All Star Stamp Clubs

As baseball's All Stars battle it out in St. Louis, the American Philatelic Society's All Star Stamp Club program continues to grow.

Currently there are 43 clubs throughout the United States helping promote stamp collecting among elementary and middle school-age children.

Members get an APS All Star Stamp Club membership card, certificate, a pin, and a philatelic birthday present. They also receive a quarterly newsletter, which will include tips from other youth leaders, program ideas, and reproducible pages to use at meetings.

There is a $10.00 (soon to be $15.00) annual fee. However, there is no cost to the individual members and club leaders receive free supplies such as stamps, hinges, etc.

If you are interested in starting a club in your area or have any questions please contact Janet Houser, Youth Coordinator, American Philatelic Society, 100 Match Factory Place, Bellefonte, PA 16823, phone: 814-933-3803 ext. 238. You can also e-mail Janet at ysca@stamps.org.

To find an All Star Stamp Club in your area, click here.

Texas Post Office Features Stamp Collage

EastlandTexas.com reports,"Few community efforts can match that which was achieved by the late Marene Johnson-Johnson, who with the aid of stamp collecting buffs in Eastland, put together the stamp mural window which has decorated the lobby of Eastland Post Office since its dedication on June 14, 1963."

The 6 ft. x 10 ft.stamp window was constructed over a span of seven years with exactly 11,217 stamps. The stamps are pressed between two panes of glass to preserve their pattern permanently. The central image of Benjamin Franklin is flanked by other stamps depicting the United Nations Emblem, portraits of Martha Washington and Abraham Lincoln, a map of Texas, motifs of progress in American communication and industry, military forces, and education.

Original cost to Mrs. Johnson, who was the town's postmaster, was $15,000 and it was projected to be worth $5 million by 1988 according to the site.

For other attractions in Eastland, Texas, click here.

IRS Taking a Closer Look At Stamp Collectors

Forbes.com reports, "A new audit manual issued by the Internal Revenue Service to its agents concerns "hobby losses"--efforts by taxpayers to improperly write off costs of their stamp collecting, fishing excursions and other side activities. The good news for taxpayers is that the manual also provides guidance on how to use the rules to their advantage."

Here's their suggestions on how to avoid being unfairly taxed and/or audited if you declare losses from your philatelic activities...

• Bunch up expenses


• Write a business plan


• Operate like a business


• Display personal expertise


• Put in the hours


• Make it one big ball of wax


• Have an Internet presence


• Let your tax adviser do the talking


• Act in good faith

For details, click here.

A related story by William P. Barrett also appears on the site.

The Mail Cats of Belgium - 1879

Marie Reed of Saint Fargeau, Yonne, France, posts on her fascinating Web site, Vintage Postcards, an interesting story about Belgian pussy cats who delivered the mail back in the 19th century.

According to Marie, "Thirty-seven plucky mail cats" were trained and employed to carry bundles of letters (and postcards) to nearby villages in and around Liège, Belgium in 1879 for saucers of milk.

The New York Times reported that, "Messages are to be fastened in water-proof bags around the necks of the animals, and it is believed that, unless the criminal class of dogs undertakes to waylay and rob the mail cats, the messages will be delivered rapidly and safely."

Not surprisingly the experiment was short-lived as the cats proved undisciplined. Thus, the expression "it's as futile as trying to herd cats."

To read more, click here.

Prestige Booklets

An article by Jeremy Lifsey, author of Stamp Booklets: Magic Carpets To Adventure, about prestige booklets appears on the Philataelic Database Web site. The piece originally appeared in the February 2007 edition of the American Philatelist.

In it Jeremy writes,"Great Britain started printing Prestige Booklets in 1972. The first one was devoted to the life and products of Josiah Wedgwood. In 1969 Great Britain issued a booklet with recipes. It wasn’t called a Prestige Booklet but it sure looks like one."

