National Savings Stamps Files

NSC 14

1880-1972

Files concerning the issue of postage stamps for savings, of savings stamps produced by the National Savings Committee from 1918, the single stamp and stamp book used by the Post Office Savings Department, and the National Savings Committee and the Trustee Savings Banks from 1933.

Public Record(s)

English

84 file(s)

Subject to 30 year closure

Topics

Government finances

Communications

Stamp savings have taken several forms since a scheme for small savings by postage stamps was started on 13 September 1880. By this scheme twelve penny postage stamps could be affixed to a form and when complete could be used as a deposit to a Post Office Savings Bank account or, when the minimum amount of such deposit was raised, for exchange for 6d savings stamps. This scheme operated for over 80 years before it was allowed to lapse.

With the introduction of savings certificates in 1916, a scheme for saving by means of stamp cards providing for 6d postage stamps and, from July 1918, 6d 'Britannia Head' savings stamps, was introduced by the Department. A similar scheme using 'Swastika' savings stamps was operated by the National Savings Committee. The"Britannia Head" stamps could later be used for deposit in the Post Office Savings Bank.

In 1933 a single form of savings stamp and savings stamp book replacing all existing saving stamp schemes was brought into use by the Department, the Committee and the Trustee Savings Banks (see files under reference NSC 20). During the 1939-1945 war stamps of 2/6d. and 5/-d. denominations were issued. From 9 January 1967 stamps of the one value only - 2/-d. and then 10p have been on sale.