The Drug Free USA forever stamp will be issued Oct. 27, according to a Sept. 22 announcement from the United States Postal Service.

The new stamp features the eighth different design used on a U.S. Kwanzaa stamp and will be the 14th U.S. Kwanzaa stamp issued overall.

The company could have been behind in its shipments because business was really good or because it was inefficient. We will never know.

Also this week, recalling how the USPS made it easier to buy the 1983 $9.35 Eagle Express Mail stamp, and sorting through a sample of worldwide stamps that reveals an issue with an unusual shape.

This cover brings to the modern era a bit of Chicago’s past that might otherwise be consigned to the dustbin of history.

As an important symbol of the Jewish festival, the menorah has featured prominently on nine of the 14 stamps created by the Postal Service for Hanukkah.

The set of three error varieties is a good buy at near Scott catalog value in fine-very grade or higher.

The position does not require relocation or regular business hours.

The first of the Daniel F. Kelleher auctions of this material will take place Oct. 19-22.

Also this week, stamps portraying the notorious founder of the Soviet secret police, and a review of a mixture of stamps from 26 countries.

This place card is in the form of a return reply card that mimics the 1890s designs for postal cards.

Should the editors of the Scott Specialized Catalogue of United States Stamps and Covers be expected to give a separate number to each of these varieties?

There will be two prizes given to the winners: one for the best philatelic line and one for the best nonphilatelic line.

Expertizing can be as much art as science.

Collectors are encouraged to reach out to the Scott editorial team if they are able to replace an older black-and-white image with a color one.

What do these Scott numbers signify? In short, each stamp’s listing in an upcoming edition of the 2021 Scott catalogs.

The 2017 United States Alzheimer’s Awareness semipostal stamp, which was removed from sale Nov. 30, 2019, will be sold at post offices once again beginning Oct. 5.

The virtual ceremony can be viewed on the Postal Service’s Facebook and Twitter social media sites.

Each print and digital edition issue of Linn’s Stamp News includes a section titled Events Calendar.

Also this week, collectors of postal cards have a new book to add to their bookshelf, and reviewing an 1880 Postal Guide ruling in effect until late 1958 that required payment of double the rate of postage on unpaid nonlocal letters.