USPS Requests Holiday Package Hikes (2022)

[edited press release: only retail price changes are included here]
U.S. Postal Service Announces Proposed Temporary Rate Adjustments for 2022 Peak Holiday Season

WASHINGTON — The United States Postal Service has filed notice with the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC) regarding a temporary price adjustment for key package products for the 2022 peak holiday season. This temporary rate adjustment is similar to ones in past years that help cover extra handling costs to ensure a successful peak season.

The planned peak-season pricing, which was approved by the Governors of the Postal Service on Aug. 9, would affect prices on the following commercial and retail domestic competitive parcels: Priority Mail Express (PME), Priority Mail (PM), First-Class Package Service (FCPS), Parcel Select and USPS Retail Ground. International products would be unaffected. Pending favorable review by the PRC, the temporary rates would go into effect at 12 a.m. Central on Oct. 2, and remain in place until 12 a.m. Central Jan. 22, 2023.

This seasonal adjustment will bring prices for the Postal Service’s commercial and retail customers in line with competitive practices. No structural changes are planned as part of this limited pricing initiative.

Delivering for America, the Postal Service’s 10-year plan for achieving financial sustainability and service excellence, calls for appropriate pricing initiatives. The Postal Service has some of the lowest postage rates in the industrialized world and continues to offer great values in shipping. These temporary rates will keep USPS competitive while providing the agency with the revenue to cover extra costs in anticipation of peak-season volume.

The planned [retail] price changes include:

Priority Mail and Priority Mail Express:

  • $0.95 increase for PM and PME Flat Rate Boxes and Envelopes.
  • $0.30 increase for Zones 1-4, 0-10 lbs.
  • $1.00 increase for Zones 5-9, 0-10 lbs.
  • $0.95 increase for Zones 1-4, 11-25 lbs.
  • $3.20 increase for Zones 5-9, 11-25 lbs.
  • $3.25 increase for Zones 1-4, 26-70 lbs.
  • $6.45 increase for Zones 5-9, 26-70 lbs.

First-Class Package Service, Parcel Select Ground, and USPS Retail Ground:

  • $0.30 increase for Zones 1-4, 0-10 lbs.
  • $0.60 increase for Zones 5-9, 0-10 lbs.
  • $0.95 increase for Zones 1-4, 11-25 lbs.
  • $2.70 increase for Zones 5-9, 11-25 lbs.
  • $3.25 increase for Zones 1-4, 26-70 lbs.
  • $5.85 increase for Zones 5-9, 26-70 lbs.

A full list of commercial and retail pricing can be found on the Postal Service’s Postal Explorer website at https://pe.usps.com/text/dmm300/Notice123.htm

The PRC will review the proposed prices before they are scheduled to take effect Oct. 2. Complete USPS price filings, with prices for all products, can be found on the PRC website’s Daily Listings section at prc.gov/dockets/daily. Price change tables are also available on the Postal Service’s Postal Explorer website at pe.usps.com/PriceChange/Index.

The Postal Service generally receives no tax dollars for operating expenses and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations.

Scott Changes Catalogue Numbers for Mighty Mississippi

The original listing left out the no-die-cut pane of 10 (now 5698k)

5698 Mighty Mississippi pane of 10
a. (58¢) Minnesota
b. (58¢) Wisconsin
c. (58¢) Iowa
d. (58¢) Illinois
e. (58¢) Missouri
f. (58¢) Kentucky
g. (58¢) Arkansas
h. (58¢) Tennessee
i. (58¢) Louisiana
j. (58¢) Mississippi
k. As #5698, imperforate
l. As #5698a, imperforate
m. As #5698b, imperforate
n. As #5698c, imperforate
o. As #5698d, imperforate
p. As #5698e, imperforate
q. As #5698f, imperforate
r. As #5698g, imperforate
s. As #5698h, imperforate
t. As #5698i, imperforate
u. As #5698j, imperforate

AFDCS Offers FDC Teacher Aids

[press release]
Using First Day Covers In Education:
AFDCS Makes Free Teaching Aids Available

First day covers are the perfect philatelic medium for education, because the cachets allow more information about the events and people on the stamps. Now, teachers and other educators can download from the American First Day Cover Society website eight booklets, each consisting of 12 to 19 lessons, using FDCs.

