I could have mailed out Refilstigr by handing the envelopes in at the post office. If I had, the clerk would have printed out the postage on a piece of paper — a so-called meter tape — and stuck that to the envelopes. But I think this solution is mind-numbing and trite … not to put too fine a point on it, I find meter tape to be a move towards the utter lack of standards. So instead I spent some time and effort pursuing the right type of stamps.
Traditionally a postage stamp has a denomination, and in order to pay for the cost of postage, you have to buy — and affix to the envelope — a sufficient number of stamps so that the cumulative value of the stamps meet the postage rate. Then, when postage rates increase, you have to either buy new stamps, or more commonly, buy additional stamps with a low denomination — sometimes called make up stamps — so you can use those in combination with the stamps you have already purchased to add up to the new, adjusted rate.
The beauty of postage stamps with a denomination, is that they add to the envelope as a historical document, an extra piece of data telling us something about the state of matters of the world in which the envelope lived. Which was the currency in the country from where the envelope was mailed? And how much did it cost? This, of course, in addition to what the imagery on the stamp can tell us: an illustration from which we can deduce the reigning ideals of the times. Who and what was deemed worthy of postal stamp celebration? Futhermore we can read something about the geopolitical situation: Does the stamp’s issuing nation even still exist? Perhaps it existed, and then it ceased to exist, only to now exist again. Such things happen. (Did you know, by the way, that if no issuing nation is indicated on the stamp, this means the stamp is from the United Kingdom? Here’s why: When the postage stamp was invented in the UK, there was no need to write UK on the stamps, since postage stamps were not issued by any other nations. And not writing the name of the issuing nation on the postage stamp is a privilege still held on to by the Royal Mail.)
One modern alternative to the denominated stamp, an alternative almost as atrocious as the meter tape, is the non-denomination stamps. In the US Postal Service these stamps are called forever stamps. A forever stamp is a stamp which is sufficient for postage in all future, even after postage rates increase. In place of a denomination it says “forever.”
So in short, there are many pieces of cultural and historical information engrained in the traditional postage stamp, denomination being one of them. And consequently the forever stamp, which does not feature a denomination, is a symptom of the decadence. It does less, it leaves less, it speaks less.
With Refilstigr I try to add to culture, not substract, so I made an effort to source stamps which have a denomination.
You’re welcome.
… And don’t get me started on moisture-activated adhesive gum vs. the ghastliness of self-adhesive stamps.