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For broadcast on CBS Radio Network stations January 31-February 1, 2004:

The Stamp That Wouldn't Die

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

The first U-S postage stamp that also raised money for charity, for Breast Cancer Research specifically, was issued in July 1998. It was only supposed to be available for a few years, 
but proved so successful that it spawned other charity stamps like Heroes of Two Thousand 
One and Stop Family Violence. It also got several extensions.

Finally, its string seemed to run out last month, and on New Year's Eve, it went off sale. 
Other charities and stamps are waiting in the wings.

Not so fast - three weeks into the New Year, the Senate passed a renewal for the stamp, and 
the very next day, the president signed it into law. If the Breast Cancer Research stamp 
isn't back on sale in your post office yet, it will be soon.

It's survived three postal rate increases and a price hike of its own. It now costs 45 cents, 
with 8 cents going to two federal programs and the rest paying to deliver your letter. 

And that's Stamp Collecting this week. 

I'm Lloyd de Vries, CBS News. 

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