Inside Linn’s: Letter-mail stamps used on postcards after postal rate changes

By Charles Snee

The Jan. 6 digital-only issue of Linn’s Stamp News will be available to subscribers Saturday, Dec. 21. While you wait for your issue to arrive in your inbox, enjoy these three quick glimpses of exclusive content available only to subscribers.

Letter-mail stamps used on postcards after postal rate changes

In Modern U.S. Mail, Richard L. Beecher writes, “In studying past postal rates and rate changes, there have been times when an old letter-rate stamp became the new rate for a postcard. This convenient change gave new life to more than a few stamps that would normally be rendered obsolete.” Beecher illustrates and analyzes three such examples in his column.

Kitchen Table Philately: 30 countries represented in worldwide mixture

In each weekly issue of Linn’s, either E. Rawolik VI or E. Rawolik VII dissects the contents of a stamp mixture offered to collectors. E. Rawolik is a pseudonym that is also the word “kiloware” (a stamp mixture) spelled backward. This week, E. Rawolik VII takes a closer look at a one-third sample from a worldwide assortment that features stamps from 30 different countries. Despite a rather low catalog value, Rawolik found the stamps interesting. Enjoy the full review in this issue.

Stamp Market Tips: look for U.S. 2018 Sleeping Bear Dunes Priority Mail Express stamp

In their tip of the week, Stamp Market Tips columnists Henry Gitner and Rick Miller recommend looking for the United States 2018 $24.70 Sleeping Bear Dunes Priority Mail Express stamp (Scott 5258). “The mint stamp is a good buy at or near Scott catalog value,” Gitner and Miller explain. “If you find it for much less than Scott catalog value, it’s a great buy.”

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