A savings stamp is a stamp issued by a government or other body to enable small amounts of money to be saved over time to accumulate a larger capital sum. The funds accumulated may then be used to make a larger purchase such as taking out a savings bond or to pay a large upcoming bill. Often issued in conjunction with post-office-run savings banks, savings stamps have also been issued by private companies. Supermarkets have issued the stamps to enable the spreading of large bills,

package holiday A package tour, package vacation, or package holiday comprises transport and accommodation advertised and sold together by a vendor known as a tour operator. Other services may be provided such as a rental car, activities or outings during the ...

companies have used them to enable customers to save for an annual holiday, and utilities companies have used the stamps to enable customers to spread the cost of their bills. Savings stamps are not to be confused with

trading stamp Trading stamps were small paper stamps given to customers by merchants in loyalty programs in the United States, Canada and the U.K. which predated the modern loyalty card-based and online programs. Like the similarly-issued retailer coupons, these ...

s which provide a discount on goods purchased as part of a customer

loyalty program A loyalty program or rewards program is a marketing strategy designed to encourage customers to continue to shop at or use the services of one or more businesses associated with the program. Single-company vs. coalition programs Loyalty progr ...

. In

philately Philately (; ) is the study of postage stamps and postal history. It also refers to the collection and appreciation of stamps and other philatelic products. While closely associated with stamp collecting and the study of postage, it is possibl ...

, savings stamps are regarded as a form of Cinderella stamp.

In the United Kingdom

From 1880 ordinary penny

postage stamp A postage stamp is a small piece of paper issued by a post office, postal administration, or other authorized vendors to customers who pay postage (the cost involved in moving, insuring, or registering mail). Then the stamp is affixed to the f ...

s were used to save up one shilling (12 pence) which was then sufficient to open a Post Office Savings Bank account, although the minimum amount required changed to £1 in 1912. Mackay, James. ''Stamp Collecting: Philatelic Terms Illustrated''. 4th edition. London:

Stanley Gibbons The Stanley Gibbons Group plc is a company quoted on the London Stock Exchange specialising in the retailing of collectable postage stamps and similar products. The group is incorporated in London. The company is a major stamp dealer and phila ...

, 2003, p.133. This scheme continued until after the Second World War but has now ended. In addition the Bank used specially designed savings stamps with higher values which also could be used to save enough to open an account. Private companies in Britain also used savings stamps including the holiday company

Butlins Butlin's is a chain of large Seaside resort, seaside resorts in the United Kingdom, incorporated as Butlins Skyline Limited. Butlin's was founded by Billy Butlin to provide affordable holidays for ordinary British families. Between 1936 and 1 ...

and supermarkets such as

Sainsbury's J Sainsbury plc, trading as Sainsbury's, is a British supermarket and the second-largest chain of supermarkets in the United Kingdom. Founded in 1869 by John James Sainsbury with a shop in Drury Lane, London, the company was the largest UK r ...

and Safeway. A wide variety of utility companies made use of the stamps, particularly regional electronic companies, but also

British Telecom BT Group plc (formerly British Telecom) is a British Multinational corporation, multinational telecommunications holding company headquartered in London, England. It has operations in around 180 countries and is the largest provider of fixed-li ...

for telephone bills and government bodies for payment of

National Insurance National Insurance (NI) is a fundamental component of the welfare state in the United Kingdom. It acts as a form of social security, since payment of NI contributions establishes entitlement to certain state benefits for workers and their famil ...

contributions or

television licence A television licence or broadcast receiving licence is a payment required in many countries for the reception of television broadcasts or the possession of a television set. In some countries, a licence is also required to own a radio or rece ...

s. Most uses of savings stamps have now ceased in the UK, replaced by electronic cards.

In Ireland

A number of Irish credit unions offer a savings stamp scheme called Sammy Stamps, which are collected predominantly by children and sold through schools. Stamps can be credited to credit union accounts or cashed in at face value.

In China

A number of savings stamps have been issued in China during 1940's.

In the United States

In the United States ''Postal Savings Stamps'' were introduced in 1911 and

War Savings Stamps A savings stamp is a stamp issued by a government or other body to enable small amounts of money to be saved over time to accumulate a larger capital sum. The funds accumulated may then be used to make a larger purchase such as taking out a savi ...

were issued during both World Wars. Savings stamps are worth their face amounts; the denominations are $0.10, $0.25, $0.50, $1, and $5. The sale of savings stamps was discontinued on June 30, 1970.

Elsewhere

Belgium and France used special savings stamps in the 1880s and many other countries around the world have used them for diverse purposes, including Canada, India, Russia, Bulgaria and Singapore.

War savings stamps

War savings stamps were issued by several British Commonwealth countries, including Gold Coast"Gold Coast War Savings" in ''Sixth Sense'', Murray Payne Ltd., Axbridge, No. 102, August 2013, p. 9. and India.

References

External links

{{Commons category, Savings stamps
A British £5 Vehicle Licence Savings Stamp.A Butlins holiday camp savings stamp.
Philatelic terminology Cinderella stamps