I wrote a few weeks ago about the Philippine Stamp Collectors’ Society’s new PSCS Local Post, which began operating late last year. Since that time, I’ve learned some additional details about the operation.
Renato L. shares that Manila Local Post in the Philippines began operating on October 27, 2022, using provisional stamps denominated in pesos, while his own San Diego Local Post launched November 24, 2022, using provisional stamps denominated 60¢. Both of those concerns as well as an additional planned Angeles City Local Post are operating under the umbrella of PSCS Local Post.
The latest mailing I’ve received bears a large San Diego Local Post/PSCS Local Post seal or stamp on its front, and a strip of six Manila Local Post 1-peso stamps featuring the Rizal Monument in Manila, Philippines, on the reverse.
San Diego Local Post/PSCS Local Post seal on coverStrip of six Manila Local Post 1-peso Rizal Monument stamps on cover
As a longtime local poster myself, I’m always happy to see other people getting involved in this particular slice of stamp collecting, and I think it’s pretty neat that a society not dedicated to local post collecting specifically is encouraging such activities.
Philosateleian Post mail volume declines, but still high
With 2022 in the record books, I’m taking a look back at the numbers for Philosateleian Post, and although mail volume was down from 2021, my local post stamps still carried a bunch of mail last year.
The total number of outgoing mailpieces carried by Philosateleian Post in 2022 was 481. That’s a decline of more than 8% from 2021; however, keep in mind that 2021 was a record-setting year for Philosateleian Post. In fact, last year’s numbers nearly equaled those recorded in 2019, making 2021 my third-busiest year of local posting.
Domestic letters and business mail made up 78% of Philosateleian Post’s mail volume, with international mail, postcards, and packages accounting for most of the rest. Truly “local” mail—envelopes that I hand-delivered rather than mailing via USPS—made up approximately 3% of the overall total.
As for why Philosateleian Post’s mail volume was down last year compared to 2021, I’m going to say that my family’s move had a significant impact. There were some late nights leading up to and in the weeks following that, and it took me a while to get back to normal correspondence, stamp and cover sales, and other activities that would have generated additional outgoing mail. We’ll see how things go in 2023!
The standard update track for The Philosateleian requires quarterly updates in March, June, September, and December. If you still print your updates on that schedule, you do not need the annual supplement as you’ve already received the updates as they were released.
Thank you for your interest in The Philosateleian, and many thanks to my supporters who continue to make it possible for me to offer free stamp album pages.
Animals adorn American Parkinson Disease Foundation envelope
Now that we’re in the last couple of weeks of 2022, the flow of incoming mail has slowed significantly as it normally does at this time of year. A mailing I received just last week from the American Parkinson Disease Foundation, however, did include something worth mentioning: another business reply envelope with preprinted faux “stamps.”
This BRE has three images featuring animals in winter scenes: a squirrel, a pair of penguins, and a songbird sitting on a snow-covered branch.
American Parkinson Diseases Association business reply envelope with animal images
Although the designs are printed directly on the envelope rather than being independent labels, the simulated printed perforations do give them a stamp-like appearance. Interestingly, the orientation of the images on this envelope is identical to those on BREs I received from the same nonprofit in September and October, though the images themselves are different.
New Hampshire-based Purgatory Post earlier this month issued the last in its series of local post stamps commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Apollo space program flights. Two 17-sola stamps picturing the crew of Apollo 17 and their spacecraft were released on December 7.
Purgatory Post Apollo 17 stamps
The first stamp pictures astronauts Harrison Schmitt, Ronald Evans, and Gene Cernan along with Apollo 17’s launch on December 7, 1973, while the second stamp features a photo of Cernan on the Moon’s surface plus the official mission emblem.
Although this month’s stamps are the last for the Apollo program, Purgatory Post operator Scott A. tells me he plans to release stamps next year to mark the 50th anniversaries of the Skylab missions of 1973.
