Paris Tour

LISA2 in General Post Office

The last station of Europe Tour is Paris. After taking more than 8 hours by bus we arrived at Paris from Vevey. Then is night, take the boat to view Seine river. Actually I don’t like do that at night because we can not get enough beautiful photos.Second day we visited Versailles, Eiffel Tower, Triumphal Arch, and around places. In the time of shopping we visited one small post office, get some LISA ATMs. At night, we(my wife and I) meet my good friends FOISSETTE family, and he guide us to many places in Paris, and also visited one church, great feeling. And he invited us to have dinner at Morocco’s restaurant, share delicious foods. I never forget that excited meeting. After dinner, he guide me to the general post office of Paris for buying ATMs, it is LISA2.

LISA in Louvre

The last day is Louvre. That is bad day, also good day. How to say? Almost before we arriving on Louvre, on the bus my wife opened the cover of memory card of digital camera. She want to change the card because of full, but the card bounced out of camera, and dropped on ground. The bus stopped at the destination, the driver and I take more than 10 minutes still can not find the card, maybe it lost into the deep of tool, impossible to open the cover to watch. Most of our photos was stored in the card. That time my wife was very very disappoint and stayed in the bus all time. I take another camera to Louvre, no good feeling without my wife accompany. After finish the viewing, my wife came to me like a baby. She was very excited and told me the card was got. That time, she was upset in the bus, another bus driver just got know the reason, and starting to search in tools. After a while, he got it under the vent. My wife was very happy, and want to take photos with him when we back. It is regret when we were back, the bus left away. Here my wife and I thanks the driver deeply.

Because the hurry tour, we did not take so many ATM photos in Paris. But whatever I still get more new information from this trip.

LISA2 can accept the credit, not only coins like LISA. The minimum value of credit card buying is 5,00 Euros.
The max volume is 10 pcs per time.
There are 5 languages on the screen of LISA2, and 4 on LISA.
There is no buying details, volume on the receipt if using credit card, but there is operation place information.

Post Box at the highway station

Retired LISA on airport of Paris
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Thanks Jacqeus

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Lucky Suisse

Usually talking about the lucky events on ATM we means get special ATM, various wrong… For example uncut, transport hole shift, double print…even wrong color. But this time for me, it is only ordinary ATM. How did say luck, see below contents.
Good fall I have opportunity to visit Switzerland with tour group. Our original route is travel Milan to Interlaken, then Geneva (live at Vevey). But the good tour guide made the dinner at Lucerne, that we have opportunity stay at Lucerne for two hours. When we had the dinner at Lucerne, I still have half an hour to deal my bobby and half an hour to take photos and sightseeing. At the park, also end of bridge I found one Frama machine located at the bus station. I studied it in one minute, then got known how to use the machine.
Frama can not get out changes, and only accept coins.
1, Insert coins, the screen will show total amount you input;
2, Select piece value you want, minimum is 00,05 Francs;
3, press #, the machine will output one ATM, press # again, output one again till there is not enough money inside.
If there is not enough money inside, the screen will flash. Or if value you input is not integrate times of 00,05, then the screen will also flash too.
Press *, the screen will display the balance inside.

Blur so much, back to topic. I got some ATMs from the FRAMA at Lucerne, the image are Switzerland flags.

When I arrived at Interlaken from Lucerne, the day was dark. Walked 3 minutes from hotel, I reached the post office. Outside the office, there is one Frama. Surprise here I got ‘Transport’ topic ATMs. I supposed this topic had phase out already because Die Post (Switzerland Post) issued new ATM (flags) this year. Maybe for resource saving they did not remove stock of old paper. I really feel lucky still can get last issue of ATMs. Because there is another post office 8 minutes from here, I try to get it. There is one Frama outside the office too, but it output different image, it is number 5.3, map of Switzerland. Second afternoon, I found one small post office, at the foot of Jungfraujoch, above step of rail way station. It is also 5.3 ATM.
Really I am happy getting 3 different issues from 4 post offices. At Geneva I stayed less than 2 hours, almost not time to looking for post office. At night we lived Vevey, after walked out the hotel I found one Frama on the gate of rail way station. This time I am a little disappointed because it is still map topic, number 5 at catalogue. Walked to brighter way, I got one very big post office, there is one Frama also surely outside. It is transport, I like this topic. Spend out all my Francs (around 7.00 Fr) to buy this topic ATMs. Feeling is good.

When I am back to hotel, at the bright light, I found the map ATM from Vevey is different from Interlaken. There is no color fibre on the back of stamp from Vevey. Should be number 5.2 or 5.1. Regret I only bought 10 pcs because I don’t like the image that time.