He goes on to say, "With the introduction of Prestige Booklets much of what was familiar has changed. The text and the pictures in all the Prestige Booklets deal with a single theme. Most of the time, but not always, the stamps and the text complement each other."

"In 2004 the United States issued a Prestige Booklet commemorating the 200th anniversary of the start of the Lewis and Clark expedition. This 32 page booklet contains only two panels of stamps whose face value is $7.40. The booklet sold for $8.95, a premium of $1.55. It is beautifully executed and could serve very well as an educational document for those people who want a short but reasonably detailed text and picture presentation of the expedition, " according to Jeremy.

He points out, "The Postal Service justifies the premium for this booklet because of the extensive artwork, the detail of the research, and the cost of production. It is a philatelic item but clearly the Postal Service is now producing artfully designed small books as well as printing stamps."

Shown above, the first Prestige Booklet issued by Great Britain in 1972. No premium over the face value of the stamps was charged.

To read the entire article, click here.

Al Sharpton and a Michael Jackson Stamp

Over the weekend I received an e-mail from Dan Berman of KTLA, Channel 5 News, here in Los Angeles wanting to do an interview with me regarding Rev. Al Sharpton's remarks that Michael Jackson deserved to be honored on a US Postage stamp.

Dan had read the Round-Up post I did on the British Virgin Island stamp featuring Jackson and wanted to know more about who could and could not be on a US postage stamp.

So I invited Dan and his cameraman over to the house and they did a segment with me in my office/stamp nook.

In the background I had a large picture of the 1992 Elvis stamp which is shown here. I said while Michael was no doubt deserving of a stamp, he was going to have go through the Citizens Stamp Advisory Committee and wait at least 5 years under current USPS rules.

Elvis had a longer wait because back then you couldn't be on a stamp for at least 10 years after you passed away. The only exception, then and now, being US Presidents.

I also pointed out that there was a contest held for the Elvis stamp and people got to vote for a picture of young Elvis or one of an old Elvis on the stamp. The young one won out and the stamp went on to be one of the most popular US commemorative stamps ever issued.

I suggested that perhaps the same should be done for a Michael Jackson stamp.

Shown above, cameraman Michael McGregor, me (in a stamp adorned Hawaiian shirt) and KTLA reporter Dan Berman.

For more on the Citizens Stamp Advisory Committee and who and what can be on a US postage stamp click here.

Preschool Stamp Collecting Program Under Development

A press release from the American Philatelic Society announces, "A pilot program for more than 100 preschool students in five Head Start Classrooms in central Pennsylvania has completed its first year. Cheryl Edgcomb, CEO of Stamp Camp USA, and Gretchen Moody, Director of Education for the American Philatelic Society, are the lead developers of the program, which involves a curriculum of 16 lesson plans. This curriculum encourages teachers to use postage stamps as a tool to assist children to achieve and master several national Head Start standards."

Interested teachers, aides, and supervisors met last month at the American Philatelic Society headquarters to evaluate the program.

According to the release, Cheryl and Gretchen are using the feedback to fine-tune the lesson plans and to expand the curriculum. They will share program outcomes at the state-wide Head Start conference in State College, PA in October with attendees who are educators and parents.

Cheryl is quoted as saying in the release, “We hope to publish this curriculum and offer it to Head Start programs across the state and eventually the country.”

The program is funded with a $5,000 grant from Dominion Gas Transmission Corporation. John D. Frith, company representative, commented, “Dominion is pleased to support the Stamp Camp USA Program which has developed and expanded such an innovative learning methodology for our youth.”

According to Gretchen, “Preschool children share our excitement for the interesting images on stamps. By exposing these children and their teachers and parents to stamps, we hope to open the hobby to new audiences.”

Shown above, program evaluators outside the American Philatelic Society's headquarters in Bellefonte, PA.

To read the release and additional pictures, click here.

Recommended Books For Stamp Collectors

Gary Eggleston, BellaOnline's stamps editor, writes on the site, "Stamp collecting is an enriching hobby because it has educational and cultural value. In about six months, you will have learned about countries and special events, and a lot about the stamp collecting industry as well. You will probably meet a lot of interesting fellow stamp collectors with whom you can swap notes and news."

