2013 USPS Issues... News? Thoughts? Opinions?

MIKE33 - the talc really works? I have been able to remove the stamps with Goo Gone, in the same matter, but it is the removal of the glue that really burns my beans... BUT, that is another thread!

Today I asked at a post office about those artsy stamps, like in my scan. The clerk, who seemed with it, didn't know anything about them. He looked at the poster on the wall... but it only goes up to the muscle car issue.

(sigh)

For whatever it's worth, my experience at getting the Modern Art Stamps Pane last week was similar to yours.

First, I stopped by my local post office and the clerk didn't have any, with another clerk commenting they sold out fast, but they should be getting a re-order in soon. So in the process of my travel, I stopped at a post office in a neighboring town. When I asked the clerk for the stamps, he said the same thing as you experienced, he wasn't aware of the issue and the poster hung on the wall didn't show it. Then, the clerk at the next window said yes, we have them and pointed to their storage drawer. "Oh, you mean those large oversized sheets!" was the reply. So I did get them, but it wasn't easy to explain it to a non-collector postal clerk, as their typical response is "we don't have them" without bothering to really look.

I guess these things depends on your town. I went to one of the two PO's I normally go, this one is only open on Saturdays, and I didn't think they sold any! Yet the Lunar New Years stamps were impossible to get on their release so I don't think it's culture.
Frankly I wish it was easier to buy stamps in person, I went by my local PO after work, only one space open, I don't really want to wait in line at a small PO to be told somethings sold out. My chances of getting anything offline outside of the first two weeks seems slim.

I find it rather dissapointing that postal clerks only know what stamps are out by what is on an out of date poster on the wall... (sigh) Just goes to show that the USPS's 2013 marketing technique isn't the best!

Remember, too, that the USPS Marketing Team is all new in 2013 and they have even hired an outside PR firm at big $$$ to provide support on several new issues -- all this coming from a nearly bankrupt USPS.

Does anyone else find the USPS websites (Beyond the Perf, Stamp of Approval, USPS Facebook, etc.) rather boring lately? All they are doing is re-posting old information about stamps already issued with little comment or fanfare about upcoming issues. And this USPS Facebook nonsense about trying to compare the most popular new stamps in the same theme as "March Madness" is, in my opinion, one big flop.

When are we going to hear about the design for the March on Washington Stamp? The Ingrid Bergman stamp? The Science Fiction Writers Stamps? The Medal of Honor winners stamps?

The only thing I have heard in recent days about new issues (on another website) is that the upcoming New England Lighthouses Stamps are going to have five separate first day of issue dedication ceremonies in each of the five locations where the commemorated lighthouse are located. All this seems to be doing is discouraging the average collector to keep up with new issues and first day of issue locations; not encouraging them.

Marketing will only go so far, I think accessibility has been diminished greatly if the best way to get stamps outside of the website is via glancing at a poster and standing in line to be told that something is sold out.
Yes I easily got the Ladybird Johnson stamp and they were very popular in town, but I still had to know about it and wait in line. If something is local, it should be easy to get, and ready to get, and visible. If I were in West Virginia, I should be flooded with that stamp versus anything else or generic. Show hometown pride in selling techniques. The public uses the mail, yet the public doesn't even know. It reminds me of last christmas seeing someone plaster those laserprinted postage stickers on a thick stack of christmas cards instead of using the santa stamps!

I wonder how foreign collectors feel about the US stamp release technique this year... I suppose they might not veen CARE! I notice that with the Royal Mail, you sort of have to know ahead of time that an issue is coming. You dont' find info on the shopping site until a couple weeks or so before the issue is... well... issued.

yes Nells, talc works like a charm and hinges stick right to them. Kinda weird, but it works great. I've been thinking about doing a photo tutorial from start to finish. Maybe one of these days

The April 3, 2013 first day of issue ceremony program for the La Florida Stamps is now on line at USPS Beyond the Perf. Copies are shown here:

New stamp issues have been detailed in the postal bulletin:

A Flag for All Seasons
- coil of 100, 3 printers http://about.usps.com/postal-bullet...info_009.htm
- booklet of 20, 2 printers, no uncut press sheets http://about.usps.com/postal-bullet...info_011.htm

Lydia Mendoza
- sheet of 16, perf. & imperf. uncut press sheets containing 8 full sheets http://about.usps.com/postal-bullet...info_010.htm
From the stamp announcement: "The $7.36 Lydia Mendoza pane of 16 stamps may not be split, and the stamps may not be sold individually."

One expensive issue for sure as the coil stamps are not being sold individually:
- 3 coils of 100 flag stamps = $138
- 2 booklets of 20 flag stamps = $18.40
- 1 sheet of Lydia Mendoza stamps = $7.36

I wouldn't worry about the Flags for All Seasons right now ... did you see the quantity? (!) ONE BILLION stamps from each of the three printers ... THREE BILLION coil stamps in total! Then, for each of the two printers of booklets of twenty, another ONE BILLION Stamps from each printer ... for TWO BILLION booklet stamps in total!

However, that quantity of five billion stamps from various printers is in keeping with the same printing as the 2012 Four Flags Stamps, so the USPS probably figures they'll use them up in due time.

What's most irritating to the collector is that the stamps won't be automatically distributed to post offices but must be ordered as needed (presumably as local post office's stock of Four Flags Stamps dwindles). And the USPS hasn't announced any ATM Version of the Flags for All Seasons (yet). Maybe it will be coming later on.

They are not going to be scarce by any means ... but I suspect they will be a challenge to identify the various varieties, especially since the technical specs suggest that each version of the stamp will have subtle differences in image sizes that probably won't be visible to the naked eye unless you specifically look out for them.

Couldn't agree more, wt1...

I'm from Indianapolis, IN. We've got one philatelic counter in the city and they have the 100-stamp coils but from only one printer. What is the point of such a counter if they don't even have all MNH USPS stamp issues???

Last year I bought my stamps on ebay as I figured it being cheaper than buying all coils and using 96 stamps from each coil for postage.

WT - I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for an ATM version of the 4 seasons flags

The latest edition of Linn's Stamp News (April 22, 2013 edition) is reporting that there is a second printing of the Muscle Cars stamps, undoubtedly due to its popularity with the American public.

How about a new Champions of liberty series. Start out with Vaclaw Havel, and Margaret Thatcher. I am sure there are others deserving.