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-   -   A question about postal stamps (http://www.collectingbanter.com/showthread.php?t=132003)

Ben Carpenter June 3rd 05 11:44 PM

A question about postal stamps
 
Over the years I always just bought "any" stamp available
for my letters and bills that I mailed, but in the past
two years, as I personally visited the post office more
often, I became interested in buy different types of stamps.
They are mostly all interesting .... they sure beat the standard
flag stamp and that older flower stamp!

Some recent favorites have been:

*Clouds (and tornados) - sold out quickly in my area
*Arctic Tundra
*Art of the American Indian
*Henry Mancini
*American Heroes (3 firefighters at the WTC w/ flag) 45 cents each,
they donate 8 cents for each stamp sold to the WTC families
who need help.

and just today I found a new Masterworks of Modern American
Architecture which are B&W photos with color typestyles.
They look really good.

I was wondering .... do most people choose a variety of stamps ...
or do most people just buy the American Flag, sold at most
supermarkets?

Also, what is/was you most favorite stamp?

-Ben Carpenter

Please excuse me if any groups are off topic. Thank you.

Steve June 4th 05 12:19 AM

Ben Carpenter wrote:
I was wondering .... do most people choose a variety of stamps ...
or do most people just buy the American Flag, sold at most
supermarkets?


I buy them online, thru the USPS store -

http://shop.usps.com/cgi-bin/vsbv/po...n_ssl/home.jsp



Rodney June 4th 05 01:12 AM

There's lots to like about early US stamps,
esp for me, the paper stock on which they were printed.
I find the early vignettes on the 3c pictorial issues very attractive,
but my favourite stamp would be the "set" of US presidents
When seen on an Album page/s, they really look rather stunning.
http://cjoint.com/data/gecwux3to6.htm



| Also, what is/was you most favorite stamp?
|
| -Ben Carpenter
|
| Please excuse me if any groups are off topic. Thank you.



Shawn Hearn June 4th 05 02:25 AM

In article ,
Ben Carpenter wrote:

Over the years I always just bought "any" stamp available
for my letters and bills that I mailed, but in the past
two years, as I personally visited the post office more
often, I became interested in buy different types of stamps.
They are mostly all interesting .... they sure beat the standard
flag stamp and that older flower stamp!

Some recent favorites have been:

*Clouds (and tornados) - sold out quickly in my area
*Arctic Tundra
*Art of the American Indian
*Henry Mancini
*American Heroes (3 firefighters at the WTC w/ flag) 45 cents each,
they donate 8 cents for each stamp sold to the WTC families
who need help.

and just today I found a new Masterworks of Modern American
Architecture which are B&W photos with color typestyles.
They look really good.

I was wondering .... do most people choose a variety of stamps ...
or do most people just buy the American Flag, sold at most
supermarkets?

Also, what is/was you most favorite stamp?


Whatever type of first class stamp that gets dispensed from the stamp
machine is fine with me. Makes no difference. As it is, I am using fewer
stamps because I am paying most of my bills electronically. I really
don't care what the appearance of postage stamps is because they all
serve the same purpose for me, to allow me to send something through the
mail. A first class stamp with a flower, a photo of Elvis, or whatever,
does exactly the same thing for me.

Jim Lloyd June 4th 05 03:39 AM

Ben,

You have taken the first steps in becoming a stamp collector. Noticing that
different stamps ARE 'cool' is the beginning. If you like these stamps, you
might want to visit your local library and look at a couple of books about
stamps and collecting. For most collectors, stamp collecting isn't about all
those expensive stamps and getting all of the OLD stamps. Most of us collect
what we like.

As for which stamps are chosen for postal use, you'll probably find that
most collectors prefer to use commemoratives. Those are the larger stamps
like the ones you mentioned. They are always issued for only a short period
of time and always represent a person, event, or some other memorable thing.

