Stamp Story 1955

A tip of the tongs to Janet Klug for sharing this short film about stamp collecting in the 1950s when Nassau Street was still going strong.

Stamp Collecting Software

Looking for some simple to use  cataloging software for under $20 bucks?

Then check out Stamp Collection Manager designed for serious stamp collectors.

Among its features:

• Store Your Stamp Collection Details with Images
• Large Capacity - You can store thousands of stamps
• Summary - View information about a selected stamp
• Printing - Make prints from your collection
• Export - Export your collection to HTML, PDF or CSV format
• Image Preview - Preview the image of selected stamp
• Zoom - View the image of stamp in actual size
• Search - Search your collection
• Valuation - Shows the total money you spend on your collection along with its current value
• Free Life Time Updates - Buy once and get all future versions for free

System Requirements: Windows XP, Vista, 7

For more information, click here.

Social History Attracts Post Card Collectors

"They are storytellers as much as they are collectors. Inquire about a postcard for sale at the annual Toronto Postcard Club show at the Old Mill Inn and you receive a free history lesson along with it, " writes reporter Noor Javed on Toronto's the Star.com website.

George Sachs, president of the club, is quoted in the piece as saying, “The lure of postcards for many collectors is that they are interested in social history. They love reading the messages on the back as much as looking at the image on the front.” 

Siobhan Angley, a dealer and one of the few women at the show says postcard collecting is an education in itself.

She's quoted as saying, "“You aren’t going to bump into any dimwits here. They are people who have photographic memories. They might have 10,000 cards at home and they know every card, they know every image, they know what’s on the back. They can identify the stamp, they can remember it, they know the series, and they can identify the publisher. And they are always in search for more. It really caters to packrats."

Shown above, dealer Derek Dalton's holding a cloth postcard postmarked in 1906 which most likely depicts a Coast Guard cutter.

To read the entire article, click here.

The Legends of Hollywood

The Sqiudoo website reports, "The Legends of Hollywood is a series of commemorative stamps issued by the US Postal Service starting in 1995 with Marilyn Monroe. Since then, each year, one Hollywood legend, be it actor, actress, or director is chosen to grace these beautiful and highly collectible pieces of Hollywood memorabilia."

According to the site, "The artist chosen to create this stamp, Michael J. Deas, drew much of his inspiration for the stamp from a studio publicity photo of Marilyn taken in the 1950's. What is interesting to note, though is that while her face is inspired by the photo, her hands and her torso are actually a composite of a variety of photos taken of Marilyn.

It goes on to say, "The selvage art (art found around the surplus margin of the stamp sheet) was going to be the famous skirt blowing up scene from the movie, 'The Seven Year Itch', but it was decided that image was not appropriate and would demean Marilyn's memory."

On the site, you can vote for your favorite Legends of Hollywood celebrity and who should be honored with their own stamp in the series.

To learn more about the Legends of Hollywood series, click here .... and don't forget to watch the 84th Academy Awards tonight 7e/4p on ABC.

Scientists Want New Stamp For Pluto

Don Finley writes on the My Sant Antonio website, "Two decades ago, the Postal Service issued a series of stamps depicting Earth, its moon, and the spacecraft sent to explore each of the other planets in the solar system. The 10th stamp, featuring tiny, distant Pluto, was the only one to read 'not yet explored.'

He goes on to say, "Those three words have annoyed Alan Stern ever since. Stern, an associate vice president and scientist at Southwest Research Institute, was making plans at the time for what would become the New Horizons mission to Pluto, which launched in 2006."

According to Finley, "Now Stern, principal investigator of the mission, along with astronomer and artist Dan Durda, is trying to set the record straight. The scientists have designed a new stamp for Pluto, and they have launched a petition drive to get the post office to issue it when New Horizons reaches the dwarf planet in 2015."

"Pluto could probably use a boost to its self-esteem, " pens Finley. "It was downgraded from planet to “dwarf planet” in 2006. Even when it was a planet, it was the smallest and farthest from the sun. Its name was given to the only nonverbal life form in Mickey Mouse cartoons."