Vevey is our last station in Switzerland, then took all my ATMs to France, of course I got two different ATMs at Paris.

6 machines, 4 different issues. How can you say I am not lucky? Of course there is suspend story because there are two Frama machines I did not try. One located on lake bank of Lucerne, I took photos only. Another located on the outside of post office on another end of bridge at Lucerne I mentioned.

In Switzerland the Frama is popular really, many people used it, especially on the time of post closed.

France - New Receipt

Recently, France introduced new receipt for LISA-2 machine. There is LA POSTE logo on the right side of receipt. And color is blue.
The width of receipt is 60mm, othere regular receipts are 57mm. After checking my album, below receipts are 60mm width also.
DJION 2006, NEVERS 2006, 03/07/2001 EUR+FRF, AIX-EN-PROVENCE 2005, ANGERS 2004. The Polynesia France is 60 mm too.
Seems like all these are from Philately Service, that be one new sign for 'anti-forge' . But I found two receipt are 57mm also from AIX-EN-PROVENCE 2005. Is it forgery or after the original rolls sold out, the philate service operator changed new roll with 57mm width label. :-)

Leave more information or correct me if you have.
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Thanks Pierre
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Handwriting Postage

Check the picture, the postage(1.63 Euros) was writing by operator due to the postage number was printed out of label.
There are 4 lucky numbers on the label -- 6666. Here in China, 6 means good luck. So I think the lucky is that the postage number(by handwriting) will stay longer than other characters by thermal printing.

China PC-Letter

User write the letter on computer and send it to the 'Post Center System' by Internet, the letter's content will be transfered to the receiver's post office, and the post office will print the content of letter and packet to one envelop, and send to the target by post man.
This will be useful for those receivers have no computer or no networking, and they hope the letter could be sent fast, save time. Of course if both the sender and receiver have computers, and can access Internet, they can sending emails direcetly, no need the PC-Letter. Or if you want to send stuffs, not only electronics information, the PC-letter is not valid for you.
The announced date is 28th Sep. 2002, and basic postage is 2$, only one page. If you want to send more pages, 0.5$ per page more, and 4 pages totally max. PC-letter have no register server.User must purchase the software and pre-paid card.
Don't know the status of the related service in w/w.

Xmas Gifts

Xmas gifts from my friend.
MAX cards:
79th Philatelic Congress - Paris 2006

World War II 60th Annv. - Very like this one, will introduce to China stamps collectors because the card was issued by German company I guess according to the phone number and website.

59th Philatelic Salon 2005 Paris - Stockholm

Nevers 2006

And some French ATMs.

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Thanks Pierre
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Merry Christmas

Tomorrow is Christmas day, hope every ATM collectors in the world have a good day.
MERRY CHRISTMAS, SEASONS GREETING, HAPPY NEW YEAR.

Why we need ATM

Check the 3 covers, all of them have the stupid 'postage paper' stuck. Since USSR break out, the independant countries have not enough 'new country' stamps to use, they had to make the temporary postage papers - simply marks with number on the coarse papers. The quality is even lower than the stamps made 100 years ago. I am not the expert of above 'postage paper', even don't know the real reason of its happening, but if there is ATM machine ....

If the POST AUTHORITY are not enough ready for postage change, we had paid more time cost for the change. For example the inflation, or regular postage update. As we know, last 15th, China POST changed the basic inland postage from 0.80$ to 1.20 . And we did not ever issue 0.40$ value stamps almost, and for definitive stamps, there are only 0.05, 0.10, 0.30, 0.60, 0.80,,,, so for the basic letter, the postman/customer had to stick 0.30+0.10, or 0.30+0.05+0.05 value stamps on the letter. That is waste to time, and resource really. Till today, I still not find the new issue of value 0.40 and 1.20 stamps for the updates in some main post offices.

If there are ATMs, just we do is update the programme, change several parameters. If the machine have networking, that we can upload new programme from center server to total country's client(ATM machines). Easy and Fast!!!

Japan - Fujisawa ATM

As we know current ATM machines are Omron in Japan. It can output ATMs value of 50, 80, 90, 120, 270 yen. (notes: the intial period can output 130 yen) Below image is Omron from Matudo-minami, and can produce receipt.
After running several years, the program was updated to reject 500 coin and 1000 yen banknotes because of false coins and forged notes happened.



