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Star power!

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

Take some household names, throw in a little controversy, and even a postage stamp can
grab a load of publicity.... as the Maya Angelou stamp proved.

First, the stars at the launch ceremony included former Ambassador Andrew Young and
Oprah Winfrey.

“Ohhhh, yes. She’d get a big kick out of this moment today: Being honored and commemorated
by the U-S-P-S with her own stamp.”  RUNS :08

But in the audience were some unannounced stars: First Lady Michelle Obama, Attorney
General Eric Holder, President Obama’s top adviser, members of Congress. There’s nothing
the Washington press loves more than power, and there it was in the front row.

The controversy? The morning the stamp was issued, it was reported that the quote on it
wasn’t original with Angelou. Something very similar was in a book of children’s poems
almost 50 years ago.

No one mentioned the problem, although Postmaster General  Meg Brennan read the quote.

“A bird doesn’t sing because it has an answer. It sings because it has a song.” RUNS :05

That other poet says she doesn’t mind, and hopes the stamp will do well.

And it should: With this send-off, a really good design and a popular subject, I won’t
be surprised if it sells out — despite the large printing.

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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