Stamping out inflation // Cost of buying every new product declined this year

Purchasing one of each stamp, postal card and envelope producedthis year by the Postal Service would cost about $66, a decrease ofabout $17 from last year, when more products went on the market.

The annual year-end survey by Linn's Stamp News, of Sidney,Ohio, counted 165 different stamps, cards and pieces of stationery.

This is a decrease from last year, when the Postal Servicechurned out 213 different products, valued at about $83, Linn'sreports.Next year's stamp lineup will include more than 100 items.Although some have been announced already, the post office announcesother new designs during the year to increase interest and publicity.Some of next year's stamps, like the Classic American Dolls andClassic Movie Monsters, are announced months ahead of time and thenpromoted again shortly before their release.Last year's large number of stamps drew complaints fromcollectors about the cost of trying to buy each stamp, or sheet ofstamps. The cost was even greater for those who save first-daycovers of new issues or blocks of four stamps.The total is pushed up by postal cards that are released to gowith a series of stamps, such as this year's Endangered Speciesstamps and the Olympic Games stamps. These are cards that theaverage postal patron usually never sees. Most go to collectors, whobuy them from the Postal Service by mail.Look for more stamps aimed at the younger collector and thenon-collector, such as those featuring dinosaurs, movies, cartooncharacters and music.Most of the stamps for general postage use next year will be theself-adhesive variety.A free catalog of new stamps and other postal products isavailable by calling the the Postal Service Fulfillment ServiceCenter in Kansas City, Mo., at (800) STAMP24.The historic meeting of Elvis Presley and Richard Nixon hasbeen captured on a two-stamp sheet from the African Republic of Chad.The stamp is the latest offering from the International StampCollectors Society in Van Nuys, Calif., which markets novelty stampsfor many Third World nations.This is the group that was sued by representatives of theBeatles for using their images on stamps without permission.Questions about stamps can be sent to: Larry Finley, Stamps,Chicago Sun-Times, 401 N. Wabash, Chicago 60611.