National Card and Letter Writing Month

Did you know that this month is National Card and Letter Writing month? Well it is! That means we should all try our best to write letters and cards throughout the month. My plan is to not only continue playing catch up with my letters to each of you readers, but to also reach out to people I don't normally write to. Specifically the local veterans in my town. I plan on writing letters and sending them to the local veteran organizations. =)

If you want, there is also a special cancellation being offered.

What are your plans for this national month of writing letters and cards?

Also...Happy Birthday to my father today!

70th Anniversary of Pearl Harbor Postmark

Alan D. was nice enough to send me an email with the scan above attached. How awesome is that postmark? I definitely think it is worth sending out for. If you are interested, send your already stamped mail (inside another envelope) to:

West Point Post Office
C/O Postmaster
Pearl Harbor cancellation
634 Swift Road
West Point, NY 10996

I couldn't find anywhere online that specifically said so, but generally special cancellations are available for 30 days after the event they were created for.

Thanks for sharing Alan!

Special Cancellation: Nicholas Biddle

If you are looking for an interesting way to use one of your Civil War stamps, why not send away for this interesting postmark?

The Leesport Post Office in Leesport PA will be issuing special cancellations until around the end of the month. This cancellation was actually given out at a stamp show, but most special cancellations are also available at the local PO for 30 days afterwards.

This postmark will feature Nicholas Biddle who was a slave during the civil war and according to some sources the first person to be injured in the Civil War. I highly recommend clicking on his name and reading more about him. It is quite fascinating.

Here is the address:

Leesport Post Office
C/O Postmaster
4 East Wall Street
Leesport, PA 19533

Again, I usually include a post-it explaining that I want the special cancellation.

Special Cancellation: 70th Anniversary of Pearl Harbor

The West Point post office will be offering a special cancellation on December 7, 2011 to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the bombing on Pearl Harbor. If you are interested in getting this cancellation you need to send your already stamped mail inside of a larger envelope to this address:

West Point Post Office
C/O Postmaster
634 Swift Rd
West Point, NY 10996

I usually include a post-it letting them know that I am looking for the special postmark.

This time around I will be sending envelopes with this stamp on them:

I thought it was rather fitting. =)

Special Cancellations

There are a few special cancellations that would like to mention to everyone. The first two are in commemoration of the 9/11 attacks specifically for the Flight 93 crew and passengers.

The cancellations would look something like the ones above. Here is the address you would need to send your self addressed-stamped envelopes/postcards to:

Pictorial Cancellation
C/O Postmaster
Po Box 9998
Shanksville, PA 15560

The second cancellation is from Racine, Wisconsin. They issued one to commemorate 9/11 heros. (there is no picture of this one, but I will post one when I get my postcard back).The address for this postmark is:

Special Cancellation
Police Tribute Station
West Racine Branch
1300 Perry Ave
Racine, WI 53406

Personally, I always send a postcard to get my cancels. I address it to myself (obviously) and stamp it. Then I simply write above the area on the left side (where you usually write a message) "Please cancel here too". They usually do which gives you a nicer one than on the stamps. =)