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Plan well ahead for that commemorative stamp
By Bret Evans
Part of my job is dealing with non-collectors who seem to figure that editing a stamp magazine involves running some sort of free consulting business.
The two most common requests are the valuation and sale of an inherited collection, and suggestions for the inside track on how to get a particular theme commemorated on a stamp.
Usually, my advice regarding the latter is that they should feel free to try, but personalized postage may be their best bet. That is also a question that quite a few novice collectors have. It seems that most people, involved in something important, assume that all you need to do is ask for a stamp, and a month or so later, Canada Post puts them on sale.
So, in the interests of saving myself time, and educating the general public, here are Bret's three simple tips to getting a commemorative stamp published.
1. Start early, and I mean years ahead. We're still working on 2010, but I can tell you that the 2011 program is pretty much set in stone, and much of 2012 is already in the works. So if you were to start today, the odds are you couldn't do a thing for next year, and maybe not the year after.
2. Pitch the Stamp Advisory Committee. The way to start is to send a submission to Canada Post for this body to review. Make it a good one, because there are always more ideas than there are stamps. Not only that, but most of them are more than worthy. Here is where, as collectors, our campaign against too many issues works against worthy causes. The group has to balance the number of issues, relevance, a desire to represent all of Canada, and more. However, even if you impress them, they only give advice. You don't get to pitch the real decision makers.
3. Don't be afraid to lobby. Every year there are a few stamps that get issued because someone in a big office insists. At one time, the prestige booklets were that case, but there have been others. What that means is a few well-placed government figures can really grease the wheels. The group lobbying for the Fergie Jenkins stamp prepared an information package for every member of Parliament. I'm not saying that sealed the deal, but I'm sure it helped.
Even if you campaign hard, don't get your expectations too high. The sad truth is that, statistically, chances are you will not succeed. Every year, more proposed stamps are rejected than approved.
So make sure you have a Plan B. It can be as simple as opting for personalized postage, a way to create your own stamp. That means you control the design, within a few guidelines, and you have the entire production run in your hot little hands. It is a real stamp, just not a real commemorative stamp.
Another Plan B to make something special is to see if your local postmaster will support the idea of a pictorial cancel. These are not stamps, but are a lot easier to get approved, and lots of designs get picked each year. It may be impossible to get a stamp marking the 100th anniversary of the birth of a local hero, but getting a special cancel to mark local hero day in your town may not be that difficult. It would also go nicely on a cover with a personalized stamp showing the local hero at his or her best.
It's all part of making our collecting as much fun, and as personal, as possible.
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