Publisher's Note Welcome to issue #3 - The new web site is up and running at http://www.stampnewsonline.com - All issues will be archived there. If you are a collector or dealer with a web site and wish to exchange links, let me know and I will add you to the link page. New rate stamps on sale June 7 The US Postal Service has announced that new stamps to meet the first class rate increase set for June 30 will go on sale on June 7. There will be no value listed on these stamps, they will only say First Class Postage. A flag stamp, and a set of four antique toys will be issued, and later these stamps will be reissued with a value on them. This is done because there does not appear to be enough time between approval of the new rate, and implementation. This drives stamp collectors crazy, because it effectively doubles what is being issued for the definitive stamps. Additionally, if collectors try to get different versions of the stamps (booklet, pane, coil) it increases what is needed. Do we need a new definitive series? One way to remove the need of undenominated stamps would be to create a new definitive series, much like the prexie presidential series. These popular stamps were issued between 1938 and 1954, and were denominated in many different values. An updated version of this would be great, because they could be reprinted at anytime when the need is there. PNC collectors would have a great time with such a series, and it would be nice to see some of our presidents on the mail again. The new 5 cent Toleware stamp is a new definitive that will be a part of a series called American Designs, but this series is only supposed to be for definitives up to 10 cents. It would be nice to see a series go from 1 cent to $5 like we have in the past. Commemorative definitives? At this point it is unknown how successful the Greetings from America set of 50 stamps has been doing, but based on comments I have read online and in print, I would say they are not doing great. This really isn't a huge surprise, because as stated earlier, most people (and I am talking about non-collectors) are not going to buy a large pane of 50 stamps. A lot of people also feel it is strange to use a state stamp from a state that is different than their own. It's obvious to me that the goal of the USPS on this issue was to get people to buy as many sheets as possible and put them away without using them. The problem with this strategy is that over time there are probably fewer and fewer collectors out there to purchase these sheets. What is needed is something that will create more collectors, and this starts with used stamps. There really is not much interesting on mail that is received these days. People tend to use the same, boring definitives. The USPS should look into a series that is different than the Greetings. It should be small, and be sold in booklet form, since this is probably the most popular format that people use to buy stamps. They can use states, they can use famous landmarks, there are a lot of options. The key to this series is to run it like the state quarter series by the US Mint. Issue a relatively low number of these, sell each one for a month or two, and then cease selling and move on to the next one. This might create a demand for these stamps by dealers, and people will start paying attention to their mail. I feel that the initial success of the state quarter series was that the prices of the early quarters shot up rather quickly, so before the first year was done, the Delaware quarters were possibly worth several times face value. If non-collectors have a sense of perceived value, they might join in, and then see how great this hobby is. It's an interesting idea that I don't see the USPS doing. I think they would rather create stamps for a few collectors that almost never get used. CTO's and the USPS? Two major periodicals have touched on this issue in the past few weeks. What CTO's are for those who are not familiar with the term are stamps that are canceled by the post office, and then sold directly - the term means Cancel to Order. They can't be used to carry mail, but they are not exactly used stamps either. Their status is in between. They can be sold at a steep discount from mint postage, because mint postage is used to prepay a service. CTO's have been prevalent in many Eastern European countries over the last century. They aren't popular with most collectors, because if you look at advertisements, many will say no Sand Dunes or CTO's. The argument is that the USPS produces too many stamps, and that there are not enough used stamps out there. If they offered CTO's directly to collectors, it would be easier to get the stamps, and then would attract more collectors. I don't buy the argument. One reason that there are fewer collectors is that there are not really interesting stamps being issued in booklet format, which the vast majority of people who use stamps tend to like. If more stamps were issued in booklet format, they would get used. We usually have a choice of about 3 or 4 different issues for a rate to use, and that is it. The big secret is that the USPS wants collectors to buy commemoratives and not use them, because they make more money that way. This does not help with getting new collectors involved. I remember as a child in the 1970's being able to go to the clerk and getting a plate block of 4 current stamps - It would cost me 60 cents, and I was happy. Now, the cheapest sheet to buy is $6.80, soon to raise to $7.40. They simply won't sell stamps individually. People who want to use stamps won't buy the sheet format, and people who want to collect must buy in large quantities. While CTO's might increase supply of used stamps, those stamps would probably only go to established collectors. It's hard enough to buy some commemoratives from the post office, imagine if they started selling stamps that were used. The public would have a field day with such a thing. I strongly believe that there might come a day when used examples of today's commemoratives, often done in panes of 10 or 20 different stamps, will be hard to come by. There is a discrepancy in their catalog value, which is at the minimum in most cases, and what they really are worth, and what they could be worth. For further proof, look at the buy ads in any of the major periodicals, some of the buy prices are almost as much as the mint price of the stamp! Busy Fall Schedule Because of the rate increase, there were a few commemorative issues that were pushed back so that they could be issued at the new 37 cent rate. That will make for a busy couple of months to catch up. Between August 1 and September 30, the following stamps will be issued. Get you checkbooks ready! This averages to more than one issue a week, wow! Thanks for reading, see you next week. Alan Cohen Visit StampCentral.com at http://www.stampcentral.com - dozens of philatelic dealers and more joining all the time. One new dealer this week: Jenifer Markoe: http://www.stampapprovals.com/markoe