Hot Rods Race Into L.A. Museum

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There was a “dedication” ceremony for the Hot Rods stamps on August 27th at the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles. Mark Saunders of the U.S. Postal Service took these photos and provided them to The Virtual Stamp Club. His press release follows. Our information on the issue, including FDC servicing information and technical specifications, can be found here. And our report and photo essay from the first-day ceremony in June is here.

lahotrod66lahotrod66The two cars shown on the stamps are position before the start of the ceremony.

lahotrod67Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe, the cars’ owners and other dignitaries unveil the stamps, which initially went on sale June 6th.

lahotrod68PMG Donoahoe and others listen to the speeches.

lahotrod69Afterward, the PMG and other dignitaries signed the event program. Several members of the Claude C. Ries (Southern California) Chapter of the American First Day Cover Society can be seen on the line.

lahotrod70Unlike some of his predecessors, PMG Donahoe not only sticks around for these autograph sessions, but chats with the collectors and others.

Two more photographs are at the end of the USPS press release describing this event:

California Hot Rods Get Postal Service Stamp of Approval
Postmaster General, Car Owners, Provide Backstories
LOS ANGELES — The two iconic hot rods that modeled for the Postal Service’s recently issued Limited Edition Hot Rods Forever stamps took center stage today at the Petersen Automotive Museum. There, the car owners and one of the car builders joined the Postmaster General in revealing the backstories on these cruisers and how the stamps came to be.

“These Hot Rods stamps personify the beginning of America’s fascination with customizing fast cars,” said Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe in presenting the stamps. “And they’re just as popular today as they were decades ago. Just like the cars they celebrate, these stamps are timeless in that they’re good for mailing First-Class letters anytime in the future.”

Joining Donahoe in dedicating the stamps were Bruce Meyer, owner of the red ’32 Highboy McGee Roadster featured on the stamps and co-chair of the Museum where the car is displayed; and Mark Graham and Vern Tardel, owner and builder respectively of the black ’32 Frank Rodgers Deuce Roadster featured on the stamps; and Barry Meguiar, Host of “Car Crazy”.

The Stamps Backstory
“We chose these hot rods after stamp artist John Mattos conducted extensive research,” explained Donahoe. “He found the McGee roadster that was featured on a 1948 cover of Hot Rod Magazine which is often referred to as the ‘Holy Grail of Hot Rods.’ In his research, John also received recommendations to feature any car built by Vern Tardel.”

Donahoe noted that Graham, of Sioux Falls, SD, purchased Tardel’s roadster second-hand on eBay.

“With an estimated 12 million hot rodders in America today, I applaud the Postal Service for recognizing that Hot Rods will forever be a symbol of our American Culture,” said Meguiar, who emceed the event.

The Frank Rodgers Roadster
Graham said he has been enamored with Tardel’s work for many years and always wanted to own a Tardel, 32 Ford Highboy Roadster. About four years ago he found the Frank Rodgers Roadster on eBay. Graham bought it sight unseen with just 600 miles listed on it and had it shipped to Tardell’s Santa Rosa, CA, garage to be fine-tuned and shipped to South Dakota.

“It’s been my dream to own this car since the 1960s,” said Graham, “And now, to have this iconic car on a stamp is truly a hot rodders dream.”

“I’ve been building hot rods since the sixties,” said Tardel. “I am truly honored to see the USPS issue a stamp with one of my cars, celebrating this great American tradition.”

The McGee Roadster
Meyer, an avid car collector, considers himself the custodian of the McGee he purchased in 1993. A purist, he had the car restored to its original 1947 condition by the So-Cal Speed Shop.

“The Postal Service honoring Hot Rods and Hot Rodding is a giant step in the long over-due recognition and appreciation of this pure American art form,” said Meyer. “Hot Rods are like jazz and baseball when it comes to American achievements, and the McGee Roadster is the Holy Grail of early hot rodding. Kudos to the Postal Service!”

Available in booklets of 20 stamps, customers may purchase the stamps at usps.com/stamps, at 800-STAMP24 (800-782-6724) or at Post Offices nationwide and on eBay at ebay.com/stamps.

Designed by Derry Noyes of Washington, DC, the two stamps were digitally created by artist John Mattos of San Francisco.

lahotrod72 lahotrod71

2015 Philadelphia Show Canceled

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And from the sound of this press release, this may be the end of a 77-year-old philatelic institution.

Philadelphia Show Cancelled for 2015

pnseThe Philadelphia National Stamp Exhibition will not hold a 2015 show as originally planned. The tentative arrangements included the dates of April 10-12, 2015 and the Philadelphia Expo Center in Oaks, Pa., as the venue. The show committee is reviewing income and expenses and will possibly look for other potential sites in the greater Philadelphia area for shows in future years.

A decision has not been made on whether to hold a 2016 show in April that year in view of the proximity of World Stamp Show NY 2016. A tentative 2015 jury and society convention were informed of the cancellation of the 2015 exhibition.

The Philadelphia National Stamp Exhibition was established in 1937 as SEPAD, the Associated Stamp Clubs of Southeastern Pennsylvania and Delaware. One of its well-known traditions is the annual selection of local and national merit awards, which recognize the contributions of those outstanding individuals who have supported organized philately at the local and national levels.

Canada Commemorates Comedians

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[Canada Post press release]
Carrey, Guimond, Myers, O’Hara and Short Recognized on Comedian Stamp Series

cancomics3OTTAWA, Aug. 29, 2014 /CNW/ – Today Canada Post is honouring Great Canadian Comedians by issuing a series of stamps featuring them and some of their most memorable roles. The stamps honour the work of Jim Carrey, Olivier Guimond, Mike Myers, Catherine O’Hara and Martin Short, all chosen for their talent in entertaining and making us laugh.

