Robert Murray Stamp Shop, Edinburgh

Discount Stamps for Postage

Tips for mail order customers
F.A.Q.


Return to main Discount Postage page.
Before you email or telephone us with some enquiries, see if your question is answered here !

Can I give you a list of the stamps, or face values, that I want ?
No. The stamps you get will be a random mix, although we can usually manage to fit a request like "nothing above 23p", or "higher values preferred".

How much will postage be ?
Good question !  That would depend of where the package is going, what value there is, and what size of bundle you're getting. What is worth remembering though is that we will normally post mint stamps by Royal Mail Special Delivery, which is one of the most expensive methods possible. Unfortunately, if it's sent any other way it's not insured. (Example; as at October 2024, a 100g package with a value up to £750 will cost £8.35 to a UK address. There's also a single £1 per order handling charge.)

Can you not send the package by a cheaper service ?
Yes, we can, but you must give us instructions in writing (letter or email), saying that you are telling us to do so, and that the package is being sent at your risk. (Example; as at October 2024, a 100g "large letter" by ordinary post would cost £2.60, or by "UK Signed" would cost £4.30.
There's also the additional £1 per order handling charge.)
How can I pay ?
Cash (post by special delivery - we'll accept Sterling, Euros, US Dollars, or Danish Kroner)
Cheque or Postal Order
Debit card or credit card - note we do not accept credit card payments for discount postage orders above £500.

Do the stamps have gum ?
Yes, they will be mint stamps as sold by the post office, with full gum. A very small percentage of what we sell may have small faults (a few missing perforations, a crease, or a small tear), but most will be perfect.
Please note that anybody selling "unused" stamps without gum, or supplied on envelopes or double-sided tape, is quite possibly doing so illegally. You are not allowed to use (or offer for sale where it is reasonable to assume that the buyer will use them) any stamp that you know has already been through the post, whether or not it has a postmark.
There has been some sloppy press reporting on this subject. The facts simply are;
            It is illegal to re-use stamps which have previously been through the post. (Often call "unfranked" or "uncancelled"). We do not sell these.
            It is perfectly legal to use mint stamps in the post, as the postal service originally paid for has not been provided. We do sell these.

Can I request self-adhesive stamps, or blocks/sheets ?
No. You can't specify the exact make-up of a batch.

Will there be many low value stamps included ?
There will normally be some, as these help in making up correct rates. The mix is not guaranteed. It just depends on what we happen to have. If you particularly want low values please say so and we can normally supply.

What's the score with odd halfpennies ?
Officially, there's some confusion as to whether the halfpennies can be added together or should be ignored. We would normally try to avoid giving you stamps with halfpennies, as we try to use these ones ourselves or sell them to local customers who we know don't mind.

Would there be a further discount for a larger purchase ?
12½% is as high a discount as we normally give. If we ever have such large stocks that we need to lower the price to shift it faster, this would appear on our Discount Postage web page. If at any time you wish to make a purchase of £1,000 or more, you should contact us first to see if we can offer a better rate.

Which stamps are valid for postage in the U.K. ?
Any postage stamps that are; {a} issued by the British Post Office (Royal Mail, even Consignia for a wee while) that are denominated in decimal currency, that have not already been used, have their gum, and are not defaced, and {b} that are commemorative ("special issues"), Christmas issues, or "barcode definitives" (Queen Elizabeth or King Charles).
The "swap-out scheme", where people could send in their now obsolete decimal Queen's-head definitives, caused a fair bit of confusion around some minor categories. We would not supply any which are likely to cause problems.
What are not valid are stamps issued by any other country - and this includes stamps from Guernsey and Alderney, the Isle of Man, and Jersey. If these are used your mail may well be surcharged.

Can I just turn up at your shop to make a purchase ?
Yes, you can do (check what dates we will be open on our home page), but you are better to get in touch first so that we can have the order made up and ready for you.

Is there any other benefit to buying discount postage ?
Yes. It normally brightens up your mail and makes it more interesting, as well as making business mail appear more personal.

What should I do if there's still something I don't understand ?
Read this page again. Read the main page again. (Remember that about 80% of the phone calls we get about discount postage are from people who have not read these pages properly.........) Then please feel free to get in touch with us !

Last updated Wednesday 9 October 2024.

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