By Ed Sum (The Vintage Tempest)
Stamp collecting is a timeless hobby, and come Nov 18th it is going to be magical. Harry Potter is getting a limited-edition souvenir set that the United States Postal Service will release November 19.
Five stamps have been unveiled featuring scenes from the movies released by Warner Bros., and more will come when the booklet releases. Within it will be five pages of history: from within each sheet will be five groupings of four stamps, each will be set on its own page. Each set of images will surround the red wax seal of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
This collection is particularly interesting since it complements the other stamp sets that are and were available internationally. Stamps from France and Australia were also released which are now out of print. And the UK Royal Mail is still offering a Heroes and Villains pack, which features Dumbledore and Voldemort. In the past, a massive Presentation Pack was offered that featured the original book covers and the seals from all four houses that comprised Hogwarts.
As for whether or not these stamps will attain any value, hopefully the USPS will learn from its mistake. The last time it attempted such a pop culture gamble, they did not sell out. They released a set celebrating the 20th anniversary of “The Simpsons” four years ago and they overprinted. It has been reported by Variety that they sold just 318 million of the 1 billion Simpsons stamps it printed in 2009. Less will be sent to press for this Potter-set and just maybe, it will help the struggling postal system retain it’s status. The fact that they are part of the Forever label means the stamps do not have a fixed value. Even if postal rates go up, these particular stamps will stay current so letters and postcards can be sent.
After all, do people really want to go back to the pony express just to get items shipped out? It’s unlikely that owls are up to the challenge.
To buy this set of stamps, please visit the USPS website here.
Sources: The Christian Monitor, Variety