“Canada is the birthplace of some of the world’s most successful comedians and our series is about some of the many Canadian comedians who keep us laughing,” says Jim Phillips, Director of Stamp Services at Canada Post.

Jim Carrey: Born in Newmarket (Ontario), Carrey was a natural entertainer, giving his first stand-up performance at the age of 14. It wasn’t long after Carrey became a staple on Toronto’s comedy circuit. He then moved to Los Angeles where he appeared on An Evening at the Improv and The Tonight Show and as a regular on the sketch comedy series In Living Color. Carrey then starred in some of the most successful movies of all time, including Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, The Mask, Dumb and Dumber, Liar, Liar, The Truman Show, Bruce Almighty and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.

cancomics1Olivier Guiond: Rising to fame on Quebec’s burlesque scene, Guimond continued to shine at the Théâtre National, the Théâtre des Variétés, the Théâtre Odéon-Mercier, the Comédie-Canadienne and Place des Arts. Guimond starred on the popular TV series Cré Basile and appeared on the well-known Radio-Canada comedy review Bye Bye. He will always be remembered for his portrayal of Basile Lebrun on Télé-Métropole, which stands as one of Guimond’s greatest achievements.

Mike Myers: Born in Scarborough (Ontario), he learned to love Monty Python and Benny Hill from his father. In the early 80s, he joined Toronto’s Second City ensemble before making his mark as a cast member of Saturday Night Live, where some of his characters vaulted from the TV sketch to the big screen. He also created memorable characters, from Wayne Campbell in Wayne’s World to Austin Powers/Dr. Evil and voiced the green ogre in the Shrek movies. In 2013, he made his directorial debut with Supermensch: The Legend of Shep Gordon.

cancomics1Catherine O’Hara: O’Hara’s first appearance on stage was with Toronto’s Second City troupe. She moved on to television on the SCTV show, where she is remembered for playing a range of hilarious characters. Her film career took off with After Hours followed by Beetlejuice. She was memorable in the Home Alone movies, and lent her comedic talent as a voice actor in The Nightmare Before Christmas, Chicken Little, Over the Hedge and Frankenweenie.

Martin Short: A native of Hamilton (Ontario), Short’s comedic career kicked off by joining Toronto’s Second City troupe. He moved on to the SCTV show, creating several memorable characters that would later reappear in The Completely Mental Misadventures of Ed Grimley and I, Martin Short, Goes Home. When SCTV ended, he jumped to the big screen, co-starring in Three Amigos. He also lent his voice to hit animated movies, including Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius and more recently, Frankenweenie.

About the stamps
The stamps measure 40 mm x 26 mm and are available booklets of 10. The five separate Official First Day Covers measure 191 mm x 113 mm and the souvenir sheet featuring all five comedians measures 130 mm x 95 mm. The stamps were printed by the Canadian Bank Note. Kosta Tsetsekas, Mike Savage and John Belisle of the Signals design group designed the stamps. The Official First Day Cover cancellation sites are: Jim Carrey, Newmarket, Ont.; Olivier Guimond, Montréal, Que.; Mike Myers and Catherine O’Hara, Toronto, Ont. and Martin Short, Hamilton, Ont. To purchase philatelic products, please visit canadapost.ca/shop.

Dick Sine: Writing = Sharing

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Writing = Sharing
By Richard L. Sine

We collectors normally go through a sort of progression … not all of us, but I have to believe it applies to a very large percentage. First we obtain a stamp album, either for our home country or the world. Then comes the attempt to fill all of the pre-printed spaces. For some, that is most enjoyable and as far as those collectors go. Others tire of what they consider the repetition of purchasing or trading for stamps to mount into the albums.

RLSA next step is a specialization. It may be a larger U.S. album, a country album that represents the collector’s own heritage or where he/she has traveled, or stamps that represent something else the collector likes or likes to do … these are topical collections. Specialization can become as targeted as a collector wants: a single stamp issue, stamps of only a certain color, only postal stationery, and on and on.

Once engaged in a specialized collection – or any depth – the collector begins research that further adds to the enjoyment. Note: the enjoyment aspect is key here. After all, why have a hobby if you are not going to enjoy it?

There are no limits to the breadth or depth of such research. Collectors may want to investigate how a given issue/stamp came to be, or how many varieties exist of a given issue and how best to describe/define them, or how a specific issue is used in the movement of mail … the latter really refers to older issues that had a specific reason for release.

Now we go back to the title of this article. When you have found something in your research, share it with others. There are any number of outlets for your research. All you need to do is put forth what you have learned in a very logical, straightforward manner. This is not the time, particularly if you are new to philatelic writing, for flowery language. Just get the information out there for others to learn.

Send your article to your local club publication, a specialty publication, or set up your own website where you will be able to expand on your work as well as allow others to react and comment. The digital world has opened a very expanded world for philatelic writing, which more than overcomes the loss of print periodicals over the recent past.

Some quick hints from a philatelic editor/writer who began in 1976:

  • Lay out what you have learned, make your point, then stop writing that article
  • Be certain your article has no spelling, grammar, or punctuation errors … get help before you are published
  • Where possible, cite references so others are able to look for themselves
  • Incorporate illustrations … philately is a visual hobby

Even with my hope that you will share your finding with others, only do so if you are comfortable as a writer. There is no obligation, merely an interest in sharing.

