The High Value Packet (HVP) service was introduced in 1930 to “repatriate” either Scottish or English used notes between receiving and issuing banks, or to send notes from outlying banks to Head Office. This was before the days of security firm deliveries. The HVP service offered additional security to sending an item via registered mail.
The presentation by the Royal Philatelic Society of London has a particular focus on the Scottish service in the 1960s and 1970s, as these banks were late to use HVP, starting in 1961. There was much secrecy around the service, rates and requirements but this presentation attempted to explain some of this. It also provided a chance to look at labels and packets with UK and Regional Wildings, the iconic Castles issue and the Sterling and Decimal Machins, all these often in colourful combinations.