Shown here, the proposed design which was created by planetary scientist and astronomical illustrator Dan Durda for Astronomy magazine.

To read the entire article, click here.

Mr. Zip Revisited

Alyson Kuhn writes on the Felt and Wire: Impressions from the Paper-Obsessed website,"I love Mr. Zip. He is tidy, smiley and energetic. I like to 'perf' him off panes of vintage stamps and then proudly position him on the flaps of envelopes. I still cherish a Mr. Zip good luck charm I bought back in the mid-’90s … but I’d never thought about any other “Zippiana.” Now Mr. Zip has his own website, rich in history, photos and yes, ephemera. The site was researched and written by Abby Curtin, a college student who wasn’t even born when Mr. Zip retired in 1983. How’d she do that?"

In talking about her site Curtin says, "At first we envisioned a pictorial history of Mr. Zip, showcasing various ways he was used. Interestingly, his appearance didn’t really evolve over his 20 years of  'service,' and so the site took on a life of its own. As I was doing my research, I also realized that it’s nearly impossible to discuss Mr. Zip outside of the context of the ZIP Code campaign, so my project evolved into one where I told the story of the entire campaign."

Among  many other interesting factoid, Curtin says Mr. Zip appeared on consumer products such as ZIP Code board game, and on a children’s lunchbox and thermos which helped draw attention to ZIP Code in the early 1960s. Curtin says she actually played the board game (show above) with three other interns while at the National Postal Museum.

"It’s not played on a board, but there are cardboard pieces in the shape of envelopes," she writes.  "Each piece has a ZIP Code on it, and there are also pigeonhole mail sorting pieces. Each player has an assigned area from which you try to collect all the mail."

To visit the Mr. Zip site, click here.

The Precancel Stamp Society

According to the The Precancel Stamp Society's website, "Precancels are postage stamps that have been canceled before being used on letters or packages. Typically they are stamps cancelled with two lines, and the city and state where they were mailed. I like them because of the many ways you can collect them, and the affordability of most of them. Above all, the best part of collecting precancels are the other great collectors you’ll meet along the way."

It goes on to say, "The Precancel Stamp Society, Inc. is the outgrowth of two earlier organizations of collectors of precanceled stamps. The International Precancel Club was organized in 1910. The IPC held several conventions in conjunction with other stamp gatherings. By 1921 it had 111 members, but was relatively inactive. At about this time, a rival precancel organization was formed under the name: Precancel Club of America. This group had an initial rapid growth and changed its name to The Precancel Stamp Society at what is now considered to be the first PSS convention in Denver in 1922."

Today the Society offers free downloadable precancel albums, a sample copy of their periodical, in-depth, articles about precancels and information on precancel styles.

To visit The Precancel Stamp Society website, click here.

Stamp Collectors as Guardians of History

John Finch, About.com Stamp Collecting Guide writes about Barry Landau (shown above), the so-called presidential memorabilia super-collector. According to Finch, Landau has pled guilty to stealing historical documents, "which may include drafts of FDR speeches, a land grant signed by President Lincoln, a letter from Ben Franklin to John Paul Jones, as well as numerous other items of great import to the United States' culture and heritage."

Finch points out, "We all -- as collectors -- have the desire to reach out and touch history. For some it's our raison d'être. Stamps provide us with satisfaction in that regard. But for some, who feel they are touching history second hand, it is not enough. Stamp collectors know that they are temporary curators of philatelic material. One way or another, it will be passed down through history, either to family or another collector."

To read the entire article, click here.

Six-Grader Strives to Get Forgotten Slave on Stamp

Ebony.com reports,"An eager crowd of parents and children filed into the atrium of the National Postal Museum in Washington, D.C. recently for the Museum’s African American History Month Family Day. Though there were many activities available for kids that day, many in the crowd were there for one reason: to hear Jackson L. Davis, V., speak. This phenomenal twelve-year-old boy was invited to speak at the Museum because of the national campaign he launched to get York – the slave who worked alongside Lewis and Clark on the first transcontinental expedition – honored with a commemorative stamp."