Hotchner: Computers & Philately

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The March of the Computer in Philately: Positive or ???????
by John M. Hotchner

hotchnerComputers and the Internet are at best a mixed blessing, if one looks at the digital age from the standpoint of some in organized philately. Why? Collectors often see no need to pay money to subscribe to publications and to join organizations when there is so much free information out there on the World Wide Web. We can connect to others whose interests match our own. We can buy and sell virtually any type of philatelic material. We can access most of the dealer community through our keyboards. We can subscribe to free message boards and other websites that not only bring news and opinion about the latest goings on in the hobby, but let us participate with our own opinions nearly instantaneously. Do you have a question about something you own, or need guidance on how to catalog a difficult specimen? Put it out there for the online community, and you will have dozens of answers in two shakes of a lamb’s tail.

While I don’t have reliable figures, I know from observation that more and more stamp and cover collectors are getting online. When I began this journey myself in 1996, I was in the minority. Now, it is the person without the Internet who is the odd duck.

This does not make them bad people, or an object of ridicule. Some just don’t feel the need, don’t see enough benefit to justify the expense, or are technophobes who dislike steep learning curves. As Ogden Nash is reported to have said, “Progress may have been all right once, but it has gone on entirely too long.” No amount of pushing or shoving is going to move them from their easy chair to the computer store.

But for those of us who have at least begun to adapt to the new age, and know a computer professional and/or have someone under 30 who can help us overcome the problems, the computer is a blessing for exactly the reasons that it costs subscriptions and memberships. For that reason, it is the wise organization, dealer and publication that also works to adapt to the computer age. Those who fail to do so will be left in the dust.

And philately as a whole is in this same situation. Those who might become stamp collectors are also increasingly turning to the Internet to learn about the hobby, how to participate, what resources are available, how to get their questions answered. Organizations that are holding their membership numbers report significantly increasing percentages of their new members are signing up by way of the computer. The smart groups are using the computer to introduce themselves to a wide range of newcomers in several ways:

1. Having an attractive website that answers questions, explains the benefits of membership, and makes joining easy.

2. Putting older issues of their journals online

3. Putting the new issues into Members Only sections of their website, and including the table of contents in the generally available portion.

4. Including “How To” information, a library of related literature, and encouraging participation in society activities.

5. Including a Members Only auction in the public part of the website so prospects know what is available to be bought, and see the possibility of selling material as a club member.

For local clubs, the hardest part has always been letting newcomers know that they exist. Can your club be found when someone looking for a club puts into their search engine: “stamp clubs in ___(city)_____, ___(state)____”? The second hardest part has been enticing people to actually visit. A nicely done website that tells people where and when the meetings are, who to contact for further information, and making the club enticing fixes that. Then the third difficult part kicks in: treating visitors right when they arrive. But that is a subject for another column!

Perhaps the most difficult situation is that faced by print publications as the news can be spread so much faster by Internet. Subscribers do see a benefit in having news and features in one place rather than having to search for it. So, many publications are making their offerings available in color, on the web as rapidly as possible (well before it arrives in the mail), and at a reduced price. Some even have an extra web publication to bring breaking news to the subscribers

Organized philately is adapting because they have come to the proper conclusion that modern technology is neither a fluke nor going to be reversed. It is here to stay and we have to learn to use it. Those that don’t will wither away. And if the hobby as a whole fails to do so, it will be inviting disaster. Without a robust web presence recruiting for the hobby, it will not grow. And if that happens, we will see a stronger version of the trend we saw in the early years. Which is to say that the hobby sailed along oblivious and failed to adapt. while the computer gathered more and more adherents, and the hobby lost market share. Indeed it was the rare organization that did not lose a third to half its membership – mostly never to return – while they dawdled about whether to have a web presence, and if so, what sort of presence to have.

We seem as a hobby to have done a reasonable job reversing that trend, but we cannot rest on our laurels. Confounding those who believe as Ogden Nash did, technology continues to trample the old ways of doing things, and we must keep up or die. The new reality, using the computer and marrying it to phone technology, is the explosion in social media, and again as a hobby, we are lagging the power curve. We seem to have missed the fact that the world is spinning at a faster rate, and the time we have to make decisions that allow us to catch the comet’s tail has been compressed. The day of leisurely consideration, waiting to see what happens in the longer term, and decisions that consider every well researched alternative are a luxury we sometimes do not have.

Stamp collecting used to be a quiet, introverted, even solitary activity. Now as the general public becomes more interactive, a larger and larger percentage of collectors think of the hobby as having a dynamic edge that allows them to maintain much of their anonymity if desired while benefitting from the resources the computer brings to their desktop. And at the same time, it seems that fewer and fewer of those who have grown and are growing up in the information age are oriented toward the anonymity that so many collectors used to value. How you react to this state of affairs probably reflects your age and your experience with technology. But as noted above, those running organizations no longer have the luxury of sitting back and waiting to see where technology goes. We need to be managing our future, not merely adapting to it.

If we are going to survive as a hobby, and permanently stop the slide that befell us in the 1990s and early 2000s, we must expand the resources offered to new collectors, continue to innovate as we reach out to potential collectors through social media, and keep our eyes on new products that will further change our playing field.

Should you wish to comment on this editorial, or have questions or ideas you would like to have explored in a future column, please write to John Hotchner, VSC Contributor, P.O. Box 1125, Falls Church, VA 22041-0125, or email, putting “VSC” in the subject line.

Or comment right here.

APS News: Money Good, Exec Search Not

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The short version: APS finances are in good shape, but the search for a new executive (carefully not called an “executive director“) came up empty. Here are more detailed notes from Saturday, August 23rd’s General Membership Meeting of the American Philatelic Society:

Today is Ken Martin’s birthday.

