APTA President Michael Eastick has announced a new policy adopted by his organisation:
APTA Cover Creation Policy.
The APTA Executive Committee would like to announce the following policy decision for any members wishing to be involved in the creation of Commemorative or First Day Covers or similar.
While we applaud the initiative of any member in the creation of philatelic product to fit a market, there are certain very simple guidelines that need to be followed so as not to cause damage to this particular market for all involved.
Due to the time frame in getting covers serviced by Australia Post and other issuing bodies it is a requirement that
1) any covers that have additional cachets or markings applied 6 months after the servicing must have an additional marking, logo or other such indicator applied.
2) that this additional marking or logo have a suitable description placed on any advertising medium used to sell these items, indicated that this has occurred.
The APTA Executive Committee would like to announce the following policy decision for any members wishing to be involved in the creation of Commemorative or First Day Covers or similar.
While we applaud the initiative of any member in the creation of philatelic product to fit a market, there are certain very simple guidelines that need to be followed so as not to cause damage to this particular market for all involved.
Due to the time frame in getting covers serviced by Australia Post and other issuing bodies it is a requirement that
1) any covers that have additional cachets or markings applied 6 months after the servicing must have an additional marking, logo or other such indicator applied.
2) that this additional marking or logo have a suitable description placed on any advertising medium used to sell these items, indicated that this has occurred.
There are some in the industry who say this doesn't go far enough. Some people who produce special cachets and do it simply as a hobby without trying to con the innocent would have their excellent work ruined if the requirement to put details of changes in 14pt font on the front of the cover were enforced. Perhaps 9pt would suffice. After all, the majority shouldn't be made to suffer because of a dishonest few.
Whatever wording is ultimately decided upon, it's a great first step and an outstanding move in stamping out the practices I have been moaning about for some years now.
All that has to be done now is for Australia Post and APTA to take a similar stance on postmarks. While this practice isn't as obvious or widespread as it used to be, it would still be useful for this area of philately cleaned up.
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