Avalon, California, on Santa Catalina Island offers three pictorial postmarks

Postmark Pursuit — By Michael Baadke

The United States Postal Service is now offering three pictorial postmarks for Avalon, Calif., in its Postmark America program.

The three postmarks commemorate Santa Catalina Island off the coast of Los Angeles.

“The Postmark America program is designed to feature graphics related to a theme or image that pertains to a specific tourist location, town, or region,” the Postal Service explains.

“The postmark is applied upon request to both outgoing mail and on hand-back philatelic collectibles. These postmarks will be available any day a participating Post Office is open. All requests must bear at least minimum First-Class Mail postage. Customers must present their items for postmarking on or before the official postmark date requested for the address listed.”

The three designs each have a double-ring circular datestamp at right and an illustration at left.

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One postmark shows the landmark Catalina Casino at left and an outline map of the island at right, with “Santa Catalina Island” lettered over the scene.

Another also shows the casino (which features a ballroom and movie theater, not a gambling casino) at left, boats in the harbor at right, and the name lettered below.

The final postmark shows the island map at left and boats at right, with the name lettered above.

Address requests for these postmarks to:

SANTA CATALINA ISLAND, Postmaster, 118 Metro Pole Ave., Avalon, CA 90704-9998.

The Postal Service issued two corrections Aug. 31 to postmark information it provided previously.

The Aug. 4 JFK centennial celebration postmark for Merpex Station was offered with an incorrect address, which was published in Linn’s issue of Aug. 28 on page 23. Here is the correct address, according to the USPS:

MERPEX Station, Postmaster, 123 E. Main St., Marlton, NJ 08053-9998, Aug. 4. (Text only, “JFK*100 Centennial Celebration.”)

An Aug. 21 “Total Eclipse of the Sun” postmark originally listed for Nebraska City, Neb., in the Sept. 4 Linn’s on page 11 will not be produced, the Postal Service reports.

The following Aug. 21 Eclipse postmarks have been extended for 30 days.

Each shows seven phases of the total eclipse, and the text “Total Eclipse of the Sun.”

WASHINGTON, DC Station, Special Cancellations, 2 Massachusetts Ave. NE, Washington, DC 20002-9998.

BALTIMORE, MD Station, Postmaster, 900 E. Fayette St., Room 118, Baltimore, MD 21233-9998.

RENO, NV Station, Postmaster, 2000 Vassar St., Reno, NV 89510-9998.

MOON, VA Station, Postmaster, 184 Haven Beach Road, Moon, VA 23119-9998.

CERULEAN, KY Station, Postmaster, 417 Main St., Cerulean, KY 42215-9998.

ST. LOUIS, MO Station, Manager — Coyle Branch, 1203 Lemay Ferry Road, St. Louis, MO 63125-9998.

COLUMBIA, SC Station, Postmaster, 1601 Assembly St., Columbia, SC 29201-9998.

RICHMOND, VA Station, Postmaster, 1801 Brook Road, Richmond, VA 23232-9998.

The following postmarks have also been granted 30-day extensions.

ALCATRAZ ISLAND Station, Postmaster, Box 880066, San Francisco, CA 94188-0066, Aug. 13. (Pelican, “Alcatraz is Spanish for ‘Pelican,’” “Alcatraz, Calif.,” “83rd Anniversary.”)

SENADO DE PUERTO RICO Station, c/o Puerto Rico Stamps Office, 585 Avenue FD Roosevelt, Suite 103, San Juan, PR 00936-9681, Aug. 14. (Silhouette of San Juan Capitol building, “100 Anos 1917-2017,” “Celebracion del Centenario Senado.”)

SOLAR ECLIPSE Station, Postmaster, Box 9998, Beatrice, NE 68310-9998, Aug. 21. (Eclipse and stars within large “0” of “2017.”)

WHEELS OF TIME SRA Station, Postmaster, 51 W. End Trail, Macungie, PA 18062-1166, Aug. 25-27. (Older car, “39th Annual Rod & Custom Jamboree, Macungie Memorial Park,” within postage stamp frame.)

Share information by writing to Postmark Pursuit, Box 4129, Sidney, OH 45365. 

Instructions for requesting postmarks

Linn’s subscribers can see complete instructions for requesting postmarks here.