Reporter Brooke Obie pens, "And though Lewis, Clark, and Sacagawea have been posthumously acknowledged with stamps and a coin for their work, Davis was upset to learn that York, the only African American on the expedition, has not yet been honored with a stamp like the others."

According to the article, " Davis submitted a proposal to the United States Postal Service Citizens’ Stamp Advisory Committee for York to be considered for a 2013 Black Heritage Stamp.  He also wrote to every living American president to raise awareness of his campaign, and so far has received letters of support from President Barack Obama, Vice President Joe Biden, his own congressman, Representative Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Harvard Professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr. , the president of the National Urban League, Marc Morial, and many other leaders. The York stamp is now under consideration by the Committee."

The 12-year-old is the great-grandson of a postal worker.

To read the entire article, click here.  

Each Stamp a Piece of History

Reporter Nora Avery-Page writes on Arizona's Daily News-Sun website, "To Mike O’Neill, a stamp is a little piece of history."

O'Neill, president of the Sun City Stamp Club, is quoted in the article as saying, "“You look at a stamp and each stamp is history. When you look through the books, you can just go through history.”

“I started when I was about 7 or 8, probably,” O’Neill said. “When I retired, I started it up again.”

"Club member Mike Eller also recounted how he renewed his interest in stamp collecting after retirement about 19 years ago. Eller said he didn’t want to invest in stocks because he felt he didn’t have any control over it. Stamps were an alternative," pens Avery-Page.

The Sun City Stamp Club has 70 members and has an auction at each meeting.

Shown above, Sun Citian Elliott Engberg, left, has his stamp collection appraised by Tom Goetz of Peoria during a Sun City Stamp Club appraisal event.

To read the entire article, click here.

The Letter Writers Alliance, Stamp Fingernails and Carrier Pigeons Without The Poop

A tip of the tongs to Facebook friend and the American Philatelic Society's Stamp Talk host Nancy Clark, for bringing to the Round-Up's attention The Letter Writers Alliance (LWA).

The LWA was established in 2007 by Kathy Zadrozny and Donovan Beeson to encourage people to write more letters.

According to their website, "In this era of instantaneous communication, a handwritten letter is a rare and wondrous item. The Letter Writers Alliance is dedicated to preserving this art form; neither long lines, nor late deliveries, nor increasing postal rates will keep us from our mission."

It goes on to say, "As a member of the Letter Writers Alliance, you will carry on the glorious cultural tradition of letter writing. You will take advantage of every opportunity to send tangible correspondence. Prepare your pen and paper, moisten your tongue, and get ready to write more letters!"

A recent post on their blog talks about decorating your finger nails with stamps.

It reads, "From Reuben Miller, via The Improvised Life, here is a new way to artify your finger nails using stamps! I suppose you could technically use any image, cut it to size and then cover it with clear nail polish, but this is STAMPS people! STAMPS!"

Also. check out their Pigeon Post Kit where you can have your own carrier pigeon "without all the messy poop clean-up. As seen above, mail the bird as is, no box needed!

To visit their website, click here.

USPS May Raise 1st Class Postage to 50 Cents

ABC News and other news agencies are reporting the United States Postal Service may raise the price of first class postage to 50 cents if it is to survive financial ruin.

According to an article by Alan Farnham, "The U.S. Post Office, facing financial losses of up to $18.2 billion a year by 2015, wants to charge more for postage, more for services, and to suspend Saturday delivery.The 50-cent stamp would represent an 11 percent increase in postal rates."

Franham goes on to say, "The last postal increase occurred late last month, when the cost of mailing a first-class letter rose from 44 cents to 45 cents. Rates also rose for packages, for  periodicals, and for a wide variety of services.  The law limits USPS increases overall to the rate or inflation, or 2.1 percent a year."

Shown above, 1933 United States #C18 (affectionately known as "The Baby Zeppelin")

To read the entire article, click here.