Above picture is Inland Express Letter

In 1998, there setup one machine from Fujisawa, later stopped due to don't work. And no body repaire it. The character of Fujisawa is very close to Omron, but there still a little bit difference. Because card is sticked Fujisawa ATM.

Below image is look-up between Fujisawa (top) and Omron (bottom). We can see the Fujisawa is more stronger than Omron.

Because Fujisawa also can output other vlaues, 80, 90, 120, 270. I don't know how much the difference between other characters because I have no samples of other value.

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Thanks Sugimura-san

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Taiwan - 3rd Green Bear

For the new year stamps exhibition, Chungli post office will reload the Green ribbon on ATM machine, number 056, VarioSyst503A, black bear label.
The machine will be setup on SOGO shopping mall, user can operate the machine themselvs, and the valid day is from 30th Dec. to 4th Jan.
For 057, it is first time to use Green ribbon, but for black bear label on VarioSyst503A, it is the 3rd time to print Green. What is the next?

Israel - Christmas 2006

On 5th Dec. 2006, Israel Post issued new ATM for the Christmas, named Season's Greetings. They used machine Nr. 001, 010, 015 to release that. Regretly it is not clear and/or recognize while printing violet on red. Below image is 600% scaning, we still not can find the right machine number.
From the body, for 001 number, the second zero is wider than first one.

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Thanks Tari

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Poland - ByeBye to 37mm label ?

From last year to early of this year, 'Opole 7' post office used 37mm height label for ATM. Most of other post offices used 36mm height label.
Recently found the post office 'Opole 7' changed to 36.2mm height label.
Not sure which day it was changed?
Not sure if the 37mm height label would be happen again in the future?
Not sure if other post office(s) have ever used that label?
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Maybe we would say 88 to that spec's label.
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88: Chinese pronounciation is same to English ByeBye

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Thanks Irena
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Missed ESPANA

I found one interesting ATM in my album yesterday. There printed 3 strange characters on the left of label. They are '>', '_' and omega character.

The position is much higher than machine number should be, don't know how could be this. This sample have no machine number.

Netherland Introduce new ATM machine

Netherland Post(TNT) purchased several ATM machines from Wincor-Nixdorf, named ProPostal 2000. Its first introduced date is on 6th Nov. at small town named Heemstede(two machines), second released on 10th Nov. at Nijmegen(two machines). The machines located at Heemstede can accept credit card/bankcard and coins, the machine number on label is PK000001 and PK000002. The machines located at Nijmegen can accept credit card/bankcard only, and number is TNT000001, TNT000002.PK machines' default value is 0.39, 0.65, 0.69, 0.80, and 0.85. And it can output small other values through get changes of letter. But the TNT machines can output 0.39, 0.69, 0.85 euros value.
The ATM machine can output receipt also, there are five types according to the letter destination. They areBrief binnenland -- Inland Brief Prio Europ -- Europe PriorityBrief Stand Europa -- Europe StandardBrief Prio ROW -- Rest of World PriorityBrief Stand ROW -- Rest of World Standard


The another machine can scale letter and parcels, output postage label(SFS) according to its weight. The max value is 20,00 euros, and use the same image to ATM, but bigger size.
For priority letter, the machine will print related information on the label(left side). It is stupid to print so much black background on the label, used so much ink. If it use black as foreground, that will save many ink. In my image, the all European had focus on Energy Saving, on north of Europe especially.
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Thanks for Simon, Hens.
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Maroc - Blank paper

One of my friend go to Marrakech, Maroc for holiday. And he got some ATMs for me, two of them printed nothing, is blank. But the machine did not indicate any alarm information, still runs according to customer's operation, even output the extract receipt.
Sounds like the NewVision have so more bugs need to correct.
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Thanks Jacques
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Little variable of Mexico 2

It is Mexico Nr. 2 ATM cover. We can see the first asterisk of ATM is smaller, and lost a little bit leg on right bottom.

WebStamp Blank Envelope

Seems like Swizterland Post sell blank envelope of WebStamp also, interesting.
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Thanks Sugimura-san
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MACAU - Re-print the ATM (2)

In my previous article I mentioned on 1st Dec. 2006, Macau Post issue new ATM. Using current 'Energy Saving' ATM design to re-imprint. Above cover is FDC to China mainland, still supposed the postage is 2.50$, so asked friend to stick that postage. Actually it should be 3.50$ since starting of this year, postman leave one 'postage due' mark (T 1.00/3.50) on the letter, and here rectange mark means should pay 1.10$ for postage, 3$ for handling fees. But here in China I have ever never seen any one got charged for 'postage due'. Perhaps only Singapore still do the rule strictly. Maybe Macua did it also.


