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Celebrating a new presidency.

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

For decades, each time a new president is inaugurated, the U-S Postal Service offers
special postmarks on Inauguration Day. Collectors often submit special envelopes, which,
with stamps and these postmarks, become "inaugural covers." A cover is the stamp
collecting term for a collectible envelope.

For President Obama's first term, there were postmarks offered in Hawaii, his birthplace;
Chicago, his hometown; and Joe Biden's birthplace and hometown; as well as the standard
location, Washington, D-C. There was plenty of advance notice, and many "covers" were
serviced. The same happened four years later, although with not quite as much attention.

But for awhile this year, it seemed there wouldn't be ANY inaugural covers. The Postal
Service didn't announce any special postmarks until just a few days before Inauguration
Day… and then, just one, in Washington. No postmark from New York City, nothing from
Vice President-elect Mike Pence's hometown of Columbus, Indiana.

There's no explanation from the Postal Service.

It's just another strange occurrence in what's been a strange presidential transition.

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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