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General Philatelic/Gen. Discussion : Nine diget Zip Code

 

Author
Postings
cdj1122
Members Picture


Silence in the face of adversity is the father of complicity and collusion, the first cousins of conspiracy..

09 Oct 2019
02:58:47pm
A few years back, the Postal Service invented a nifty way
of speeding up the mail delivery system. And very probably
improved the overall accuracy as well.
Anyway, perhaps some clever devil did the inventing, but
the "ZIPCODE" system was inaugurated some time ago and we
were all encouraged or required to use, first the five
number "area" codes and then all nine digits that in many
cases brought the mail to the right door possibly faster
than the older, "Brooklyn 2" or "Bronx 3" system did.

Almost forty years after Zip +four was implemented I have
noticed that even for SoR members many simply do not bother
adding the last four numbers. One day I had a discussion
with a mail person who said that they could return an
envelope for correction.
So I wonder if the full nine digits are at least technically
required or not.
Also I think it would be nice if members who have not provided
all nine digits would do so rather than having your friends
or customers have to take the time to look things up before
the USPS finally closes up shop and mail service becomes a
subsidiary of UPS or Amazon..

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".... You may think you understood what you thought I said, but I'm not sure you realize that what you think you heard is not what I thought I meant. .... "
ikeyPikey
Members Picture


09 Oct 2019
03:32:40pm
re: Nine diget Zip Code

'
The USPS is using an OCR system that 1) determines the nine-digit zip, and 2) prints a barcode.

You will see that barcode on a self-adhesive strip on flats, and you will see it printed directly onto most letter-size mail.

There is no need for anyone to tell anyone their nine-digit zip and, if the mail is legibly addressed, there is no need to use one in an address.

Cheers,

/s/ ikeyPikey (who always looks-up a recipient's nine-digit zip and includes it in the address, but does not know why he bothers)

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"I collect stamps today precisely the way I collected stamps when I was ten years old."
joshtanski
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09 Oct 2019
07:25:50pm
re: Nine diget Zip Code

There is actually now a zip + 4 + 2 for an 11 digit code.

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d1stamper
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09 Oct 2019
08:01:03pm

Auctions
re: Nine diget Zip Code

ikeyPikey

Are you sure that

"The USPS is using an OCR system that 1) determines the nine-digit zip, and 2) prints a barcode"


Do you not think that the OCR is reading the Zip Code and prints the zip code so that the sorting machines can sort the mail.




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Linus
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09 Oct 2019
09:13:25pm
re: Nine diget Zip Code

The Advanced Facer-Canceller System images the letter, reads the entire typed or handwritten address on the envelope, compares the data to a known database of addresses, and sprays it with a unique ID tag barcode, which includes the 9-digit zip code. The 9-digit zip code is not required in the address on the letter. The letter then goes to the high-speed mail sorter. See the link below.

Linus

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WX16-52bHvg

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cdj1122
Members Picture


Silence in the face of adversity is the father of complicity and collusion, the first cousins of conspiracy..

11 Oct 2019
08:17:37am
re: Nine diget Zip Code

" .... The 9-digit zip code is not required in the address on the letter. ...."

Is that expressed in a positive statement from the USPS or by a statement
simply seeking the five digits and omitting reference to the added numbers
being used by the sender ?.

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".... You may think you understood what you thought I said, but I'm not sure you realize that what you think you heard is not what I thought I meant. .... "
Linus
Members Picture


11 Oct 2019
10:43:29am
re: Nine diget Zip Code

"So I wonder if the full nine digits are at least technically
required or not."



The 9-digit zip code is not required in the address on the letter because the USPS Optical Character Recognition software can figure it out by putting the 5-digit zip code together with the written street address to find it in the USPS database of addresses.

Here is the official USPS statement on how to address a letter, from USPS.com:

Image Not Found


In other words, use the 9-digit zip code if you got it, but it is not required for the delivery of a letter. The best advice, as ikeyPikey said, is to write the address legibly.

