In the US all of these stamps
have some form of IBI (intelligent barcode indicia) barcode.
Traditional postage meter
stamps that are generally dated and used on that date are listed
in this catalog. This catalog covers all countries of the world
that ever used postage meters. This is a work in progress.
About 45 countries around the
world provide some form of Personal (Custom) Postage stamps. Our attempt
to provide a complete list, with website addresses of the postal
services, is on our Personal
Postage page.
We would like to fill
out some detail on as many counties as possible. If you have
scans of the stamps and instructions for obtaining them, please
contact us at:
admin(at)meterstampsociety.com.
2011 New Membership Dues
New Membership Rates!
Worldwide Web Delivery Only
$10 one year
US
First Class Mail Delivery*
$24 one year
$48 two years
International First Class Mail*
$44 one year
$85 two years
*First Class Mail for US and
International delivery will also include web delivery if you
request it. The web
delivery issue is in
COLOR.
To Join the MSS
please click the "Join Us" button" above, download the form.
Sent it with payment in US Dollars by Postal or Bank Money Order
or a Check drawn on a US Bank to our
Secretary Treasurer.
The
MSS Membership year runs from January 1 to December 31. If you
join in mid-year we will send you the issues you missed this
year. Your membership will be due again next January 1st.
Meter Stamps Society
Quarterly Bulletin
The Bulletin is the international news source for
collectors of a wide range of postage stamps known a 'meters'.
This includes prints from the traditional postage meter as well
as more modern additions of Computer Vended Postage and
Personal Postage. The Bulletin is published quarterly. All
member may download the issues from our Yahoogroups members only
website. Membership can also include a copy mailed to your door.
Indexes to the Meter Stamp Society Quarterly Bulletin are
available on the Index page. These
go back to the start in 1948.
In addition all issues of the Bulletin from 1948 to present are
available on CD in searchable PDF format. See our
Library.
Curious about our Quarterly Bulletin? Download a sample issue Autumn
2008 Vol 60 No 3:
Catalogue of Oval Postage Meters
Now available the
Catalogue of Oval Postage Meter Indicia of Postage Meter
Manufacturers in the United States. This is a
compilation of all known meter numbers and the corporate users
for the Type B and C postage meters, along with the Flying Eagle
and some of the Type D meters. See the
Library.
Meter
Migration?
All postage meters in the US were to be the IBI (Intelligence
Based Indicia) after December 31, 2008. Meters with postage
could be run down. Most meters needed to call home for
validation every 90 days. Non-IBI meters were to be deactivated
at the next validation. However members have been collecting
covers that have non-IBI meter stamps as of this writing in
September 2010. We
have since found a GSA document that extends the life of non-IBI
postage meters. Also, Canadian non-IBI meters can be found
through the end of 2007. See the Meter Basics
page Meter Migration Mandate section.
Schaumberg, IL
The
IBM Kiosk test at Schaumberg, IL ended on July 31, 2009. There is
no indication that the machine will continue at another site.
See News.
PB
Kiosk Test in Canada
PB tested their kiosk at
six sites around Toronto between September 2008 and January
2009. See News.
PB
Kiosks Installed at
Duane Reade Stores in NYC
Four of the Duane Reade
drug stores in NYC have installed the PB Kiosks. Also the kiosks
have been installed at some Target stores in Minneapolis, Dallas
and Oklahoma City See
News.