Letter Writers Alliance

Stamp Release Round-Up: June Stamps

These are the stamps released for the month of June for the U.S.P.S. We've previously covered the Frozen Treats issue, the first scratch-n-sniff postage for the U.S. I'm a super nerd who is equally, if not more excited, by the use of optically variable ink in the new higher denomination Statue of Freedom designs. They are also intaglio and off-set printed. Fan-cee! Oh, and there's a flag stamp. It's fine. It commemorates the Flag Act of 1818. So that makes two flag releases this year. Yawn. It'll look nice on July 4th mail, I suppose. 

Stamp Releases: Airmail (Blue) and Sally Ride

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

May was all about quality over quantity in the U.S.P.S. stamp releases. The much anticipated intaglio printed blue version of the 100th anniversary of airmail was introduced on May 1st. It'll have a red counterpart released later this year. On the 23rd, the Post Office released a stamp honoring Sally Ride, the first American woman in space. As one of the first heroes I can remember having (I was a wee lass when she first went up), this stamp is especially sweet for me. Excited to keep seeing this year's stamps come out!

Stamp Releases: STEM and Peace Rose

New for April, there are two stamp releases; the STEM Education postage stamp set with four "curiosity piquing" designs and the Peace Rose. Guess which ones I ordered? Nah, the roses are okay too, I guess. No, really, they're pretty. They will end up on a LOT of invitations, I'm sure. I'm just waiting for May 1st and the release of the 100th Anniversary Air Mail stamps. 

Stamp Releases: Illinois Statehood & Mister Rogers

March only saw two stamps released by the USPS; one celebrating Illinois statehood and one for beloved children's show host Fred Rogers. State stamps are almost always a snoozer for me. I even live in this one and I don't really care. The design is nice, but I think I prefer the one from 1968. As for Mister Rogers, well, I love him more than I love his stamp. I love that he HAS a stamp, for sure, but the stamp's sort of whatever. I feel like there was a missed opportunity to make this a set of all the characters (Mr. McFeely! X the Owl!). However, like I said, he's got a stamp and that is important to me. Honestly, the most interesting stamp news of the month was this announcement. Here's to the 2018 stamp releases getting better and better.

 P.S. And won't you be our neighbor?

February Stamp Releases

February was kind of a snoozy month on the stamp release front. Just two new stamps for us and one's the annual flag. Snnnnoooooorrrrrreee. I mean, it's fine, but a flag stamp is a flag stamp is a flag stamp. Interestingly, Stamp News Now had this little tidbit about flag stamps in general, "Mailers like to use Flag stamps on their mail, as it is thought they have a better chance of being opened..." (Also, we're getting two flag stamps this year because it's the bicentennial of the Flag Act of 1818. Yay? *shrug*) The bioluminescent ones are fun, though. They remind me of the Deep Sea Creatures issue. Oh, and it's not out yet, but you can start pre-ordering your Mr. Rogers stamps!

Stamp Releases: January 2018

Here are your January 2018 stamps, folks! All are currently available. So happy to get a matching fruit design in the small value range with the new Meyer Lemon stamps, but I'm less happy that I still have to wait for them to release it in a form other than a $200 coil. Of course, the Anna Bond (of Rifle Paper Co.) designed "Love" stamp is a favorite. Lena Horne is SO HAPPY on this stamp that I can't stop smiling to look at her. The two high value stamps are also very nice looking. To me, the only dud is the Lunar New Year. It's just sort of blah. Honestly, I haven't really cared for this particular Lunar New Year series. I loved the paper cut ones so much. You can still see a vestige of them in the gold design of the dog in the upper left corner. What do you all think?

2018 U.S.P.S. Postage Stamp Preview

Christmas came early, folks! Check out the stamp preview for 2018. Dragons! Mr. Rodgers! Magic! I love them. I am really, really excited. Which are your favorites? 2017 releases pale in comparison. Here's to buying lots of stamps next year!

Penguin Post Office Stamp Window

Perhaps you remember me mentioning the Elsewhere Philatelic Society once or twice before now. Should you like to play along at home, they are having a stamp window from the BOTTOM OF THE EARTH! Follow the instructions below.

To receive the Penguin Post Office stamp:

1. Create a piece of mail (perhaps something for the penguins? A depiction of an intrepid explorer? A message for the bottom of the globe?) and address it to: 
Reigh Robitaille via General Delivery
UKAHT – Port Lockroy
c/o Stanley Post Office
Stanley 
Falkland Islands, South Atlantic
F1QQ 1ZZ

2. Specify RETURN TO SENDER IF NOT PICKED UP BY Jan 15, 2018 by writing it somewhere on the front of the envelope/card.

3. Include the following return address on the envelope / postcard: EPS PO Box 411553 San Francisco, CA 94141

4. Apply sufficient postage for Great Britain. As we assume you are in the US, that’s one *international forever stamp* or stamps totaling $1.15. This is true whether you are sending a postcard or envelope. Anything over 1/2oz costs more, so weigh and act accordingly! We suggest not mailing any unwieldy items or those of a non-standard dimension.

5. Take a photo of the mail before sending in case it gets lost at sea / ice / the penguins use it as a raft to escape hungry seals.

6. Send a S.A.S.E. to EPS PO Box 411553 San Francisco, CA 94141 (to receive the Penguin Post Office commemorative stamp).

Notes of Note: Antarctica travel is highly dependent on weather and conditions at sea. Although the goal is a visit to the post office in Port Lockroy, there’s a strong possibility that weather will prevent it. If this comes to pass, postcard requests will be fulfilled from the southernmost city in the world (Ushuaia).

**We highly advise that you send your mail now, as it can take 2-3 months for mail to reach this location.**

P.S. And if you are in the Bay area, there is a THING on Saturday. You must contact them for details.

Stamp Releases: September/October 2017

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

These are the stamps that have come out in September and October. I can't say I'm super enthused. I think the color palette  on the two non-secular stamps is too close to each other. I do find "The Snowy Day" charming, but these issues just seem so boring. I mean, the "Celebrating African American History and Culture" stamp is of a great building but there's only so interesting that a stamp of a building can be. The other two issues are "Christmas Carols" and "Father Theodore Hesburgh".

 

Stamp Release Round-Up: August Stamps

Bunch a flowers. Bunch of bunches of flowers. Yawn. These are nice stamps. These are safe stamps. I'm not saying that I'm not gonna buy them. Sometimes all I need is a flower in the right colorway to make an envelope perfect. Still, I'm just not all that enthusiastic about flowers on stamps. I do think the pre-stamped card is nice and could be useful for quick political actions and tangible tweets. As always, you can read more about these stamps and how to obtain FDCs of them at the U.S.P.S. Newsroom.