Audio Interview with Terry McCaffrey and Ethel Kessler

In an interesting audio interview on the 99% Invisible website, Julie Shapiro, artistic director of the Third Coast International Audio Festival, spoke with Terry McCaffrey, the retired manager of stamp development for the USPS Stamp Services Office, and Ethel Kessler, an art director who’s been working with Stamp Services for over 15 years.

In the interview, Kessler says, "Somebody might be able to do a great painting that’s 20 x 30 inches, but you take that down to 1 x 1.5 inches, and it’s a challenge to make it work."

Among other topics discussed includes the rules for the selection of a stamp and U.S. stamp design such as the Breast Cancer semi-postal (shown above).

Also recorded, University of Ghana post office workers whistling while cancelling stamps.

Click here to listen.

The ‘Holy Grail of Philately’

Britain's Daily Mail reports, "One of the rarest and most sought after stamps ever produced is up for sale and expected to fetch over half a million pounds.The plate 77 Penny Red has been dubbed the ‘Holy Grail of philately’ and is one of just nine examples of the stamp ever recorded. Although millions of Penny Reds were printed between 1841 and 1879, a number of plates were never used due to technical faults."

Reporter Katie Silver pens, "Flaws in plate number 77 meant the stamp’s perforations were lined up incorrectly, so all of the test sheets were destroyed. But at least one sheet was released into circulation by mistake - making the 77 every stamp collector’s dream. Dealer Stanley Gibbons heralds it as the 'most valuable single stamp' the company has ever had for sale in their 156 year history, with a value of around £550,000."

According to the article, "To date, four mint and five used examples have been reported, although some have not been seen for so long their authenticity is unconfirmed and often doubted. Of the mint examples, there is one in the Royal Philatelic collection, one in the Tapling collection in the British Library, one in the Raphael collection that was stolen in 1965 and has not been seen since, and the fourth was in the Ferrary collection sold in the 1920s."

Shown above, The extremely rare used penny red stamp (left) from 'plate 77' compared with a regular four penny red (right).

To read the entire article, click here.

It's Not About Ripping Stamps Off Envelopes

Financial reporter Michael Ettershank writes on the Business Day website, "Stamp collecting offers high returns and history lessons and offers investors an opportunity to buy a little piece of history."

Graham Royan, a member of the Institute of Financial Markets and the Philatelic Traders’ Society in London is quoted in the piece as saying, "Stamp collecting is the second largest-hobby in the world with more than 50-million serious stamp collectors. It’s not about ripping old stamps off envelopes and stuffing them in a book — this is people collecting, and normally specialising in, a particular type of stamp."

Royan goes on to say, ""It’s a hobby where one can easily become hooked because it’s fascinating — the amount of historical and geographical information you can learn from a little stamp collecting is vast."

To read the entire article and watch a video, click here.

French Valentine's Day Stamps

The Squidoo website reports, "Every year, for Valentine day, La Poste (the French postal service) issues postage stamps designed by the greatest name in the French fashion industry. These Valentine day stamps are heart shaped and comes in various denomination and presentation. They are gorgeous tiny pieces of art, and can make a cheap affordable collection."

According to the site, "The first ever France Valentine day 'designer hearts' postage stamps were issued in 2000. The stamps, designed by the Yves Saint-Laurent couture house, represent 2 facing snakes and a face. These valentine stamps were also available in a booklet of 10 adhesive stamps and a souvenir sheet."

It goes on to say, "For the basic collection (regular stamps, self-adhesive stamps and souvenir sheet) you will not ruin yourself! The souvenir sheets are at the most 10$ a piece. Don't pay more than that per piece!! The regular stamps runs between 1.50$-3$ a piece. The adhesive version are a bit harder to find and can run up to 5$-8$ (then again, don't pay more than this)."

Shown above, 2011 French valentine souvenir sheet and stamps. Designed by Maurizio Galante, they can be colored or written on as can been from the side inscription.

Click here to see other designer Valentine stamps issued by France.

Click here to view various "Love" stamps issued by the United States over the years.

Postal Museum Offering Free Book About Owney

American country music star Trace Adkins is helping children learn more about Owney, a dog who played a real role in mail-service history. According to the Boot.com website, Adkins uses words and music to help bring to life Owney and his canine adventures in a free downloadable book called Owney: Tales From the Rails.

