Imperforates

Can someone help me understand why we are collecting these "stamps". Or,are we collecting these items? How/why did these all come about? It seems to me it is just another way for the PO to make money off the stamp collectors.

Imper's have been around for forever. Scott would give them a separate number and they would be placed in our books alongside the regular stamps ie; 371 and 373.

They went away for quite a while but now they are back and now Scott does not even give them a separate number. So why are we collecting them? It it as simple as "if the PO prints it we will collect it"?

One of the facets of stamp collecting is that we can choose what we want to collect and not collect what we don't. If the "stamp" is printed for use as a "postage stamp" than it is listed in catalogs and those of us who choose to, can add them to our collections or not. Just enjoy the hobby...and collect what YOU want! There is no right or wrong...just what works for each if us.

A U.S. postal Service executive hears voices and interprets them as a sign to print imperforate press sheets.

"Print them and they will collect them."

Judging from the quantity of imperf press sheets being produced, the number of collectors snarfing these up must be fairly limited. I would assume that this is in part due to the cost since one can't buy individual stamps/panes from the USPS but must instead find them on the secondary market. Incidentally, starting around September of last year, Scott did begin assigning the imperfs their own minor catalogue numbers. One would think that this might stir interest in the collecting community, yet the USPS has gradually reduced the print quantity from 2500 to 1500 to 500/1000 (presumably due to low sales volume). Two of the three most recent issues had only 350 & 250 imperf sheets. While some album makers have jumped on the band wagon, it would seem that, at least in the USPS eyes, these are not especially popular. Only time will tell how successful (or not) this USPS product will prove to be. But I suspect that the one thing that might suddenly drive up sales would be the USPS announcing that they planned to stop producing imperf press sheets. That could well produce a "rush to buy" the remaining product before it vanished forever.

Well, the extremely low print quantities would certainly dissuade one from using them as postage. I've bought some imperf sheets to use as postage in the past couple years, but I don't think I'd do that with some of the recent ones being issued in such tiny quantities.

They just fallow the Trent of others hobbies: limited quantities orders now before it's too late

I think they are neat but it does seem they may be going away. USPS is making less money than they had hoped, though the production costs are insignificant.

What interest me is postal usages of the non die cut (imperfs).

As for how they are listed in Scott, at first Scott was adamant they would not be listed. Then they gave into reason and demand. However they are listed as sub varieties. I think within a short period of time they will get major letter listings. For example, instead of 5036a, 5036A. All of the different varieties, gutter pairs, singles, pairs, panes, press sheet, plate blocks, on cover... It almost screams that these are listed as major numbers. Most of the interest over the long term will be in the imperfs, while the perforated stamps will likely remain discount postage for the next several decades.

If albums begin having spaces for both its another game altogether.

So to the OP, why collect? I would say it represents a challenging new area hence the interest.