Adding some pizzazz to APS business reply referral cards
In addition to selling a few odds and ends through Philosateleia’s own online shop, I occasionally make sales via eBay and Etsy, and I make sure to enclose an American Philatelic Society business reply referral card with each and every lot shipped. It’s an easy way to promote the largest philatelic organization in the United States.
On each referral card, there’s space to write in my name and APS member number. I got to thinking, though: wouldn’t it be neat to be able to do something with a little more pizzazz?
With that idea in mind, I’ve created a perforated label to use on the referral cards I distribute.
APS member referral labelAPS member referral label on business reply postcard
Measuring approximately 1.75″×1″, this label is the perfect size to fit the empty space on the back of the referral card. My design is simple, perhaps even utilitarian, but I’m pleased with the finished product.
If you could use some of these with your own name and APS member number on them, head over to my Etsy store. And if you’re not a member of the American Philatelic Society but would like to learn more, let me know and I’ll be happy to send a referral card your way!
Prison Fellowship business reply envelope features artwork
This will be a quick post, but the most recent business reply envelope to show up in my family’s mailbox is this example included in a mailing from Prison Fellowship Ministries out of Virginia. The envelope features three preprinted stamp-sized designs featuring artwork; I presume those may have been created by inmates somewhere, but I don’t know that for certain.
Prison Fellowship business reply envelope with stamp-sized designs picturing artwork
There’s not much more to say about this envelope except that it is a somewhat smaller size than the BREs often enclosed in nonprofit mailings. That could make it a bit easier to properly display in a collection.
It has been a couple of weeks since World Local Post Day, and several first day covers have shown up in my post office box since then.
The first to arrive was, quite naturally, one I mailed to myself. It bears a copy of my 20 Years of Philosateleian Post stamp issued January 29.
Philosateleian Post 20 Years of Philosateleian Post FDC
While I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to celebrate two decades of involvement in local posting, the official topic for World Local Post Day this year was dragons, and the other two covers I have to share with you both bear stamps sticking with that theme.
One of the covers is from New Hampshire’s Purgatory Post. The 24-sola stamp on it depicts a leftward-facing dragon along with the caption “Year of the Dragon.”
Purgatory Post 24-sola Year of the Dragon FDCPurgatory Post Year of the Dragon FDC
The final cover originated with Beverly Hills-based Bat’s Private Post. There are two stamps on the cover, one with a value of 78¢ and the other with a value of $1.65, both picturing dragons. The stamps are identical except for the face values and other wording.
Bat’s Private Post World Local Post Day 2024 FDCBat’s Private Post World Local Post Day 2024 FDC
And that wraps up the World Local Post Day covers I’ve received up to this point. If any further examples show up, I’ll be sure to share them here.
It’s neither a regular postage stamp nor a local post stamp, but the cinderella on the front of this cover I received last week might interest you. It’s one of the special labels produced to promote the upcoming Boston 2026 World Expo, a massive philatelic exhibition being held in Massachusetts a little over two years from now.
The Road to Boston 2026 label on cover
The label, which pictures Benjamin Franklin, the first United States flag, and other colonial-era imagery, was designed by Chris Calle.
It’s hard to imagine any way I could end up at Boston 2026—there’s always work and other commitments here in South Texas—but never say never, right? It should be an exciting time for any collectors who do get to attend.
Navigators business reply envelope uses cinderella label
2024 has certainly gotten off to a busy start. It feels like every day has been full—and so, at least a couple of times, has my mailbox!
One of the more interesting pieces I’ve pulled from the “junk mail” arrived a couple of weeks ago in a mailing sent to my wife by the nonprofit Navigators. It’s a business reply envelope bearing a self-adhesive label with three roughly stamp-sized designs picturing snowflakes.
Navigators business reply envelope bearing cinderella labelLabel picturing snowflakes
BREs with preprinted designs are fairly common these days, but I’ve seen only a handful with cinderella stamps or labels affixed. The first was enclosed in a Boys Town mailing in February 2019, while the most recent prior to the pictured Navigators envelope was a National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund envelope sent to me by a friend in September 2020.