Linus

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Author/Postings

Silence in the face of adversity is the father of complicity and collusion, the first cousins of conspiracy..
09 Oct 2019
02:58:47pm

A few years back, the Postal Service invented a nifty way
of speeding up the mail delivery system. And very probably
improved the overall accuracy as well.
Anyway, perhaps some clever devil did the inventing, but
the "ZIPCODE" system was inaugurated some time ago and we
were all encouraged or required to use, first the five
number "area" codes and then all nine digits that in many
cases brought the mail to the right door possibly faster
than the older, "Brooklyn 2" or "Bronx 3" system did.

Almost forty years after Zip +four was implemented I have
noticed that even for SoR members many simply do not bother
adding the last four numbers. One day I had a discussion
with a mail person who said that they could return an
envelope for correction.
So I wonder if the full nine digits are at least technically
required or not.
Also I think it would be nice if members who have not provided
all nine digits would do so rather than having your friends
or customers have to take the time to look things up before
the USPS finally closes up shop and mail service becomes a
subsidiary of UPS or Amazon..

Like 
1 Member
likes this post.
Login to Like.

".... You may think you understood what you thought I said, but I'm not sure you realize that what you think you heard is not what I thought I meant. .... "
Members Picture
ikeyPikey

09 Oct 2019
03:32:40pm

re: Nine diget Zip Code

'
The USPS is using an OCR system that 1) determines the nine-digit zip, and 2) prints a barcode.

You will see that barcode on a self-adhesive strip on flats, and you will see it printed directly onto most letter-size mail.

There is no need for anyone to tell anyone their nine-digit zip and, if the mail is legibly addressed, there is no need to use one in an address.

Cheers,

/s/ ikeyPikey (who always looks-up a recipient's nine-digit zip and includes it in the address, but does not know why he bothers)

Like
Login to Like
this post

"I collect stamps today precisely the way I collected stamps when I was ten years old."
Members Picture
joshtanski

09 Oct 2019
07:25:50pm

re: Nine diget Zip Code

There is actually now a zip + 4 + 2 for an 11 digit code.

Like
Login to Like
this post
Members Picture
d1stamper

09 Oct 2019
08:01:03pm

Auctions

re: Nine diget Zip Code

ikeyPikey

Are you sure that

"The USPS is using an OCR system that 1) determines the nine-digit zip, and 2) prints a barcode"


Do you not think that the OCR is reading the Zip Code and prints the zip code so that the sorting machines can sort the mail.




Like
Login to Like
this post
Members Picture
Linus

09 Oct 2019
09:13:25pm

re: Nine diget Zip Code

The Advanced Facer-Canceller System images the letter, reads the entire typed or handwritten address on the envelope, compares the data to a known database of addresses, and sprays it with a unique ID tag barcode, which includes the 9-digit zip code. The 9-digit zip code is not required in the address on the letter. The letter then goes to the high-speed mail sorter. See the link below.

Linus

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WX16-52bHvg

Like
Login to Like
this post

Silence in the face of adversity is the father of complicity and collusion, the first cousins of conspiracy..
11 Oct 2019
08:17:37am

re: Nine diget Zip Code

" .... The 9-digit zip code is not required in the address on the letter. ...."

Is that expressed in a positive statement from the USPS or by a statement
simply seeking the five digits and omitting reference to the added numbers
being used by the sender ?.

Like
Login to Like
this post

".... You may think you understood what you thought I said, but I'm not sure you realize that what you think you heard is not what I thought I meant. .... "
Members Picture
Linus

11 Oct 2019
10:43:29am

re: Nine diget Zip Code

"So I wonder if the full nine digits are at least technically
required or not."



The 9-digit zip code is not required in the address on the letter because the USPS Optical Character Recognition software can figure it out by putting the 5-digit zip code together with the written street address to find it in the USPS database of addresses.

Here is the official USPS statement on how to address a letter, from USPS.com:

Image Not Found


In other words, use the 9-digit zip code if you got it, but it is not required for the delivery of a letter. The best advice, as ikeyPikey said, is to write the address legibly.

Linus

Like
Login to Like
this post
        

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