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For broadcast on CBS Radio Network stations 
November 3-4, 2001:


Modern History on Stamps


The Stamp Collecting Report, I'm Lloyd de Vries.
 
When was the last time before September 11th an act of war 
was committed in the Continental United States? The sacking 
of Washington, during the War of 1812.


That fact was brought home to me recently by stamp collecting. 
One collector's special envelope for the new James Madison 
stamp -- what we call a "first day cover" -- showed pictures of 
both Washington in flames and the World Trade Center towers on 
fire. Madison was president when the British occupied the city, 
and the stamp was issued in New York about a month after the 
September 11 attacks.


But the cancellations people at the Postal Service are being 
very cautious -- some would say TOO cautious -- about what 
collectors put on their envelopes now, after the attacks, so 
before these first day covers could be postmarked, the 
cancellers had to call their bosses in Kansas City for 
permission.


By the way, the reason it's the WHITE House is that it had to 
be whitewashed to hide the smoke damage in 1814.


And that's stamp collecting this week. 

I'm Lloyd de Vries, CBS News.

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