Adkins is quoted in the piece by Vernell Hackett as saying, "As a father of five, a history buff and animal lover, I am very proud to work with the Smithsonian's National Postal Museum to bring Owney's fascinating story to life. The song and this story provide a fun way for families to learn together."

Hackett goes on to say, "This is a natural move for Trace, who three youngest daughters love for him to read to them when he's at home. They also have dogs, so it is a relatable story for them when they hear about Owney and all the things he gets to do. It also fits right in with Trace's upcoming Songs and Stories tour, which launches in March. The intimate tour will play to smaller venues than Trace has been playing recently, and gives the singer the chance to talk to his audience about the songs he'll be performing."

To read and listen to Owney: Tales From the Rails, click here.

Happy Birthday Abe!

Today is Abraham Lincoln's birthday!

According to Wikipedia, "Abraham Lincoln (February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865) was the 16th President of the United States, serving from 1861 to 1865. He successfully led the United States through its Civil War, thus preserving the Union and bringing an end to slavery. Lincoln was the first Republican president, elected in 1860. Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863 and promoted the passage of the Thirteenth Amendment to the Constitution. Second only to the number of times George Washington has appeared on U.S. postage, Abraham Lincoln appears on U.S. postage more than all the remaining other presidents."

It goes on to say, "The first postage stamp to honor Abraham Lincoln was issued on April 14, 1866, one year to the day after his death in 1865...The engraving of this image was modeled after a photograph taken by Mathew Brady. The 90c issue of 1869 displays an engraving of Lincoln that was fashioned after the same photograph taken by Mathew Brady used to model for the 1866 issue. A total of only 47,460 stamps were printed by the National Bank Note Company."

Shown above, 1866 Lincoln stamp.

To learn more about Abraham Lincoln on U.S. postage, click here.

Stamps Give Seniors a New Lease on Life

India's The Hindu reports, "Every second Saturday, at the philatelic bureau here, a largely silent crowd gathers to delve into the world of stamps. They include school children, a few college students and many senior citizens. Tweezers are passed around and instructions given on how to handle the stamps very carefully. For these elderly people, the hobby in a way has given a fresh lease of life after they retired from work."

S. Visvanath, who has been collecting stamps for the last 55 years, is quoted as saying, "“For a true philatelist, the true pleasure lies in the knowledge he gets out of the stamps he owns. It has helped me appreciate art better. I buy books on artists the stamps have featured and then read about them. While one might have a huge collection of stamps on blood donation, another's cherished collection might be on holograms."

According to the article, "The Philatelic Bureau has been regularly sending stamps to over 1, 200 people across the country, and since most backlogs have been cleared, there is better quality coming in, say officials. The Black Penny issued by Great Britain and the stamp on Gandhi printed in Switzerland in 1948 are the present rage now, say philatelists."

To read the entire piece, click here.

Free Stamp Catalogue

A tip of the tongs to fellow American Legionnaire Mel Rogow for bringing to my attention Freestampcatalogue (FSC).

According to its website, "Freestampcatalogue (FSC) is a world stamp catalogue free for everyone to use. Almost all official stamps issued from about 1920 to the present day are shown in the catalogue. However, this includes only stamps and blocks - no special items, misprints, varieties etc. The stamps are displayed per set, resulting in nearly 200,000 series and blocks. By using the filter function, you can find stamps sorted by country, theme or date, or a combination thereof."

It goes on to say, "FSC is built and maintained by PostBeeld, international stamp dealers located in Haarlem, The Netherlands. Items that are in stock are displayed with a PostBeeld selling price and an order button. PostBeeld uses the reference numbers of various catalogues (e.g. Michel, Yvert, Stanley Gibbons, Scott, NVPH)."

Due to numbering rights, FSC only publishes Michel, Yvert, Stanley Gibbons, Scott and other numbers for items that are on sale on the PostBeeld website.

Click here to visit Freestampcatalogue and PostBeeld.

