Tag Archives: philatelic products

Yosemite National Park: One of Our Grandest Things

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This 2006 stamp features a photograph of the Gates of the Valley in Yosemite.

Monday marks the 122nd anniversary of Yosemite National Park. Established on October 1, 1890, the park encompasses 747,956 acres in the Sierra Nevada. With the impressive Yosemite Valley as its centerpiece, it includes a breathtaking range of geographical features, such as waterfalls, lakes, glaciers, expansive meadows, groves of giant sequoias, and granite monoliths such as El Capitan and Half Dome.

The U.S. Postal Service has a long history of honoring America’s national parks. This is no surprise when you consider that parks and postage stamps tell intertwining stories and frequently share a common goal—to preserve what Walt Whitman called “the grandest things” for the benefit of future generations.

In 2010, the U.S. Postal Service joined with the National Park Service to create The Grandest Things: Our National Parks in Words, Images, and Stamps.

This lavish 116-page hardcover book (which is still available online!) recounts the history of our national parks with gorgeous photographs and nine mint stamps—including the Old Faithful, Yellowstone stamp from 1972! The book has plenty of space for collecting and storing other related stamps, while giving a tour of more than 75 parks, monuments, and memorials.

It also includes historic quotations and documents, as well as philatelic history insights. Did you know, for example, that Postmaster General James Farley sometimes gave ungummed and unperforated stamp sheets to friends . . . like Franklin D. Roosevelt? In 1935, after collectors and others complained to Congress, these sheets (including stamps in honor of national parks) were made available to the public.

Perfect for stamp fans and park fans alike, The Grandest Things will make a delightful, and quite unexpected, gift this holiday season!

2012 Congressional Stamp Exhibit

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Thank you to everyone who came out to the Congressional Stamp Exhibit this year. It was the best one yet! (Who knew Owney and Mr. ZIP would make an appearance?!) We hope you enjoyed our pictures from the three-day event. To see more, become a fan of USPS Stamps on Facebook or follow us on Instagram and Twitter. Have a story from this year’s exhibit? Share it with us in the comments.

What We Saw on Day One of the 2012 Congressional Stamp Exhibit

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The 2012 Congressional Stamp Exhibit opened today at the Rayburn House Office Building in Washington, D.C. We were there, of course, with a table full of collectibles for all the happy stamp folks who came by. We were also eager to see the stamps and stamp-related items from the personal collections of U.S. Senators Orrin Hatch, Carl Levin, and Lisa Murkowski, and U.S. Representatives Gary L. Ackerman, Robert B. Aderholt, Wm. Lacy Clay Jr., Joseph R. Pitts, and Silvestre Reyes.

It’s a good thing the exhibit is open for three days because, wow, what a selection! The personal collections on display cover everything from Alaska and Utah on stamps to stamp errors and signed philatelic collectibles.

Stamps are a depiction of the history and culture of the nation. In collecting stamps, one can concentrate on any aspect of the culture or mood of the people, as well as own great art on the cheap. And if you’re lucky it can be a good investment and a family legacy. – Rep. Gary L. Ackerman

Representative Ackerman’s stamp collection focuses on the Heroes semipostal stamp, which was issued on June 7, 2002 (it’s hard to see, but check out the postmark date in the picture). The net proceeds from the sale of these stamps were transferred to the Federal Emergency Management Agency to provide assistance to the families of emergency relief personnel who died or were permanently disabled in the line of duty in connection with the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. Representative Ackerman’s display of canceled stamp sheets, the First Day of Issue ceremony program, and other materials was moving and a reminder that even tiny stamps can command great power and emotion.

I have always loved stamp collecting because of the people and historical moments they commemorate. Stamps tell the story of our country’s struggle to achieve a more perfect union and of the great Americans who contributed to that ongoing mission. – Rep. Wm. Lacy Clay Jr.

Representative Clay has put together a wonderful collection of framed philatelic products related to the African American experience, including Ella Fitzgerald (is that a real record in there?!), Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Josephine Baker, Booker T. Washington, and the To Form A More Perfect Union stamps. How inspiring it must be to have these hanging on the wall of his office!

We’ll have more from the exhibit tomorrow.  Until then, happy stamping!

Satisfy Your Choreographic Cravings With “A Century of Dance”

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Our toes are tingling in anticipation of the new Innovative Choreographers (Forever®) stamps, and we have just the thing to help feed your need for dance!

The 32-page A Century of Dance book will help you discover 100 years worth of dance in America. Illustrated with images of historic and great dance-makers of the 20th century, this gorgeous booklet is perfect for dance lovers. It also includes a collectible set of Innovative Choreographers (Forever®) stamps, featuring Isadora Duncan, José Limón, Katherine Dunham, and Bob Fosse. This book is the perfect addition to any collection and makes a great gift, too!

The Innovative Choreographers stamps, as well as dance-related philatelic products, will be issued on July 28 in Los Angeles, California. But you can pre-order yours today!

Celebrate Your Love of the Game with Major League Baseball First Day Covers

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The long-awaited Major League Baseball All-Stars stamps are almost here and we’ve got just the thing to add to your collection, whether it’s baseball or stamp-related!

With the Major League Baseball First Day Covers, you can capture a moment in history and commemorate the athletic talent and determination of four of the sport’s best players. This wonderful collector’s item includes four envelopes, each with a stamp from the Major League Baseball All-Stars pane and a specially designed postmark of a silhouetted baseball player hitting a ball out of the park. The postmark also includes the date and location of issuance. This piece of philatelic history is a perfect way to celebrate your love of the national pastime—it makes a great gift, too!

The Major League Baseball All-Stars stamps will be issued tomorrow, July 20, at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown, New York, but you can pre-order your First Day Covers today!

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