They were developed by AFDCS director Kris McIntosh, a retired high school social studies teacher with nearly 40 years of experience in education. The lessons cover American and Texas history from the colonization of North America through the Gilded Age and the Great Depression and into Barack Obama’s presidency. The e-books McIntosh has prepared include illustrations of FDCs, discussion, quizzes and reviews.

“First day covers are primary sources that can add diversity in a teacher’s tool kit,” writes McIntosh.

They can be downloaded at www.afdcs.org/FDClessons.html Membership in the AFDCS is not required to use the lesson plans, but each issue of the society’s bi-monthly journal First Days includes more stories and information about first day covers, both current and historical. The AFDCS also publishes handbooks, catalogues and directories, produces video presentations on Zoom and makes them available on its YouTube Channel, and advocates for first day cover collecting and exhibiting. The AFDCS also is a co-host of Great American Stamp Show, which next will be held August 25-28, 2022, in Sacramento, Calif.

Memberships start at $24 a year (without printed copies of First Days). Junior members (ages 17 and under) are $20 and do include the printed journal.

For more information on the AFDCS, visit its website www.afdcs.org, email afdcs@afdcs.org or write to the society at Post Office Box 246, Colonial Beach, VA 22443-0246.

Boston 2026 Leadership Restructured

[press release] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions]
Boston 2026 Leadership Restructuring

The Organizing Committee of Boston 2026 World Stamp Show, Inc. announces the restructuring of its leadership. Due to health concerns, Nancy Clark [right] will become President Emerita. In 2013, she conceived the idea of hosting a World Stamp Show in Boston and has been the first woman to lead a world philatelic exhibition. Nancy will remain involved in the organization and continue to contribute as a trusted advisor.

Yamil H. Kouri Jr. [left] will become President. He previously held the position of Corporate Director. Mark Schwartz will assume Yamil’s role as Corporate Director.

Boston 2026 World Expo takes place May 23-30, 2026, at the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center. Full show details may be found at boston2026.org and on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Sign up to be added to the Boston 2026 email list and receive updates when available.

More detailed Canadian Stamp Program Here?

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Vintage Carousels (Canada 2022)

Issue Date 21 July

Day-of-Issue press release:
[press release] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions]
Fun and fanciful new stamps celebrate Canada’s vintage carousels
Five unique, historic carousels featured in whimsical stamp set

CALGARY – Today, Canada Post released an enchanting set of stamps to celebrate the wonder and playfulness of vintage carousels in Canada.

The vibrant stamps spotlight five historic carousels located across the country. The featured carousels are each known for their elaborately carved and beautifully painted animals. They also showcase the craftsmanship and mechanical ingenuity that were impressive for their era.

Dating back to the 12th century, carousels were originally used as a military training game. By the mid-19th century, they had evolved into the beloved fairground ride that remains a nostalgic staple of amusement parks to this day.

The stamp set features these five carousels:

Lakeside Park Carousel (Lakeside Park, St. Catharines, Ontario)
Built by Kremer’s Carousel Works circa 1903, this impressively large carousel boasts 68 animals and four chariots in four rows – and today still costs only a nickel to ride.

Bowness Carousel (Heritage Park Historical Village, Calgary, Alberta)
Built by Herschell-Spillman Co. in 1904, this is a very rare three-row track machine, where the horses’ rocking motion comes from eccentric drive wheels under the platform.

C.W. Parker Carousel No. 119 (Burnaby Village Museum, Burnaby, British Columbia)
Built in 1912 and now fully restored, this carousel features 36 jumping horses, four stationary horses, a chariot and music provided by a 1925 Wurlitzer band organ.

Roseneath Carousel (Roseneath Fairgrounds, Roseneath, Ontario)
Built by C.W. Parker in 1906, this was originally a portable carnival carousel. It is the only Canadian carousel to receive the National Carousel Association (U.S.) Historic Carousel Award – in 2010.

Le Galopant (La Ronde, Montréal, Quebec)
Built circa 1885 in Belgium, this was originally a travelling carousel powered by steam. It made its first Canadian appearance at Expo 67.

