News
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US Stamps Aug 12, 2015, 11 PM
Born Aug. 13: Alfred Hitchcock
by By Michael BaadkeBritish-born film director Alfred Hitchcock was honored in the U.S. Legends of Hollywood commemorative stamp series in 1998. -
US Stamps Aug 12, 2015, 10 AM
Alternate Elvis first-day cancel from Memphis shows gates of Graceland
by By Michael BaadkeThe gates at Graceland in Memphis, Tenn., are a familiar symbol of the home of Elvis Presley from 1957 until his death 20 years later. A new Graceland Station Memphis postmark reproduces the custom-made gates that still secure the Graceland mansion. The postmark is dated Aug. 12, the issue date for the new Elvis Presley commemorative forever stamp. -
World Stamps Aug 12, 2015, 9 AM
Cinderellas are a roller-coaster ride
by By Henry Gitner and Rick MillerCollecting cinderella stamps — broadly defined as stamplike labels that are not postage stamps — is not for everyone. If you like things neat and orderly, with the rules spelled out and comprehensive cataloging with no surprises, you should probably stick to postage stamps. -
US Stamps Aug 12, 2015, 6 AM
Ottmar Zieher postcard features illustrations of Second Bureau issue
by By John M. HotchnerThe postcard shown nearby features color images of the United States 1902-03 definitive issue, known as the Second Bureau issue (Scott 300-313), and the 1902 10¢ Messenger on Bicycle special delivery stamp (E6). -
US Stamps Aug 12, 2015, 6 AM
First-day ceremony pays tribute to Elvis Presley
by By Michael BaadkeThe first-day ceremony for the new Elvis Presley commemorative forever stamp included Memphis dignitaries, the postmaster general of the United States, and Priscilla Presley. -
US Stamps Aug 11, 2015, 11 PM
Born Aug. 12: Alfred Lunt
by By Michael BaadkeStage actor Alfred Lunt was born in Milwaukee, Wis., on Aug. 12, 1892. For most of his career, he performed in plays with his wife, British-born actress Lynn Fontanne. -
US Stamps Aug 11, 2015, 11 AM
Vatican World Meeting of Families stamp to show Philadelphia skyline
by By Denise McCartyVatican City will issue a stamp Sept. 2 commemorating the eighth World Meeting of Families to take place in Philadelphia. The congress will be held Sept. 22-25, followed by the Festival of Families Sept. 26. -
US Stamps Aug 11, 2015, 7 AM
Elvis Presley stamps sold early in Tennessee
by CMS AdminA stamp collector reports purchasing three 16-stamp panes of the new Elvis Presley commemorative forever stamp in the Mason, Tenn., post office on Aug. 10, two days before the Aug. 12 official issue date. -
US Stamps Aug 10, 2015, 11 PM
Born Aug. 11: James Longacre
by By Michael BaadkeThe chief engraver at the United States Mint in 1859, when the first Indian Head penny was issued for circulation, was the coin's designer, James Barton Longacre. -
World Stamps Aug 10, 2015, 12 PM
Latest batch of commemorative stamps for the Rio 2016 Olympics released
by CMS AdminThe stamps, which were launched as the 500 countdown to the start of the games next year, feature a number of sports. Golf, handball, taekwondo, table tennis and triathlon – just to name a few. -
Postal Updates Aug 10, 2015, 12 PM
Quarterly USPS financial statement shows growth in package shipping
by By Bill McAllister, Washington CorrespondentEvery quarter a small drama plays out over the latest United States Postal Service financial numbers that come out of USPS headquarters at L’Enfant Plaza in Washington. -
World Stamps Aug 10, 2015, 9 AM
Russian stamps, Joseph Stalin and the Sergei Kirov assassination
by By Rick MillerAll countries use their postage stamps to promote the message of who they are and what they stand for to their own population and to the rest of the world. But the Soviet Union (1923-1991) was unusual in that many of the people honored on its stamps were actually condemned and executed by the regime. -
World Stamps Aug 10, 2015, 6 AM
Britain honors Rugby World Cup on stamps to be issued Sept. 18
by By Denise McCartyEngland will host the eighth Rugby World Cup Sept. 18 through Oct. 31, and Royal Mail will issue eight stamps for the event on the opening day. -
World Stamps Aug 10, 2015, 6 AM
Fairy tale wolf used to illustrate a serious subject on new U.N. stamps
by By Denise McCartySix new stamps from the United Nations Postal Administration promote a UNICEF initiative to end violence against children and adolescents. -
Postal Updates Aug 10, 2015, 5 AM
Exhibition of secrets revealed on postcards opens at postal museum
by CMS Admin“PostSecret: The Power of a Postcard,” an exhibition of more than 500 secrets submitted on postcards, opened Aug. 3 at the Smithsonian National Postal Museum in Washington, D.C., and will run through September 2016. -
US Stamps Aug 9, 2015, 11 PM
Born Aug. 10: Herbert Hoover
by CMS AdminKnown as "the Great Humanitarian" for his efforts to feed the starving populations of Europe during World War I, Herbert Hoover was elected president in 1928. -
US Stamps Aug 8, 2015, 11 PM
Born Aug. 9: Smokey Bear
by CMS AdminSmokey Bear has served as a the face of wildfire prevention for 71 years. His Aug. 9 birthday represents the day he first appeared on a public service poster. -
US Stamps Aug 7, 2015, 11 PM
Born Aug. 8: Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings
by CMS AdminThe author of The Yearling and Cross Creek, Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings was commemorated on a 41¢ stamp in 2008. -
World Stamps Aug 7, 2015, 7 AM
A theory on the numerous varieties of the Jeddah issues of Saudi Arabia
by By Ghassan RiachiThe Jeddah issues of Saudi Arabia philately are provisional stamps riddled with overprint, surcharge and handstamp errors. A few collectors of this area believe that such varieties were intentionally created to sell to collectors. -
US Stamps Aug 7, 2015, 4 AM
49¢ stamp sticking around for 8 months, APS Stampshow approaches: Week's Most Read
by CMS AdminAlso this week, Chad Snee weighed in on doom and gloom surrounding the Scott English hire, and Linn's Stamp News looks forward to the Harmer-Schau auction set to take place at the APS Stampshow.