Uncut Press Sheet Frustration!

So, Linn's has an article that all future commemorative issues will be available as uncut press sheets. This really is no big deal, except for the fact that they REFUSE TO COMMENT on whether or not these press sheets will have die cuts.

They claim that the market for press sheets in not philatelists, but more for decorators and fans. And that's fine, if they just press sheets. But, if they're press sheets without die cuts, they become philatelically significant.

They also said they will no longer have a 5 sheet limit, and they will be sold on a first-come, first-serve basis, which means we could be in a situation where a select few buy up all available sheets and stamp collectors get stuck having to pay a premium for these stamps.

If they announce these press sheets will not have die cuts, then 2012 is the last year I collect US stamps.

I understand they (the USPS) are also going to be providing a "subscription service" wherein collectors can automatically receive new press sheets as they come to market. There is concern that if the printings are limited, "subscribers" will be the ones to get the newest press sheets, leaving other collectors not interested in subscribing to risk maybe not getting press sheets that are in high demand.

I agree this is very frustrating for average collectors. Furthermore, if the USPS decides to issue press sheets without die cuts, that will further enrage the stamp collecting community, as it will not only provide numerous varieties, but the Scott catalog will have to be enhanced to identify all of the possible varieties that can be created with every new issue.

I also think that the idea of press sheets making for a "decorator" item is a poor excuse for issuing them, as most stamp collectors will know that stamps framed into a wall hanging and exposed to various amounts of light will fade, discolor and otherwise deteriorate over time, which will make them virtually worthless over the long term.

It's going to be interesting to see how this whole idea works out. Obviously, the USPS is just looking at their bottom line enhancement of bringing in added revenue by selling philatelic items that will see little (if any) postal use. We're living in times when these changes are going to either make or break stamp collecting as we know it today.

I, for one, have decided not to collect press sheets at all. They are too big and bulky for long term storage and I neither have the wall space to display them as framed art, nor do I have the budget to afford all of them at $50 to $60 apiece for every new commemorative. It doesn't mean that I won't collect new US stamps, but will just limit my collecting to traditional sized stamps that are more than sufficient to satisfy my collecting needs.

I also do not want to collect press sheets, and for the average collector, there is no need. But if they're going to lack die cuts, then we're going to have Scott cataloged imperfs to deal with. Whatever album you use to collect stamps will have a space for the standard die cut stamp with the imperf along side it. So, as collectors, we would need to buy all the commemoratives in die-cut varieties at face value, and then the imperfs as whatever jacked up price that we find them for.

I agree with the USPS that uncut press sheets may be geared more towards decorators and fans of whatever the commemorative is abour, AS LONG AS THEY ARE DIE CUT. Once you remove the die-cuts, then you're gearing the whole thing towards stamp collectors.

If they were to offer uncut press sheets without die cuts AND allowed collectors to buy blocks of 4/setenants of these imperfs, I might be able to deal with that better, but it would still DOUBLE the amount of stamps the collector needs to buy each year.

Perhaps the answer is uncut press sheets without die cuts with the word FOREVER removed. Then they become collectible uncut press sheets, that are not valid postage. They become cinderellas, and collectors can ignore them.

wt1 and apastuszak, really enjoyed reading your analysis of this proposal. I was confused at many levels over the following statement in the article. "After consulting with Citizens' Stamp Advisory Committee members, who are big stamp collectors, we determined that the main market for press sheets are decorators and fans rather than philatelic collectors." I guess my first question is the meaning of the word "big." I think in this case it suggests those with very deep pockets usually called speculators rather than what we would call "serious" collectors who just love collecting stamps and would do what's best for the hobby. Who else would have the nerve to suggest that this is a grand idea for us humble collectors? Be that as it may, after consulting with these idiots ... I mean ... the CSAC, USPS has determined that decorators and fans are going to snap up all these commemorative press sheets at $54.00 a pop time and time again so they can decorate walls. I'm sure that's gonna happen! If that isn't enough to convince me of the stupidity of this, think about the chances of "decorators and fans" either looking for or even finding the USPS subscription service. No doubt every interior decorator in this great land will have the USPS address at the top of their rolodex or email address listing. You heard it here first; this is a catastrophe looking for a place and time to happen. It is absolutely and assuredly doomed to failure.

It just makes me happier and happier that I stopped collecting U.S. stamps post-1993.

As mentioned in another thread, the 4 Player MLB Press Sheet is now sold out more than a month before its official release date. It will be interesting to see just how much the value of this item rises if there is a significant enough demand that exceeds the very modest supply of 1000 press sheets for this item:

wt1, thanks for posting the link to ordering in the other thread. Without that, I would have never known where to get them.

Is Mr. Farley running the postal service?

His ghost obviously haunts the place and is giving advice.