"O Canada" ... where gov't now gets rich from the ultimate mail-art (vanity postage stamps: 100% valid!)
Kate Gladstone & Andrew S. Haber
("Topple the Queen! Enthrone Yourself on a Stamp!"),
in Canada you can order and use personalized postage-stamps which replace
the standard pictures with a gold frame bearing the word CANADA and
containing a picture of your choice with the stamp's value superimposed
thereon.
Pictures you can get include:
- a heart
- the word "Surprise!"
- a pen
- any photo of your choice, as long as it is not racist/obscene/otherwise
impermissible on Canadian stamps: yourself, your dog, your artwork ...
whatever!
Of course, it costs extra (a 46-cent stamp plus the personalization service
costs $1.00).
Though the US Goverment was quoted as saying it has no plans to introduce
this sort of thing any time soon, Canada has announced plans to provide
Canadian personalized stamps to USA stamp-collectors as well - since these
will be available only in Canadian currency, they will presumably be saved,
not used for postage.
Yours for better letters,
Kate Gladstone - Handwriting Repair
ka...@global2000.net, ka...@WriteMe.com
http://www.global2000.net/handwritingrepair
325 South Manning Boulevard
Albany, NY 12208-1731
518/482-6763 *or* (for toll-free dialing in the USA/Canada)
ENTER ACCESS CODE 04 at my new 800 number, 800/394-9482 (800/EX-HW-ITAlic),
access code 04
(remember:
EX for EXcellent, HW for HandWriting, ITA for ITAlic ... then, access
code 04)
AND REMEMBER ... you can order books through my site! (Amazon.com link - I
get a 5% - 15% commission on each book sold)
Patrick TJ McPhee
% According to an article on page A2 of today's NEW YORK TIMES
% ("Topple the Queen! Enthrone Yourself on a Stamp!"),
% in Canada you can order and use personalized postage-stamps which replace
% the standard pictures with a gold frame bearing the word CANADA and
% containing a picture of your choice with the stamp's value superimposed
% thereon.
Everyone's against it, though.
They wouldn't put Terry Fox on a stamp while he was alive, because
the policy was only the Queen and dead people go on stamps. Why the
hell should some bunch of third rate pricks with more money than brains
get better treatment? My guess is that a few hundred people will take
advantage of this to send out wedding invitations, and by winter
it will have lost enough money that it will be gone.
--
Patrick TJ McPhee
East York Canada
pt...@interlog.com
ibbetson
>Though the US Goverment was quoted as saying it has no plans to introduce
>this sort of thing any time soon, Canada has announced plans to provide
>Canadian personalized stamps to USA stamp-collectors as well - since these
>will be available only in Canadian currency, they will presumably be saved,
>not used for postage.
Canada Post balances its budget by selling collectors' stamps. Large
numbers are produced each year in the hope that CP won't have to honour
them. It's difficult to get Canadian stamps with the Queen's head on them.
The standard internal issue shows our flag.
For international postage I'm using some stamps with an illustration of the
Queen Mother on them. They came in a sheet of nine. No price premium, but
they are obviously intended to be collected rather than used.
David ib
David Ibbetson * 133 Wilton Street * Unit 506 * Toronto M5A 4A4
mailto:ibbe...@idirect.com
Phone:(416)363-6692 Cel:(416)831-6692 Fax:(416)363-4987