Royal Mail celebrating 50 years of Special Stamps: Morning Report

By Joe O'Donnell

1. Royal Mail honors Special Stamp program

The Royal Mail is honoring the most popular special stamps in its program's 50 years.

Fifty special stamp plaques will be installed on postboxes across the UK to mark a half-century of the modern Special Stamp program, according to a release on the Royal Mail website. Each of the 50 plaques will feature one of the most popular stamps that has a special connection with the city, town or village in which it is located.

“The UK’s towns and cities have influenced stamp designs over the past 50 years," Royal Mail Director of Stamps and Collectibles Andrew Hammond said. "At the same time, our iconic red postboxes have formed memorable landmarks across the country since 1852. We are delighted to bring the two together, creating new points of interest around the UK in celebration of our stamps heritage.”

2. More Pope Francis stamps

"Pope Francis is visiting Sarajevo June 6, and two of the three postal operators that operate in Bosnia and Herzegovina have released the designs of their commemorative stamps to be issued on that day."

3. Should USPS offer banking services?

"A May 21 report by the United States Postal Service Inspector General has reignited the question of whether the nation’s post offices should offer banking services."

4. Stamp Market Tips

Henry Gitner and Rick Miller discuss U.S. newspaper stamps that were issued and used from 1865 to 1898 in their latest column. 

5. Yesterday's most-viewed post

Fake stamp for gyrocopter pilot riles Washington