Kehr Award presented to Tom Fortunato for contributions to help guarantee the future of the hobby.

About 800 APS members reach 25 years this year and (25?) hit 50….all with memberships in the 44-46,000 range. 180,000 members have joined since they did.

President Steve Reinhard: “I’ve been working very hard as your president.”

Search for “additional executive-level help:” Had about 50 applicants, telephone interviews with about 15, had 3 finalists, invited to Bellefonte. One of three took another job right before the visit. Two spent 3 days in Bellefonte, but “we” (presumably APS personnel committee) decided that both were viable candidates for the job, but “neither had everything we were looking for… and we did not want to make the same mistakes that we had in the past.” So decided to begin the process again. Not sure yet what format that will take…. doing all the work themselves or hire an executive recruiter. (I wonder how much all this cost, with nothing to show for it. -LdeV Added: about $30,000)

Construction of new library space continues. Space that is ready will be used for upcoming Aerophilately show and the postal history symposium. (Do these functions delay the preparation of the library space? -LdeV)

Membership: The rate of decrease in membership is improving “markedly”…. “vast improvement.” Hoping next year he can report membership is increasing.

Alex Haimann, chair, Board of Vice Presidents‘ report: range from non-payment of philatelic debts to non-return of books. Doesn’t give numbers of expulsions, suspensions, etc. (I asked later; he said the number of expulsions was “very low,” maybe 4 or 6. -LdeV)

Ken Nilsestuen, Treasurer: “It’s all good news.” Audit report is posted on website; no problems found. For first 6 months, about $16K ahead of budget, APRL is behind budget by about the same amount, so together…right on the mark. Over $4M in endowment as of June 30. 30,000 members, $12M building, $4M in endowment, good shape, but yes APS could use more donations. Recommending a small dues increase soon, thinking $1-$2. (This is not likely to fly and was a surprise to many APS insiders. -LdeV)

Executive Director Ken Martin:

Donations, in 12 months ending July 1 were almost $1M in cash gifts, plus 1,650 in-kind gifts, mostly stamps. Last year, put $25,000 of donated mint stamps on envelopes, this year on track for $40,000 — difference is more volunteers to put stamps on envelopes!

Many volunteers (45) during Volunteer Work Week), some of whom aren’t even stamp collectors!

This is the first year in over 20 that for the past 7 months there’s been an increase in the number of applications — small, and doesn’t counter the loss of members, but still an improvement.

Non-members can now buy from Internet Sales Unit, but pay 10% surcharge. Still have to be member to sell. Shipping now free for orders over $100 within US ($500 outside). 10 consecutive months of increased sales in Internet Sales.

American Philatelist beginning in October will have a mobile app. About 20% of membership is opening the e-newsletter on a mobile device.

Can see status of items submitted for expertizing onlne now..back to 2003. May even see an opinion before you receive it in the mail.

Although there were 5 50-year members present, with membership numbers in the 40,000’s, the meeting was adjourned by someone with a number in the 30’s.

Scuttlebutt: The APS Board is split down the middle on many issues, 5-5, with President Reinhard casting the deciding vote. In addition, the APS and APRL boards, which share responsibility for the American Philatelic Center as well as share the executive director, often disagree.

Snowflake stamped envelopes

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Illustrations added October 21st. Note that the indicia are slightly different than the original stamp designs.snowflake_env2

Added October 4th: A nice offer from the United Postal Stationery Society, and open to all collectors, not just UPSS members:

The United States Postal Service has recently announced a new set of 5 postal stationery envelopes depicting various holiday designs and scenes. These envelopes are available in 3 different “mixed” packs of 10 through the “Stamp Fulfillment Center” in Kansas City.  The envelopes are packaged as follows:

2 different “Snowflake” designs in a pack of 10
2 different “Winter Fun” envelopes in a pack of 10
1 “Poinsettia” envelope in a pack of 10

For each collector to obtain all 5 envelopes would cost approximately $30 plus domestic S/H. However, the United Postal Stationery Society will purchase packages and split them into individual sets of these 5 new and different envelopes for $7.50 per set, which includes free S/H to domestic (USA)  addresses.  We understand they will be available for only a short limited time, and if we waited for the next edition of “Postal Stationery” for this offer, it would be too late.   So we are sending emails to all members for whom we have addresses.

If interested contact upsspubs@aol.com  and indicate how many sets you would like.  Payment details can be arranged later.  We plan to order the sets shortly, so do not delay if interested.

Note that delivery may take up to 3 weeks.

From the October 2nd Postal Bulletin:

snowflake_envOn October 1, 2014, in Washington, DC, the U.S. Postal Service® will issue three sets of 10 Holiday Stamped Envelopes with seals (Forever® First-Class Mail® priced at $9.95 each) in pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) #10 Stamped Envelopes.

The envelope sets will go on sale October 1, 2014.

This holiday season, the U.S. Postal Service® will issue three different festive sets of 10 Holiday Stamped Envelopes, including seals. The stamped envelope artwork is based on stamp art. The Winter Fun set includes five stamped envelopes displaying a red cardinal and five stamped envelopes featuring a child building a snowman. The Poinsettia set includes 10 stamped envelopes, each featuring a bright, cheerful rendering of America’s favorite holiday flower. The Snowflakes set includes 10 envelopes featuring two designs — five of each design. Both snowflakes featured in the artwork were photographed with a digital camera attached to a microscope. The seals included in each of the three sets complement the stamp designs.

