【Gone were the days 乐趣不复在】

【Gone were the days 乐趣不复在】

I began with collecting FDCs,and particularly fond to have the FDCs REGISTERED going through the mail. Others got their FDCs on the spot, I had to wait a couple of days to have the REGISTERED FDCs delivered to my address.A Registered FDC has a numbered Registered label and bears a traditional metal date stamp of the day. Registered FDC is therefore truly a First Day Cover, the metal date stamping on the cover endorses the true date of the issue of the stamps. Since the introduction of barcode registered labels in lieu of the stamps for Registered mail, I found no fun in sending FDCs by Registered mail anymore, since I have to fork out additional cost to buy the barcode Registered label to have the FDC Registered, the stamps affixed on the FDC can no longer be treated as registration postage. The days are Gone ... it is getting even more absurd when new stamps were put on sale on a later date than the date of issue. It wipes out the realisation of a Registered FDC completely. The coming joint issue with Hong Kong Post has a lapse of 8 days between the First Day of issue and First day of Sale. The term FDC might have to be rewritten, they are no longer "real", perhaps, you may think of a proper term to describe such a cover.

I fancy the days though had to line up in a long queque to buy new stamps and prepare for Registered FDCs，the joy is to receive the Real FDCs delivered at my doorstep. Will like to share a 2001 Registered FDC with a Pos Daftar label of fancy number "7777", not very often I got such a fancy number,however, this adds spice to my collection. 

年少时我就知道邮局发行新邮都会严谨的遵守首日发行的日期，从来不轻易的更改。近年来马来西亚邮政开始变色，许多的新邮不再遵守首日发行，多次的延后发行 屡次发生，叫集邮人无从适从。香港联发新邮铁定 2014年10月9日两地同时发行，又起变卦，香港邮政如期单独发行，大马邮政竟延至 10月17日才出售，出现首日发行与首日发售相差8日的笑话。

以往我喜欢投寄挂号首日封，钟情首日封上有个图案戳再加上一个传统的日期戳和一个挂号标签。挂号首日封有个铁日期，真实赖不了，给首日封添上一小亮点。让 邮局额外上挂号也无需多花费，何乐而不为呢？自从邮局不接受首日封无需多花费挂号寄出，也取消了挂号标签，我也不再收集首日封了。。。想起当年的收集首日 封乐趣，心里感觉嘘唏！

贴一枚2001年自寄的挂号首日封，有首日图案戳，邮局的挂号标签，邮局的普通日戳，很有传统味道的一枚挂号首日封。如今再也没有这么样的制作乐趣了。。感叹！