# Coupons..no Expiration Date

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coupons-no-expiration-date/188528>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [July 15, 2003, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coupons-no-expiration-date/188528 "2003-07-15T01:06:47Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![OliverTwistofLime](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/b487fb/32.png) [@OliverTwistofLime](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OliverTwistofLime)\
**Post date:** [July 15, 2003, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coupons-no-expiration-date/188528/1 "2003-07-15T01:06:47Z")

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ALMOST ALL COUPONS THAT I RECEIVE(D) IN JUNK MAIL OR NEWSPAPERS, MAGS OR OTHER MEDIA CATEGORIES HAVE AN EXPIRATION DATE.

HOWEVER, I AM CURIOUS HOW LONG MUST THE COUPON ISSUER HONOR A COUPON IF AN EXPIRATION DATE IS NOT INSERTED WHETHER ITS EXCLUSION IS VOLUNTARY OR A MISTAKE?

THE COUPONS WOULD INCLUDE FOOD, ARTICLES THAT NOW SELL FOR MORE THAN THE DATE THE COUPON WAS ISSUED, TRAVEL DISCOUNTS OR ANY OTHER DISCOUNT OFFERED EVEN IF NOT BY COUPON IF NO EXPIRATION DATE IS LISTED

THANKS IN ADVANCE FOR YOUR RESPONSES

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**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\
**Post date:** [July 15, 2003, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coupons-no-expiration-date/188528/2 "2003-07-15T01:15:04Z")

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General etiquette tip: don’t post in all caps. It’s very annoying.

If coupons are intended to have no expiration date, it’s usually explicitly stated.

If there was an error and the expiration date isn’t printed, it’s up to the issuer to decide what to do. If it’s a small coupon, they’ll probably honor it. If it’s for something big, they probably could be taken to court and forced to honor it.

Any sale discount (i.e., without a coupon) is at the discretion of the seller.

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**Author:** ![NothingMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b77776/32.png) [@NothingMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NothingMan)\
**Post date:** [July 15, 2003, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coupons-no-expiration-date/188528/3 "2003-07-15T03:11:59Z")

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Also check and see if the coupon is payable to a bank. . . it would be stated in small print somewhere. You may even have to sign for it like you would a check.

I have a few $2 “coupons” to Baskin-Robbins. They are payable to a bank and they do not expire.