By Henry Gitner and Rick Miller

On Jan. 29, the United States Postal Service issued 10 nondenominated (49¢) Botanical Art stamps in panes of 10 and double-sided panes of 20. It also produced uncut press sheets of this issue, both with and without die cuts, which sold at face value for $78.40. The uncut press sheet without die cuts is currently a hot item.

The Postal Service started taking orders for the uncut press sheet without die cuts on Dec. 29, 2015, and continued taking orders as late as mid-January. Evidently it sold out long before that.

Confirmed orders taken as early as Jan. 4 were summarily canceled despite previous assurances from customer service that they would be filled. Even some customers who regularly place large orders for new-issue stamps were shut out.

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Recently the Postal Service has cut the print quantities of uncut press sheets without die cuts in unfathomable ways, seemingly without regard to format or demand.

What business in today’s world continues to accept orders for an item weeks after it has been sold out? Doing so forces the cancellation of orders and antagonizes loyal customers. Given the type of technical support available today, even the smallest businesses can know right away when orders have exceeded supply and respond accordingly. Why seemingly can’t the Postal Service?

If you can find one of these Botanical Art uncut press sheets without die cuts at any kind of reasonable multiple of face value, it is well worth buying.