Customers have 60 days to obtain the first-day-of-issue postmark by mail. They may purchase the new stamped envelope sets at the Postal Store® website at http://www.usps.com/shop, or by calling 800-STAMP-24. They should address the envelopes (to themselves or others), and place them in a larger envelope addressed to:

Holiday Stamped Envelopes
Special Events
PO Box 92282
Washington, DC 20090-2282

After applying the first-day-of-issue postmark, the Postal Service will return the envelopes through the mail. There is no charge for the postmark up to a quantity of 50. For more than 50, customers have to pay five cents each. All orders must be postmarked by November 30, 2014.

These four items are considered Philatelic Products and will be issued in the following formats:

  • 789834, Snowflakes packet of 10 with seals (2 designs), $9.95.
  • 688634, Poinsettia packet of 10 with seals (1 design), $9.95.
  • 689834, Winter Fun packet of 10 with seals (2 designs), $9.95.
  • 689817, Holiday Stamped Envelopes FDC (Set of 5), $3.70.

Technical Specifications:

Issue: Holiday Envelopes: Snowflakes
Item Number: 789834
Denomination & Type of Issue: Forever First-Class Stamped Envelope
Format: #10 Regular Envelope Packet of 10,
2 designs
Issue Date & City: October 1, 2014, Washington, DC, 20090
Art Director: William J. Gicker, Washington, DC
Designer: Jennifer Arnold, Washington, DC
Typographer: Jennifer Arnold, Washington, DC
Existing Photos: Kenneth G Libbrecht
Modeler: Joseph Sheeran
Manufacturing Process: Offset/Microprint “USPS”
Printer: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
Printed at: Williamsville , NY
Press Type: Mueller, A76
Folding Machine: W&D #527
Print Quantity: 330,000 (165,000 each design)
Paper Type: 61# Postal Envelope, Block, Type III
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive adhesive
Processed at: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
Stamp Orientation: Horizontal
Envelope Size: (w x h): 9.5 x 4.13 in./241.30 x 104.78 mm
Image Size (w x h): 1.23 x 1.13 in./31.19 x 28.60 mm
Colors: Black, Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, PMS 7671 U Purple, PMS 431 U Grey
Marginal Markings: Sustainable Forestry Initiative Logo
• “THIS ENVELOPE IS RECYCLABLE AND MADE WITH 30% POST CONSUMER CONTENT” • Recycling Logo • © USPS 2014

August 21st: #10 envelopes with two designs, sold in packages of 10, and available at the end of September. First-day postmarks will be available.The designs will be based on the Snowflakes stamps from 2013.

Winter Fun stamped envelopes

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wfun_snowman_env2Pictures of the indicia added October 21st after I purchased a set! Note that they are not exact reproductions of the stamp designs.

Added October 4th: A nice offer from the United Postal Stationery Society, and open to all collectors, not just UPSS members:

The United States Postal Service has recently announced a new set of 5 postal stationery envelopes depicting various holiday designs and scenes. These envelopes are available in 3 different “mixed” packs of 10 through the “Stamp Fulfillment Center” in Kansas City. The envelopes are packaged as follows:

2 different “Snowflake” designs in a pack of 10
2 different “Winter Fun” envelopes in a pack of 10
1 “Poinsettia” envelope in a pack of 10

For each collector to obtain all 5 envelopes would cost approximately $30 plus domestic S/H. However, the United Postal Stationery Society will purchase packages and split them into individual sets of these 5 new and different envelopes for $7.50 per set, which includes free S/H to domestic (USA) addresses. We understand they will be available for only a short limited time, and if we waited for the next edition of “Postal Stationery” for this offer, it would be too late. So we are sending emails to all members for whom we have addresses.

If interested contact upsspubs@aol.com and indicate how many sets you would like. Payment details can be arranged later. We plan to order the sets shortly, so do not delay if interested.

Note that delivery may take up to 3 weeks.

From the October 2nd Postal Bulletin:

wfun_cardinal_env2On October 1, 2014, in Washington, DC, the U.S. Postal Service® will issue three sets of 10 Holiday Stamped Envelopes with seals (Forever® First-Class Mail® priced at $9.95 each) in pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) #10 Stamped Envelopes.

The envelope sets will go on sale October 1, 2014.

This holiday season, the U.S. Postal Service® will issue three different festive sets of 10 Holiday Stamped Envelopes, including seals. The stamped envelope artwork is based on stamp art. The Winter Fun set includes five stamped envelopes displaying a red cardinal and five stamped envelopes featuring a child building a snowman. The Poinsettia set includes 10 stamped envelopes, each featuring a bright, cheerful rendering of America’s favorite holiday flower. The Snowflakes set includes 10 envelopes featuring two designs — five of each design. Both snowflakes featured in the artwork were photographed with a digital camera attached to a microscope. The seals included in each of the three sets complement the stamp designs.

Customers have 60 days to obtain the first-day-of-issue postmark by mail. They may purchase the new stamped envelope sets at the Postal Store® website at http://www.usps.com/shop, or by calling 800-STAMP-24. They should address the envelopes (to themselves or others), and place them in a larger envelope addressed to:

Holiday Stamped Envelopeswinterfun_env
Special Events
PO Box 92282
Washington, DC 20090-2282

After applying the first-day-of-issue postmark, the Postal Service will return the envelopes through the mail. There is no charge for the postmark up to a quantity of 50. For more than 50, customers have to pay five cents each. All orders must be postmarked by November 30, 2014.

These four items are considered Philatelic Products and will be issued in the following formats:

  • 789834, Snowflakes packet of 10 with seals (2 designs), $9.95.
  • 688634, Poinsettia packet of 10 with seals (1 design), $9.95.
  • 689834, Winter Fun packet of 10 with seals (2 designs), $9.95.
  • 689817, Holiday Stamped Envelopes FDC (Set of 5), $3.70.

