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The Greeting Card Surcharge.

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

When you buy a greeting card, you may notice a butterfly icon on the card's envelope,
where the stamp will go. It's a reminder that you have to pay extra to mail that card.

The Postal Service's automated processing systems kick out envelopes that aren't standard
sizes and shapes, and a postal worker has to handle them. The extra charge for this
service is 20 cents.

This has been on the books for awhile, but postal workers rarely bothered to enforce it.
But do you really want to take a chance that Mom gets her birthday card -- postage due?

A few years ago, the Postal Service worked out a deal with greeting card publishers to
print that butterfly icon on the envelopes. In return, the U-S-P-S will issue butterfly
stamps to cover the current rate.

We're getting the second one now, a 65-cent stamp featuring the black-and-orange Baltimore
Checkerspot – the official insect of Maryland. It's an attractive design.

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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