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For broadcast on CBS Radio Network stations February 19-20, 2005:

Don't Cut It Out!

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

For decades, stamp collectors who get interesting stamps on their mail have been tearing 
the corners off the envelopes to save the stamps. They've also enlisted the help of friends 
and relatives, and even inactive stamp collectors find it hard to break the habit.

But now, there's a growing trend to NOT tear or cut up the envelopes, but leave them intact. 
Some collectors -- called "postal historians" -- find the cancellations and other markings 
on the envelopes just as interesting -- and sometimes MORE SO -- than the stamps.

Not all envelopes are collectible, of course, but the average person -- even the average 
STAMP COLLECTOR -- doesn't know the difference, so postal history collectors ask us to open 
the envelopes neatly, remove the contents, and then give them the whole thing.

Of course, storing a bunch of envelopes takes up a lot more room than a bunch of cut-off 
corners....and if the used stamp is for YOUR collection....you may decide to snip away 
anyway.

And that's Stamp Collecting this week. 

I'm Lloyd de Vries, CBS News. 

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