Celebrate Stamp Collecting Month
October is Stamp Collecting Month – a time for exploring or starting a hobby that’s educational, entertaining, and fits any budget. Consider the hobby that lets you explore the world-stamp collecting. U.S. postage stamps celebrate American history, nature, art, culture and science. They remind us of important historical events, inventions, trends and people who have touched our lives.
Part of the fun of having a stamp collection is doing the detective work-investigating your stamps. What’s special about the subject? Where was the stamp issued? Why? It’s easy to investigate your stamps. Stamps are issued in specific denominations and in recent years have become very attractive. The amount printed on a stamp is always valid, regardless of the cost of current stamps. An older stamp can be combined with a newer stamp to provide today’s necessary postage.
One difference in the price of a postage stamp is a semi-postal stamp. As a semi-postal stamp, the price is valid for postage at the First-Class first-ounce letter rate in effect at the time of purchase. The actual price of the semi-postal stamp includes an amount to be provided to the organization/cause of the stamp.
The Breast Cancer Awareness semi-postal stamp is currently available for 55 cents. It is available in a pane of 20 stamps ($11.00). This stamp is available at local Post Offices, by calling 1-800-Stamp-24, or from usps.com (type Breast Cancer Stamp in the search box).
Sales of the Breast Cancer Awareness stamp have raised more than $62 million in voluntary contributions for breast cancer research since July 1998. Sales of the stamp have been extended until 2011.
To honor those who currently have or have survived breast cancer, during October, Post Offices in the Fort Myers area will provide individuals who purchase a sheet of the semi-postal stamps with a commemorative circle which can be attached to the pink trees in the lobby.
For more information about purchasing stamps, stamps by mail, postal regulations, a free subscription to USA Philatelic magazine, Post Office events, the location of the nearest postal store or contract unit, or for answers to your specific Postal Service questions, contact USPS at 1-800-275-8777, or visit www.usps.com.
To schedule a presentation for your community, club or group on how the
Postal Service brings the Post Office to your home or office computer, call 573-9638.