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Post by david on Jan 2, 2022 21:08:40 GMT
Hello everyone I thought to share an interesting fact with you about Belgian stamps. In 2002 we started using euro instead of Belgian Franks. This meant that older stamps would be useless. Then the law made a loophole stating that stamps with Belgian Franks still would be valid as long as the value in euro matched the value in euros. That part of the law is currently still valid and they are thinking to let it go own till 2029. This means that stamp collectors in Belgium still use these stamps when mailing them national to another collector. So here are a few examples of envelopes I received recently. Does this also happen in other European countries that switched to the euro in 2002 or later? I would like to know and would appreciate a reply.   |
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Post by greaden on Jan 2, 2022 21:34:08 GMT
France still allows stamps denominated in francs, and even in old francs, with some important exceptions.
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cara
Member 
Posts: 200 
What I collect: Germany (FRG, GDR, Berlin); occupied Germany 1945-1949, Deutsches Reich 1872-1945, Switzerland, USA (newbie)
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Post by cara on Jan 2, 2022 21:43:40 GMT
In Germany it is not allowed to use "old" DM/Pfennig-stamps. They lost their validity end of June 2002.
Since beginning of 2001 (and one stamp issued on May 2000) German stamps showed the value in DM/Pfennig AND Euro, these stamps are still valid.
From beginning 2002 there is only an Euro-denomination on the stamps.
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ameis33
Member
What's in a name? That which we call a rose, by any other name would smell as sweet
Posts: 546
What I collect: Poland and Italy Republic
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Post by ameis33 on Jan 2, 2022 21:47:41 GMT
In Italy, almost all stamp in Lire (or Lire+Euro) are still valid. The early issues have been withdrawn (up to ? around '60s, i don't remember) like also some stamp which has been forged (again, don't ask me now which). But we can say, almost all stamps are still valid.
There are two problems. First, even if there are ministerial circulars stating what i just said, not all the offices know it, and so it can happen getting mail refused if franked with stamps in Lire.
Second, it's a mess making the convertion Lire/Euro. The most reasonable way would be to make the sum of stamps in Lire, and then convert it to Euro, rounding cents. But in reality, each stamp should be converted one by one (and rounded) and then the sum of the converted value should be done. But i have seen employers behave in all the possible ways... Making errors counting the sum in Lire, making errors converting the value, even considering stamps with value espressed both in euro/lire twice (first counting the value espressed in lire, then adding the value in euro...)
This confusion to be honest is quite "italian"... Anyway, keeping the postal validity have been proven a valid system to keep (at least a bit) the value of modern stamps. Countries where pre-euro stamps have been withdrawn, like Germany or the Vatican City, have seen a drop down of the value of modern collections.
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rex
Member
Posts: 1,219
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Post by rex on Jan 3, 2022 7:20:52 GMT
In Italy all the stamps issued after the 20 of march 1967 still have legal value and have not "expired".
The countries where pre-euro stamps are still valid are Belgium, France, Italy and San Marino.
[Deleted by me as not sure if correct.]
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salentin
Member
collecting Germany,where I live and about 20 more countries,half of them in Asia east of the Indus
Posts: 6,557
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Post by salentin on Jan 3, 2022 10:04:36 GMT
Just a small,but from the irish point of view,important correction: In 1938 the Pound Sterling was abolished in Ireland and the Irish Punt was introduced. However Sterling and Punt were pegged,till Ireland joined the European Monetary System. Since 1979 the Punt floated against Sterling and was most of the time about 10% less worth than Sterling.
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Post by david on Jan 4, 2022 19:32:22 GMT
Thank you all for the reactions on my thread. It is great to read and I learned again something extra.
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