The U.S. Postal Service will issue a stamp Feb. 3 depicting a white star on a red and blue background. This will be for the pre-sorted mail (10 cents) rate.
This stamp will be issued in coils of 3,000 and 10,000 stamps, as it is meant for bulk mailers. Kansas City, Mo. is the official first day city. Collectors desiring to obtain this stamp will have to visit a post office that sells stamps for collectors, or order it directly from the Postal Service.
A sports card and coin show will be held on Feb. 2 at the Boys and Girl’s Club at 580 Meadow St. in that city, Hours are 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., with free off – street parking, but a small admission charge. Door prizes are awarded every hour.
The U.S. Mint will debut the first National Park quarter for 2020 on February 3. This will note the American Samoa Park.
Circulation: quality strikes from the Denver, Philadelphia, and San Francisco Mint will be offered for sale in rolls and bags at a premium over face value. To order coins from the mint, visit their website at www.usmint.gov, or call them ay 1 – 800-USA-MINT.
The large railroad hobby show held in West Springfield last weekend had a good attendance, but several dealers this writer spoke with felt that people were not spending as much on hobby supplies or memorabilia as in past years. Some felt that the many modeling clinics held during show hours drew customers away from shopping during the two day event.
If you are suffering from the “winter blues” in not having outdoor flea markets to shop at, there are several antique co-op or “group” shops within an hour drive from the North Quabbin region. There is one in downtown Greenfield, a couple on Route 5 in Deerfield, a couple around Keene, N.H., and one on Route 13 in Lunenburg.
A little farther away are shops in West Townsend, one in Greenville, N.H., and several along Route 101 in Wilton and Milford, N.H., and a couple on Route 101A near Nashua, N.H. These all have free off-street parking and no admission fee.