POSTAGE STAMPS - PHOTOGRAPHIC Articles | Stamps

By: J.Morgan

If stamp collecting is something that you already do, then you will already know about photo postage stamps.  You may even have some photo postage stamps in your collection.  Photo postage stamps are not in actual fact a new idea.  They have been in existence for years.  However, the United States did suspend the use of photo postage stamps for a short period of time due to security issues. 

Photo stamps had many different purposes such as anniversaries, births, business logos, special occasions, weddings and much more.  A photo of almost anything can be placed on a stamp.  This could be great fun for a child or other family member.  However, there are of course limits to what type of photo can be placed on postage stamps.  For example, nothing pornographic can be placed on a postage stamp.  The reason as to why the United States Postal Service (USPS) put a stop to photo postage stamps for a short period of time was because of people abusing this benefit.

There are in fact various reasons as to why USPS would make the decision to discontinue photo postage stamps.  One of the biggest reasons is that they are difficult to monitor.  Almost anything can be placed on a photo postage stamp, some things of which are considered to be inappropriate.

One example of this would be the anthrax scare that was experienced some time ago.  During that scare, there were stamps produced with a skull and crossbones and the words anthrax written across them.  Other reasons why photo postage stamps are an issue to the USPS is when individuals attempt to print inappropriate pictures or when they place a photo of someone who may be a threat to the United States on the stamp.  One example of this would be if someone were to print photo postage stamps of Osama Bin Laden or of something that would make fun of the president.

The USPS took the decision to allow photo postage stamps once more.  However, there were more rules and restrictions put into place as to what was acceptable.  The companies that print these photo postage stamps are now held responsible by legal rules and regulations which are set by the USPS. 

These companies are not screened by the USPS themselves, but they will be held reliable if they are found to be printing photo stamps that are against the rules.  If certain companies are found to be printing unacceptable photo postage stamps, then their company could very well be closed down and no longer permitted to print photo postage stamps.

These rules have been put into place to ensure that photo postage stamps remain a pleasant experience for all.  Photo postage stamps can be obtained from many different places, such as Stamps.com, which is a leading name in the United States for postage stamps.  Endica or Pitney Bowes are other places in which photo postage stamps can be obtained.  Photo postage stamps are, of course, not only limited to the United States.  They can be obtained in other countries such as England, whereby people are enjoying photo postage stamps also.