This week in Linn's.

[larsdog]

[larsdog]

Maybe I should write a letter, too!

Here are some ideas:

1) Make all self adhesive stamps soakable.
2) Make all coils such that the plate numbers are trimmed off.
3) Trim plate numbers off of all sheets.
4) Only allow one press with one type of paper from one vendor for each issue.
5) Establish a standard serpentine die cut pattern and use it at all times.
6) Every tagged issue is tagged all over with the same color.
7) Define a specific gum to be used on all water activated stamps (no more smooth gum/shiny gum nonsense).
8] Each stamp can only be released in ONE format (coil, sheet, booklet) and the parameters (gum, paper, perforation, vendor, etc.) must be fixed.
9) Create a Kwanzaa/Hanukkah/Eid/Xmas combination forever stamp and issue in only one format once each year.
10) Limit Commemoratives to 20 per year - not 20 panes, but 20 face different stamps!
11) Eliminate Priority and Express stamps. Make people use PVIs or bunches of stamps. It costs me too much to collect those!
12) For any legitimate error that is released, flood the market with additional printings, like the Dag Invert.

That should make collecting more convenient for me, and that's what's really important, isn't it?

P.S. On a strange note, I had to change the number eight followed by closed parenthesis to 8] so it didn't show up as an emoticon!

[michael78651]

Your item #5 is actually superfluous when it comes to self adhesives. Perforations are used on traditional stamps to hold the panes together and make it possible to separate the stamps without using scissors. Self adhesives are on backing paper, so perforations are not necessary. USPS should do away with perfs and just go to die cutting.

USPS uses perfs, because it claims that its customers will not accept self adhesives without perforations. Again, they underestimated their customers. They aren't buying stamps for mailing purposes. They are online paying their bills and sending letters via email, and most probably don't give a hoot about perfs.

[larsdog]

USPS uses perfs, because it claims that its customers will not accept self adhesives without perforations. Again, they underestimated their customers. They aren't buying stamps for mailing purposes. They are online paying their bills and sending letters via email, and most probably don't give a hoot about perfs.

The first self-adhesives didn't have serpentine die cuts. It's my understanding they were added due to complaints. I suppose USPS could try making straight cuts again. I buy stamps for mailing letters. I mail checks for purchases here and elsewhere. I mail payments that are non-recurring or don't offer automated or online payments. I send Xmas cards. I write letters to older relatives that prefer that way of communication. The Wall Street Journal had an article recently saying that proper etiquette is for the person initiating communication to use the recipients preferred method of communication (e.g. text msg, cell call, email, etc.) in most cases - I agree.

[youpiao]

I'd like to know by whom, and to what extent, complaints were made. For that matter, what exactly, would the complaint be? How can I tell this is a stamp, if it doesn't have holes in the edges? Doggone post office has me all confused; I keep grabbing my forever commems to decorate my lunchbox instead of my Hello Kitty stickers?


Tedski

[RazzmatazzComics]

I keep grabbing my forever commems to decorate my lunchbox instead of my Hello Kitty stickers?

[larsdog]

One of the complains I had (but did not voice) was that stamps were harder to separate when the die-cut was straight. I suppose some folks didn't think they "looked" like a "real" stamp.

[gardibolt]

USPS website is still showing that uncut imperf baseball sheet as sold out. Did they let the same dealer buy all 2500 now?

[larsdog]

USPS website is still showing that uncut imperf baseball sheet as sold out. Did they let the same dealer buy all 2500 now?

I missed this. What's are you referring to?

[youpiao]

From the July 30 Linn's:

Tedski

[larsdog]

What does that mean in English? Are there some imperf varieties in limited quantities out there? This is the first I've heard of this, so pardon my ignorance.

[bennettoons]

What does that mean in English? Are there some imperf varieties in limited quantities out there? This is the first I've heard of this, so pardon my ignorance.

Well, nothing is 'out there' yet, because the stamps will not even be issued until this Friday and Saturday.

This recent announcement deals with the large uncut Press Sheets that have 6 panes on them without the serpentine die cuts between stamps. The USPS gave this offering a major publicity push and the original 1000 press sheets that were offered were all preordered within days.

Not wanting to miss out on additional sales, the USPS scrapped that 1000 sheet press run, and offered a 'new' limited press run of 2500 press sheets (we're talking about just the sheets that show all 4 of the baseball players -- press sheets of the panes showing individual players have not sold out yet, from what I have heard.) Delivery will not be until sometime in September, as they are making a brand new press run for these 2500 sheets.

So now the second offer has sold out before the stamps are even on sale . . . and cynics are waiting to hear the announcement that the USPS is scrapping the 2500 sheet edition and offering a 5000 sheet limited edition!

[khj]

limited

That one word says it all. It's not just as simple as telling collectors that they don't have to collect everything USPS puts out. The problem for the ever dwindling number of US collectors is that even the few stamps that we do want to get:

1. The post office often doesn't have it, so I have to order it from the Cave.
2. The Cave has already sold out.

This is not the first time that an item (postage stamp, duck stamp...) has sold out even BEFORE the official release date. Some who couldn't purchase the items directly, ended up buying them from the "dealer(s)" at inflated prices. I wonder how many of those who completely missed out became "ex-collectors". No, you don't have to collect everything USPS puts out; but what if that happens to be your area of interest? Are we expected to change what we collect? Well...

USPS did me a favor. The past decade, money I would have spent on USPS now goes to my worldwide collection. I occasionally buy from USPS, assuming the stamp is actually available; most times, I don't even bother now. I got tired of playing this game with USPS several years ago.

I realize that when USPS limited purchase quantities, they were often unable to sell out "limited" edition items (or it took much longer to sell out). That only proves that one or more dealers were getting together and buying out the print run. I really dislike the fact that USPS allow pre-orders, especially since some people are "privy" to the information first. If they allow pre-orders, then they should limit the quantities on pre-orders. Oh, yeah, then they would have a hard time selling all their stock. But then after a few months, they can always lift the quantity limit; so if anybody still wants to try to corner the market on a limited print run, they can still try.

Of course, if USPS continues their contradictory sales policies, there will be even fewer collectors and dealers left to buy their "limited edition" stamps.

k

[larsdog]

This recent announcement deals with the large uncut Press Sheets that have 6 panes on them without the serpentine die cuts between stamps. The USPS gave this offering a major publicity push and the original 1000 press sheets that were offered were all preordered within days.

How do I become privy to such announcements?

[bennettoons]

How do I become privy to such announcements?

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