INAUGURATION DAY COMMEMORATIVE

The Postal Service will offer an official commemorative souvenir to mark the inauguration of Barack Obama as President of the United States. This philatelic folio includes:

• A collectible stamped envelope with silk portraits of Obama and Vice President-elect Joseph Biden.
• An official commemorative Inaugural Digital Color Postmark.
• Photographs and biographical information.
• A brief commentary on inaugural tradition and history.
• Presidential oath of office.

Pre-orders are now accepted at usps.com/shop and will be shipped starting Jan. 20. Official sales begin Jan. 20 at select Post Offices, usps.com and by calling 800-STAMP-24.

GREEN HOLIDAY TIPS

Don’t take a holiday from recycling. That's the message from the Postal Service and Earth911.com.

Waste output can increase as much as 25 percent during the Holidays, so Earth911.com and the Postal Service are presenting the “Green Your Holidays” channel with simple, practical tips to make sure you don’t contribute to that statistic.

The Green Your Holidays channel shows how to reduce, reuse and recycle key products associated with the holidays, including Christmas trees, gift packaging, greeting cards and holiday lights. It also provides the opportunity for consumers to search more than 100,000 locations in the U.S. and Canada that recycle these products.

USPS will be contributing valuable content about recycled content packaging, greening your mail and other information.

MONEY ORDERS GET A MAKEOVER

Redesigned domestic and international postal money orders have enhanced security features, including a watermark and a new security thread.

When the money order is held up to a light, repeating images of former Postmaster General Benjamin Franklin can be seen, making it easier for banks and Post Offices to detect counterfeits. A new holographic, multi-colored security thread also now weaves in and out of the paper to thwart scam artists attempting to produce fake money orders.

Domestic money orders are available at all Post Offices in amounts up to $1,000, at a cost of a little more than a dollar. International money orders valued at up to $700 are available to 30 countries for only $3.85. A complete list of participating countries can be found at usps.com.

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News for Mailing Professionals

Postmaster General John Potter has appointed Jean Picker Firstenberg, former director and chief executive officer of the American Film Institute, chairman of the Citizens’ Stamp Advisory Committee, beginning in January 2009.