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Not so bad.

The Stamp Collecting Report, I'm Lloyd de Vries.

It’s easy to take potshots at the U-S Postal Service. After all, it’s big, it’s everywhere
and it’s been around for a long time. For stamp collectors, particularly those who specialize
in current issues, the agency has a great deal of control over what we do.

So we often overlook all the things the U-S-P-S does well. Take delivering the mail: 47 cents
for a letter anywhere in the country. That’s a bargain. Canada Post, by comparison, charges
85 cents. Even with the difference in exchange rates, that’s much more expensive.

Do I like all the stamp subjects? No, but there are usually a few each year that excite me,
and with such a diverse country, there are an awful lot of constituencies to satisfy. Are
there too many stamps each year? Same answer. Do I like all the designs? That’s probably too
much to ask.

In dealing with other countries’ postal agencies, I find that the U-S Postal Service does
more for stamp collectors than just about any other… including giving us more advance
information.

And most U-S stamps are available in most U-S post offices…and nearly all of them can
actually be used on mail. That’s not so in many countries.

All in all, it’s not perfect, but we have a pretty good deal with the U-S Postal Service.
But that’s enough soppiness. Next time, it’s back to the usual cynicism!

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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