The Catalog of United States Customized Postage

    Created on November 1, 2008   Copyrighted

The USPS Designates These Stamps As Custom Postage
Worldwide These Stamps Are Known As Personalised Postage

      Listing Criteria:

             1.  The stamp is used as purchased, is undated, and is used like a standard USPS stamp.
             2.  The stamp produced by an approved USPS vendor.
             3.  The stamp has personal image, business theme or vendor supplied image / design.
 

The intent of the catalog is to provide a means of classifying stamps which were
used for delivery of the mail.  These stamps may be found in lots and mixtures
often sold by collectors or dealers.

There is a significant number of examples that were created by collectors
that utilize seldom used rates, or other special configurations.

These examples along with additional information about them will be linked to the

primary designs when they are known and as time permits.

To navigate this site use the interactive buttons or click on the links on each page.
Remember you can also use your browser back and forward arrows.

Most stamps have the vendor name printed somewhere on the stamp.

To identify a stamp or lookup a number listed in this catalog start with the vendors button.

Custom Postage and Meter Stamps

Custom Postage by the USPS was an ongoing experiment wherein private vendors print real postage stamps and sell them directly to the end user. Each postage vendor is restricted in the rates and format of his product.  The vendor has the responsibility to ensure the image on the stamp meets specific USPS guidelines. Each stamp is a fiscally accountable item for the USPS.

The contract to produce the stamps ran annually from mid May for a one year period. The trial
periods ended on January 13, 2010 when Customized Postage was officially approved as a
Market Dominate Product of the USPS.

The USPS has classified Custom Postage as Meter Mail.  This action is necessary to circumvent federal restriction placed upon stamps that are produced under direct contract to the USPS. The two most obvious are the restriction against living individuals being on stamps and the restriction against commercial advertising. This classification also allows the vendor to charge a premium above the face value of the stamp.

To read the Official USPS position  follow Meter  See Section III

Acknowledgement

I would like to thank those collectors whose interest, encouragement and input made this catalog possible. Among those are my wife Bette Gore, Otto Bergman, Joann Lenz, and Dave Crotty.