Nightwing Posted January 25, 2008 Report Share Posted January 25, 2008 So I go the post office today and use the stamp vending machine. I threw in a $20 bill for one book of first-class stamps. When it asked me if I wanted to make another purchase I pushed the "NO" button and then the clinging of change began. It returns to me 7 John Adams, 4 James Madison $1 coins along with a few quarters and a 2007 nickel. I did this a month ago and got basically the same thing. I was hoping for a half dollar both times, but I guess the post office doesn't use these anymore? How about it does your post office give halves in change? Maybe not in the machine, but perhaps at the counter? Do you ever get any $2 bills in change from the post office? Just curious. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slowly but surely Posted January 25, 2008 Report Share Posted January 25, 2008 Dollar coins all the way... I really hoped for something extra cool from the postal museum post office in DC, but... mostly Sacs with a couple Washingtons. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
numismatic nut Posted January 26, 2008 Report Share Posted January 26, 2008 Only the dollar coins. But sometimes I get a SBA dollar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scottishmoney Posted January 26, 2008 Report Share Posted January 26, 2008 5-6 years ago I got a 1964 Kennedy in change at the PO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigCanadianM Posted January 26, 2008 Report Share Posted January 26, 2008 i got my first circulation silver posting something to a coinpeep Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
corkykile Posted January 26, 2008 Report Share Posted January 26, 2008 Years ago, when the SBA's first came out, I discovered the Post Office where we had a P.O. Box also had stamp machines that gave out SBA's in change... and later on Sacs. When I told the postal person I had lost money in one of the machines I was told the machines are not the post office's responsibility. They do not install the machines, nor do they service, stock or refund monies lost. I was given the address of the company who is responsible for the machine and they finally got back to me about a refund. This wasn't as easy as it sounds, one nearly has to promise them your first born in case you are trying to rip them off. Nowadays I look at every coin I receive in change and hope for something that will cause me to smile. So far there hasn't been much from either the post office or any other business in our little town. But there is always hope! Corky Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
just carl Posted January 31, 2008 Report Share Posted January 31, 2008 Sign on the stamp machine at our post office says no longer in service. I asked why and was told that almost every one that used the machine came into the post office and demanded other moneys than those baby dollars for change. So they just stopped the usage of the machine. Don't want to hear rantings of people all day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bustchaser Posted January 31, 2008 Report Share Posted January 31, 2008 Nothing good. They keep giving me this puke yellow looking crap that I have to take to the bank to turn in for money. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scottishmoney Posted January 31, 2008 Report Share Posted January 31, 2008 Sign on the stamp machine at our post office says no longer in service. I asked why and was told that almost every one that used the machine came into the post office and demanded other moneys than those baby dollars for change. So they just stopped the usage of the machine. Don't want to hear rantings of people all day. Recently the post office announced that they are no longer going to dispense the dollars as change, but that means you will no longer be able to put larger denomination notes above $5 in the machines. They will have to make it so that you cannot get more than a dollar in change. I only buy stamps at the PO, and only over the counter, because I go to pick up mail once or twice a week. Otherwise I would get them at the grocery store. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kristofer Posted January 31, 2008 Report Share Posted January 31, 2008 My post office completely removed our stamp machine. I heard this was going to start happening countrywide because they are more of a liability. They don't bring in enough money compared to operation costs such as maintenance. I'll try to find the article. Looks like I got half the truth, It looks like a plan to bring in more efficient machines:[from usps.com] The Postal Service announced the retirement of the current line of self-service vending machines. Approximately 5,900 stamp vending machines will be removed from service in each of the next 4 years until nearly all 23,000 are retired. The costs to maintain these aging machines and custom-package stamps, the scarcity of parts, and the availability of multiple alternatives all factored into the decision. The plan is to eliminate the lowest performing machines in 2007, salvaging parts to extend the life of better performing machines. The machines targeted to be removed this year only account for 1.7 percent of total vending revenue. Messaging to customers about other convenient stamp purchase options will coincide with removal of the machines. To maximize usage, redeployment of next-generation self-service