About the stamps
The stamps are designed by Paprika and feature illustrations by René Milot. Printed by Colour Innovations, each stamp depicts one animal from each of the featured carousels, with the location indicated at the bottom. The stamp issue is cancelled in Calgary, home of the Bowness Carousel at Heritage Park Historical Village. The cancellation is inspired by midway ride tickets. The stamp issue includes a booklet of 10 Permanent™ domestic rate stamps (the booklet [left] is designed in the style of traditional circus, midway advertising posters), a souvenir sheet of five stamps, an Official First Day Cover and a set of five postcards.

[en Francais pour les médias d’information]
De nouveaux timbres amusants célèbrent des carrousels d’époque
Un jeu de cinq vignettes fantaisistes présente des carrousels uniques.

CALGARY – Aujourd’hui, Postes Canada a émis un jeu de timbres enchanteur pour célébrer la joie et l’émerveillement créés par les carrousels d’époque au Canada.

Les timbres hauts en couleur illustrent cinq carrousels historiques de différents endroits au pays. Les carrousels en vedette sont connus pour leurs magnifiques animaux sculptés et peints. Ils mettent également en valeur le savoir-faire et l’ingéniosité mécanique qui étaient impressionnants à l’époque.

Remontant au XIIe siècle, les carrousels servent à l’origine de jeux d’entraînement militaire. Au milieu du XIXe siècle, ils deviennent le manège bien-aimé des foires et demeurent aujourd’hui un élément nostalgique incontournable des parcs d’attractions.

Le jeu de timbres met en vedette cinq carrousels :

Carrousel Lakeside Park (Lakeside Park, St. Catharines, Ontario)
Construit par Kremer’s Carousel Works vers 1903, ce carrousel d’une taille impressionnante compte 68 animaux et 4 chars disposés en 4 rangées. Encore aujourd’hui, en faire un tour ne coûte que 5 cents.

Carrousel Bowness (Heritage Park Historical Village, Calgary, Alberta)
Construit en 1904 par Herschell-Spillman Co., ce rare modèle est doté de trois rangées de rails, et les chevaux oscillent grâce à des roues motrices excentriques sous la plateforme.

Carrousel C.W. Parker no 119 (Burnaby Village Museum, Burnaby, Colombie-Britannique)
Construit en 1912 et entièrement restauré depuis, il compte 36 chevaux sauteurs, 4 chevaux fixes et 1 char. Il tourne au son d’un orgue Wurlitzer de 1925.

Carrousel Roseneath (Roseneath Fairgrounds, Roseneath, Ontario)
Construit en 1906 par C.W. Parker, c’est à l’origine un carrousel de fête foraine. En 2010, la National Carousel Association (États-Unis) lui décerne un prix Historic Carousel Award, un honneur qu’il est le seul à obtenir au Canada.

Le Galopant (La Ronde, Montréal, Québec)
Fabriqué en Belgique vers 1885, ce carrousel, itinérant à l’époque, fonctionne à la vapeur. Il fait sa première apparition au Canada dans le cadre d’Expo 67.

À propos des timbres
Les timbres ont été conçus par la maison Paprika et illustrés par René Milot. Imprimé par Colour Innovations, chaque timbre est orné d’un animal du carrousel auquel il est consacré, et le lieu est indiqué au bas de la vignette. L’émission est oblitérée à Calgary, où se trouvent l’Heritage Park Historical Village et le carrousel Bowness. Le cachet est inspiré des coupons pour les manèges des parcs d’attractions. L’émission comprend un carnet de 10 timbres PermanentsMC au tarif du régime intérieur (le carnet reprend le style des affiches publicitaires traditionnelles des cirques), un bloc-feuillet de cinq timbres, un pli Premier Jour officiel et un jeu de cinq cartes postales.

[from Canada Post’s Details philatelic catalogue] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions]

Can you smell the cotton candy? Do you hear the barkers in the midway daring you to test your game skills? This five-stamp issue featuring vintage carousels from across Canada is designed to bring you back to the summer fun of your youth.

From their origins as a military training game in the 12th century, carousels had evolved by the mid-19th century to the mechanically powered fairground ride we still enjoy today. The five carousels featured, with their elaborately carved and painted animals and cheery band organ music, demonstrate both high artisan craftsmanship and impressive technological advances for their era.

