Special Postmarks

[Elaine B(atgirl)]

Many post offices in the United states are offering special December cancellations with snowflakes, trees and stuff. You mail the specific post office a stamped envelope with an address on it, and they will send cancel the stamped envelope and mail it to the addressee from their post office. I was thinking it would be fun to send some mail art to the special post offices and then the recipient of the art would get the special cancellation. But of course I am not yet that organized, and it's already December 12. I can't find the information for them on the usps website, but there are a number of announcements on their Facebook page:

http://www.facebook.com/USPS

[Elaine B(atgirl)]

They're generally for the whole month of december. There's a whole bunch more besides these couple of examples.

[Valentine Mark Herman]

(Originally sent to the wrong Discussion, but here we go again)

 

Hi Batgirl and the rest of this Great Gang! Thanks for this postmark news. Does it work for non-US mail freaks do you kno?, And, if so, can you supply a PO address?

Another question. Being an ageing rock n''roller, I really want to get my hands on a genuine US  'Return to Sender' label/stiucker/whatever -- if these exist. Have any of you any idea how I can get hold of one (to put on my Blue Suede Shoes when I check into Heartbreak Hotel with my Teddy Bear, of course)?

Last point: for the purposes of this Group, I'm going to concentrate more on historical aspects of the various postal services, and less on what they are up to today. For me, most modern stamps have very little artistic appeal, and are increasingly issued for the sole purpose of raising revenue. Now the hand engraved stamps from the 'Good ole days' are an entirely different matter...

I'd be only too pleased to debate this with any and all of you. Regards, Good ole Val

[Elaine B(atgirl)]

 

U.S. Postal Service USPS is offering North Pole postmarks on holiday mail!

To receive the North Pole postmark on your holiday cards, send a self-addressed stamped
envelope to North Pole Holiday Cancellation, Postmaster,
4141 Postmark Dr,
... Anchorage, AK 99530-9998.
Requests must be received in Anchorage by Dec. 15th to ensure delivery by Christmas.

See MoreDecember 8 at 5:4

 

U.S. Postal Service Send Season's Greetings with this special pictorial postmark available from the Ridge Station Post Office in Centennial, WY, until December 31st. Request the postmark in person or send a self-addressed stamped envelope to Ridge Station, Postmaster, 1 Pine St, Centennial, WY 82055-9998.

 

The U.S. Postal Service in Rudolph, OH, is offering this delightful reindeer-themed pictorial postmark until Dec. 24th! Request the postmark in person or send a self-addressed stamped envelope to Reindeer Station, Postmaster, PO Box 9998, Rudolph, OH 43462-9998.

 

All month long, the U.S. Postal Service in Mount Saint Francis, IN, is
offering a special holiday-themed pictorial postmark. Request the postmark
free of charge by mail for 30 days by sending a self-addressed, stamped
envelope to: Christmas Station, Postmaster, PO Box 9998, Mount Saint Francis, IN 47146-9998.

 

Also tomorrow, Dec. 1st, the Chamber of Commerce in Snowflake, AZ, will offer a special holiday-themed pictorial postmark. Request the postmark free of charge by mail for 30 days by sending a self-addressed, stamped envelope to: Your Holiday Station, Postmaster, 761 S 1st West St, Snowflake, AZ 85937-9998.

Tomorrow, Dec. 1st, the Steamboat Rock, IA, Post Office will offer a special holiday-themed pictorial postmark. Those who can't visit in
person can request the postmark free of charge by mail for 30 days.
Send the self-addressed, stamped envelope you wish to be canceled to:
Letters to Santa Station, Postmaster, PO Bo...x 9998, Steamboat Rock, IA 50672-9998.

See More

The Alton, VA, Post Office is offering a special pictorial postmark to mark the 60th anniversary of the Korean War. Those who can't visit in person can request the postmark free of charge by mail for 30 days. Send the self-addressed, stamped envelope you wish to be canceled to: Postmaster, PO Box 9998, Alton, VA 24520-9998.

[Elaine B(atgirl)]

Here is a link from 2004 -- I don't know if the post offices listed still have special postmarks for the holidays, but it does give better instructions on how to get them: http://www.usps.com/communications/news/press/2004/pr04_087.htm

[N High]

http://www.usps.com/cpim/ftp/bulletin/pb.htm

http://www.usps.com/cpim/ftp/bulletin/2010/pb22301/html/welcome.htm

 

If you go the main USPS site, I believe every 2 weeks they issue a bulletin. You can read it in pdf or html formats. If you click the html link format, you will see a side bar on the left titled Organization Information. If you mouse over it, a link for Philately becomes available. If you mouse over Philately, you will see Pictorial Postmarks which you then click. This will give you a list of the current upcoming postmarks. You can request postmarks from the Postmaster of the issuing post office for 30 days from the day the postmark was started. So you should look at the current bulletin and the last archived bulletin to make up the 30 days from the date you are getting the postmark on your request to the Postmaster.

 

If you are non-US, then you would have to have US postage affixed to what you are getting postmarked so it can be sent either back to you or to the address you specify. For example, if you are in the UK, you would send an envelope with UK postage to get it to the US Postmaster. In your UK envelope would be the pre-addressed envelope or postcard that you want to have the postmark on with the correct US postage. So if you are sending it back to yourself in the UK or any country other than the US, Canada, or Mexico, it would need 98cents in some denomination of US stamps (as long as it is not heavy..say no more than the weight of 3 postcards). If you want it sent to US and it is an envelope, it would need 44cents US stamps..for a postcard 28cents US stamps; to Mexico 79cents US stamps, to Canada 75cents US stamps envelope or postcard. 

[Mary Jo Cartledgehayes]

For future reference:  Santa Claus, Indiana USA also offers a fine postmark.  It's different every year but always features Santa Claus. It's about two hours from Louisville, where I live.  One year I managed to drive over there on Christmas Eve Day and get all my Christmas cards postmarked.  My advice:  use white envelopes or postcards so the stamps show up well, and leave lots of room.  The cancellation took up twice as much room as they usually do.