Above image is look-up of old ATM and new ATM, the deviation words is RED marked by me.
Below the 'Lotus Bridge' ATM, edition 99 and edition 2000. On edition 2000, it removed text INCM.

To be continued.....

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Thanks Sousa

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CHINA ATM JOURNAL - SECOND EDITION

Front Cover
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Rear Cover

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This is 2nd edition of 'AUTOMATION PHILATELY RESEARCH', published on Nov. 2004.There are different automation philatelic albums in thie edition almost all. Here is the catalogue of album

-China ATM

-First ATM in China

-China ATM 1999-2001 (1 frame)

-China ATM Preview

-China ATM 1999-2001 (3 frames)

-Hong Kong ATM

-Taiwan ATM: Nr. 1, 2, 3

-Taiwan ATM: Nr. 3, 4

-Research of Volume Postage Label

-Volume Postage Label

-Postage marked label in Beijing

-PC Letters

-Beijing Self-service Post Machine label(1999-2004)

-Current postage meters in Shanghai

-Current postage meters

-Postmark with waves(1992-2004)

-New Technologies in Postage Mark

-Hong Kong temporary postage label 2002

Sielaff in AUSTRIA - error & receipts

This 25th Aug. AUSTRIA POST issued new ATM in Sielaff machine since 2001 by FRAMA. This issue is flowers(two pictures in one strip), tulip and liverleaf. First issue of this image is for GMUNDEN 2006(25th Aug.), then BAD REICHENHALL(6th Oct.) and PHILATELIE.SHOP(16th Oct.). The image of label are very beautiful, and have one white pattern on image for printings.
-----------There is one postage paid label on above letter, the label was fold.
On the back of ATM, there pre-imprinted number of label, very 5 label have one number printed, see last image.
Because the same machine from Germany, the receipt(from PHILATELIE.SHOP) is close to German receipt almost, see below scan. Left one is Austrian, right is German.

Perhaps the BAD cobbon made the BAD receipt, there are so big area black on the receipt, see first image.

Below label missed one black dot at least on left and right.

Since 24th Nov. there will change new paper of label, look and see new features..

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Thanks Wolfgang

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China - Self-Service Post

This is my 4th time to visit this post office (POST AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS OFFICE OF THE NEW CENTURY), and dedicate to buy postage label and take some photoes for my blog. Just remembered last time I visited is on this Feb.
Same to last time, the machine still don't work, the administrator said there is one spare part shortage, can play adv. only. Except some photoes of machine, I got nothing. And the administrator say she don't know when the machine can work...Maybe it will be sleep forever.

In my second time of visiting(17th Sep. 2005), after bought some labels, the machine don't work again. Even administrator adjust the printer, it is still can not output labels. That time, when the administrator open the trunk, I have opportunity to look at the secret. There are two independt printers, one is EPSON jet-ink for postage label, another is stylus-printer for receipt. Surely there is one computer runs Windows 98 or 95 to processing all operations.
From my first and second time, I got some '3rd issue' of postage paper, see belows. On the label, there are value, weight of letter, destination(in-city, out city, HK-MC-TW, AP, Overseas), letter type(postcard, snail, air, surface, SAL, register...). If it is registered letter, there is number of letter(see first row, left is receipt of registered letter: 0045, right is the postage label of the R-letter), date, and post office of the machine located.

The second issue of postage label have a little different from 3rd. There is no post office name, is time of printing, see below covers.

How to use the postage labels?
There are two ports on the label, left is postage label with above information, right is the instruction you could throw away. The means of text on right area 'Please stick left label on the front side of cover, it is invalide if removed of the label from cover'. So first, you can remove the postage label(two ports are self adhesive) and stick on the cover. When post man open box finding the letter, he will stick stamps with same value on the cover, and cancel the stamps. I think it is very low efficiecy to complete that job, from buying postage label to post the letter. Every one need more times to do that.
At my first time I bought only two labels with spending more than 30 minutes, include the machine almost reject the 10 cents, 50 cents coins oftenly. Only 1 Yuan and banknotes(5 Yuan, 10 Yuan) is more acceptable than low value coins.
At second time, I send 3 letters to my address, but they have never ever arrived, lost.
As I know there are more units, two located at Beijing, another located at Fuzhou city. Above covers are from Fuzhou. I had tried to visit another machine in Beijing, but the guard of the building prevent me because only the employee of the building can enter into the building. Faint!
Maybe next spring I will visit the machine again, hope the machine will be operated.
There are so long way to walk for produce auto post machine for China, even some peoples like me think it is easy to develop that kind machines. I have confidence if the working would do by private company in south of China.