U.S. Postal Service Ranked Best Among Wealthy Nations

The AllGov.com website reports, "Maligned by American citizens and politicians, the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) is still the best of its kind in the Western world. A review of postal service providers by Oxford Strategy Consulting resulted in the USPS getting the top ranking among the G20 nations." 

The consulting group said in a prepared statement, "“The USPS topped the ranking due to its high operating efficiency and public faith in its performance, measured over three years. The report found the agency delivers over five times more letters per full-time delivery employee than Germany’s privatized provider, Deutsche Post.” 

Japan came in second, Australia third, followed by South Korea, Germany, United Kingdom, France, Canada, Brazil and Russia. The worst rankings were given to the dictatorships of Saudi Arabia and China. 

To read the review, click here.

Boy Scout Stamp Collecting Merit Badge Workshops Being Planned

This past weekend at the ORCOPEXPO stamp show in Anaheim/Garden Grove, Calif., the eleven scouts shown above got their Scout Stamp Collecting Merit Badge.

The 4-hour work shop consisted of a history of stamps and stamp collecting, different types of stamps, different types of collections, different types of albums, mounting stamps and covers, use of catalogs and various tools of the hobby.

A big thank you to the Philatelic Society of Los Angeles, American Philatelic Society and Mystic Stamp Company for helping to underwrite the cost of putting on the workshop and providing materials for these fine young men.

If you would like to donate stamps or other items for several other upcoming workshops being planned in Southern California, contact Don Schilling at donschilling@att.net.

For more on the Scout Stamp Collecting Merit Badge, click here.

Britain Issues Miniature Sheet for Queen's Diamond Jubilee

 Britain's Daily Mail reports, "The Royal Mail has issued a special sheet of first class stamps to mark the 60th anniversary of the Queen’s accession to the throne. The Diamond Jubilee Miniature Sheet...is the first time that the official portraits of the Queen, which have been used on stamps, coins and banknotes throughout her reign, have been brought together for a set of stamps. The new collection includes a new first class diamond blue stamp, which will replace the standard gold stamp in post offices over this year."

According to the article,"Since it first appeared, the standard image has been reproduced on more than 220 billion stamps and has now been updated with the words Diamond Jubilee highlighted in iridescent ink on the background."

This Diamond Jubilee Miniature Sheet is the second of three stamp issues in 2012 celebrating the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.A special eight-stamp issue featuring the Queen throughout the six decades of her reign will be issued on May 31.

To read the entire article, click here.

Indian Professor Collects Gandhi and Palindrome Dates.

"For Venkatesh S Yalvigi, a retired botany professor from Bangalore University, collecting stamps, coins and currency notes is more than just a hobby — it is a way of life," writes reporter Sudha Hegde on India's Deccan Herald website.

According to Hegde, over the last forty years, 83-year-old Professor Yalvigi has spent a lot of time, money and energy on philately and "his collection has almost all the stamps, mints and currency notes on Gandhi from across the world." He also collects other individuals who fought for India’s independence.

"Though he has been into this hobby for the last 40 years, he got a new idea around 12 years ago. He started getting the stamps and special covers cancelled on special dates," says Hegde. "Hence, from 01-01-01 to 11-11-11... he has a collection of stamps and special covers cancelled on these special days."

Hegde is quoted as saying, “In this millennium, we have a series of 12 dates occurring every year from 2001 to 2012. Postal cancellation stamps are accepted as an official mark of the date across the world. So if I get the cancellation on 12-12-12, I will complete the circle and it will be a record in itself. I am waiting for 12-12-12 to complete my philately circle of special dates. I will probably have an exhibition after completing this occasion. I also have to design a special cover for the date."

Shown above, Professor Venkatesh S Yalvigi with part of his collection. 

To read the entire article, click here.

Homemade Postcards Help Save Postal Service

Minnesota's TwinCities.com website reports that St. Paul architect and artist Peter Kramer (shown here) has never sent a single email in his life. However this weekend, the "snail-mail enthusiast" will present his "Postcards to Save the Post Office" collection of original artwork.

