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Good news for some new-issue specialists.

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

The U-S has been offering what is called "press sheets" for many new commemoratives: Those are
multiple sheets of stamps just as they come off the printing press. There are two varieties: With
the die-cuts or perforations that allow a user to separate the stamps, and without. Those
"no-die-cut" press sheets have been selling out almost immediately, frustrating many collectors.
That's going to change.

"We are increasing the number." RUNS :01

Bill Gicker, director of stamp services for the Postal Service, tells The Virtual Stamp Club. The
Postal People didn't realize how big the demand would be.

"We basically made the same amount that we made of the perforated press sheets, thinking that would
be an adequate number, and it was not." RUNS :07

However, Stamp Services works well in advance, and by the time the U-S-P-S saw the problem, it was
too late.

"Several of those issues had already been printed, so there was nothing we could do. We wouldn't go
back on press for something like that." RUNS :05

But Gicker and his department COULD do something about upcoming issues.

"What you'll see going forward is an increased number, so that we can help those who want to have
them, get them, and if we notice that our increase isn't enough, we'll increase again." RUNS :10

That's BAD news for the speculators who were swooping in and buying all these imperforate stamps as
soon as they went on sale, and then charging very high prices. But it's GOOD news for those who want
these imperforate stamps at a more reasonable price, without hovering over the U-S-P-S-dot-com sales
website.

And that's stamp collecting this time.

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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