Taiwan Green CKS

For celebrating the ATM exhibition on Zhanghua post office, the local post used green ribbon on the Rocupex'06 ATM on 18th Nov. 2006. The machine number is 069. The live field printing period is from 8:00 t0 12:00 am only. The customer could buy 10 pieces everytime, after that he had to fell in line again if he want to buy more. And the machine would be operated by administrator only, customers give the coins to administrator.
From 1st to 10th Nov. 2006, the post office accept the order by lot, every lot include value 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 9, 12, 13, 15, 17, 25, 32, 45, and 99$. The price is 310$, and offer 400 lots only. Every customer can order 7 lots max by money transfer. Acctually on the first day(1st Nov.), all the 400 lots were sold out.
On the issue day(18th Nov.), the post office also sell the lot on the field, total 300 lots to offer, every one can buy 7 lots max. Many collectors start off waiting on line to buy the left 300 lots, the first one arrived the field and stay in line at 5 pm 17th Nov., till next morning 5 am 18th Nov., there are more than 50 peoples staying in line. How is the hot collecting - ATM.
That assumption this issue will be 12000 pieces total. And this is the last time to issue CKS image ATM, good bye CKS. Next issue will FISH.

Belgica'06

For Belgica'06 stamp exhibition hold on Belgium, the POST issued special ATM on 16th Nov. 2006, red print.
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Thanks Loris
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MACAU - Re-print the ATM

Since 1th Dec. 2006, Macau Post will issue new ATM on Nagler and Klussendorf. Initial It would be installed on GPO only. The legend of new ATM is called 'Energy Saving', same to current issue(issued on 5th June 2002). The only difference is the text on bottom right. The new issue will imprtint 'REIMP 2006'.
Whatever, it is the same story to 'Lotus Bridge' ATM.

SUISSE - Position mark error on flag ATM

While Helvetia issue new ATM(flag) on 6th Sep. 2005, there makes some error on paper pattern. It is position mark(silver) should be imprinted on the left side only, but some of them were imprinted on right side too, see red arrow on above image.
The initial imprint quality is not fine, some of them were shorter mark. Maybe after runs several months, all the position marks will be ok.

Logo history of France

The postal logo on France ATM changed several times since its first appearance on 'Dove' ATM on 25th Feb. 1985. The logo is simple dove marks, no any sepcial words. When it released 'comet' ATM on 7th July 1988, the logo was changed to complete type 'LA POSTE +dove'. This logo type runed many years till issue 'Salon Philatélique Nancy 2001' on 23th March 2001. It add a rectange pane to surround the 'old' logo.
From this year(2006), the first issue 'DIJON 2006', the logo became more art, there is one circle shap surround the 'dove mark'. And the next 5th issue of this year, 'NEVERS 2006', there is yellow background inside the circle, more vivid I think.
But for the definitive ATM 'paper airplanes' issued on 3th July 2000, only print letters 'LA POSTE' on the paper, today is still circulated.
For this article, I checked my ablums detailed. Then I found one interesting variable on 'comet' ATM paper, see below. There is blue big DOT(white edge) located on the right of logo, and even cover part of it. I got this from eBay several (months or years) ago, and don't know/remember the description of vendor. Let me know the story if you know please.

This ATM was from C001.75500

CHINA ATM JOURNAL - FIRST EDITION

Front Cover
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This journal was named 'AUTOMATION PHILATELY RESEARCH', published by China AUTOMATION PHILIATE SOCIETY on Dec. 2003. It is the first professional journal about the automation philately collection and study in China. And because it is not a public magazine, only release internal inside society for reference, the printing volume are 500 units.
This edition focus on China ATMs

Rear Cover

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All the articles were lied to 3 areas: China ATM research; China ATM stories; Investing China ATM.

The research documents involves ATM history, current w/w state, machines, paper editions, color, print method, paper pattern, cut, bill, materials, and discussion of machine setup and close....

The interesting stories include the experience of collectors buy ATM, use it at different cities, enve challenge by cop. How do they touch the ATMs.

The other articles discuss the value of China ATM, the volume....

There are rich information on appendix, include

Milestone of China ATM: from 30th Dec. 1999 to 3th Aug. 2003

China ATM Album

Official documents about ATM machine procurement application, trial run, usage control.

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There are some rare photoes of ATM on the end of pages. Here are FDC, high face vlaue cover, postage due cover, blue ATM cover...