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Forever Challenging

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

For almost four years, there's been just one Forever stamp design, the Liberty Bell. Now 
that's changing. Almost ALL new U-S stamps will be good to mail a letter, no matter what 
you paid for them, forever.

And that makes designing the stamps a little more difficult.

"Right now, we're using the word 'Forever' on there, as opposed to the simple 4-4 or 4-2 
or whatever it is, with the 'U-S-A.'" :07

Former chief of stamp development Terry McCaffrey says writing the word out causes 
problems.

"One of the concerns we've had is that when you pair 'USA' and 'Forever,' if you run them 
together, like the designers were prone to do, it reads 'USA Forever' or 'Forever USA,' 
and it is making a political statement, which we just don't feel is the most appropriate 
thing." :16

Canada's similar stamps are called "Permanent." Britain just puts "First" on its equivalents. 
But McCaffrey, who just retired, doesn't expect a new name in the U-S.

"The word 'Forever' has become so well known and it caught on so fast with the American 
public that when I talk to people, everybody calls it  'the Forever stamp.'"  :09

There's been talk about a symbol to replace the word, but McCaffrey says it won't happen 
soon...if at all.

"If we do, then it would have to work its way all the way to the top, to the Postmaster 
General, and everybody would have to buy in -- retail, the clerks."

So "Forever" it is ― for now.

I'm Lloyd de Vries of The Virtual Stamp Club. For more on stamps and stamp collecting, 
visit virtual-stamp-club-dot-com.  

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