Local post stamp, a cinderella of the hobby, honors New Mexico legislator

U.S. Stamp Notes — By John M. Hotchner

Local post stamps, a division of cinderella philately, constantly surprise me with examples not previously seen.

 A new entry in the derby of these philatelic labels recently came to my attention. It is a small sheet of four imperforate stamps inscribed “N.M.L.P.S.” and “Paid 5¢.”

The stamps show a portrait with the name “Eugene R. Cinelli” above the image and “Humanitarian” below it.

Connect with Linn’s Stamp News: 

    Sign up for our newsletter
    Like us on Facebook
    Follow us on Twitter

After a Google search, I take the “N.M.L.P.S.” inscription to mean “New Mexico Local Postal Service.”

Information on the left side of these stamps reveals that they were printed in St. Louis, Mo., so it would be easy to miss the New Mexico connection. However, Cinelli (1931-1973) was a Democrat from Albuquerque who had been elected multiple times in the 1960s to the New Mexico Legislature.

The precise date of the sheet is not part of the printing information, nor do I know much about Cinelli’s service — or why he is labeled a humanitarian. Google has its limits!