Isn't This Postal Fraud?

[youpiao]

Here is the cover in which I received the 3 UN panes for International Music Day, I posted last week.




Now look at the postmark.



They used a First Day of Issue postmark (Oct 1, 2018), for a piece of mail posted on March 9, 2019. I realize postal services honor requests for favor cancels for first day covers for months after the actual first day, but this cancel covers three stamps, issued in 1998, 2002, and 2014, that are not part of the Music Day issue. Why do such a dumb thing? I thought postmarks were meant for a specific purpose, which this practice does not serve.

[khj]

Dear UNPA,

Please kindly only use Sharpie markers to cancel any mail sent to Tedski. Do not use any dated canceling device, or pictorial cancels, because they will be rejected as unsuitable and possibly illegal.

Thank you for your diligence!

Semi-postally yours,
khj

[youpiao]

Mar 24, 2019 13:52:58 GMT -5 khj said:

Dear UNPA,

Please kindly only use Sharpie markers to cancel any mail sent to Tedski. Do not use any dated canceling device, or pictorial cancels, because they will be rejected as unsuitable and possibly illegal.

Thank you for your diligence!

Semi-postally yours,
khj

Where's a thumbs down button when you need one?

[kacyds]

[khj]

smiley-taunt014

[zepherusbane]

I think that it's normal practice to use the first day of issue postmark on all the stamps on a cover even if to reach the total postage due requires additional stamps that are not part of the new issue.

A couple other examples:

[khj]

Good point and examples, Dale!

Tedski pointed out:

-- the first day cancel was for a date 5 months earlier

I agree that is more than a bit unusual. Maybe they were trying to be thoughtful? Or...

It looks like they couldn't find a Sharpie, so they simply grabbed whatever canceler might have been handy. Sometimes, as a postal clerk, you just have to make do with what you have available, rather than the Sharpie you would like to have.

[mdroth]

Not 'postal fraud' Ted...just 'postal laziness' from some UN postal worker who really couldn't care less. Doubtful he even knew what the cancellation said, much less what it meant...

I'd be very happy to have such an oddity - extra bonus on top of what was in the envelope...courtesy of the UN!!