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