US Postal Service To Honor Living Individuals On Stamps

I wholeheartedly disagree with this. What do ya'll think?

Great, we'll get to see more of Branjelina!

This sounds like a ploy to sell collectors more junk!

Wow! That's quite a reversal from a longstanding tradition of not honoring living people.

I agree with spanishmoss that this is not a good thing. There are people that I can think of who were held in great esteem in their field (i.e. entertainment, sports, business, politics, etc.) and were later found guilty of crimes that ruined their career. If the USPS is going to issue stamps for people who are living, what will this do to the integrity of stamp collecting if a person so depicted is later found guilty of crimes against society? We could very well find the US issuing stamps that would become the joke of the stamp collecting world. We already know the embarrassment the USPS went through when an inanimate object such as the Statue of Liberty was found to be depicting the Las Vegas replica. What happens when a stamp is issued for a well known person that may later become a convicted criminal?

It's only after a person's death, that the quality of their lifetime achievements can be truly measured.

Frankly, I think this quote from an ABC News report on the matter sums up what's really in the minds of USPS officials in making this change:




Another thing: We've already been bombarded with 60+ new issues already announced for 2012, and with a probable rate change next year, even more, and now with living persons to be depicted on stamps, that number could escalate even further, and outside of many people's budgets to purchase all of the new issues as they come out, so it could come back to "haunt" the USPS in making such a drastic change.

For those in support of the idea, since we already have the ability to purchase personalized stamps that allow one to add images of friends and family who are living, I guess it's not so far off track.

I still don't agree with the concept, though.

If only we had implemented this policy 40 years ago. We would have an O. J. Simpson stamp in our collections.

Here's an OJ Simpson stamp from Guyana 1993 (top left corner, hard to see, not a great image taken from the web)




But I've also notice Guyana has a thing for Disney characters and the Three Stooges.

Seriously, Canada changed their policy a few years ago, and I didn't think it was a good idea then either. A Robbie Robertson stamp was shown on another thread here recently.
Obviously they are catering to collectors.Wt1 says the US has already announced 60+ stamps for next year. But really, what is a company in financial trouble to do. They have to generate income to keep going. And here's one proven commodity they have to help do that. Lots of countries have produced stamps strictly for collectors for decades. Guess it was just a matter of time before Canada and the US jumped on the bandwagon.
Doesn't mean we have to buy them.

...or Enron Founder, Kenneth Lay
...or Ponzi Scheme Convict, Bernie Madoff

...or any number of other less than exemplary people who would make the stamps issued by the US Postal Service a laughing stock of the stamp collecting world.

Edit: I was just thinking...there will likely be need for a Board to oversee the Citizens Stamp Advisory Committee to avoid any chance of corruption, as I would guess there are some living people who would pay a sizable premium to get their names (faces) into the public eye through such a medium as a postage stamp. Wouldn't put it past some politicians and entertainers to pay for the privilege of "advertising" their image to promote their personal agenda.

wt1, think Hollywood's Walk of Fame. I understand stars can and do campaign for the 'honour'.

Has anyone verified this from official sources? I find it odd that the USPS would use social media as a forum for such an important change in policy. Additionally, anyone can create a Facebook, MySpace, or twitter account with someone else's name.

I'm not saying this isn't factual, but wouldn't be surprised if it was a hoax, either.

Oh goodie. Now we will get advertising of people who can pay the PO to issue stamps for them. I can't wait for the Steven King stamp (bet he sells more books as soon as the stamp it published).

Bad move PO, bad move.

Riley,

This was went to me from the USA Philatelic Team in an email this morning. The same info can be found on their website, www.beyondtheperf.com.


I wish it were a hoax! Reading people's comments on Facebook is pretty disturbing. Let's hope the post office doesn't take their recommendations seriously.

Now this from CBS:

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2011...111543.shtml

They are asking people to pick from a list that includes everyone from Neil Armstrong to Lady Gaga to Oprah Winfrey.

I keep seeing stamps from smaller countries with people like Naomi Campbell and I have to ask myself "Why?"

edit- ok, a quick google and I find Naomi on stamps of Ivory Coast and...Austria? There goes my respect for the Austrian postal system.

That is what I want, a Lady GaGa stamp! It will show the world how cool and in sync with the times we are! (Yeah sure).

Now you've got me wondering if they would be self adhesive, or we'd get to lick them on the back?

That will just be our luck.
All this time we've been begging for gummed stamps,
and now we'll get them...... with Lady Gaga or
Bill Clinton on the front. YUCK!!