Post by coastalcollector on Feb 18, 2018 20:48:15 GMT
In the Communist era of the People's Republic of Poland, all international exchange of stamps was controlled by the State & it used the Polski Zwiazek Filatelistow (PZF) to do that. The Communists were mindful of collectors trying to make a business out of selling Polish stamps internationally & obtaining hard currency, the Communists wanted to make sure that THEY were the only ones trading with foreign dealers & obtaining US dollars or Pounds sterling. If you wanted to exchange stamps internationally you HAD to be a member of the PZF.
Letters to be sent with stamps were sent in a separate cover to the local branch of the PZF. They made sure everything was OK, & if so, sent your letter on the way enclosing a sticker . The recipient would then send back some stamps, placing the sticker on the envelope so that the Polish Post Office knew that this was a sanctioned stamp exchange.
This is an example of the outgoing letter with the PZF handstamp from Bydgoszcz Poland sent to Marseilles France and includes a French customs clearance label on the front.
I found a stack of these in my stash.
Letters to be sent with stamps were sent in a separate cover to the local branch of the PZF. They made sure everything was OK, & if so, sent your letter on the way enclosing a sticker . The recipient would then send back some stamps, placing the sticker on the envelope so that the Polish Post Office knew that this was a sanctioned stamp exchange.
This is an example of the outgoing letter with the PZF handstamp from Bydgoszcz Poland sent to Marseilles France and includes a French customs clearance label on the front.
I found a stack of these in my stash.
