Sneak Peak at 2014's U.S. Stamps We'll reportedly be seeing loads of celebrities on next year's U.S. stamps, according to a report in Linn's Stamp News:The Beatles, Steve Jobs, Elizabeth Taylor, Sarah Vaughn, Wilt Chamberlain, and more. Details and discussion here.
Slip-Sliding Away At least two previously announced issues are now in limbo: The date and location for the Made In America issue have been unmade, and Just Move has just moved off the schedule.
The U.S. 2013 Stamp Program is here! Investing In Stamps
Columnist John Hotchner doesn't recommend it, but if you are buying with an eye toward profit, he has some suggestions. Canada’s 2013 Stamps Ajazz pianist, a lifeguard, a queen, and classic rock bands are among the subjects. The complete programme is here.Britain’s 2013 Stamps From Jane Austen to Dr. Who, traveling by Northern Ireland’s classic locomotives with stops along the way at freshwater ponds and lakes. The complete programme is here.
The King of First Day Covers Henry Scheuer looks at a classic.
U.S.
Postal Rates Are Up Major points: 1¢ more for
letters and postcards, but the same rate for all international mail,
even Canada and Mexico. Details and discussion here.
USPS Goes Apple Picking It is issuing four stamps depicting the fruit for the postcard rate. Botanist Allison Cusick talks about the fruit, its evolution, and more. Cover Catastrophe Hurricane Sandy wiped out thousands of rare and unusual first day and event covers at a Massapequa, N.Y., collectibles store. For those with a strong stomach, here are some pictures of the damage.
The First Stamp Album... ... appeared in 1862, published by Justin Lallier in France. That's just 22 years after the first postage stamps were produced! Take look at this video by the Sandafayre stamp company, showing the second edition of the album, published in 1863. It covered the world.
Durland 2012 is Here New books from the U.S. Stamp Society include this definitive reference for U.S. plate numbers, as well as the new "United States Savings Stamps." Order them online here. Lloyd's Fun FDCs! Volume 42 - Philatelic PhotoShopping Phun Computer graphics programs are a godsend to first day cover cachetmakers. "Help! I just inherited
this stamp collection!" Just been given Aunt
Matilda's old stamp collection and don't know what to do with
it? We can help. Unique Stamp Collecting Bookstore We have philatelic books in
our bookstore you won't find
anywhere else on the Internet, including publications from F.D.C.
Publishing Co., the U.S. Stamp Society, and John
Hotchner. Virtual Stamp Club? How can I join? The Virtual Stamp Club was
chartered in 1995 as the first electronic chapter of the American
Philatelic Society. It is now also a chapter of the American
First Day Cover Society. It's a stamp club for those of us online.
Membership requirements are simple: Show up! It's FREE!
Enter our Message
Board and you can count yourself a member of the VSC, APS
Chapter #1461, AFDCS Chapter #84. That's all there is to it: No
dues, no applications, no oaths, no secret handshakes.
The best philatelic news, information and discussion is here in
the Virtual Stamp Club!
Quotable:
"I always thought they'd be the Inverted Jenny or First Mauritius -- and to me, they were!" — David Lin, Director of Operations, National Aquarium, speaking of his boyhood stamp collection at the first day ceremony for the United Nations' World Oceans Day stamps.
(More on the first day ceremony here.)