Freemasons

Dear all

The Masonic stamps that have been available from Grand Lodge Office have proved to be very popular. We have now run out of these and have to consider the way ahead. So far we have turned over about 1000 stamps a month.

These stamps are not issued by NZ Post but are privately arranged. NZ Post still charges 40c for their postage and the printer and supplier of the stamps charges 10c for his work. Thus a 40c postage stamp is costing us 50c. To date the cost of the stamps has been subsidised from our publicity budget but the reality is this can not go on forever as this money is needed elsewhere. We have tried to get the Printer to reduce his cost but 10c premium is the best he will do. I therefore need to find out if Lodges and individuals would be prepared to pay more than 40c for a Masonic stamp that pays for 40c worth of postage.

Let me know your views.

Fraternally
Laurence

Congratulations on a really good initiative

Of the two styles of stamp, I prefer the 'Community' one for general mailing, but have used the 'Apron' one for mailing to masonic friends overseas.

Would be interesting to know what has sold more (although I bought the same of each; I would buy more of the 'Community' design next time).

The design looks fairly universal - other than the peculiarly NZ items would it be possible to have these printed for a number of countries at once thereby saving money? A wider campaign may also get some media attention.

The stamps were printed with a fairly large amount of waste paper around them which must have added to the expense - perhaps a specialist stamp printer and/or a larger run could result in a more efficient design and lower costs. I would buy more if the extra cost was lower - at 10c each I would buy only a few, at 2 c each I would not worryabout the extra cost.

There must be a bit of saving to the Post Office - although I understand their wanting to maximise profit! Is there a chance that we could combine with other organisations (eg Red Cross, Scouting, Barnados, Lions, Rotary, Samaritans etc) to persuade the Post Office to run a series of stamps with images of 'community organisations' at a standard price? They would a least save on design costs and could hten say they were supporting the community themselves.

As an individual I don't buy many stamps, but the PR effect of my sending to friends / relatives is greater than for say a lodge newsletter - unless we are trying to recruit post office staff! If the publicity budget has any capacity left, I suggest using the 'Community' stamp only targetted for Christmas cards.

Congratulations again.
Ed Robinson
MM, Westminster Lodge

I have to say my preference is for the Apron stamp, I findthe other one not to my liking. Each to their own, the important part is, that this is another great piece of advertising for Freemasons and more should definitely be encouraged. The section about road signs is also a step forward.
I have to say I do not agree with us combining our stamps with Rotary or Lions, they are separate organisations and we need to draw people to us and not advertise on behalf of others. I know we have many Rotary and Lions members in Lodge but we are need of members as much as these groups are.

The printing of stamps is a licenced practice. NZ Post can print stamps but they are not interested in printing stamps different to those they have designed and they are not interested in discussing the designs of their stamps with external agencies or organisations. They have liscenced one printer in NZ to print stamps to other peoples designs and all enquiries of NZ Post get you pointed in that direction. That supplier is the one we are using and as they are the only licenced printer for stamps they set the price. Printing internationally etc creates a lot of difficulties because of the need for the stamps to be licenced and registered.

In regard to the white around the stamp etc this is due to the printers requirements for his machines etc. and to allow enough white around the stamp to ensure that postmarks are clearly visible on the stamp.

If anyone has any contacts that might be able to help I am always available to discuss.

Regards
Laurence

Stamps have been ideal and our Brethren can't get enough of them. They would be the best and easiest way of publicity, even at 50c each

I would pay more for the stamps if there was a benevolence component, similar to the old health stamps. For example, 40c postage + 10c charge = (say) 10c benevolence. This benevolence component should be shown on the face of the stamp (also like the old health stamp) both as a reminder to the purchaser, and to the observer. With a benevolence component I woul be willing to pay up to 60c per stamp.
The price of printing the stamps will only come down if NZ Post'sd cozy monopoly can be broken - could the CommerceCommission help?
The present designs are fine, I would use both.

Ian Levingston PM
Scinde Lodge, Napier.undefined

Ian

I think that is a great approach: potentially a good contributor to the Fund of Benevolence, and also a brilliant advertisement for Freemasonry any time someone receives an envelope with such a stamp on it.

As the Secretary of the Otago Masonic Charitable Trust, I used the Masonic stamps on all of my mail-outs. In conjunction with the sticker produced by the United Lodge of Otago No 448, I felt that this was a splendid and relatively cheap way of promoting the Craft in New Zealand. A further supply of the stamps at 50 cents each would be readily acceptable by this Trust
Alan Knight, Secretary
Otago Masonic Charitable Trust

They certainly are distinctive, - moreso the "apron" issue, which is my preference.
I consider that we should continue to ussie a stamp, and if we must pay 50c then so be it. Unfortunately, many Lodges are experiencing financial restraints these days, and this may affect the demand. Our Lodge for instance, would find it more costly to buy the stamps, but "on average" it would cost us approximately another $60.00 per year, - a small price to pay for the exposure which they give us.
Our estimated useage for "No 79" is approx 600 p.a.

Hi Ian

It is not NZ Post that is the problem, they only charge the printer for the cost of postage and give him a rebate because he is printing the stamps and they are not i.e he pays 35c to post for a 40c stamp. So he covers his costs or part of them from NZ Post, it is what he charges us that is the problem. It also has to do with the design of the stamp. We could get a stamp for 40c if we reduced the size but his takes away the effect, there would also be design costs which we have already paid for with the stamps we have. The printer has the monopoly as he is the only liscenced printer in NZ, he put his price up after the first batch claiming that he made a mistake pricing that batch as he had not taken into account the larger size we wanted. We have spent a lot of time negotiating with him but his bottom line is that he can not print what we want for less than 50c and that is a bragain as he says normally he would charge more for that size.

Adding a benevolence charge, whilst a great idea, would just add more cost that most of our Lodges could not afford.

I appreciate all the views that have been put here, it gives a good indication of the feelings about these stamps which will be put to the Board when they have to make a decsion on this.

Fraternally
Laurence

I find it hard to believe that it costs 10cents to produce a stamp of the type we are using at the moment.
Every reprint brings down the initial cost incurred.
Surely the more we print the cheaper the cost!?

Norman