Couple of days ago I finished one of my summer projects and sent a stamp suggestion to our postal service.
I even took an extra step and sent the suggestion to them as a letter instead of using the online formula, just to make it look fancier
So have you sent stamp motif suggestions? If yes, how it went? Do you have some idea you would like to suggest or some specific theme you would like to see on stamp? Does your local post service take in suggestions and if they do, do they have any guidelines on what can be suggested? (for example in my case the motif should have something to do with Sweden, and if tied to any specific date it should be sent in at least couple of years before the planned issue date).
A few noteworthy rules from the USPS on stamp suggestions:
In order to be considered, subject matter suggestions should be submitted three or more years in advance of the proposed stamp.
+3 years afterward, I will have forgotten what I suggested.
Living people will not be considered at the present time. Beginning in 2018, proposals for a deceased individual will be considered three years following his/her death.
This is a horrible way to find out that someone has died. (Sure, I know now that Gregory Hines died 16 years before his stamp was released, but still. )
The stamp program commemorates positive contributions to American life, history, culture and environment; therefore, negative occurrences and disasters will not be commemorated on U.S. postage stamps or stationery.
Stamps or stationery items shall not be issued to honor religious institutions or individuals whose principal achievements are associated with religious undertakings or beliefs.
Some religious figures have been granted a stamp (most recently, Fr. Theodore Hesburgh), based on their contributions to humanitarian causes; Mother Teresa was another. Religious holidays are still able to be featured on stamps.
i was actually talking to @postmypost the other day that we should start a petition to get some pride stamps in our countries. never occured to me i could also just send in a form well just by having a quick look at our postal website i actually canât find anything about it at all. maybe someone else from the netherlands can say something about this?
but we donât have that many great international stamps. i donât know why, we have a lot of beautiful national stamps, with all kinds of animals and illustrations. i would love to see some stamps with anything happening in the world. like pride or football or covid. or animals. iâm very excited we are having bees since last month, itâs the only animal we have on an international stamp.
Some Italian postcrossers have tried suggesting a PostCrossing stamp for a few years, but have been unsuccessful so far. I think that if we try requesting a Pride stamp Poste Italiane will laugh in our faces Still, itâs worth a shot!
I would always like to see more food on stamps I think Portugal hasnât done a carob-themed stamp yet (a tree which we have in abundance in the south), and it would be extra cool if the stamps would be scented or tasted like carob flour. Same for quince cheese!
Other than that, I would like to see more nicely illustrated stamps. So many stamps in our country these days feel like theyâre just photos lazily put together on stamps, and it breaks my heart a little. I want beauty, color and shapes!
how do they decide on what gets on the new stamp though? is that different in every country? i mean if a lot of people send a message about wanting to see the same thing on a stamp, wouldnât they think about it? serious question, i have no idea how such things work.
on another note i just remembered we had some beautiful postcrossing stamps but they somehow disappeared from the planet.
The way I understand it, in Italy we have to send the request to the Ministry of Economic Development (MiSE) via certified email or registered mail and if the people who examine the request deem it to be worthy, then they might start working on it. But thereâs no guideline or anything, from what I could find
I was worried about that too (as they say it takes at least 2 years of process until the stamp is issued), but then I noticed that they actually (at least should) send a letter back about what they thought of the suggestion! However that will take at least couple of months. That is actually why I didnât mention what I suggested for as I want to keep it secret until they answer. Will have to come back when that happens.
US guidelines sounds a lot like âtechnically no but if we like it then yesâ so I guess anything can be suggested anyway and they will just be yay or nay or roll their eyes for all the things people want to see on stamps
I am not sure but it seems to be trend to have noticeably less international stamps (we only have 1-3 for sale at once). I think it has something to do with stamp use: domestic stamps can be used more widely as they cover also international when used several, but the international rate is higher so it limits the use more.
I am honestly surprised Netherlands donât have football stamp!
Pride stamp could maybe be more successful try if it is so that they want themes that are well-known in all country. I understood from our guidelines that for example Postcrossing stamp wouldnât work as well because it is not a Swedish invention and there are so few Swedish Postcrossers. So definitely worth a shot!
Ugh, same! I was so sad to see our coming flower stamps⌠They honestly look like instagram photos. I was hoping for continuation for another, beautiful illustrated flower stamps they issued few years back, but yeah apparently no.
In Belarus, the Post office holds a competition for the best stamp of the year, usually in February. Everyone can choose the best stamp of the previous year and vote for it. Also, along with the vote, you can send proposals for the next year stamp motif.
This year I suggested the theme of Belarusian cuisine, we have almost no stamps with such a theme. Perhaps this is just a coincidence, but they included 2 stamps with the theme of Belarusian cuisine in the plan for 2022
That is actually very smart of them! They get votes in and but also somewhat controlled amount of suggestions in that specific time period and people will be more active with giving their thoughts
We had the same in Germany not too long ago! They asked what kind of stamps weâd like to see. I told them that Iâd love if theyâd be more flexible and issue stamps about recent events.
)
(The stamp was never released.)
well just by having a quick look at our postal website i actually canât find anything about it at all. maybe someone else from the netherlands can say something about this?
Still, itâs worth a shot!
I think Portugal hasnât done a 
