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4. Control Over Postage Stamp Folicy It is/governments' own interests to retain a measure of control over their postal administrations especially in those territories where income from the säle of stamps constitutes a high percentage of total revenue. Authority to print stamps amounts to a licence for the printing of currency and such authority should be jealously guarded by governments. The reason why care needs to be taken is because most administrations in dependent overseas territories do not have the expertise to deal with developments in the international philatelic business and are obliged to hand over the running of their, stamp business to an outsid agent because of the lack of local talentcapable of arranging and
In the experience supervising the design and production of stamps.
revenue
of the British Government the interests of dependent territories are best served by appointing the Crown Agents where such an outside agent is required since their interests are identical with those of the territories they represent, i.e. to develop and maintain the highest possible reputation for the territories' stamps so that long-term business may be retained. The Stamp Division of the Crown Agents is highly specialised and well qualified to keep abreast of everything that is harrening in the stamp world, is run on the lines of a government department and is not subject to the same temptations which may beset other commercial agents. i.e. by arranging stamr issues to enable them to rig the market in such a way to enrich their own rockets at the extense of the territory's Postal Administrations should beware of the tyre of agent who promises to provide immediate and greatly increased profits in return for a contract which will place the virtually in charge of a territory's future stamp programme. Such increase in revenue thɛix isainvariably only earned at the cost of a considerable lowering of the good rerutation of the territory concerned because the revenue will be increased by the adoption of ill-advised practices which are well-known in philatelic circles e.g. too many issues using poor designs (produced by less expensive artists), indiscriminate issue of souvenir sheets, introduction of bogus errors and the Creation of false shortages. When in doubt about the wisdom of entering into a contract with a commercial agent the advice of the FC may be sought and is available.
5. Philatelic Bureau
In many territories there will be advantage in setting up a Stamp Bureau to stimulate local philatelic sales
The Bureau andto provide services for overseas collectors.
should be staffed and managed by the postal administration and in its simplest form may only require the part-time attendance of a postal clerk. The following are some of the services which may be undertaken in such a Bureau
(e) The building up and servicing of mailing lists and the
preparation of a newsheet at regular intervals giving information about current and forthcoming issues. Deposit accounts may be opened for customers who may wish to place regular orders
It is customary to make for stamps as they become available.
a small minimum charge on all orders.
these are srecial envelope (b) The servicing of 'First Day Covers' -
usually specially designed for the rurrose, which will carry the stars of the new issue and be hand-cancelled on the first day of issue in the issuing country. Administrations may provide FDC's by enclosing them in an outer cover to go through the normal rost - these outer covers may be prepared before the release date but the stamps on the FDC itself should be cancelled on the release date and in such a way that the words and date on the cancell ng stamp or postmark are clearly readable.
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