The $50.34 Stamp
Apr 18th, 2007 by mark
So, as it turns out, you can’t use scotch tape to fix a stamp to an envelope.
A while back I made a purchase that came with one of those handy mail-in rebates. Naturally I forgot about it until the night before it had to be post-marked. I carefully filled out all the paperwork and put it into the envelope, sealed it, and put my last stamp on it. Ready to be mailed in the morning.
Then I discovered I had left out the sales slip.
Phooey.
Putting all the stuff in a new envelope I was faced with the lack of a stamp. Enter the scotch tape. What could be better? Two little pieces and away we go.
Today, now several days past the post-mark deadline, the envelope came back. Marked, “Stamps are void when coated, defaced, or re-<smear of red ink here>. Returned for postage.”
Whoops.
So, as it turns out, I’m out the $0.39 stamp and the $49.95 rebate. How many people can say they have an unused (but “coated”) thirty-nine cent stamp in their collection that is worth $50.34?
