2014 USPS Issues... News? Thoughts? Opinions?

Another 2014 reprint: The Purple Heart Stamp (with 2014 date). To be issued October 11, 2014 in Dover, DE:



Pre-orders are now being accepted (for the stamp and four bar FDOI cover) at the USPS Store's website at this link:

https://store.usps.com/store/browse...d=buy-stamps

Curiously, this was not included in the summary of 2014 stamp issues published in the last Postal Bulletin on 09/18/2014.

It used to be that in Aug we would know much of what would be issued in the upcoming year, but here it is late Sept, and we are still getting word on some issues for this year and have heard nothing official about next year (all we have seen is that big leak from the beginning of this year and what was on it could easily have changed by now).

I agree with you. Unfortunately, though, it's the new trend with the idiotic marketing people at the helm at the USPS. They no longer want to cater to collectors. The USPS thinks it's "creating excitement" with the general public by not revealing new issues until the last minute. (Personally, I think the policy stinks.)

Nonetheless, we'll only get "drips and drabs" and hints of new issues but nothing firm anymore until almost the last minute.

Case in point: We still don't know of the design(s) for the 2014 only-in-the-stamp-yearbook souvenir sheet, or the Batman stamp slated for October or the Wilt Chamberlain stamps slated for December, or even the four designs of the upcoming Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer stamps ... although as for the latter, this has leaked already as it was apparently part of a USPS mailer:

On a related note, the other reason why the 2015 Stamp Program can't really be finalized is that no one really knows what the USPS rate structure will be for the new year. Will the exigent rate increase remain in place or not? Will Express Mail and other services (i.e. second ounce, etc.) remain in place or will it change? This may not impact "Forever" stamps, but it will impact the release of denominated stamps for various rate changes.

This article (blog) was just posted yesterday. It gives a summary of what may or may not happen to US postage rates in 2015. It's all up in the air right now and sounds like a real mess:

http://deadtreeedition.blogspot.com...u0A.facebook

The priority rate just changed, did the Express rate not just change also? (I can't remember)

Only the Priority Mail rate changed this past month (09/07/2014). Those who use stamps on their Priority Mail packages will have to pay more; those who use alternate postage payment methods get discounts. So the use of stamps on Priority Mail packages will likely see a decline. This helps to explain why only 5 million of the $5.75 Glade Creek Grist Mill Stamps are being printed, when the older rate $5.60 Verrazano-Narrows Bridge Stamp saw a print run of 10 million stamps.

Linn's Stamp News has just posted the "preliminary design" of the special "Circus Posters" souvenir sheet to be included in "mint" condition only to those who purchase a 2014 Stamp Yearbook:

http://linns.com/news/us-stamps/862...uvenir-sheet

Those who do not desire to purchase the yearbook will be offered the availability of a cancelled first day cover of the souvenir sheet.

rate increase for first class letter rate going to $0.50 might be reasoning for circus wagon rate??

Now available for pre-order (to be released Oct09):
https://store.usps.com/store/browse...rever-stamps

I am so happy to have stopped at 12/31/1999. This is ridiculous.

Jack Kelley

Amen, Jack!

USPS describes this Batman Issues as a Book of 20 Stamps in 5 Designs? Must be misprint?
https://store.usps.com/store/browse...rever-stamps

USPS now corrected it to a "Sheet of 20 Stamps in 8 Designs".

That's much better ... for them ... they think.

Eight different stamps in a twenty-stamp sheet means five rows of four, so Completers will need to buy two different sheets: ABCD-EFGH-ABCD-EFGH-ABCD and EFGH-ABCD-EFGH-ABCD-EFGH.

I suppose we should be grateful that the things are still good for sending mail.

Cheers,

/s/ ikeyPikey

I feel very guilty... I like the Batman sheet... I dont' know why, as I don't like comic books!