The Lakeside Park Carousel, residing at Lakeside Park, in St. Catharines, Ontario, since 1921, still costs only a nickel to ride.

A rare three-row track machine, the Bowness Carousel arrived at the Heritage Park Historical Village, in Calgary, Alberta, in 1969.

Arriving in Canada in 1936, the C.W. Parker Carousel No. 119 has been a popular attraction at the Burnaby Village Museum, in Burnaby, British Columbia, since 1993.

The only Canadian carousel to receive the National Carousel Association Historic Carousel Award (in 2010), the Roseneath Carousel has been the pride of the Roseneath Fairgrounds, in Roseneath, Ontario, since 1932.

Le Galopant has been entertaining guests at La Ronde amusement park in Montréal, Quebec, since 2007. Originally powered by steam, the late 19th-century Belgian carousel first arrived in Canada to be part of Expo 67.

The issue was designed by Paprika and illustrated by René Milot in a whimsical style reminiscent of turn-of-the-century carnival and circus posters.

The souvenir sheet:The booklet pane:The Official First Day Cover:

AFDCS Donates $5,000 to Boston 2026

[press release]
AFDCS Donates $5,000 to Boston 2026 International Show

The American First Day Cover Society, the world’s largest not-for-profit organization for FDC collectors, has donated $5,000 to Boston 2026 World Stamp Show, the next internationally-sanctioned stamp collecting exposition in the United States. The contribution was approved in a unanimous vote of the AFDCS Board of Directors.

Leaders of Boston 2026, the American Philatelic Society and the AFDCS have been working toward making first day covers a separate class for exhibits at an international show. Currently, FDCs are part of the “Other” catch-all class.

“We want to send a message that the AFDCS is a major player in the hobby, not just another organization,” said AFDCS board member Foster Miller, who proposed the donation. “We also want to send a message to the international stamp community that first day covers are important.”

Boston 2026 World Expo takes place May 23-30, 2026, at the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center.  Full show details may be found at boston2026.org and on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

The AFDCS is the fourth-largest stamp society in the U.S. In addition to advocating for first day cover collecting and exhibiting, it also publishes handbooks, catalogues, directories, teachers’ aids, and a bimonthly award-winning journal, First Days [right], and has a YouTube channel for videos about FDCs. It sponsors an annual contest for cachetmakers and is a co-sponsor of the annual Great American Stamp Show, which will next be held August 25-28, 2022, in Sacramento, Calif. The AFDCS-sponsored “Americover Exhibition” at that show will have 25 exhibits in 138 frames.

Membership in the AFDCS starts at $24 for Internet-only access (anywhere in the world) or $35 with the printed magazine. For more information on the AFDCS, visit its website www.afdcs.org, email afdcs@afdcs.org or write to the society at Post Office Box 246, Colonial Beach, VA 22443-0246.

[press release]
Preparations for Boston 2026 World Expo continue on several fronts. The American First Day Cover Society is the latest philatelic organization to contribute funds to help make the next U.S. international exhibition possible. A $5,000 donation was approved by AFDCS’s leadership this past week.

Founded in 1955, it is the world’s largest group of over 1,100 members specializing in the creation and collecting of first day covers. Their extensive web site at afdcs.org offers viewers a wealth of information along with videos on their new YouTube channel, accessible through a home page link. “We want to send a message that the AFDCS is a major player in the hobby, not just another organization,” said AFDCS board member Foster Miller, who proposed the donation. “We also want to send a message to the international stamp community that first day covers are important.”

Nancy Clark, Boston 2026 President, said, “It’s just this kind of support within the philatelic community which makes it possible to continue to promote both our hobby and our mission to enrich lives through philately.”

Are you planning to attend the Great American Stamp Show in Sacramento, California in late August? If so, stop by the Boston 2026 First Day Ceremony on opening day, August 25 at 2 PM on the show floor stage. It starts with the design unveiling and release of the second in a series of patriotic-inspired promotional labels followed by a presentation by Yamil Kouri [left], the show’s Commissioner General and a Director of the once-a-decade exhibition. All are welcome.

U.S. Raises Postage Rates Mid-2022

This is a follow-up to the VSC article with the press release from when the U.S. Postal Service filed for the increase in April 2022. The new rates went into effect on Sunday, July 10th.

