USA Philatelic 2014 Quarter 2 Has Been Mailed

I just received my USA Philatelic 2014 (Quarter 2) today. Nothing surprising in its content other than the fact that it includes the ordering details for all philatelic items pertaining to the upcoming Harvey Milk, Hot Rods, Nevada Statehood, Red, White and Blue and, of course, the featured cover, the Vintage Circus Poster Stamps.

In other words, the USPS thinks the 2nd quarter ends where the month of June begins. Which, of course, is not surprising.

It's a quarterly publication.. not necessarily in line with fiscal quarters. A quarterly is published 4x/year & not necessarily every 3 months..!???(which is obvious from the Latin derivative) (although I get 2-of each quarterly issues for a second chance,(different cover, mostly same issues {no new}) plus the Holiday issue.. maybe its just printed & published when it has sufficient new product to make it worthwhile!??

USA Philatelic is supposed to be issued in each calendar Quarter (i.e. Jan-Feb-Mar, Apr-May-Jun, etc.) but it often doesn't get into the mailstream until well into each new Quarter.

Some of it has to do with marketing (i.e. the USPS no longer announce new stamp designs as soon as they are available but try to suppress some of them to create so-called "excitement" in the media for new issues).

Other issues may have to do with USPS mismanagement (at least I think so) and some has to do with the Journey Group (the publishers of USA Philatelic), who also operate the USPS Stamps website, and the owner of the company just happens to work as the Art Director for the USPS, too.

Actually I think the whole approach to how the USPS releases new issues these days is stupid since Linn's Stamp News or any number of other on-line sources comes out with the design before the USPS confirms it, which would appear to be embarrassing to the USPS, but I guess they don't think of it in that way. (Just consider that the Vintage Circus Posters Stamp designs aren't being posted on the USPS Store's website, but rather suggest that they will be "unveiled" on May 5th, yet they can release USA Philatelic with the images clearly shown. It makes no sense.)

https://store.usps.com/store/browse..._S_NewStamps

Since I certainly don't make the big bucks the USPS executives do that come up with these ideas, I guess we collectors just have to grin and bear it.

Did anyone notice a new FERNS Issue in the Quarter II Philatelic??? It has a FDOI just as the January issue but in March. Same printer I think so what is the difference or is it a variety at all ??

The January ferns were denominated (49 cents) ... the March ferns are non-denominated (forever stamps). Both varieties only come in large rolls although you can buy 25-stamp strips from SFS in KC.

Also, for those of us who collect PNC's, a strip of 100 is available of every coil! These strips are unfolded and are shipped in a small container. Sometimes the USPS does get it right!

Peter

Another note as to the Ferns stamps. The denominated ones (issued in January) are available in 3K and 10K coils (or for collectors, strips of 25 of each variety are available from SFS). The backnumbers (count) of the stamps will identify which variety you have. Some specialists collect those varieties, although the Scott catalog doesn't differentiate them, since the appearance of the face of the stamps are indistinguishable.

The non-denominated Forever Ferns stamps (issued in March) are only available in 10K coils (or for collectors strips of 25 from SFS). They will receive a different Scott number since the face of the stamp has changed from being denominated stamps to being Forever stamps.

one of these days I will THOROUGHLY read something and not just glance through it. The FERN issue is a Forever Issue. Thanks for the responses. Anyone know the USPS product # for the 100 strip?? the catalog does not show one or am I not reading it again??

I had understood that the 100-stamp strips were available only for the large-roll WAG coils ... e.g., the 4-cent Chippendale Chairs issued on Jan. 2 of this year. But I hope I'm wrong and that the same are available for the ferns.

Anyone read Mr. Brick's article in Linns about the CSAC? I found it to confirm many of the negative ideas I had about the CSAC.

I did read the Linn's article quoting Mr. Brick, however, a more in-depth article was in the Watertown (NY) Daily Times back in February. Here's a link to that article for anyone interested:

http://www.watertowndailytimes.com/...04/702239734

For those who would like an electronic (pdf) copy of USA Philatelic for the 2nd Quarter, 2014, it is now available at the link below. (Ignore the Harry Potter illustration, as the image hasn't been revised, but the content is the 2nd Quarter, 2014 edition of USA Philatelic featuring the Vintage Circus Posters Stamps cover.)

https://store.usps.com/store/browse...&categoryId=