Technical Specifications:

Issue: Holiday Envelopes: Winter Fun
Item Number: 689834
Denomination & Type of Issue: Forever First-Class Stamped Envelope
Format: #10 Regular Envelope Packet of 10,
2 designs
Issue Date & City: October 1, 2014, Washington,
DC, 20090
Art Director: Ethel Kessler, Bethesda, MD
Designer: Ethel Kessler, Bethesda, MD
Typographer: Ethel Kessler, Bethesda, MD
Existing Art: Christine Roy, Janet Atkinson, Jing Jing Tsong
Modeler: Joseph Sheeran
Manufacturing Process: Offset/Microprint “USPS”
Printer: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
Printed at: Williamsville , NY
Press Type: Mueller, A76
Folding Machine: W&D #527
Print Quantity: 330,000 (165,000 each design)
Paper Type: 61# Postal Envelope, Block, Type III
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive adhesive
Processed at: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
Stamp Orientation: Vertical
Envelope Size: (w x h): 9.5 x 4.13 in./241.30 x 104.78 mm
Image Size (w x h):
Snowman:
Cardinal:
1.18 x 1.30 in/29.95 x 33.00 mm
1.22 x 1.47 in/31.01 x 37.34 mm
Colors: Black, Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, PMS 431 U Grey
Marginal Markings: Sustainable Forestry Initiative Logo
• “THIS ENVELOPE IS RECYCLABLE AND MADE WITH 30% POST CONSUMER CONTENT” • Recycling Logo • © USPS 2014

September 18th: The Postal Bulletin gives the first-day city and date as October 1st in Washington, DC.

wf_snowman500August 21st: #10 envelopes with two designs, sold in packages of 10, and available at the end of September. First-day postmarks will be available. Only the snowman and cardinal designs will be used.

wf_cardinal500

Poinsettia stamped envelope

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poinsettia_env2Illustrations added October 21st: Note that the indicia of the envelope is slightly different than the stamp design.

Added October 4th: A nice offer from the United Postal Stationery Society, and open to all collectors, not just UPSS members:

The United States Postal Service has recently announced a new set of 5 postal stationery envelopes depicting various holiday designs and scenes. These envelopes are available in 3 different “mixed” packs of 10 through the “Stamp Fulfillment Center” in Kansas City. The envelopes are packaged as follows:

2 different “Snowflake” designs in a pack of 10
2 different “Winter Fun” envelopes in a pack of 10
1 “Poinsettia” envelope in a pack of 10

For each collector to obtain all 5 envelopes would cost approximately $30 plus domestic S/H. However, the United Postal Stationery Society will purchase packages and split them into individual sets of these 5 new and different envelopes for $7.50 per set, which includes free S/H to domestic (USA) addresses. We understand they will be available for only a short limited time, and if we waited for the next edition of “Postal Stationery” for this offer, it would be too late. So we are sending emails to all members for whom we have addresses.

If interested contact upsspubs@aol.com and indicate how many sets you would like. Payment details can be arranged later. We plan to order the sets shortly, so do not delay if interested.

Note that delivery may take up to 3 weeks.

From the October 2nd Postal Bulletin:

poinsettia_envOn October 1, 2014, in Washington, DC, the U.S. Postal Service® will issue three sets of 10 Holiday Stamped Envelopes with seals (Forever® First-Class Mail® priced at $9.95 each) in pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) #10 Stamped Envelopes.

The envelope sets will go on sale October 1, 2014.

This holiday season, the U.S. Postal Service® will issue three different festive sets of 10 Holiday Stamped Envelopes, including seals. The stamped envelope artwork is based on stamp art. The Winter Fun set includes five stamped envelopes displaying a red cardinal and five stamped envelopes featuring a child building a snowman. The Poinsettia set includes 10 stamped envelopes, each featuring a bright, cheerful rendering of America’s favorite holiday flower. The Snowflakes set includes 10 envelopes featuring two designs — five of each design. Both snowflakes featured in the artwork were photographed with a digital camera attached to a microscope. The seals included in each of the three sets complement the stamp designs.

Customers have 60 days to obtain the first-day-of-issue postmark by mail. They may purchase the new stamped envelope sets at the Postal Store® website at http://www.usps.com/shop, or by calling 800-STAMP-24. They should address the envelopes (to themselves or others), and place them in a larger envelope addressed to:

Holiday Stamped Envelopes
Special Events
PO Box 92282
Washington, DC 20090-2282

After applying the first-day-of-issue postmark, the Postal Service will return the envelopes through the mail. There is no charge for the postmark up to a quantity of 50. For more than 50, customers have to pay five cents each. All orders must be postmarked by November 30, 2014.

Technical Specifications:

Issue: Holiday Envelopes: Poinsettia
Item Number: 688634
Denomination & Type of Issue: Forever First-Class Stamped Envelope
Format: #10 Regular Envelope Packet of 10,
1 design
Issue Date & City: October 1, 2014, Washington, DC, 20090
Art Director: Ethel Kessler, Bethesda, MD
Designer: Ethel Kessler, Bethesda, MD
Typographer: Ethel Kessler, Bethesda, MD
Artist: William Low, Huntington, NY
Modeler: Joseph Sheeran
Manufacturing Process: Offset/Microprint “USPS”
Printer: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
Printed at: Williamsville , NY
Press Type: Mueller, A76
Folding Machine: W&D #527
Print Quantity: 330,000
Paper Type: 61# Postal Envelope, Block, Type III
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive adhesive
Processed at: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
Stamp Orientation: Vertical
Envelope Size: (w x h): 9.5 x 4.13 in./241.30 x 104.78 mm
Image Size (w x h): 1.08 x 1.40 in/27.36 x 35.43 mm
Colors: Black, Cyan, Magenta, yellow, PMS 186 U Red, PMS 431 U Grey
Marginal Markings: Sustainable Forestry Initiative Logo
• “THIS ENVELOPE IS RECYCLABLE AND MADE WITH 30% POST CONSUMER CONTENT” • Recycling Logo • © USPS 2014

