Release: MONDAY MARCH 26, 2021
For years, I worked in the “marketing” world at ad agencies writing and producing TV and radio commercials. That’s long in the rear-view mirror. With the advent of the digital age, many small ad agencies began to see the demise of traditional avenues of their business model....
We also learned the first thing companies cut when business slows down is marketing. That’s counter-intuitive because marketing is exactly what brings in more clients and more money. So, why in the world cut that? No one ever could answer that conundrum.
Other entities have experienced similar declines – the Postal Service chief among them. Since the advent of e-mail and e-bill paying, the amount of paper mail has declined precipitously. So, what to do? Modifying the product might help. Or, adjusting prices. It seems they’re doing both, only in the wrong direction.
Recent testimony before Congress suggests postal prices are going up. Admittedly, that’s not the end of the world. After all, postal rates in the US are lower than most anywhere in the world. As for the product, we’re now told service will slow. It’s said mail shipped via airplane may stop forcing all First-Class mail onto trucks. That will take two to three days to deliver. I can’t see that as a wise move for something already referred to as “snail mail.”
100 years ago, Air Mail was revolutionary. Prior to that, mail went by wagon, train or ship. The 24-cents it cost to send a letter via Air Mail is the equivalent of $3.50 now. Stamps used for letters sent by air were coveted beyond belief. Adults and kids alike craved them for their collections. Many of those stamps today are valuable. Worth even more are early stamped envelopes that flew on vintage postal bi-planes carried by Air Mail pilots such as Charles Lindbergh.
Just how today’s paper mail challenge will play out is anyone’s guess. Some contend it’s political. After all, current Postmaster General Louis DeJoy was appointed by Donald Trump. DeJoy’s appearance before Congress was a bit combative. In fairness, the vast majority of the USPS deficit is a direct result of postal worker’s pension and generous healthcare obligations. All that was negotiated long before any recent president.
The invariable recipient for repercussions will be newly elected President Joe Biden. For that reason, it’s all the more ironic that the latest offering from the USPS is an official inaugural stamped and canceled envelope.
The commemorative envelope features a photo portrait of Biden and Vice-President Kamala Harris beside an engraved illustration of the White House. In the upper right corner is a US flag stamp canceled with the indicia, “In Commemoration of the 59th Presidential Inauguration. January 20, 2021 Washington DC 20066.”
The cost of the canceled envelope is $12.95. For more information, log onto: www.USPS.gov. Sadly, finding anything on the USPS website is a challenge so feel free to include the product number: 882158.
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A month or so ago I mentioned how an eagle-eyed visitor to a yard sale in New Haven, CT spotted a small blue and white porcelain bowl. The buyer had a hunch and paid the asking price of $35. His intuition paid off when he checked with the experts at Sotheby’s confirmed the bowl was from the Chinese Ming dynasty and exceedingly rare. They estimated the worth of the bowl to be between $300,000 and $500,000. Jackpot! Except, they were a bit wrong.
The lucky buyer opted to part with his find and consigned the small bowl to their spring sale. A few weeks ago, the rarity didn’t bring half a million dollars. In fact, it was hammered down for a whopping $722,000.
A few folks will be bitter because it wasn’t them that found it and reaped the rewards. Smart ones will take this as clear evidence that incredible treasures remain in plain sight just waiting to be found.
For more collecting advice, visit www.peterexford.blogspot.com