Whats On Your Covers?

I've noticed that the great bulk of mail I receive from fellow stamp collectors is typically franked with commemoratives from the past. Some as far back of the prexie issue. Others from ten, twenty years ago.

Seems to be a courtesy to other collectors and I suspect using the latest Liberty Bell would be an act of bad form. And, a label from the Post Office-unthinkable. If you have gotten a package from Subway via the USPS, you know what I mean.

But, I don't do that. Although I have loads of old commemoratives sitting in the draw, I use current, present-day commemoratives. I don't know about you, but most "normal"mail, if it has a stamp on it, is either the Liberty Bell or a Presorted stamp. Not a commemorative in sight. Occasionally a "Love" stamp on a wedding invitation. Otherwise, no commemoratives. So, I also make sure I have the latest on hand. Right now I am working through some Abstract Art panels and for heavier items, I have the Richard Wright and for overseas, real 91c stamps.

My feeling is that other than CTOs, there must be a real lack of genuine-time-correct cancelled examples of current day commemoratives and I don't see much value in putting a 2010 cancellation mark on a perfect fine 1938 stamp. Are we going to wake up in twenty year's time and realize that in-time non-CTO used examples of the Maudlin stamp are worth a multiple of mint NH examples? I suspect that might be the case. So, I use them.

Also, as a stamp collector, I think I am "obliged" to use stamps, to patronize the post office. So, I get the new ones for my mail. Old stamps don't send the right message and don't show the support for stamps, imho.

Curious what you all think about what to put on your outgoing envelops.

-Larry

Interesting points Larry !

I mainly use recent stamps if they are available in our office, and I at least use as many commems as possible. Occasionally, I will use older stamps but here only stamps from 1988 onwards can be used so the old ones do not apply.

Receiving.

The truth is I like to receive commems on my philatelic mail but would never complain if it didn't happen. The most important thing is what's INSIDE the envelope. If the contents are good, well-packed and secure, then I am happy.

But please put Commems on mail......OK !

Londonbus100

I use current commemoratives most of the time,I use up some of the scrap on bills now and then.When I send something to a fellow collector I do not make an obvious philatelic cover, but use a current or relatively current issue. As a collector of US used only, I gave up on issues after 2000. A complete period correct postally used modern collection after 1990 would be quite an accomplishment in my opinion.

i try to use stamps when ever I send packets.. as some will attest.. I try to use high value like the 4.90 Mackinac bridge stamp then a bunch of low value ones.. the post office sometimes gets irritated with me for making them use stamps. But heck, that's why they made stamps.

Australians get a lot of amusement out of the foibles of the US market in the areas of grading and slabbing, while forgetting about the ridiculous prices being paid here for inverted watermarks. But there's one area of collecting that has rather taken off here in recent years, and is worth a moment's thought: collecting Australian issues from the 1960s to around the 1980s correctly commercially used, and within their period of use, on cover. Quite a few are unexpectedly very difficult to find: stamps that are, to all intents and purposes, worthless used off cover are fetching prices into three figures when correctly, commercially used on cover.

The columns from an Australian stamp magazine that really fired this interest are online, and make a very interesting and thought-provoking read: http://www.rap.com.au/vPages.asp?vp...ds%20Columns and start at Woodchip-free Zone.

Collectors 30, 40 and 50 years ago didn't think to create these sorts of covers. The non-collectors did, but the vast majority of those covers went into the rubbish. These days, with my commercial mail, I always try to use correct current commemoratives or Australian Territories stamps. Maybe one in a thousand of these covers will survive, but maybe a collector in 50 years' time will thank me ... if anyone's still collecting by then, that is.

I would say that stamps are preferred to labels (though I like labels too, even if the US labels are about as ugly as it gets). I often use older postage when it can no longer be considered MNH for trading purposes. If I have too many of a very common plate block I will use it for postage as I probably paid face value, or maybe even less than face value for it.

When sending to another collector I use a combination of recent and older commemoratives for postage.




Butch

I used both recent and older commemorative stamps on all my mailings. I also tried to affix the stamps away from the edges of the envelope.

George

All the covers you sent to me survive
(in the "attic" collection)

I try to use modern commemorative stamps on all my shipments with a few higher face value stamps on the heavier items. I will use older stamps on occasion if I have some around and I need a 3 cent or 4 cent rate stamp to make rate. On occasion I'll add an interesting se-tenet block like the 22 cent balloons and the like. People seem to enjoy them and I have received a number of favorable comments on my ebay and Delcampe feedback about the use of my stamp on cover. The stamping of envelopes is actually one of my favorite parts of selling items online. As for incoming mail, it's the usual bulk-rate/pre-sorted or 1st class flag/forever stamps, but sometimes I get a PNC :)
Will