Course corrections needed with USPS stamp program

U.S. Stamp Notes by John M. Hotchner

The United States Postal Service issues a constant stream of stamps that they expect will interest the public, hopefully turning noncollectors into collectors. Their ultimate objective is to fill their own coffers, and I don’t argue with that motivation. After all, this arrangement is a win for both the Postal Service and the hobby.

My problem with the stamp program is that the USPS is no longer issuing many stamps that celebrate the history of our great country. This direction began to change radically while I was a member of the Citizens’ Stamp Advisory Committee from 1998 to 2010.

Today, the committee is top-heavy with artists and marketers, and the stamps issued focus heavily on fruits, flowers, animals, art of various types, crafts, antiques, and pop culture.

Virtually all of these issues are multistamp releases with up to 10 different designs per issue, while the occasional issue with gravitas or a history component is often issued as a single stamp.

Precious little of this output is of interest to confirmed stamp collectors, or people likely to become serious collectors. Most of our hobby’s adherents who collect U.S. issues do so because they have a great deal of interest in American history and love the older U.S. stamp issues that celebrated that history.

Indeed, if what I am hearing from a wide variety of U.S. stamp collectors is accurate, the Postal Service’s present emphasis on pretty and less substantive stamp subjects is pushing formerly serious collectors out of the hobby, or alternatively, causing them to end their U.S. collections at the year 2000.

Combine this with the rising costs of U.S. first-class mail, and high face values of Priority Mail, Priority Mail Express and other special service stamps, and I would bet dollars to doughnuts that there is a net decrease in revenue from stamp collectors despite the increasing rates.

I’m not suggesting that the less substantive subjects be ignored. They all have their place, along with flag stamps, Christmas and other holiday stamps, and stamps recognizing the diversity of America’s population.

What I’m saying is that these subjects and the less substantive ones noted above are now crowding out worthy subjects that have historical merit and/or celebrate the accomplishments of Americans who have contributed to making this a better and more advanced country and world.

What I’m asking for is that some semblance of balance be returned to the program. An early opportunity will be the issues now being planned for the 250th birthday of the United States in 2026. Announcements about those might be dropping soon, and I hope to be pleasantly surprised.

But even if a good job is done in that regard, a more radical reorientation is needed to return to the days of a more substantive stamp program.

This is not my only complaint. It is also a problem that the Postal Service does precious little to support the hobby beyond what they hope will increase revenue. What is lacking? How about some actual promotion of U.S. stamp collecting.

Take a look at the Philippines cover from 1949, shown on this page. The handstamp on the official mailing from the Bureau of Posts says, “TRAVEL AROUND THE WORLD WITH PHILATELY. START COLLECTING STAMPS NOW! INQUIRE – STAMP AND PHILATELIC DIVISION.”

Yes, I know that TV advertising is expensive, but how about trying to reach people using the Postal Service’s own assets. Something similar to the Philippines message might be printed on Postal Service official mail envelopes, on the side of USPS vehicles, and on post office walls, referring people to the USPS and American Philatelic Society websites.

I would also observe that the USPS website is not really an attraction for potential stamp collectors. It does not sing the praises of the hobby. It merely tells visitors to buy stamps and tries to make that process easy.

This is laudable, but inadequate. Where is anything about the hobby that would attract young adults who are computer-savvy and interested in stamps, and giving them a reason to return to the website on a regular basis?

What else could the USPS be doing? How about making …

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