USPS quietly creates new Priority Mail stamped envelope

With no advance notice, the United States Postal Service issued a $5.75 Glade Creek Grist Mill prestamped Priority Mail envelope in packs of five, 10 and 25.

The envelope packs are offered through the USPS retail website, though they are not easy to track down. Click on the link for “shipping supplies” to find the item, or search on the USPS site for “213525,” which is the general item number assigned to this product.

According to information posted with the product, the envelopes were issued Jan. 12.

A first-day cover for the new envelope, also offered online by USPS, is struck with a Kansas City, Mo. first-day cancel bearing the Jan. 12 date.

Information on how to obtain a FDC can be found on the USPS website here.

The imprinted stamp on the Priority Mail envelope uses the same design as the $5.75 Glade Creek Grist Mill Priority Mail stamp (Scott 4927) issued Sept. 29, 2014.

“The stamp art captures the historic, aged beauty of the mill in its pristine setting along Glade Creek,” according to the Postal Service. “The water flows by the mill and around boulders and rock formations along the creek bed. Surrounding the mill are trees in early autumn colors of greens, yellows, and oranges.”

The mill is located in Fayette County, W.Va.

The illustration for the original stamp and for the imprinted stamp in the envelope was created by Dan Cosgrove.