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For broadcast on CBS Radio Network stations March 22-23, 2003:


Commemorating War


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


Although there have been many patriotic stamps, the United States really
hasn't issued many specifically rallying the home front during a war. Really
the only war commemorated while it was under way was World War Two, with
stamps such as Win The War and Overrun Countries. Even the 50th anniversary
of Motion Pictures stamp was tied to the war effort. However, there were no
stamps for World War One, Korea or Vietnam until years afterwards.


But that hasn't stopped those USING the mail from commemorating wars, all
the way back to the Civil War: They produced decorated envelopes, which are
called "patriotics." Instead of an advertising slogan on the left there's a
patriotic phrase or picture, or both.


Patriotics peaked during World War Two. It's in this period that collectors
put appropriate stamps on these envelopes, and had them postmarked on the
day of an event, such as V-J or Victory Over Japan Day. Some of them, by
today's standards, are racist. All are very collectible.


And that's stamp collecting this week. 


I'm Lloyd de Vries, CBS News. 


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