According to the article the collection consists of more than 120 one-of-a-kind postcards featuring his drawings.

Reporter Amy Carlson Gustafson pens, "On Saturday, his postcard project debuts at the Grand Hand Gallery where folks can purchase a Kramer original for $20. Buyers will fill out an address label and when the show is over in March, he'll write a note on each one, stick a personalized stamp on them and take the cards to the post office for delivery. "

Kramer is quoted in the piece as saying, "I'm just in love with the idea of mail. Everything about it is enjoyable - writing the letter, thinking about the person getting it, putting the stamp on." 


Pete Nowacki, a spokesman with the Postal Service, appreciates Kramer's support and thinks the postcards are a fun idea.

"There is kind of a natural tie-in between mail and art," Nowacki said. "After all, stamps really are little works of art. What Peter is doing - personalizing his art with a message and then popping it into the mail - that's a first for me and I think a really neat twist."

Click here to read the entire article.
 
 

Volunteers Begin Stamping Valentine Cards

Denver, Colorado's ABC Channel 7 News reports volunteers in Loveland have started stamping Valentine cards.

More than 160,000 cards are sent to Loveland each year to be stamped and remailed. Most are from the United States but many are from other countries.

According to Wikipedia, "Loveland’s Valentine Re-mailing Program began in January 1947 by Ted Thompson and Elmer Ivers, the Loveland postmaster after Ivers received about 30 valentines from individuals requesting to have the cards postmarked from Loveland for, “a romantic extra touch.” The two thought re-mailing valentines would be an opportunity to advertise Loveland, and the Loveland Chamber of Commerce agreed to promote the service. Thompson designed a cachet with the message, “A Valentine Greeting from Sweetheart Town, Loveland, Colorado,” and the image was a heart pierced by an arrow over the Rocky Mountains. The cachet was used twice, then Thompson started the tradition of changing it each year at the request of collectors. Since then, a different verse and design have been used every year."

The 2012 special message, called a cachet, says "Valentine greetings from a city with heart, Loveland, Colorado, home of fabulous art!"

To read the entire article, click here.

United Nations Stamp Artist Wendy Wray

Virginia's Newsleader.com website reports, "If you are a devoted philatelist or just someone who enjoys owning a collectors item, the United Nations endangered species stamp, designed by local artist Wendy Wray, might be high on your list of guilty pleasures."

According to the article, "Last year, Wray's representative in New York got an exciting offer from the United Nations. The United Nations Postal Administration was looking for an artist to design a set of stamps depicting 12 endangered bird species. Wray was thrilled and honored to get the job."

Wray is quoted as saying, ""The way it was done was Brian Arthur photographed my drawings and then I sent the file to the U.N. for the limited release series. These are not stamps you purchase at your local post office. The only place you can get them is online or at the United Nations office in New York. If you want to actually post a letter with the stamp, it would have to be mailed from the U.N. The stamps are issued in dollars, euros and francs."

Shown above, some of the stamps featuring Wray's artwork.

To order these and other United Nations stamps, click here.

To read the entire article, click here.

Buying Stamps in Tough Economic Times

John Finch writes on the About.com website about buying stamps in tough economic times and offers some money saving tricks for acquiring stamps.

Finch suggests the following...

• Buy new issues from countries or agencies,
• Have a few favorite dealers,
• Trade with fellow collectors,
• Buy lesser quality,
• Buy for the future,
• Buy in bulk,
• Possess the knowledge,
• Take care of your stamps and they'll take care of you.

Click here to read the entire article.

A Match Made in Postal Heaven

Nothing says love like a heart-themed postmark according to The Winnipeg Free Press.

Canada Post says the Love (Saskatchewan) and St-Valentin (Quebec) post offices, because of their aptly named towns, will cancel twice as much mail as usual over the coming weeks, with a special cancel designed for the romantic at heart.

According to the paper,"Already, mail is coming in from across Canada and from countries such as China, Japan, Hungary, United States, Switzerland and France."

Canada Post is calling the cancellations "a match made in postal heaven."

For more information and where to send your cards and letters, click here.