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The Stamp Collecting Report, I'm Lloyd de Vries

When the U-S issues a stamp, it often holds a launch ceremony. Sometimes these are
independent events organized by the Postal Service, and sometimes part of a larger
event related to the stamp subject, where the stamp can get a little extra exposure.

Generally, Postal Service HEADQUARTERS itself only organizes one of these ceremonies
per stamp…. But there may be other locations that want a piece of the action. And,
with the cooperation of local postal officials, they ARE able to hold their own
ceremonies.

Take for example the recent Mark Twain stamp. The main Twain ceremony was held in
Hannibal, Missouri, where he grew up. But, thanks to a stamp club in Connecticut,
there was another one in Hartford, where he lived while writing many of his most
famous works.

When ten more state flag stamps are released next month, the primary ceremony will
be at a big stamp collecting show in Ohio…but what about the other 7 states and two
territories on the new stamps? So far, there's a ceremony planned for Oregon.

September's Barbara Jordan stamp will be issued in Houston, but a stamp show is being
held that day in a nearby suburb – with a ceremony for the stamp.

If your community has a tie-in to an upcoming stamp, and you want to organize a
ceremony, contact the local postmaster. That's the first step.

I'm Lloyd de Vries of The Virtual Stamp Club. For more on stamps and stamp collecting,
visit virtual-stamp-club-dot-com.

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