Why do we like to use commemorative stamps for postage? I'm sure most if not
all collectors would agree with me that we do it to promote and support our
hobby. We promote the hobby by using commemorative stamps just so whoever
receives the mail might notice the stamp and have an interest in it. We
support the hobby by buying commemorative stamps instead of the common
stamps known as deffinitives. This lets the Postal Service know that we are
still here and that we appreciate their efforts in producing these tiny
works of art.

Again, if you had an interest in these stamps that you mentioned, follow
through with that interest. There is literally a whole world of interesting
stamps out there.



Ryan June 4th 05 05:03 AM


No offense, but I find the different designs of stamps to be a PROBLEM
with the Postal Service. The costs of creating and printing so many
version of stamps are enormous to an organization whos expenses are
already out of control.

Can you imagine how much they could cut from costs and the price of
first class postage if they printed ONE type of flag stamp and no other
designs??


The Real Bev June 4th 05 05:16 AM

Ryan wrote:

No offense, but I find the different designs of stamps to be a PROBLEM
with the Postal Service. The costs of creating and printing so many
version of stamps are enormous to an organization whos expenses are
already out of control.

Can you imagine how much they could cut from costs and the price of
first class postage if they printed ONE type of flag stamp and no other
designs??


Stamp collectors probably subsidize a LOT of the postal services, why else
would they print all those pretty stamps that never get used for postage?
There are small countries whose entire economy is based on selling stamps to
collectors.

At least the collectors, unlike most lotto-ticket purchasers, actually get
something for their money.

--
Cheers,
Bev
-------------------------------------------------------------------
"We need to cut more slack for the stupid; after all, somebody has
to populate the lower part of the bell curve." -- Dennis (evil)

Joshua Kreitzer June 4th 05 05:19 AM

Ryan wrote:
No offense, but I find the different designs of stamps to be a PROBLEM
with the Postal Service. The costs of creating and printing so many
version of stamps are enormous to an organization whos expenses are
already out of control.

Can you imagine how much they could cut from costs and the price of
first class postage if they printed ONE type of flag stamp and no other
designs??


Probably zero. One reason for the U.S. Postal Service to create
multiple designs of stamps is to appeal to collectors. Most of the 37
cents you pay for each first class stamp is attributable to the Postal
Service's costs of delivering the mail, not to designing and printing
the stamps. If a collector buys a sheet of 12 architecture stamps or
24 Chinese New Year stamps and keeps it in mint condition without using
the stamps for mail, that's almost pure profit for the Postal Service.
Keep in mind that there are collectors in other countries who buy U.S.
stamps purely for collection purposes and not to use, just as some U.S.
collectors purchase mint stamps from other countries.

In some countries, issuing stamps for collectors is a major source of
revenue for the country. This explains why places like Pitcairn Island
have an active stamp issuance program, even though the population there
consists of less than 50 people.

Joshua Kreitzer



Bob Ward June 4th 05 06:33 AM

On 3 Jun 2005 21:03:27 -0700, "Ryan" wrote:


No offense, but I find the different designs of stamps to be a PROBLEM
with the Postal Service. The costs of creating and printing so many
version of stamps are enormous to an organization whos expenses are
already out of control.

Can you imagine how much they could cut from costs and the price of
first class postage if they printed ONE type of flag stamp and no other
designs??



I'm pretty sure that they don't want to give up the extra income from
selling to collectors.



Tony Clayton June 4th 05 03:05 PM

In a recent message Shawn Hearn wrote:

In article ,
Ben Carpenter wrote:


Whatever type of first class stamp that gets dispensed from the stamp
machine is fine with me. Makes no difference. As it is, I am using fewer
stamps because I am paying most of my bills electronically. I really
don't care what the appearance of postage stamps is because they all
serve the same purpose for me, to allow me to send something through the
mail. A first class stamp with a flower, a photo of Elvis, or whatever,
does exactly the same thing for me.


It may for you, but not necessarily the recipient.

I always use commemoratives if at all posiible.

--
Tony Clayton
Coins of the UK :
http://www.coinsoftheuk.info
Sent using RISCOS on an Acorn Strong Arm RiscPC
.... You've let the lawn go too far when it requires harvesting.


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