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Postmark Pursuit.

The Stamp Collecting Report, I'm Lloyd de Vries.   

Many anniversaries or events are commemorated with special 
postmarks, often illustrated.  These pictorial cancellations 
make interesting collectibles -- sometimes in a collection 
by themselves, sometimes as part of a thematic collection of 
stamps.

There's usually no charge for obtaining these postmarks, 
other than making sure there's first class postage on the 
envelopes to be canceled and enough postage on the envelope 
you use to send your envelopes to the designated post office. 
Charges only apply if you send more than 50 at a time.

Some postmark collectors make special envelopes, and the 
combination is known as a "cover." You can also use related 
stamps -- maybe a cowboy stamp for a rodeo pictorial, or space 
stamps for a shuttle launch.

The hard part is finding out when and where these cancels are 
being offered. The two major stamp newspapers, LINN'S and 
STAMP COLLECTOR, publish listings, and there's one in the 
bi-weekly POSTAL BULLETIN....but none of these lists is 
complete.

And that's stamp collecting this week. 

I'm Lloyd de Vries, CBS News. 

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