We’re into the final month of 2020, and I’m happy to report that the Winter 2020 Supplement (403 KB, 1 file, 2 pages) for The Philosateleian U.S. Stamp Album is now online and ready for you to download and print at your convenience. The United States Postal Service has not issued a huge number of new stamps since the beginning of September, so this is a small update that adds only two pages.
If you’re using The Philosateleian’s annual update track instead of the standard quarterly update track, I intend to have a set of pages containing spaces for all stamps issued in 2020 (including those from any series started prior to 2020) available in early January 2021.
Philosateleian Post to issue fruits & vegetables stamp
On January 25, 2021, Philosateleian Post will issue a special stamp for World Local Post Day. The 1-stamp stamp depicting a cross section of a stylized orange promotes the International Year of Fruits and Vegetables.
Philosateleian Post International Year of Fruits and Vegetables stamp
The United Nations declared 2021 the International Year of Fruits and Vegetables to emphasize among other things the importance of healthy diets that include fruits and vegetables, and to raise awareness about high levels of fruit and vegetable loss and waste in supply chains.
“I’m a big fan of fruits and veggies,” said Kevin Blackston, proprietor of Philosateleian Post, which is based in San Antonio, Texas. “I hope this new stamp will encourage people to eat more fresh produce, and I am excited about participating in World Local Post Day by issuing it.”
World Local Post Day is sponsored by the Local Post Collectors Society. Participating local post operators each year issue special stamps focused on a specific topic or theme, with the International Year of Fruits and Vegetables being selected as the topic for 2021.
Technical Specifications
Format: sheets of 48. Design size: 28×28 mm. Separation method: perforated 12. Adhesive: water-activated dry gum. Printing method: inkjet.
Philatelic Services
To receive a mint single of Philosateleian Post’s International Year of Fruits and Vegetables stamp, or for first day cover service, send either $2 or a self-addressed stamped envelope and your request to:
Kevin Blackston
Philosateleian Post
PO Box 17544
San Antonio TX 78217-0544
United States of America
Another solo usage of the 14¢ American Indian stamp
As you’re probably aware if you’ve been reading my thoughts for any period of time, covers showing solo usages of the 14¢ American Indian stamps are, as they say in the South where I grew up, scarcer than hens’ teeth. That’s why I was very happy to be the high bidder on a cover sent to New Jersey stamp dealer and researcher Elliott Perry in 1924.
14¢ American Indian cover mailed to Elliott Perry
The 14¢ stamp on this cover paid for two ounces of postage as 2¢ per ounce plus the 10¢ registration fee that was in effect until 1925.
Some might argue that being addressed to a known philatelist reduces the significance of the cover, but I see no reason not to consider it a legitimate commercial solo usage of the stamp, and I’m more than happy to include it in my collection.
New business reply envelope from St. Joseph’s Indian School
I first saw a business reply envelope with pre-printed stamp-sized images from St. Joseph’s Indian School in August of last year, and acquired a couple more before 2019 came to an end. It wasn’t until I checked my post office box today, however, that I encountered another example from the South Dakota nonprofit.
St. Joseph’s Indian School business reply envelope
As part of a Christmas fundraising mailing, the imagery on this envelope is unapologetically holiday-themed with a manger scene, a bell with the word “Noel,” and a cardinal with the wording “Season’s Greetings.”
I’m curious to see if any more gussied-up BREs turn up from this or any other nonprofits before the end of this year. Stay tuned!
There wasn’t much in the mailbox today, but an envelope from the non-profit FINCA caught my eye due to how it was decorated.
The front of the envelope bars a red and blue border that’s evocative of the air mail envelopes of old.
FINCA envelope
But it’s the back of the cover that really caught my attention. It bears pseudo postal markings intended to appear to originate in Brussels, Berlin, New York, Cairo, and Indonesia.
FINCA envelope (reverse)
I don’t know if the designer of the envelope had a particular interest in postal markings or philately, or if he or she ran across images of various postmarks somewhere and thought they would just look pretty, but either way, I have to admit that the end result caught my attention.
