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No-Show Stamps

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

Collectors of U-S stamps have more reasons than most people to be glad there won't be 
a postal rate increase next year: It drastically cuts the number of stamps that will 
be issued. There were more than a dozen different DESIGNS this year for the rate change, 
and countless variations...but there's no need for a new first-class-rate flag stamp, 
or another cute animal stamp for the postcard rate, or even new postcards. The ones 
already issued will do the job.

However, there's also a downside for stamp collectors: These rate-change and mail-use 
stamps are generally issued at collector shows. The Postal Service tries to place the 
commemoratives with what's called "affinity events" -- a meeting or convention or 
location that has something to do with the stamp subject. So the Early Television 
stamps were 
issued at the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, the Thanksgiving Day Parade stamps 
at Macy's. The idea is to generate extra attention for the new commemoratives.

For most collector shows in 20-10, the only way to have a launch ceremony on the first 
day a stamp goes on sale will be if the dates happen to coincide.

I'm Lloyd de Vries of The Virtual Stamp Club. For more on stamps and stamp collecting, 
visit virtual-stamp-club-dot-com. 

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