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Being First.

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

First day covers are a specialty for many collectors. These are envelopes or cards 
with stamps on them, and canceled with the date the stamp first went on sale -- sort 
of like birth certificates. These postmarks are often special for the occasion, and 
most first day cover collectors use envelopes with some decoration on them, which are 
called cachets. 

You can buy cacheted envelopes from dealers or make your own. In fact, it's the only 
part of stamp collecting where you can make your own and not be arrested!

Most are on standard Number six-and-three-quarters envelopes. After affixing the new 
stamps, you send them in a larger envelope, to the first day city within 60 days of 
the release -- the first day of the stamps. They're canceled and mailed back to you. 
There's no charge for this service.

For more information on servicing your own first day covers, visit 
virtual-stamp-club-dot-com. Or you can buy first day covers already serviced from 
stamp dealers.

Lloyd de Vries of The Virtual Stamp Club. For more about stamps and stamp collecting, 
visit our site. 

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