Badge a minit?

[cheesehead]

Originally Posted by BudgieJane

Stamped mail is mail where stamps have been applied to the envelopes. These stamps require cancelling as part of the process through the sorting office. Franked mail is mail that has been passed through a postage meter. These meter impressions do not need cancelling at the sorting office.

Thank you.

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In the US, there would be side-by-side mail collection boxes, one labeled "stamped" (or perhaps not specially-labeled at all) and the other labeled "metered".

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BTW, the badges look good!

[cheesehead]

Originally Posted by BudgieJane

Stamped mail is mail where stamps have been applied to the envelopes. These stamps require cancelling as part of the process through the sorting office. Franked mail is mail that has been passed through a postage meter. These meter impressions do not need cancelling at the sorting office.

Things I Didn't Know Before Mersenne Forum Posts Prompted Me To Learn More Dept.:

Upon further search, I find that (at least, according to Wikipedia) "franking" is a general term for all sorts of markings -- including stamps -- that qualify items for postal service!

Originally Posted by http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franking

Franking (or "franks") are any and all devices or markings such as postage stamps (including those pre-printed on postal stationery), printed or stamped impressions, codings, labels, manuscript writings (including "privilege" signatures), and/or any other authorized form of markings affixed or applied to mails to qualify them to be postally serviced.

. . .

The phrase franking is derived from the Latin word "francus" meaning free. Another use of that term is speaking "frankly", i.e. "freely". Because Benjamin Franklin was an early United States Postmaster General, satirist Richard Armour referred to free congressional mailings as the "Franklin privilege"

. . .

[Brian-E]

By reading this thread, I too have been prompted to learn certain facts which I didn't know before pertaining to postal matters. But until now the finer points of the discussion have been shrouded in mystery as far as I was concerned.

You see, for the last two weeks I have been away on vacation, checking the forum from my holiday address. Now that I've just returned home I suddenly have more insight than I did before into the strange goings-on which brought this thread into existence. Such newly-gained knowledge is surely a medal of merit, a plaque of commemoration, and a badge of honour. I am truly humbled and in awe. 10 years! And to think that I can personally claim to have experienced only 50% of that timeline of learning and fun!

[c10ck3r]

It appears I misunderstood the joke. As an American, I thought the irony was the England had a "franking" slot on their mailboxes, since we refer to, as previously mentioned, Congressional mailings as "franked", stemming from Ben Franklin, who was rather against the British rule...

[cheesehead]

Originally Posted by c10ck3r

It appears I misunderstood the joke. As an American, I thought the irony was the England had a "franking" slot on their mailboxes, since we refer to, as previously mentioned, Congressional mailings as "franked", stemming from Ben Franklin, who was rather against the British rule...

There's still a misunderstanding.

The reference to Congressional mailings as "franked" did NOT stem from Benjamin Franklin or his name.

As explained at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frankin...g_Privilege.22 the legislative franking privilege originated in the British Parliament, in 1660.

In the quoted sentence

Because Benjamin Franklin was an early United States Postmaster General, satirist Richard Armour referred to free congressional mailings as the "Franklin privilege"

the phrase "Franklin privilege" was only a satirist's pun on the term "franking privilege" based on the coincidental similarity of name.