| |
CHAPTER 8
POSTAL FINANCE
As a military postal clerk, one of your jobs may be
that of a window clerk. About 70 percent of all window
transactions involve the sale of stamps or postal
stationery items. Before you can perform duties as a
window clerk, you must be issued a stamp stock,
commonly referred to as a fixed credit account. Did
you ever stop to think how stamps are obtained or the
purpose of the stamps? The postage stamps that are
affixed to an article indicate that the charge for
handling, transporting, delivering the article, and fees
for special services (if selected by the mailer) have
been prepaid. In this chapter you will learn how to
order stamps for a fixed credit account from the
custodian of postal effects (COPE), the Navy Postal
Finance Office (NPFO), or a postal finance office
(PFO) overseas. You will also learn how to properly
account for the stamps.
Additionally, you will learn the fundamentals of
the money order imprinter, postage meter machine and
the integrated retail terminal (IRT). As a window clerk
assigned to a post office aboard a large ship or at an
overseas naval activity, you may be required to operate
each of these types of equipment.
POSTAGE STAMPS AND STAMPED
PAPER
Learning Objective: Identify and validate the
forms of issue for postage stamps.
Postage stamps and stamped paper are often
referred to as stamp stock. In this next section, we will
discuss the validity of stamps, forms of issue, types of
postal stationery, and the care and protection required
for stamp stock and postal monies.
VALIDITY OF STAMPS
Any uncanceled postage stamps issued by the
United States since 1860 may be used for postage. All
valid United States postage stamps are good for
postage from any point in the United States or from any
other place where the United States domestic mail
service operates. The following stamps may NOT be
used for postage:
Mutilated or defaced stamps
Stamps cut from stamped envelopes,
aerogrammes, or stamped cards
Stamps covered or coated in such a manner that
the canceling or defacing marks cannot be
imprinted directly on the stamps
Nonpostage stamps (migratory-bird hunting and
conservation stamps, U.S. savings and thrift
stamps, and so forth)
Postage due, special delivery, special handling,
and certified mail stamps
United Nations stamps unless on mail deposited
at the United Nations, NY
Stamps of other countries
Stamps on which any unauthorized design,
message, or other marking has been overprinted
Matter bearing imitations of postage stamps, in
adhesive or printed form, or private seals or stickers
that are similar to a postage stamp in design, should not
be accepted for mailing. However, seals or stickers
that do not imitate postage stamps may be attached to
other than the address side of mail.
FORMS OF ISSUE
Adhesive postage stamps are available in four
different forms: single, sheets, books, and coils. At the
time of purchase, if the customer does not specify a
form of issue, you should ask the customer which
preference is desired. A discussion of the available
forms follows.
Single
Single stamps are separated from a sheet of
stamps, and they can be sold in any number up to a full
sheet.
8-1
|
