Confused By Choices In The US Philatelic Catalog

Greetings! I just received my first copy of the US Philatelic catalog in the mail. I am wanting to order the Civil War souvenir sheets but the choices are confusing. What is a press sheet? That is offered with and without die cuts. I am assuming that the die cuts are the perforations in the stamp? Then there is something called a Ceremony Program. Then there is a commemorative panel offered. Then they offer a souvenir sheet with a digital color postmark? And then they are offering first day cancelled on the front and the back? Why would you cancel the back of the stamp? When did the post office start going crazy like this? It looks like there are multiple offerings like this for almost every newly issued stamp?

David

When the post office realized they could milk collectors out of their money by offering all kinds of philatelic related products that have dubious value on the secondary market. Remember, most of the revenue they receive from collectors is pure profit, since there is a greater chance the stamps will be saved by a collector rather than used to pay for mailing anything.

Back to your questions about the Civil War stamps, the reason they offer cancels on the front and back is because of the format of these issues. As shown on page 3 of the latest USA Philatelic, the one side of the souvenir sheet contains only two stamps and a lot of text; go to the back cover of the publication and the folio shown on the right depicts the reverse side of the souvenir sheet where 10 stamps are shown. That's why the entire souvenir sheet includes 12 stamps (2 on one side; 10 on the other) and you can get both sides cancelled as a collectible, should you so desire.

The idea of press sheets has been around for awhile as a "limited edition" of 2500 or so pieces for each stamp issue. Simply put, it is six (6) souvenir sheets that haven't been cut apart into individual souvenir sheets. You can also select to purchase them with or without die cuts (without die cuts = no perforations around the stamps). Some collectors want these items for framing; others want them in order to cut them apart and create "imperforate" varieties of the individual stamps.

WT answered some of your questions already. A Ceremony program is the program they pass out at First Day of Issue Ceremonies (list of speakers etc). They used to be very fancy, but are now rather generic looking. They have been around for many years, as have the Commemorative panels (both have a relatively small following). The digital color postmark is a First Day Cover option (computer generated - I think they are ink jet printed, but with much higher quality than the black ink jet cancels regular mail gets). They can be very fancy, but sometimes take up a lot of space to the frustration of FDC cachet makers.

It has also been mentioned elsewhere that the DCP's (digital color postmarks) are of limited value, as the "shelf life" of such postmarks is said to be less than 50 years. Only time will tell, but there is a real possibility that today's collectors of these things could be wasting their money as the technology of DCP's will fade over time and no one really knows what they will look like if they are passed down to the next generation. Of course, the same concerns can be raised about the longevity of self adhesive postage stamps, as over time the adhesive will deteriorate, too.

In my opinion, there's nothing like the engraved stamps of yesteryear. Most will pass the test of time virtually unscathed and can be a means of enjoyment to new generations of stamp collectors. On the other hand, all of these new "novelties" may not meet that same standard.

Unfortunately, not only is the USPS whoring stamps to the collector market, the collectors are buying into it! It's no wonder the Post Office is in the mess it's in, we enable them!

Hi Darkoath,

Welcome to the gang. You have also discovered the exploitation of the collector by the USPS. This nonesense has been going on for years with Royal Mail in the UK. Too many stamp issues each year (mostly rubbish designs), too many different ways these stamps can be packaged to entice the completist collector, The same stamps available only in limited quantities at post offices. Or not at all.

One outcome from this, unforseen by Royal Mail, has been collectors abandoning modern GB issues, dealers' stocks becoming unsaleable (and near worthless), and consequently dealers cancelling their supply orders with Royal Mail. Bite the bullet and say no to this tosh, very little of which is available for postal use anyway, and so of questionable philatelic value.

Terry

Edited for typo. TC.

Exactly so, Terence. This mindless completism where collectors will buy anything the Post Office puts out, no matter how horrible, just so they can say they have a complete set has really ruined this hobby. That's why I stopped collecting new U.S. stamps in 1993. I don't have to deal with the self-adhesive nonsense or the ugly designs or the absurd number of stamps that are released every year for no other reason than to rip off collectors.

Any collector who continues to buy new U.S. issues and is unhappy how the Post Office operates, look in the mirror, you're part of the problem.

That's why I switched to used US. My poor plate block collection will never be worth face value. Can you imagine still going for a plate number block collection these days. It would be insane.

Especially since some of the issues don't even contain plate numbers anymore! And those issues that do (contain plate numbers) have them in two or four places on every pane. Further, the new 5+ designs in a pane of stamps make the whole idea of collecting a "plate block" impossible, as there is often no way to acquire a plate block and all designs contained in the pane of stamps. That's exactly why those who still collect plate blocks have often adjusted their collection to just "plate number singles" as the USPS ruined the "plate block" hobby much as they did back in the 1970s with plate number strips of 12 or 20 stamps.

Hi Cephus,

I know many collectors get pleasure from completing collections, it is just not for me. A friend of mine used to spend £140 ($209) each month with Royal Mail for all their issues, in various forms, as they were released. That is just over $2500 each year. Well, he did until I pointed out that he could buy a nice selection of classic US and GB stamps for that each year. Yes, he will have fewer stamps, but a much nicer, and certainly more valuable, collection.

When I look, with envious eyes, at the collections of the great early collectors the thing that stands out is the selectiveness of the collections. So in my own small way I am trying to follow them by only buying stamps that appeal because of their intrinsic beauty, relevance of issue, and their significance to the country that issued them. And not being seduced by pristine gum I buy lightly hinged mint and fine used stamps with clear and interesting cancels which helps my huckleberries go further.

Terry