These four items are considered Philatelic Products and will be issued in the following formats:

  • 789834, Snowflakes packet of 10 with seals (2 designs), $9.95.
  • 688634, Poinsettia packet of 10 with seals (1 design), $9.95.
  • 689834, Winter Fun packet of 10 with seals (2 designs), $9.95.
  • 689817, Holiday Stamped Envelopes FDC (Set of 5), $3.70.

August 21st: #10 envelopes, sold in packages of 10, and available at the end of September. First-day postmarks will be available.

Wilt Chamberlain

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November 13th: From the USPS:

The Wilt Chamberlain Forever stamps will be dedicated during halftime at center court of the Dec. 5 Philadelphia 76ers/Oklahoma Thunder game that starts at 7 p.m. ET. The stamp ceremony is not open to the public but the Postal Service has obtained a limited number of free tickets available on a first-come, first-served basis by emailing NationalEvents@usps.gov before Mon. Nov. 24 at 2 p.m. ET. One ticket per email request. Tickets are not transferrable once confirmed. Additional tickets may be purchased at www.sixers.com

The game takes place at:

The Wells Fargo Center
3601 S. Broad St.
Philadelphia, PA 19148

Stamp sales will be available inside and outside of the Wells Fargo Center along with First-Day covers and other philatelic (stamp collecting) products.

There will not be an autograph session due to logistical challenges.

October 30th – From the Postal Bulletin (first day postmarks follow this entry):

wiltchamberlain02On December 5, 2014, in Philadelphia, PA, the U.S. Postal Service® will issue the Wilt Chamberlain stamps, in two designs, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 18 stamps (Item 472400).

The stamps will go on sale nationwide December 5, 2014.

This year, the U.S. Postal Service celebrates the life of basketball superstar Wilt Chamberlain (1936–1999). The 7-foot-1-inch center set a plethora of records and, as a pro, led his teams to two NBA championships. Two new stamps feature portraits of Chamberlain by artist Kadir Nelson. One stamp portrays Chamberlain in a Philadelphia Warriors uniform, and the other stamp shows him in a Los Angeles Lakers uniform. The selvage features photographer Ken Regan’s image of Chamberlain in a Philadelphia 76ers uniform. Art director Antonio Alcalá designed the stamps and pane.

How to Order the First-Day-of-Issue Postmark:
Customers have 60 days to obtain the first-day-of-issue postmark by mail. They may purchase new stamps at their local Post Office, at The Postal Store® website at http://www.usps.com/shop, or by calling 800-STAMP-24. They should affix the stamps to envelopes of their choice, address the envelopes (to themselves or others), and place them in a larger envelope addressed to:

Wilt Chamberlain Stamps
Retail Manager
Philadelphia Metropolitan District
3190 South 70th Street
Philadelphia, PA 19153-3244

After applying the first-day-of-issue postmark, the Postal Service will return the envelopes through the mail. There is no charge for the postmark up to a quantity of 50. For more than 50, customers have to pay five cents each. All orders must be postmarked by February 3, 2015.

There are nine philatelic products for this stamp issue:

472406, Press Sheet w/Die cut, $70.56, (print quantity 1,000).
472408, Press Sheet w/o Die cut, $70.56, (print quantity 1,500).
472410 Digital Color Postmark Keepsake, set of 2, $12.95.
472416 First-Day Cover, set of 2, $1.86.
472421 Digital Color Postmark, set of 2, $3.28.
472424 Framed Art, $39.95.
472430 Ceremony Program, $6.95.
472431 Stamp Deck Card, $0.95.
472432 Stamp Deck Card w/ Digital Color Postmark, $1.99.

Technical Specifications:

wiltchamberlain01Issue: Wilt Chamberlain Stamps
Item Number: 472400
Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail Forever®
Format: Pane of 18 (2 design)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: December 5, 2014, Philadelphia, 
PA 19153
Designer: Antonio Alcalá, Alexandria, VA
Art Director: Antonio Alcalá, Alexandria, VA
Typographer: Antonio Alcalá, Alexandria, VA
Artist: Kadir Nelson, San Diego, CA
Modeler: Donald Woo
Manufacturing Process: Offset, Microprint
Printer: Banknote Corporation of America/SSP
Printed at: Browns Summit, NC
Press Type: Alprinta 74
Stamps per Pane: 18
Print Quantity: 50 million stamps
Paper Type: Phosphor Tagged Paper
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive adhesive
Processed at: Banknote Corporation of America, Browns Summit SC
Colors: Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black
Stamp Orientation: Vertical
Image Area (w x h): 0.84 x 1.93 in./21.34 x 48.97 mm
Overall Size (w x h): 0.98 x 2.07 in./24.89 x 52.52 mm
Full Pane Size (w x h): 9.25 x 6.88 in./234.95 x 174.63 mm
Press Sheets Size (w x h): 18.5 x 27.5 in./469.90 x 698.50 mm
Plate Size: 144 stamps per revolution
Plate Numbers: “S” followed by four (4) single digits
Marginal Markings: © 2014 USPS • USPS logo • Plate position diagram • UPC Code 
• Promotional text • NBA Information • Wilt Chamberlain bio.

