The present application describes systems and methods for reliable
transfer of information of value such as virtual postage stamps between a
remote data center and a local device. An identifier that is unique over
at least some time duration is assigned to each virtual postage stamp
such that the identifier is associated with a specific index memory
location or record storage location in the local virtual stamp-printing
device. The local printing device permits only a single use of a virtual
stamp using a secure state flag. The transfer protocol provides reliable
transfer of virtual stamps between the remote data center and the local
printing device that accommodates resend requests, that is not limited to
serial transfer and that does not require end-to-end acknowledgements.