saleem

06 Sep 2012
11:43:08am

In the recent US Postal bulletin it is mentioned that the Uncut Press Sheets are going to be issued for the three forthcoming issues, this is looking more and more scary for US collectors as the quantities for such Uncut Press Sheets are very limited and only available through Mail Order (first come first serve basis) the dealers are going to make moolah and poor collectors who can't afford full Press Sheets are going to suffer from this USPS policy of limited quantity issues.

I myself have bought a set of four imperf singles of Baseball All Star players at eBay for US $4.50 and an imperf pair of USS Constitution for US $4.48 (the prices include postage) and looking at current auction prices it seems that I have been wise!

I think it makes financial sense to get these now from online auctions rather than wait and see these disappear like the Bugs Bunny imperf single booklet, I'm still ruing the fact that I could have had that for $10-$12 but at that time I didn't think it was important enough as I already had the other Bugs Bunny booklet - now there is a gap im my album and I'm a bit more circumspect about missing more!!

This is a curse of an all-issue collector - I collect each and every single US issue as MNH and have been successful 90% - the remaining 10% is beyond my pocket - but I'm happy with what I got and I desperately want to keep up with whatever is issued therefore this USPS policy is going to hurt in future and if I missed anything like these imperfs it will cost me :-(

Here are the issues which have been issued and are going to be issued in near future as without die cuts (imperforates) in Uncut Press Sheets:

Baseball All Star Players - Uncut Press Sheet
USS Constitution : War of 1812 - Uncut Press Sheet
Earthscapes - Uncut Press Sheet $60.75
Santa and Sleigh - Uncut Press Sheet $27.00
Holy Family - Uncut Press Sheet $27.00

And in the latest issue of Linns under new Scott numbers there is only a mention of these Uncut Press Sheets without any catalog number identification which makes one wonder whether these are going to be provided a major or minor number in future?


Confusion........ thy name is USPS and thy cousin is Amos Press.

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saleem

06 Sep 2012
01:49:09pm

re: Without Die Cut (Uncut) Press Sheets from USPS - A Rant

Yes David, the listed issues are also coming out in limited quantity Uncut Press Sheets with two of them already issued and are selling hotly at auctions. I bought them but am yet to gain the imperf block of four Baseball players, here are the ones I bought (yet to recieve in mail):





All the stamps on the Press Sheet are imperforate (without die cuts) but as these are issued in limited quantities these were sold out quickly and now at eBay and other places these are selling at fantastic prices after being broken up in blocks, pairs, strips. A full sheet of 20 All Star Players including (all four designs, face value $9.00) is currently having a bid of US $100 and a block of four is at US $13+. MADNESS

And to think of used stamp and on cover collectors - these will be as rare as anything modern you can think of. My advice get them while these are still affordable

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michael78651

06 Sep 2012
03:08:38pm

re: Without Die Cut (Uncut) Press Sheets from USPS - A Rant

Scott will most likely not give these press sheets a number.

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saleem

07 Sep 2012
11:06:08am

re: Without Die Cut (Uncut) Press Sheets from USPS - A Rant

An Uncut Press Sheet can be anything from 440 to 880 stamps and there are a minimum of 2000 and a maximum of 5000 such Press Sheets issued by USPS therefore we can't say for sure that these are limited issues.

From my past experience these will find a place in Scott catalog much sooner than later. But should we care whether Scott lists these or not? These are legitimate postage stamps and therefore should be within reach of common collectors and not just re-sellers and hoarders.

I missed out on one issue - the recent 4th September Purple Heart stamp is also issued in Uncut Press Sheets. There are going to be many more such imperforate issues in near future and it will become impossible for Scott to not notice them. What about the Farley imperf Souvenir Sheets without gum? Was there really a need to include them in Scott catalog just because there is some difference in gutter size from earlier sheets?

I am corresponding with Chad Snee (Scott editor) but haven't mentioned this to him yet - maybe later. Let Scott assign catalog numbers till year end and see their press releases about these imperforate issues.

I can't make a difference but I can rant about this no end.

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saleem

08 Sep 2012
10:16:06am

re: Without Die Cut (Uncut) Press Sheets from USPS - A Rant

Right now they are not committing themselves either way so it will be difficult to get Chad agrreing or disagreeing with something. From what I heard there is a possibility of Scott number if the Uncut Press Sheets without die cut are marketed in Mini Sheet formats, a few forthcoming issues are listed in Postal Bulletin as such. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.
Once again my advice is to get at least one copy of each imperf issue and wait for things to clear out - you can always use this single/set on your mail later

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saleem

09 Sep 2012
02:10:11am

re: Without Die Cut (Uncut) Press Sheets from USPS - A Rant

From USPS:
Stamp Announcement 12-47: Purple Heart Medal

On September 4, 2012, in Washington, DC, the Postal Ser­vice™ will issue a Purple Heart Medal First-Class Mail® For­ever® stamp (priced at 45 cents) in one design in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 20 stamps (Item 115400).

Philatelic Products
There are three philatelic products available for this stamp issue:
n 115461*, First Day Cover, $0.89.
n 115484, Uncut Press Sheet without die cut (3 ran­dom panes), $27,00 (Print Quantity of 2,000).
n 115493*, Cancellation Keepsake, $9.95.


Now has anyone at SOR ordered these Panes without Die Cuts? I would love to see them at auction here.

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