List / Details On USPS Yearbooks?

Summary of my questions:

• Is there a list anywhere of what stamps are included in the annual USPS Yearbooks / Mail Use / High Value releases?


• When Yearbooks are released from USPS, is that an effective / valuable way to grab the latest stamps?

Details:
I'm returning to collecting after a long hiatus, and am working to fill a sizable gap in my album (US Comm & Def). I had a couple of questions that I hope folks here can help me with.

I purchased some of the recent Commerative Yearbooks from the USPS (with Mail Use & HV additional stamps). They have a limited selection from the last few years, so I was wondering if this was a good way to get the latest releases vs. going out and finding them at an online stamp retailer. Seems like directly from the USPS is cheaper. Am I missing anything obvious by going the Yearbook route (i mount the stamps in my album and just store the book away)?

Is there a definitive list of what is in each of the USPS Yearbooks by year?

For most Yearbooks, the description on the USPS site is limited to something like "32 Commemorative Stamps" etc. When I visit some of the big online stamp companies, they offer commemorative year sets with differing numbers of stamps for the same year. For example:

For 2022, USPS offers

• 2022 Yearbook (85 stamps)


• 2022 High Value Mail Packet (5 stamps)


• 2022 Mail Use Stamp Packet (51 stamps)

One online shop offers offers

• 2022 Complete Comm Set with 86 stamps


• A Giant Comm Set with 86 stamps plu 5 mint sheets


• 2022 Regular Issue Set with 39 stamps


• A mega Comm + Definitive Set of 125 Stamps

I'd like to be able to find out specifically which stamps are in - say - a 1976 USPS Yearbook to determine if it has all of the Comm stamps that I may be missing from that year.

Also, I understand in at least one year, there was a hard cover Yearbook that had something like 125 stamps and a softcover that had 80 or something. It seems like there may have also been some years where high-value and/or mail use stamps were included and other years where you have to purchase them separately.

Would love to just know if there is a good resource out there that I haven't found yet that can help fill in some of my questions as I look to fill in the missing years in my collection.

Thanks in advance, and look forward to interacting here and getting back into growing my collection.

st.

Year books should have all the commemorative stamps issued within the year. On ebay the older books often trade at less than face value for the stamps included, plus postage. It is a way to get all commemoratives in one year without multiple shipping fees.

Now if you have access to stamp dealers or stamp shows in person, you can find modern stamps in albums or on pages at under face value. If part of a stamp club, there may be a member or members with such items.

The USPS started to provide an ANNUAL album in 1992. Prior to that they made available COMMEMORATIVE SETs and at times a collection of the issued stationary (I only have 2-years for the stationary). At the time they were quite a bargain as they sold for face value of the stamps (+a small surcharge for the folder.) The ANNUALS on the other hand initially were a bargain as they also sold for stamp face value but a higher surcharge for the 'coffee table' style hard cover. Given the recent (last 10 years) # of issues & face value they have become quite expensive to say the least I have several extra Commemorative sets from 1970's & 1980's as duplicates. My annual albums are current through to 2022.

For the most part the stamps are in mint condition, however some will be found with cut perfs (especially single booklets & those only issued as coils & sometimes only a random choice if multi design) Good luck in your hunt

Thanks for the replies and info. Very much appreciated.

I've got a collection of the USPS Yearbooks inbound, and am interested to see exactly what stamps are included in some of the older ones.

Stamp News Now offers with the current issues for a year the upcoming stamp releases a list of definitives and commemoratives for the past 10 years (http://www.stampnewsnow.com/uspsnewissues.html).

All Yearbooks contain JUST commemorative stamps. To get the definitives and commemoratives, the mail use packet has those BUT not high value definitives (stamps worth $1.48 - international rate - or more). The high value mail packet would have the latter. So if you get all three you risk considerable duplication between the yearbook AND the mail use packet. Furthermore, you would still have gaps - Non-profit stamps and presorted first class mail ones are NOT included in these products. Coil formats also would not be in any of these products.

I was referred here to a philatelic desk at a post office in Oneco, CT. Have had good experience with them and quite cost effective. There may be others but very few as USPS centralized philatelic sales to the office given on their site. I would also download the Quarterly philatelic bulletin you will find under the "Collectors" section of the USPS site. Often you can get portions of a roll of coil stamps - but for a limited time (about until one year after issue of the stamp).

Personally, I cannot afford both in money and space to collect everything USPS puts out each year. I check the Stamp News Now and Linn site for updates as well as the USPS Quarterly Philatelic Bulletin (you can also have this mailed but there is a significant delay in receipt between the online and hard copy version). I then select those I want and adjust over time. Also, one way to save money when acquiring coil stamps, if you like a design but it doesn't make it high on your list, get the first day cover - I have done so for the Additional Ounce, Postcard , and Tulip Forever definitive stamps just to have the stamps without adding extras to figure if I can sell them or use.

I hope these resources help -- it can be confusing and daunting (especially for 2023 as several new high value stamps have been issued along with an unusual 40 cent stamp and then all the usual commemoratives and definitives --- to top it off there is a planned proof set with pane for the Endangered Species stamp, 4,000 planned and estimated release about May 20th - I am on the fence about getting this)).

The highlight link does not work because it includes the end parenthesis.

Angore - thanks for catching that. The link below should work:

http://www.stampnewsnow.com/uspsnewissues.html

Want to add another correction to my post - I received the 2017 Yearbook from USPS. The Mail Use Packet will contain Non-Profit and, likely Pre-Sorted stamps if new ones issued that year. Also new low denomination ones and International First Class also should be included. The High Value Pack as I wrote will be for new stamps worth more than the International First Class stamp value.

Again, the Yearbook will have ONLY commemorative stamps so this may EXCLUDE definitive stamps that are designed like commemoratives. For the 2017 Yearbook you do not receive the set of WPA Poster or Latin food stamps. You will get them in your mail use packet. The line between a commemorative and non-commemorative can be blurry at times - for the 2017 Yearbook, the "Protect Our Pollinators" stamps is considered a commemorative but Garden Beauty a non-commemorative.