Como Park Post, Bat’s Private Post end 2025 with new stamps
I’m closing in on clearing the last of my mail received in December from my mail tray, and there are a couple of local post stamps that arrived late in the year.
The first of the stamps came from Como Park Post in Saint Paul, Minnesota. It’s a 3¢ design tied to cover by a December 22, 2025, first day of issue postmark.
Como Park Post 3¢ stamp on first day cover
The second stamp is from Beverly Hills-based Bat’s Private Post. The 66¢ stamp pictures Griffith Park Observatory in Los Angeles, California, and commemorates the observatory’s 90th anniversary.
Bat’s Private Post Griffith Park Observatory stamp on postcard
And that’s it for this entry. Hope you’re having a great week!
Philosateleian Post records drop in mail volume in 2025
Following two consecutive years of growth in the number of mail pieces carried, Philosateleian Post in 2025 recorded its lowest total outgoing mail count since 2020, and a 20% reduction compared to the number of pieces carried in 2024.
For all of 2025, Philosateleian Post processed 477 pieces of outbound mail. That included 459 pieces of regular mail, 12 items that were addressed to unknown individuals and returned to sender, and six pieces delivered to incorrect mail receptacles by the United States Postal Service.
In spite of the drop in mail volume, Philosateleian Post did last year record its second-highest single day mail total ever. 42 pieces were mailed on a single day in November 2025.
Please note that this update is intended only for users who have previously switched to The Philosateleian’s annual update track. If you use the standard quarterly update track, printing new pages four times per year, spaces for all 2025 stamps have already been included in quarterly supplements.
Final business reply envelopes from 2025 feature Christmas, balloons
In the process of working my way through a few items from the end of 2025 that are still sitting in my mail tray, I found a couple of business reply envelopes that I have not previously shared here.
The first arrived in a fundraising mailing from Feed the Children, and it bears four preprinted Christmas-themed designs picturing pine cones, mistletoe, and poinsettia leaves. There are two copies of the latter design; all four have simulated perforations.
Feed the Children business reply envelope
The other BRE is from Operation Smile and has three preprinted designs picturing balloons. At first glance, I thought I’d seen this one before, but the designs although picturing balloons are different than the ones used on an envelope I received early last year.
Operation Smile business reply envelope
On a recent journey through some boxes of stamps and covers, I assembled a pile containing more than 300 business reply envelopes with preprinted stamp-sized designs on them. Although they’re something I often receive in the mail and mention here, they’re not something I typically collect, so I’ve listed them in a single lot on eBay. If you’re interested, you can take a look at my eBay listings there.
Recapping Canvey Island Local Post’s 2025 stamp releases
We’ve reached the end of 2025, and for my final post of the year, I want to bring you up to speed on the stamps of Canvey Island Local Post.
This past fall, I mentioned one Canvey Island stamp issued in July, but Canvey Island Local Post’s operator recently shared eight other stamps he released this year.
Issued January 6, the first stamp commemorates the formation of English rock band Dr. Feelgood on Canvey Island in 1971.
Canvey Island Local Post Dr. Feelgood stamp
Next on the list is the second issue in Canvey Island’s Aviators Series. The stamp issued March 21 commemorates the No. 121 “Eagle” Squadron, an RAF unit comprised of American volunteers who signed up to fight for England in May 1941, more than half a year before the United States entered World War II.
Canvey Island Local Post No. 121 “Eagle” Squadron stamp
On May 8, Canvey Island Local Post issued a stamp celebrating the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day. The stamp features portions of 13 different flags.
Canvey Island Local Post Victory in Europe stamp
Continuing with the World War II theme, Canvey Island Local Post’s August 15 issue commemorates the 80th anniversary of VJ day, the day Imperial Japan surrendered to allied forces.
Canvey Island Local Post VJ Day stamp
Canvey Island Local Post itself is the subject of a £1 stamp issued November 10 to mark the operation’s 15th anniversary. Several other Canvey Island stamps are depicted on this stamp.
Canvey Island Local Post 15th Anniversary stamp
On November 20, Canvey Island issued its first AI-assisted design, a set of four stamps depicting Thames River sailing barges.
Canvey Island Local Post Thames Sailing Barges stamps
Canvey Island Local Post’s penultimate issue for 2025 was a stamp picturing Dutch engineer Cornelius Vermuyden. Vermuyden is credited with leading a project in the early 1620s to reclaim land from the River Thames; that work resulted in approximately ⅓ of Canvey Island’s current land area.
Canvey Island Local Post Cornelius Vermuyden stamp
Finally, on December 8, Canvey Island Local Post issued a pair of Christmas stamps, one depicting a choir and the other a mail carrier with a sack full of presents.