He goes on to say, "Stamp collectors, however, must try to gain knowledge continuously by reading and by joining clubs and seminars and talking to as many stamp dealers as possible so that they get a flavor of the current market news."

He then goes on to list several books about stamps and stamp collecting that he feels would be beneficial for both beginning and advanced collectors.

At the top of his list is Wayne Youngblood's All About Stamps: An Illustrated Encyclopedia of Philatelic Terms.

To learn what his other picks are, click here.

Investing in Stamps

According to the Proactive Investors Web site, "Rare stamps and autographs are the only investment that's risen in value every year for the past 50 years."

They quote Stanley Gibbons Chief Executive, Mike Hall, who explains, "...why rare stamps and autographs could be the best investment you've never heard of: Why rare stamps and autographs are the perfect, safe, alternative asset with distinct tax planning advantages; returns you can expect in the short, medium and long term."

Hall is quoted as saying, "“I would recommend investors allocate around 10% of their wealth into alternative assets which can help to produce more stable overall long term returns. Rare stamps and signatures provide the perfect mechanism to achieve this, being a tangible asset with a value embedded in history."

He goes on to say, "An investment in rare stamps and signatures should be considered as a medium to long term investment and we would recommend a minimum investment term of 5 years. Short term gains are possible depending on movements in the market for rare stamps as a result of 3rd party auction realisations."

Rare stamps have increased in value by an average annual compound growth rate of 10% in the past 50 years. Probably more compelling is that rare stamps have never gone down in value at any time during the past 50 years according to the article.

Also, an investment in rare stamps and signatures is an investment in a tangible asset and the profits represent a capital gain as a chattel. This provides distinct tax planning advantages.

Halls says, "My recommendation is to focus only on rare stamps in premium condition which historically have always achieved the best returns at auction. Condition is all important when considering investment merit."

Stanley Gibbons, stamp dealers and publishers since 1856, diversified into collectibles and memorabilia in 1990 with their acquisition of Fraser’s Autographs and began offering alternative investment portfolios in 2003.

To read the entire article, click here.

Canada's New Musical Icon Stamps

The Winnipeg Free Press reports, "New Canada Post stamps featuring Bryan Adams and Stompin' Tom Connors are music to the ears of a Winnipeg design company. Circle Design International designed the stamps released this week, which also feature French-Canadian rock pioneer Robert Charlebois and Acadian singer Edith Butler."

According to the article by Kevin Rollason, "The stamps follow the company's success in designing the first musical icon stamps two years ago, which featured Gordon Lightfoot, Paul Anka, Anne Murray and Joni Mitchell."

Circle Design International also designed the two series of Canadians in Hollywood stamps as well as the 1999 Pan Am Games and the 125th anniversary of the RCMP stamps.

Besides being the owner of the company that designed the stamps, Circle Design founding principal Robert Peters (shown above) says he was a stamp collector himself and collected them as a child.

Rollason said Peters got his own copies of the stamps his company designed just like everyone else and quotes him as saying, "I was in line [at the post office] yesterday morning to get them."

To read the entire article, click here.

Stamps - An American Journey

Click on the center of the picture to watch the story of America as seen through its postage stamps.

Happy 4th of July!

Are Post Office Closures Next?

Caitlin McDevitt reports on the MSN Money Web site, "As mail volume declines, the US Postal Service could shutter up to 3,200 post offices and retail outlets."

He goes on to say,"As the United States Postal Service, weighed down by a crippling multibillion-dollar deficit, shrinks its operations, post offices across the country are on the chopping block. Each year, hundreds of postal operations shutter, but this coming fall could be the single biggest consolidation in Postal Service history."

According to McDevitt, "Every time a post office is slated for closure or consolidation, the Postal Service is legally obligated to inform its customers well in advance.