equipment, the Automated Postal Center (APC), was completed this year. The strategy to integrate the self-service APC with the retail counter is modeled after airline industry efforts to increase self-service acceptance. The model proved successful in initial testing, where some machines took in revenues 35 percent higher than the national average. Relocation of APCs began in selected sites before the 2006 holiday season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nightwing Posted January 31, 2008 Author Report Share Posted January 31, 2008 I get my $1 coins from my bank anyway, but the last couple of times I was running low on stamps I did use the post office vending machines. Just to kind of say I used them and got $1 coins in change, but as I said above I was kind of hoping to get some halves in change which was a no-go the last couple of times. Come to think of it I tried using the stamp machine a couple months ago and it was out of order. I thought, "Well, that's the end of the machines." However, a month later it was back up and in service. Maybe in my area they are used more? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tabbs Posted February 1, 2008 Report Share Posted February 1, 2008 Last time I was in the US (that was in May), the stamp vending machine that I used - in front of a post office near Los Angeles - accepted plastic only. Christian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scottishmoney Posted February 1, 2008 Report Share Posted February 1, 2008 Last time I was in the US (that was in May), the stamp vending machine that I used - in front of a post office near Los Angeles - accepted plastic only. Christian Officially termed the APS or automated postal service. I don't care for them, because I do not have a debit card, and I am loathe to use a credit card, so I have to go to the PO counter to use my cash. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kristofer Posted February 1, 2008 Report Share Posted February 1, 2008 Officially termed the APS or automated postal service. I don't care for them, because I do not have a debit card, and I am loathe to use a credit card, so I have to go to the PO counter to use my cash. Cash! In America? How dare you not contribute to our ongoing debt problem, I will mail you preapproved unsolicted credit cards as soon as I get home. We need to fix this problem! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nightwing Posted February 1, 2008 Author Report Share Posted February 1, 2008 Last time I was in the US (that was in May), the stamp vending machine that I used - in front of a post office near Los Angeles - accepted plastic only. Christian I wonder if people will start complaining enough that the post office will start coming out with machines that accept both cash and credit? I'm with Scottishmoney I really don't like to use my credit card too much. I will for larger purchases, but for things under $10, rarely. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Stilson Posted February 1, 2008 Report Share Posted February 1, 2008 I just got back from the post office. Since I saw this thread I looked thru the change. Got a 1979 D cent with a small planchet flaw, but it is so mangled all over you barely notice it. I'll toss it in the errors section later. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
henare Posted February 3, 2008 Report Share Posted February 3, 2008 i try not to go to the post office at all ... i buy my stamps through their online store--no waiting in line (although, magically, they manage to take forever to deliver stamps ordered this way) ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlueke Posted February 3, 2008 Report Share Posted February 3, 2008 i try not to go to the post office at all ... i buy my stamps through their online store--no waiting in line (although, magically, they manage to take forever to deliver stamps ordered this way) ... You're gonna wait one way or another. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thedeadpoint Posted February 4, 2008 Report Share Posted February 4, 2008 I don't often go to the post office. Don't really have a need to at age 22. But even if there is a line, I don't really mind. We've got a great mail system. With the digitation of the mail system, we no longer see those "wait 6-8 weeks for delivery." At most I have to wait 6-8 days. Waiting in line for 20 minutes is a trivial problem. but to answer the Q. I don't use the post office much Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nightwing Posted March 8, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 8, 2008 Went to the post office today and found out the stamp machine was shutdown and is going to be removed soon. I can't say I'm really going to miss it since I only used it a couple times, but today I needed it as a backup because my bank didn't have any Madison $1 coins left and the two times I used the machine it gave back in change Madison and Adams dollars. So then I bought stamps at the counter and hoped I could spot any $1 coins in the teller's money drawer. No such luck and I had a pretty good view. I got a yucky paper bill back with a couple of quarters. The girl scouts outside the post office got the change and I got a box of Lemon cookies for $3.50. (I of course had to use a little bit more of my money). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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