US Forever Stamps are Now Forevermore
Recently, the United States Postal Service (the “USPS”) announced an important new policy regarding the First Class postage stamps used to mail one ounce letters. From now on, all new one-ounce First Class stamps will be “Forever Stamps.”
In other words, no matter how much you pay for them today, these stamps will always be worth whatever the one-ounce letter rate is in the future. Currently, the one-ounce rate is 44 cents, but even if it rises to $2 in the future, today’s Forever Stamps will be worth enough to pay it. This is why the USPS will not mark the Forever Stamps with any particular denomination (face value).
These new stamps will probably be a welcome sight to non-stamp collectors. Now, as long as you have some of the Forever Stamps, whenever the postal rates go up (as they inevitably do), you won’t need to buy new, more costly one-ounce stamps or small-value stamps to make up the difference between the old and the new.
Of course, these new Forever Stamps won’t be the first ones used by the USPS for First Class mail. However, up to now, there’s only been one. That first Forever Stamp first came out in April 2007 and shows the Liberty Bell. Originally selling for 41 cents, it now sells for 44 cents. It, too, will be good to use on one-ounce First Class mail “forever.” Like the Forever Stamps that will be coming out this year, the original Forever Stamp is marked “Forever” instead of with any face value.
The original Liberty Bell Forever stamp is a definitive (regular) stamp. As part of this significant expansion of its Forever Stamp program, the new Forever Stamps will also include commemorative stamps – the stamps that are issued to commemorate or celebrate a particular person, historical event, or place. For example, Forever commemorative stamps honoring the Lunar New Year (this year is the Year of the Rabbit) will be available for sale on January 22, 2011. Additional Forever commemorative stamps announced for 2011 include a stamp honoring the American author Mark Twain and a set of five stamps featuring characters from Disney animated films, among others.
It’s likely that some non-stamp collectors will buy stocks of these Forever Stamps as a hedge against future postal rate increases. The effect of this new stamp policy on stamp collectors and stamp collecting as a hobby is currently unknown, however. It’s possible that the new stamps won’t discourage stamp collectors at all. Stamp collectors are much more concerned about condition and scarcity than a particular stamp’s face value.
Clearly, this new policy of the USPS will make life easier for users of the mail. Its effect on stamp collecting remains to be seen.
Showing posts with label stamp varieties. Show all posts
Showing posts with label stamp varieties. Show all posts
Sunday, January 09, 2011
Monday, February 02, 2009
Stamp Perforation Varieties
Two stamps may appear to be identical, but small differences between them - some of which are tiny enough to require a magnifying glass to see - can lead to a big difference in the identification and values of the stamps. A perforation guage, which is a small tool that's somewhat similar to a ruler, measures stamp perforations and can help you identify and distinguish between some of these differences.
Perforations are the small holes surrounding each stamp on a pane or on two or three of the sides of booklet stamps or coil stamps. They allow one or more stamps to be cleanly separated from the surrounding stamps, either for use in the mail or for placement in a stamp album by a stamp collector. Many stamp catalogs include information about stamp perforations in their listings for perforated stamps.
As always, scarcity plays an important role in the value of perforation varieties. Some perforation varieties exist in relatively few stamps of a particular design, making them far more valuable than their more common cousins.
A stamp's perforations are described as the number of teeth or holes that are found within a space equalling two centimeters. So, for example, a stamp that is "perf 10" indicates that there are ten teeth or holes in a space of two centimeters all the way around the edges of the stamp (both horizontally and vertically). Some stamps have compound perforations, where the horizontal perforations measure differently than the vertical perforations. Just one example of this type is a stamp that's perf 11 1/2 x 11 - meaning there are 11 1/2 perforation teeth or holes within a 2 centimeter space of the horizontal stamp edges but 11 within a 2 centimeter space of the vertical stamp edges. Compound perforations aren't necessarily a perforation variety, as many stamps were intentionally perforated this way. Yet some stamps with compound perforations, just like some stamps with simple perforations, do have perf varieties. With compound perforations, the horizontal measurement is always listed first and the vertical perforations are always listed second.
Many stamps, from countries throughout the world, have perforation differences between otherwise identical stamps. Finding them is both easy and challenging, but it's always an important part of identifying your stamps and their values.
Two stamps may appear to be identical, but small differences between them - some of which are tiny enough to require a magnifying glass to see - can lead to a big difference in the identification and values of the stamps. A perforation guage, which is a small tool that's somewhat similar to a ruler, measures stamp perforations and can help you identify and distinguish between some of these differences.
Perforations are the small holes surrounding each stamp on a pane or on two or three of the sides of booklet stamps or coil stamps. They allow one or more stamps to be cleanly separated from the surrounding stamps, either for use in the mail or for placement in a stamp album by a stamp collector. Many stamp catalogs include information about stamp perforations in their listings for perforated stamps.
As always, scarcity plays an important role in the value of perforation varieties. Some perforation varieties exist in relatively few stamps of a particular design, making them far more valuable than their more common cousins.
