Letter Writers Alliance

David Rumsey Stamp Maps

I love maps. I might not love them as much as I love stamps, but when you put stamps on my maps, it's like you've designed my favorite thing. Delightfully, the David Rumsey Map Collection archive has a number of fascinating postage stamp map mash-ups which you can examine in extreme close-up online and even order prints of, should you feel inclined. Here's a detail from the map above. Look how the edges of the states are crenelated like perforated stamps in this one! How cool! Tons of internet amusement here for the philatelically disposed. 

A Visit to the Stamp Show

Pictures of my haul from the latest COMPEX caused quite a commotion on my Instagram feed yesterday. Although I have made previously posted about how to acquire vintage stamps, I do think that stamp shows are my favorite way to procure postage. You get it immediately, no shipping required. You can look through the stamps right there, no endless clicking and open tabs. It's very satisfying to pile up postage and make new discoveries as you go. Also, the vendors really know their stuff. If you're looking for something specific, they are going to know right where it is. 

Don't think you need to be in Chicago* to attend a stamp show. There are shows held all over! A quick internet search should find you your nearest stamp club and almost every stamp club puts on a show. The vendors travel all over too, like a circus, but for stamps. See, doesn't that sound great? In addition to items for sale, the shows often have themes and exhibits. I took a bunch of notes from the exhibits at this show for future L.W.A. products and blog postings.

Although there may be sellers who focus on very niche things, I have never been to a show that didn't have a booth selling stamps at or below face value. The fact of the matter is that a lot of stamps aren't "collectible" and sellers aren't making their money from people like me who just want stamps for their letters. So, their trash is our treasure.

An item of note: some vendors may only accept cash or check, but the advent of phone credit card processing has made credit a more widely used form of payment. Be prepared and ask first before you spend two hours picking out stamps only to find a booth isn't taking cards. Also, don't be intimidated. Although it's sure to be full of mostly older white men, you have every right to be there! I stress this because I struggle with it, but stamps are for everybody. Never forget it. 

Have you been to a stamp show? Share your experiences and tips with your fellow members!

*The show isn't even IN Chicago. I took an hour plus public transit ride to River Grove for this one. 

Scratch'n'Sniff Postage Stamps

Well, all the other countries have done it! Why not us? On June 20th, the U.S.P.S. will release its first-ever scratch-n-sniff postage stamps. The vibrant popsicle watercolor stamps by artist Margaret Berg will have a mystery scent that will be revealed at the First Day Issue Ceremony. Sadly, just one scent for all ten of the different designs. It'll probably be a fruit scent, like watermelon, but I'm hoping for a cotton candy type smell. Other guesses are chocolate and cola, but come on, it'll definitely be on the more sugary side. Just look at those stamps and try telling me they smell like chocolate. If you're in Austin, you can attend the stamp ceremony at the Thinkery Children's Museum, but if you're anywhere else, they do plan to live-stream it via their Facebook page. 

The Meter Stamp Society

Stamp collecting is such a fascinating endeavor to me. The field is so vast! You can pick the tiniest detail to fixate on for your collection and still have multiple items to acquire and fun in the process. I never really considered metered and digital postage collectible until I stumbled across The Meter Stamp Society. Something I thought of as completely blasé and sometimes down-right ugly is actually kind of cool when you really get into it.

I poked around in their Library and was overwhelmed by how much knowledge was there, lovingly compiled and cataloged. The blog image is from a book there called The Francotype Specimen Handbook 1949-1991, which I found to be quite interesting. Just like with regular postage, there's topical collecting to be done on meter postage, like scouting or minerals.

If you're a member of the Meter Stamp Society, we'd love to hear your thoughts on metered collecting in the comments.

 

Paleophilatelie

I heart dinosaurs. I heart stamps. I heart this website of all things dinosaurs and stamps. Paleophilatelie is a "collection of images of various Philatelic objects related to Paleontology and Paleoanthropology." If you love topical stamp collecting, this is a prime example. I love that there are SO MANY STAMPS WITH DINOSAURS and other prehistoric critters. All the FDCs and postmarks too! (I forgive them the misuse of "stationary" and other grammatical quirks because it is clear that the author's English is far better than my German.)

 

Thermochromic Eclipse Stamp

Normally, I wait and do a monthly round-up of stamp releases; however, this stamp is too cool to postpone telling you about. Plus, I keep getting links to it and that makes it clear that L.W.A. members want to know about and share this info NOW! On August 21st, a total solar eclipse will travel across the sky over the U.S. In commemoration, the U.S.P.S. is issuing a new stamp. That alone isn't enough to prompt a stand-along post although eclipses are way cool and eclipse stamps are certainly a thing that people like. No, the reason behind this post is because this is the first stamp from the U.S.P.S. to make use of thermochromic ink.

Thermochromic ink is Hypercolor technology for any of you Eighties Kids out there. It's ink that changes when heat is applied to it. In the case of this stamp (and the Agatha Christie stamps issued by the Royal Mail last year), the ink goes from opaque black to reveal an image. Here, it shows us a beautiful moon after you warm it with your breath or a finger. It's pretty much the best thing ever and I plan on stocking up on these rad stamps. They go on sale June 20th.

P.S. Cool gif from the American Philatelic Society.

2017 Stamp Preview

The U.S.P.S. has out their stamp teaser for 2017. Lots of fun stuff on there. I'm super into the sharks and the shells. I like stamps of types of stuff, I guess. The WPA posters are amazing. I hope they come in a large format. What are you looking forward to?

Postcrossing Stamps

We are big Postcrossing fans here at Letter Writers Alliance Headquarters. If you don't know it, Postcrossing is a free postcard swapping network where you sign up to send and receive cards. Each card is given an ID number which allows people to track the cards passage through the post. I was delighted to receive this postcard from member Rachel E. in the Netherlands showing the new PostNL stamps celebrating Postcrossing. Postcrossing has 36,000 members located in the Netherlands and they've sent over 3 million postcards so far. This seems a fitting way to reward them and share some Dutch culture as well. HOW COOL IS THAT? It's so cool. (PostNL is making some really great stamps, like these mushrooms, these cats, or these David the Gnome stamps!) Even more cool is that this isn't the first time they've encouraged Postcrossing with an official. The first issue was back in 2011. I like these ones better though.

So how do cool stamps get made? Well, in the U.S. you need to get your stamp idea through the Citizen's Stamp Advisory Committee. Who wants to write in proposing L.W.A. stamps?

E.S.P.E.R.

E.S.P.E.R. stands for the Ebony Society of Philatelic Events and Reflections. They've got a really comprehensive site for philatelic topical collecting around Black heritage. I like that they aren't just focused on U.S.P.S. issues, but have a world-wide section as well. I also really like the theme section because it highlights stamps you would necessarily know had an topical connection. I learned that the traffic light was invented by an African American named Garrett Morgan, for example. Man, stamps are great and the people who love stamps and put this time into sharing them and their stories with us are great too.

Stamp Preview for 2016

Happy almost New Year everyone! Here's a sneak peek at the U.S.P.S. stamps to be issued in 2016!

The Pets stamps are a definite favorite. What's exciting to you, philatelically, going into the new year?