New 40¢ stamp good for both mass mailers and collectors

Philatelic Foreword by Jay Bigalke

Among the many new 2023 United States stamps revealed in late October was a 40¢ Red Fox stamp that doesn’t exactly meet a specific postage rate.

The article in the Nov. 14 issue of Linn’s Stamp News by Bill McAllister, Washington correspondent, about the stamp explains how it will help bulk mailers affix different combinations of low-denomination stamps on one envelope and not run out of space as inflation takes the first-class letter rate even higher.

Collectors also will be able to find a use for this new stamp, which I think looks spectacular, as it will be issued in panes of 20 in addition to coils of 3,000 and 10,000.

For collectors with low-denomination stamps, newer or older, the Red Fox stamp will work great in conserving a little space on the envelope and making the math a little easier to figure out for what postage over 40¢ would be needed for the postage rate.

And what collector doesn’t like decorating an envelope or postcard with many stamps to make the cover look more interesting?

If the Red Fox stamp looks familiar, it may be because it uses an illustration based on the work of Dugald Stermer and USPS art director Ethel Kessler. Stermer’s illustration of a rabbit was used on the 2021 Brush Rabbit additional-ounce-rate stamp (Scott 5544-5545).

It is an encouraging sign that the U.S. Postal Service is listening to the mailing community in producing this stamp. It really is a win-win for all involved.

I would enjoy hearing from Linn’s readers about how they might use this new stamp. Perhaps we can publish a few of the responses in an upcoming Letters to Linn’s column. Please email linnseditorial@amosmedia.com or write to Letters to Linns, Box 4129, Sidney, OH 45365.

Connect with Linn’s Stamp News: 

    Sign up for our newsletter
    Like us on Facebook
    Follow us on Twitter