Requesting from the UK

[BuNno]

I have a couple actors and sports people in mind who i would like to send of for their autographs, but I really have no idea how, i know i find the address etc but do i use just normal stamps and stuff? And i dont have any pictures of them, is it cheeky to just expect them to send me a signed picture? i was thinking abiut buying some index cards too.

Thanks, BuNno.

Majority of the ones i want are.from the USA.

[kimmylee]

Hi there Sending overseas is easy once you know how.

Stamps: On letter TO the celeb you use UK stamps. On the envelope FROM (SASE) the celeb, UK postage is not valid. The options are: to send a few $ cash, use US stamps (you can trade/buy them on here as I do) or use an International Reply Coupon. IRC's are £1.60 and are worth $0.98 in the USA ( www.usps.com to calculate prices). They can however be hard to find, my suggestion is to try larger Post Offices first.

Most celebs have their own pictures they can send you. Sometimes though, they send a Pre-Print but sign authentically on items sent to them. Best to research each person. Index cards are good

[BuNno]

What is the prefered size of picture? Also is it a good idea to buy the celebrities picture from eBay or something?

[HappinessStan]

Hi

note that if you're using IRCs they are only worth about 67p, and expire on the 31st December 2011. Buy some stamps on eBay or something.

Get photos printed at a supermarket, or online, Google images is your friend!

[BuNno]

Wouldnt the pictures damage easy if i printed them of Google images? Or is there a way to protect the picture and still able for them autograph it?

[ScottishDan]

Wouldnt the pictures damage easy if i printed them of Google images? Or is there a way to protect the picture and still able for them autograph it?

Find your favourite photo(s) of the celebrity on google images (adjust the settings to only show large photos) then save the photo(s) into your files. Then go on to a website such as photobox.com, upload your photo(s), then order them to your door! They shouldn't damage easily! That's what I do!

[kimmylee]

Hi

note that if you're using IRCs they are only worth about 67p, and expire on the 31st December 2011. Buy some stamps on eBay or something.

Get photos printed at a supermarket, or online, Google images is your friend!

OP is wanting to send from UK to mainly USA. So the advice I gave was correct. They cost £1.60 to buy here and redeem for $0.98 in the USA.

There are also some about with a 2013 date.

[Sofia]

You can also order US stamps by calling up the US post office (unfortunately they only ship abroad if you do this, you can't order online). I called them about three weeks ago and got a bunch of stamps delivered to me today

[HappinessStan]

Hi

note that if you're using IRCs they are only worth about 67p, and expire on the 31st December 2011. Buy some stamps on eBay or something.

Get photos printed at a supermarket, or online, Google images is your friend!

OP is wanting to send from UK to mainly USA. So the advice I gave was correct. They cost £1.60 to buy here and redeem for $0.98 in the USA.

There are also some about with a 2013 date.

Sorry Kimmylee, I wasn't meaning to contradict you, just pointing out that with IRCs you are paying well over double the amount that you would with stamps. You did the conversion, I didn't, but the principle is the same. Where are you getting the 2013 ones from? The Royal Mail website is quite specific about them running out at the end of the year.

Sofia, that's handy to know, thanks for that.

[kimmylee]

I bought 5 a few weeks ago (for France & Ireland requests, for US I buy $1 stamps through here) and they were all 2013 dated. Also in Feburary the few I got for Australia requests were 2013.

The IRC page on Royal Mail does not update very often. IRC prices went up in April yet the page has only been changed recently. I looked last month I think and the old price was still dispalyed, although they have done it now.

The date issue happens every few years- from the RM page you'd think they were all soon going to expire, but in reality the next dated batch are usually in circulation. I have been buying them for many years and always the same thing happens!