ASPPP President, John Ngai, asked us ASPPP members what we would like to see or what might make Commemorative Cancellation Pages "more collectable". Back in 1972, the idea of turning U.S. GPO stamp announcements into a collectable “Souvenir Page” was to print the announcement on bond paper! We can do better than that! Without further rambling, here are some of my ideas - Episode II:

Overall, I would like to see the “Souvenir Page” turned into something that is unique in the cancellation-collecting community, beautiful and would appeal to the collecting community – that is, what would the USPS have to do to produce a product that the collectable community would want and, in fact, would go out of their way to purchase. I would like to see the “Cancellation Page” turned into the “ultimate” stamp collectable for cancellations – thus justifying the USPS's need for changing the term "Souvenir Page" to "American Commemorative Cancellations" - I'm stressing the word cancellation here.

Timeliness - this always seems to come up to collectors as a prime problem. However, these same individuals probably wouldn't mind waiting in a restaurant for a good meal - IF THE MEAL IS ESPECIALLY GOOD - which gets us back to how to make American Commemorative Cancellations worth collectiong and waiting for.

My ideas center on things I believe that we collectors in the cancellation arena would find appealing, would increase the product in value over the years and would also increase the collecting base over the years. This value increase is important to getting new subscribers into the program. First we need to establish an incentive to get the Clydesdale to respond to the collecting community, rather than tugging on its tail every now and then. Every Federal employee works on incentives tied to performance objectives – that go along with pay increases and awards. We need to stress to the USPS people involved as well as their supervisors to have performance objectives that would meet the collecting community’s need. The Clydesdale can be moved! Follow the money. Or ... in Dr. Deming's philosophy in quality ... nothing happens without top-management being involved. This will take us Out of the Crisis.

The Souvenir Page Program (American Commemorative Cancellations) started with a limited number of subscribers at first and then increased subscription numbers each year as the collecting base increased. This “limited” subscription wss good and kept Page quantities in check and knowable. Limited quantities tend to increase the product's value over time

if they have value to start with.

Thus we come to the crutch of the matter – what do we need to do to the American Commemorative Cancellations to ensure that the product will have value?

First some simple things that can be done upfront:

01. Affix all stamps that are mentioned on the stamp announcement;

02. On multiple FDOI cities, apply all FDOI city cancels to our Cancellation Page (try not to make multiple Pages);

03. Put the picture back - make it generic; does not necessarily have to look like a stamp; on multiple stamp issues, a picture helps the USPS personnel in standardizing positioning and us collectors in identifying varieties;

04. Put quality back into the type and picture; paper quality and color are good; most of us older collectors’ eye sight ain’t what it used to be. Maybe use large gold lettering, like Jim Canon’s 50th Anniversary Pages;

05. Don't put catalog numbers on the Page bottom; let the catalog people assign numbers and values to this product - this is not USPS work;

06. Place stamps on a Cancellation Page consistently - every Page should have same stamp placement; this is were the picture comes in handy;

07. Allow customers to buy coil Cancellation Pages with plate numbers; similar to the present way of ordering coils from the Philatelic Catalog - we buy strips of a given length to guarantee a plate number - thus we should be able to buy so many Pages to guarantee a Page with a plate number;

08. Affix the complete sheetlet if the sheetlet shows the pane's press position;

09. At times affix the complete sheetlet if it is especially beautiful;

10. Continue affixing non-commemorative stamp issues to Pages, like regulars, officials, and non-standard mailing stamps.

11. Accountability: publish the number of stamp announcements made, sold and destroyed; at least let the collector know how many are out there.

12. ... AND ... what about self-serviced Pages. Making blank Pages available for a limited time so we can affix stamps with given self-service instructions to Pages again. A kind of handback service but done through the mails. This opens an entire new area to Page collecting - especially - to some of the cancellations and stamp things that are beyond the present USPS capability. I think this needs to pursued and a lot of thought be given to us collectors again. I address some of these ideas in the ... Go for the Unusual ... section below.

Now on to the unique things that make a product have value, collectable and help the collector in his endeavor in the cancellation arena:

13. Make additional Cancellation Pages available - after the shipping wave - to subscribers in limited offerings;

14. On Dual/Joint Issues – put appropriate stamps/cancellations on Page;

15. Go for the Unusual –

·COIL PLATE NUMBERS: plate numbers have occurred on coils that are perforated all around – use the coil format roll that show this to select stamps to affix to the Cancellation Page;

·BKLT PLATE NUMBERS: plate numbers have occurred on the face of stamps for occasional vending-booklet panes – use this format to select stamps to affix to the Cancellation Page;

·IMPERF/PERF: use both formats on Cancellation Page when available;

like - That's all Folks! - stamp
This would be a very desirable item;

·COLOR CANCELS: Use Digital Color Postmark cancels; these are outstanding and would add class to the Page;

·UNIQUE CANCELS: Once in awhile have a unique cancel, just for Cancellation Pages;

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YOUR PAGE OR YOUR LIFE
or you’ll be canceled