The Mailing Services price changes include:

Product
Letters (1 oz.)
Letters (metered 1 oz.)
Letters additional ounce(s)
Domestic Postcards
International Letter (1 oz.)
Former Prices
58¢
53¢
20¢
40¢
$1.30
Current Prices
60¢
57¢
24¢
44¢
$1.40

There were also changes to the fees for Special Services products including Certified Mail, Post Office Box rental fees, Money Order fees and the cost to purchase insurance when mailing an item.

You can find a complete listing of all the current rates here in a .pdf on the USPS.com website. Also see “Basic Pricing for First-Class Mail® & First-Class® Package Service” about midway down on this page. It may be easier to read than this screen shot of that page (although if you click on this picture, you’ll see a larger version). According to the USPS, the changes “raised First-Class Mail prices approximately 6.5 percent which is lower than the Bureau of Labor Statistics annual inflation rate of 7.9 percent as of the end of February.”

“With the new prices, the Postal Service will continue to provide the lowest letter-mail postage rates in the industrialized world and offer a great value in shipping,” the USPS said in April.

As it does in many press releases, the USPS ended with “The Postal Service generally receives no tax dollars for operating expenses and relies on the sale of postage, products, and services to fund its operations.” For many years, the agency did not include the word “generally.” However, it does receive tax dollars for the free-frank (no charge) mailing services it provides to Members of Congress and active-duty military.

Israel Applauds Roe v. Wade Decision? (2022)

[press release] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions]
New Israel Post Issue Honors Life
Israel Post, the official postal service for the State of Israel, will issue a new set of postage stamps in July 2022 celebrating the beauty and sanctity of life. Four separate sheets of stamps, each featuring inspiring quotes and special artwork designed exclusively for this landmark issue, combine to create a spectacular commemorative that will have wide appeal throughout the world.

The four different sheets contain either nine or 12 pairs of stamps. One of each pair depicts the blue Star of David from the Israeli flag and the inscription “ISRAEL,” while the other shows artwork representing the stages of life of an unborn child.

This special philatelic issue is inspired by the extraordinary events in the United States surrounding abortion rights. In late June 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade decision that protected a woman’s right to abortion. The momentous Supreme Court ruling affects access to abortion in the United States and will drastically change the political and cultural landscape.

At this pivotal time in history, Israel Post continues its ongoing effort to support human rights. These stamps are powerful reminders that the world has a responsibility to care for all people and to protect them at all stages of life, from conception to death.

The colorful stamp sheets are printed and issued by Israel Post using the same precision techniques and same specialized paper and perforating as official postage stamps released for the State of Israel.

What makes these sheets unique and more highly collectible is that they also feature profound quotes from respected religious and historical leaders: Maimonides, the medieval Jewish philosopher and scholar; the sainted Mother Teresa; and U.S. Presidents John F. Kennedy and Ronald Reagan, each of whom was a proponent for the family and who believed that children are a gift from God.

The stamp sheets are issued in limited quantities and make the perfect addition to any stamp collection. They will be available for purchase by the general public beginning in July 2022. Stamp collectors and other enthusiasts can acquire them from their local stamp dealers or directly from IGPC, the official Israel Post Agent in the United States.

“Stamps have always had the unique ability to bridge the divides and bring people together,” said Sam Malamud, President of IGPC. “These special sheets convey a simple message that life is precious. It is an issue that appeals equally to stamp collectors and all human beings across all social, political, and racial lines.”

Elhanan Shapira, Director of Philatelic Services for Israel Post, noted that, “We are delighted to once again work with the world’s largest philatelic agency, Inter-Governmental Philatelic Corp., to help promote the hobby of stamp collecting to the masses. This special stamp issue brings to the forefront a matter of public interest that affects all humanity. We are pleased to be part of this global concern.”

Stamp collectors and enthusiasts will be sure to add these significant stamps to their collection and are able to purchase these stamp sheets from the local Post Offices of the issuing government or from their local stamp dealer. Additionally, stamps are available directly from the IGPC website at www.igpc.com.

Note: We do not have a date of issue, nor an answer whether these are ATM labels/personalized postage or stamps.