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

Somewhere I read that there was a proposed Ingrid Bergman stamp. Any idea what happened to that one? Sure am glad if USPS canceled that one and the Medal of Honor ones in favor of the Harry Potter issues. This was as close as I could get to a sarcastic imcon.

Delayed until 2014 (or later) is the latest I heard. Further, if that "leaked" CSAC Minutes are accurate, 2014 may also offer a Liz Taylor stamp. If these are both in the "Legends of Hollywood" series, it will be interesting to see if they issue more than one "Legends of Hollywood" stamp in 2014 or if one or the other is deferred until the following year.

Has anyone picked up the West Virginia Statehood Stamps today? Here's a scan of mine (with a deck card):



Although a single stamp may be attractive, the entire pane has got to be one of the most boring looking in recent memory. Except for the normal copyright, barcode, plate position and USPS logo in the selvage on the back, it's otherwise blank. Why no informational text about the stamp or the State of West Virginia? I don't know if it was intended as a cost-cutting measure, but since they had to print the verso text on the backing paper anyway, it couldn't have cost anymore to include some information about the stamp or history of the State of West Virginia.

Oh well, I guess that's typical of what we can expect from the USPS these days.

Called my daughter in WV (I am from there originally...Charleston, where everything is happening) and asked her to get me an FDC. This is the Sesquicentennial stamp. I participated in the Centennial celebration 50 years ago, just shy of my 16th birthday, as a Confederate Soldier for a pageant, and also went to the steps of the Capitol to hear JFK speak. Unfortunately, the celebrations in WV this week pale in comparison to what they were 50 years ago.

The other state stamps don't have text on the back either right? I thought I read while looking into this before that only commemorative stamps get the description. Although you'd think these are commemorating something as well.
I should look it up or find it for this post, I do remember the rule quite clearly somewhere.

Information about the new Eid Stamp for 2013 is now posted on-line:

http://beyondtheperf.com/stamp-releases/eid-3

The stamp will be issued on August 8, 2013 in Milwaukee, WI 53203:

For anyone interested, the latest Postal Bulletin dated 07/11/2013 contains all the details about the upcoming Eid Stamp. Of particular note is:

1. The stamps will NOT be automatically distributed to local post offices. Local Post Offices must specifically order the stamps if they desire them for inventory. This essentially means that most collectors will probably wind up ordering them from SFS as local demand for them is likely to be low.

2. The stamps are being issued in a REMARKABLY LOW QUANTITY: Only 5.5 million stamps are being printed -- that's only 275,000 panes.

3. Another point of interest is that Press Sheets will be available in a 4x2 format ($73.60 for the 8 panes) BUT they will only be available as Press Sheets WITHOUT die cuts. (Press sheets with die cuts will NOT be available for this issue.)

4. Perhaps most remarkable is the fact that the Postal Bulletin is reporting that the Press Sheets will be available in a LIMITED QUANTITY OF ONLY 500. That means there will be no more than 80,000 stamps without die cuts for the entire issue, which is a remarkably low quantity for anyone specializing in the imperforate variety of the stamp.

Granted the stamp's popularity is not that great, but even the last reprint of the Eid Stamp in 2011 had a print run of 20 million that lasted for two years. The new stamp only has a print run of 27.5% of that quantity. Maybe that's a statement in the USPS being more careful in their print quantities for slow selling stamps.

In case anyone is interested in the microprinting locations for the New England Coastal Lighthouses Stamps, I provide the scan below. Most of the microprinting is relatively easy to spot, except for the Point Judith, RI Lighthouse, where it is not so readily apparent as it is hidden in the darker area toward the top of the lighthouse structure itself.

My thought is they seem to running out of new ideas. Lighthouses... Again.
I do buy the sheets use the postage and keep a corner. Someday I'll print the pages I download from the APS and mount them. But I have way more fun with even the pre 1990's.
My interest is mostly non-self adhesive. There's still plenty of variety in lick~n~stick

I doubt the USPS is running out of new ideas for stamps. They receive something on the order of 50,000 requests annually for new stamps for which the Citizens' Stamp Advisory Committee typically picks 30 or so subjects that ever get chosen.

Admittedly, the New England Coastal Lighthouses Stamps are the sixth in a series, however, lighthouse stamps sell as evidenced by the current issue for which 81 million stamps are being printed. That's one of the largest print runs for a commemorative stamp in the last two years. Granted, at that quantity the stamps will never be worth anything more than face value (What modern day stamps are?), but the attractive and colorful design is a popular selling point with the public.

Does the EID pane have a header (or any selvage matter)? I think past EID issues had none.

I don't think so. The Postal Bulletin of 07/11/2013 advises that there will be plate numbers in all four corners of the pane on the front. The reverse side of the pane will contain the copyright, USPS logo, plate position diagram, barcode in two positions and "promotional text".

For those interested in the Eid uncut press sheet, you can order this over the phone from USPS now. Phone number is 18007826724 and the item number is 584008 (max. 5 sheets per order). Needless to say I just ordered 5...

The Lighthouse issue actually has a lower total print run per stamp design (60k vs. 80k Eid stamps), despite the fact that there are 5x as many uncut press sheets - just do the math.

On a separate note, USPS now sell some of their stamp products on ebay with the benefit being 2% 'cashback' in the form of ' ebay Bucks' (postage costs are the same as ordering from usps.com).
http://stores.ebay.com/US-Postal-Service-Store/

Is "promotional text" similar to the kind of verso text we see on other stamps or is it a completely different animal? Furthermore, will the promotional text be printed utilizing the entire pane or repeated on the back of each stamp? My decision to collect the entire pane or just a single stamp is dependent on such info. I just wish USPS would do a better job in providing collectors with more accurate info on its stamp issues.