Mario Principe, the post office continuance consultant at the National League of Postmasters, is quoted as saying, "There's a very long process that they have to go through. That gives the communities plenty of time, usually at least two months, to stage a rescue."

To read the entire article, click here.

Karl Malden and The Post Office

Actor Karl Malden has died of natural causes at his home in California. He was 97.

Malden was born Mladen Sekulovich in Chicago on March 22, 1912 and won a supporting actor Oscar in 1951 for his role in the film "A Streetcar Named Desire" — a role he also played on Broadway.

Besides being an Oscar winning actor, Malden was also a well-known stamp collector and served on the Citizens Stamp Advisory Committee (CSAC) which reviews and recommends subjects for U.S. postage stamps.

Malden helped create the "Legends of Hollywood" stamp series that featured a number of his friends and fellow actors as well as the 2003 miniature sheet,American Filmmaking: Behind the Scenes, celebrating Hollywood's directors, producers and other studio workers.

According to the Associated Press, "In 2005, the U.S. Postal Service honored Malden by naming the post office in Brentwood [CA] to honor his achievement in film and his contributions to the Citizens' Stamp Advisory Committee."

On hand to honor him at the event were family members, and lifetime friend Kirk Douglas. Kirk’s son, Michael, could not attend, but sent a letter teasing his former Streets of San Francisco co-star with the line, “Karl — a stamp of your own wasn’t enough? You had to have an entire Post Office?”

At the ceremony, Postmaster General Jack Potter spoke glowingly of Malden’s work on behalf of the Postal Service and said, “The Postal Service has had no better friend." Malden also made a number of USPS public service announcements during his time on the CSAC.

Shown above, Malden (on right) and Postmaster General Potter at the Karl Malden Post Office dedication ceremony in 2005.

For more on Karl Malden, click here.

Children at Stamp Shows Rare As Upside Down Jennys

UK's Sheffield's Telegraph reports collectors and dealers from all over Great Britain attended the annual convention of the Yorkshire Philatelic Association hosted by the Sheffield Philatelic Society.

The Yorkshire Philatelic Association (YPA) was founded in 1947. Initially there were ten societies, but the Association has grown over the years to its present twenty-four.

According to the paper, "More than 300 middle-aged men – and a few women and children" attended the show.

It goes on to say, "There was a time when children were stamp collectors and adults were philatelists. These days, however, although children at philatelic shows are not quite as rare as a 24 cent American biplane flying upside down, they are pretty scarce."

Nevertheless, the paper says there are still some young philatelists, such as 12-year-old Anna Spring who is quoted as saying, "I collect animal stamps because I'm an animal lover. It means you learn a lot about the animals of different countries."

Shown above, a dealer helps a collector at the show.
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To read the entire article and watch a short video, click here.

New Zion National Park Stamp

The Salt Lake Tribune reports, "In a ceremony Sunday on the plaza outside the park's visitor center, the 79-cent international postage stamp, featuring a sandstone formation rising from surrounding slickrock, was unveiled before about 70 stamp collectors and visitors."

Zion National Park Superintendent Jock Whitworth is quoted in the article by Mark Havnes as saying the stamp is the latest in a string of events commemorating the park that was established in 1909 as Mukuntuweap National Monument before being designated a national park 10 years later.

The 229-square-mile park, with 120 miles of hiking trails, makes it the seventh most popular park in the country with 2.7 million annual visitors according to Havnes.

Ken McArthur, district manager of the U.S. Postal Service in Salt Lake City, said the Zion stamp is the second time the park has been featured on a stamp, with the first one being an 8-cent stamp issued in 1934.

Other stamps commemorating Utah parks have included Delicate Arch, in Arches National Park, two for Bryce Canyon National Park, with one featuring the Wall of Windows and the other hoodoo spires and Rainbow Bridge in Rainbow Bridge National Monument.

The image on the stamp was taken from a photograph taken by Richard Cummins of Temecula, Calif.

Shown above, Superintendent Whitworth with the new stamp.

To read the entire article, click here.