A stamp's perforations are described as the number of teeth or holes that are found within a space equalling two centimeters. So, for example, a stamp that is "perf 10" indicates that there are ten teeth or holes in a space of two centimeters all the way around the edges of the stamp (both horizontally and vertically). Some stamps have compound perforations, where the horizontal perforations measure differently than the vertical perforations. Just one example of this type is a stamp that's perf 11 1/2 x 11 - meaning there are 11 1/2 perforation teeth or holes within a 2 centimeter space of the horizontal stamp edges but 11 within a 2 centimeter space of the vertical stamp edges. Compound perforations aren't necessarily a perforation variety, as many stamps were intentionally perforated this way. Yet some stamps with compound perforations, just like some stamps with simple perforations, do have perf varieties. With compound perforations, the horizontal measurement is always listed first and the vertical perforations are always listed second.
Many stamps, from countries throughout the world, have perforation differences between otherwise identical stamps. Finding them is both easy and challenging, but it's always an important part of identifying your stamps and their values.
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Collecting Definitive Stamps
Definitive stamps are frequently used to pay everyday postage charges that apply to letters rather than parcels. Often featuring the portrait of an important person in the issuing country's history, they are usually smaller and somewhat less attractive than other types of stamps such as commemorative stamps. And many times the design of a particular definitive stamp is used for many years, with several different printings of the same design being required.
But in spite of this relative lack of creativity in their designs, definitive stamps are usually far more appealing to philatelists than other types of stamps. In fact, a common saying is "definitives are where the money is at." This is because the re-printing of a definitive stamp's design - sometimes by a different printing company -over the years tends to give rise to different collectible varieties of that stamp. Some stamp collectors specialize in these varieties and some varieties are quite rare and expensive.
An easy and inexpensive way to obtain varieties of definitive stamps is through buying stamp mixes. You get a lot of stamps for very little money when you buy stamp assortments, and they will entertain you for a long time if you're looking for varieties. A good source of definitive stamp mixes is The Stamp People. You can buy US definitive stamp mixtures (which include sheet stamps, booklet stamps and coil stamps) and or you can buy US all-coil stamp mixtures (no sheet stamps or booklet stamps) at their website, for a very low cost. They also sell definitive stamp mixtures from selected other countries.
So go where the money is - collect definitive stamps.
Definitive stamps are frequently used to pay everyday postage charges that apply to letters rather than parcels. Often featuring the portrait of an important person in the issuing country's history, they are usually smaller and somewhat less attractive than other types of stamps such as commemorative stamps. And many times the design of a particular definitive stamp is used for many years, with several different printings of the same design being required.
But in spite of this relative lack of creativity in their designs, definitive stamps are usually far more appealing to philatelists than other types of stamps. In fact, a common saying is "definitives are where the money is at." This is because the re-printing of a definitive stamp's design - sometimes by a different printing company -over the years tends to give rise to different collectible varieties of that stamp. Some stamp collectors specialize in these varieties and some varieties are quite rare and expensive.
An easy and inexpensive way to obtain varieties of definitive stamps is through buying stamp mixes. You get a lot of stamps for very little money when you buy stamp assortments, and they will entertain you for a long time if you're looking for varieties. A good source of definitive stamp mixes is The Stamp People. You can buy US definitive stamp mixtures (which include sheet stamps, booklet stamps and coil stamps) and or you can buy US all-coil stamp mixtures (no sheet stamps or booklet stamps) at their website, for a very low cost. They also sell definitive stamp mixtures from selected other countries.
So go where the money is - collect definitive stamps.
Wednesday, September 03, 2008
Canada Stamp Varieties
If you collect Canadian stamps, you probably know that many of Canada's definitive stamps - and even some of its commemorative stamps - have varieties. Differences in dies, perforations, type of gum, type of paper and other variances can result in different varieties of the same face-similar stamp. Some of these differences are intentional (by the printer or caused by using more than one printer), others are not.
The Scott catalog (the most common stamp catalog used in the United States) identifies a few of these varieties. But the Scott catalog that contains Canadian stamps doesn't pretend to be a specialized catalog, and other catalogs do a much better job with Canadian stamp varieties. These more specialized catalogs include Unitrade and Darnell, just to name a couple.
Looking for stamp varieties can be painstaking and time-consuming, but it is one way to expand a stamp collection inexpensively. And it's incredibly rewarding to find a variety that you've been looking for. One of the most effective ways to look for possible stamp varieties - and also probably the most inexpensive method - is to buy bulk stamp mixtures, either on paper or off paper.
If you collect Canadian stamps, you probably know that many of Canada's definitive stamps - and even some of its commemorative stamps - have varieties. Differences in dies, perforations, type of gum, type of paper and other variances can result in different varieties of the same face-similar stamp. Some of these differences are intentional (by the printer or caused by using more than one printer), others are not.
The Scott catalog (the most common stamp catalog used in the United States) identifies a few of these varieties. But the Scott catalog that contains Canadian stamps doesn't pretend to be a specialized catalog, and other catalogs do a much better job with Canadian stamp varieties. These more specialized catalogs include Unitrade and Darnell, just to name a couple.
Looking for stamp varieties can be painstaking and time-consuming, but it is one way to expand a stamp collection inexpensively. And it's incredibly rewarding to find a variety that you've been looking for. One of the most effective ways to look for possible stamp varieties - and also probably the most inexpensive method - is to buy bulk stamp mixtures, either on paper or off paper.
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