First day postmarks:

wilt_dcp_vscDCP Size: 1.81″ x 1.46″

wilt_bw_vscBlack & White Pictorial Size: 2.73″ x 1.23″

wiltchamberlain02October 16th: The first day ceremony for Wilt Chamberlain during halftime of the 76ers game will be short, because the teams get half the halftime to warm up for the second half.

Also, there will be a dedication ceremony on December 10th at Overbrook High School in Philadelphia, where Chamberlain went to school. It will start at 2 p.m. and there will be a special postmark. The school’s website gives the address as 5898 Lancaster Avenue.

October 1st: Stamp designs and details added. Note the issue date: December 5th at a Sixers game in Philadelphia. Click on the pictures  for a larger view.

From the USPS:
Basketball icon Wilt Chamberlain will be immortalized on two towering Limited Edition Forever stamps Dec. 5.

The U.S. Postal Service and Philadelphia 76ers, in conjunction with the National Basketball Association (NBA), will formally dedicate the Wilt Chamberlain Forever stamps — the first of its kind featuring an NBA player — in a halftime ceremony featuring a special three-dimensional tribute video using the team’s state-of-the-art court projection system. Throughout the night, the Sixers will celebrate the life and legacy of the legendary Chamberlain with videos during breaks in play. Tickets for this 7 p.m. game will be available to the general public beginning Oct. 8 via Sixers.com.

As a 7-foot-1-inch center, Chamberlain dominated the NBA for more than a decade, setting a plethora of individual records. As a pro, Chamberlain led his teams to two NBA championships and in 1962, scored an NBA record 100 points in a single game.

The stamps, just over two inches tall each, are about a third taller than a typical commemorative stamp height of approximately 1.5 inches. Kadir Nelson, of San Diego, CA, created the two stamp image portraits of the NBA superstar. One is based on a photograph of Chamberlain in a Philadelphia Warriors uniform; the other is based on an image of Chamberlain in a Los Angeles Lakers uniform. The word “Wilt” is featured in either the top right or left corner of each stamp. Art director Antonio Alcalá of Alexandria, VA, designed the stamps.

wiltchamberlain01Born Aug. 21, 1936, in Philadelphia, Chamberlain excelled in track and field, but basketball eventually became his sport of choice. By the time he was 10, Chamberlain was six feet tall. He was nearly unstoppable at Philadelphia’s Overbrook High School, scoring more than 2,200 total points, a Pennsylvania record. People began calling him “Wilt the Stilt” and “The Big Dipper,” possibly because his height sometimes forced him to dip under doorways. He preferred the latter nickname.

He attended the University of Kansas where he averaged 29.9 points and 18.3 rebounds per game before turning pro in 1958. Chamberlain spent a season with the Harlem Globetrotters before joining the Philadelphia Warriors.

During his rookie season with the Philadelphia Warriors, he averaged 37.6 points and 27.0 rebounds per game to win both the league’s Rookie of the Year and Most Valuable Player Awards. Chamberlain led the NBA in scoring his first seven seasons, and on March 2, 1962, during a game against the New York Knicks in Hershey, PA, scored an NBA record 100 points — a monumental feat that has not been matched since.

The Warriors moved to San Francisco in 1962, and in 1965 Chamberlain was traded to the Philadelphia 76ers. In 1966–67, Chamberlain led the 76ers to an NBA record 68 regular-season wins and an NBA title.

In 1968, Philadelphia traded Chamberlain to the Los Angeles Lakers. His winning ways continued in L.A. In 1971–72, he led the Lakers to a stellar 69–13 regular-season record — the best regular-season mark in NBA history — and an NBA title. L.A. won the championship that year, defeating the Knicks in five games in the NBA finals. Chamberlain, who was nursing a broken bone in his hand, captured the series MVP Award. Like the
’66–’67 76ers, the ’71–’72 Lakers are still considered one of the best NBA teams of all time.

When the 13-time NBA All-Star retired in 1973, he held a record number of NBA records, including most total points (31,419), average points per game (30.1), total rebounds (23,924) and rebounds per game (22.9). He won the NBA MVP Award four times (1960, 1966–68), and was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1979.

In 1996, as part of the NBA’s 50th Anniversary season, Chamberlain was named one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History.

September 18th: The Postal Bulletin says there will be two designs. VSC confirmed this on October 1st.

August 21st: The art for this stamp is not yet, but we were told it would be a taller-than-usual vertical design in a unique size: “different from anything we’ve ever done….vertical and a little oversized.”

It will be issued in December, probably at a Philadelphia 76ers home game.

Some stats from the USPS about Chamberlain’s career:

  • The 7-foot-1-inch center dominated the NBA for more than a decade, setting a plethora of individual records
  • As a pro, he led his teams to two NBA championships, and in 1962 he scored an NBA record 100 points in a single game.
  • Chamberlain chose to attend the University of Kansas and turned pro in 1958
  • Chamberlain spent a season with the Harlem Globetrotters before joining the Philadelphia Warriors
  • The Warriors moved to San Francisco in 1962, and in 1965 Chamberlain was traded to the Philadelphia 76ers
  • Chamberlain led his new team to a then-NBA record 68 regular-season wins and an NBA title
  • In ’68, Philadelphia traded Chamberlain to the Los Angeles Lakers where his winning ways continued
  • The 13-time NBA All-Star retired in 1973, holding a record number of NBA records, including most total points (31,419), average points per game (30.1), total rebounds (23,294), and rebounds per game (22.9). He won the NBA MVP Award four times (1960, 1966-68), and was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1978.

More about Chamberlain (1936-1999) at Wikipedia.