Birth. Stamps. Death.

Chris and Sam have the time of their lives exploring the National Philatelic Exposition (NAPEX) and the Postcrossing meetup that took place there. They brought along two field mics to bring you interviews with some of the Postcrossers, philatelists, and vendors that made the show such a roaring success. It's the pod's first foray into field recording, so we apologize for any moments of poor audio quality. If you enjoy the show, please consider leaving us a rating and a review, and as always, please write to us at:Birth. Stamps. Death.P.O. Box 26Grand Central StationNew York, NY 10163LinksWorld Series of Philately ShowsNAPEXThe Washington Stamp Collectors ClubMonth of LettersWorld Postcard DayThe storied Esterbrook fountain pensThe Capitol-Beltway Postcard ClubThe magisterial Lilac Breasted Roller (bird) depicted on Matt's Angola se-tenant stamp sheetOur friend and friend of the pod, Alex HaimannOur WebsiteOur InstagramWe're very grateful to the band All Good for supplying our intro and outro music, check them out on Instagram and head over to Spotify or wherever you stream your music to give them a listen. They have a new EP out now!

We're back folks! And while Sam has been on/off the road in recent weeks, we're very excited to have a special guest co-host this week on the show: Sydney Stephenson of Austin, Texas. Sydney—artist, nurse, and yoga teacher—also happens to be the Proprietor/Postmaster/Chief Coolness Officer of a new local post, Opie's North Loop Private Post. In this episode, we learn all about the wonder and whimsy of local posts—their history, their art and eccentricities, and their many modern incarnations—through the eyes of one of the country's most prolific modern local posters: Kevin Blackston of Philosateleian Post. We also chat about the show's own newly-launched local post, the Columbia Pike Express Company, in Arlington, VA. Hope you enjoy!And as always, we'd love to hear from you. Drop us a line at:P.O. Box 26Grant Central StationNew York, NY 10163(Or digitally, at: [email protected])Links:Columbia Pike Express Company (the show’s new local post)Locals in Imperial Russia (Smithsonian) Philosateleian Post (Kevin’s local post) Opie’s North Loop Private Post (Sydney’s local post)On local posts, carriers and locals, modern local posts, etc. (Wikipedia)Barrett’s Too (coffee shop in Austin’s North Loop neighborhood) More on the history of local posts (classic and modern) by Casey Jo White (APS)The Local Post Collectors Society (LCPS)Sydney’s painting of the historic Arlington Post Office (and Opie stamps!) (Episode Gallery)“West Like Lightning: the Brief, Legendary Ride of the Pony Express” (Jim DeFelice’s book)The famous Trans-Mississippi Exposition issues of 1898 (Smithsonian)Rattle Snake Island Local Post (RILP)

After discussing some recent postal adventures and a few future philatelic plans, Sam and Chris dive into the contents of their P.O. Box, sharing with listeners what they received and thanking their faithful correspondents. This mailbag features some real gems. We would LOVE to include you in future mailbag episodes, write to us at:Birth. Stamps. Death.P.O. Box 26Grand Central StationNew York, NY 10163LinksPost Offices in Operation Since 1776First Automated Post Office IssueThe King's Best Highway - Eric JaffeThe American Bison IssueThe Buffalo Hunter Hunter - Stephen Graham JonesExploring Stamps w/ Graham BeckOur WebsiteOur InstagramWe're very grateful to the band All Good for supplying our intro and outro music, check them out on Instagram and head over to Spotify or wherever you stream your music to give them a listen. They have a new EP out now!

After a badly needed summer break, we're back folks!—and rounding out Season 1 with a few more episodes before summer's end. We're thrilled to be talking this week with special guest Matthew Cassetta: an O.G. Postcrosser, globe-trotting naturalist and birder, former president of the D.C.-based Washington Stamp Collectors Club (IYKYK), and all around veteran of topical collecting. Matt also spent two decades in the U.S. Foreign Service focused on science, conservation, and related issues in diplomacy, and has lived (and collected!) in places as far flung as Fiji, East Africa, Madagascar, and Belgium. We chat all about his journey in the hobby, his expertise in birds-on-stamps, and how he got started Postcrossing in the very early days. We hope you enjoy.ALSO: if you wrote to us last month during the World Stamp Expo (or prior!) fear not—we are racing to get a very tardy mailbag episode in your feeds shortly, and will have goodies out to everyone who wrote to us during Boston 2026 just as fast. Hang tight and keep an eye on your mailbox folks!As always, we'd love to hear from you. Drop us a line at:P.O. Box 26Grant Central StationNew York, NY 10163(Or digitally, at: [email protected])Links:A wonderful gallery of gorgeous bird stamps curated by Matt himself (Google Drive)Stamps for the Wounded (SFTW)Matthew and Christopher's club, the Washington Stamp Collectors Club (WSCC)An introduction to Postcrossing (postcrossing.com)Probably the most insane and incredible birds-on-stamps collection to date (Birdtheme.org)Our earlier episode on the Voice of America issue (Part 1) (birthstampsdeath.com)

The Boston 2026 World Stamp Expo is here folks! And we're over the moon to be chatting in this episode with Ana Campos, founding and long-time team member at Postcrossing. If you're new to Postcrossing—or were unaware that the USPS is unveiling its first ever stamps to commemorate the project during the show—you're in luck. Ana tells us all about what it took to get here, and why Postcrossing is still a force for fun and connection for collectors and non-collectors alike after more than two decades. We chat with Ana about the early years of the project (founded in 2005 by Paulo Magalhães!), Postcrossing's remarkable growth and evolution, and all the awesome Postcrossing meet-ups and other activities taking place in Boston this week. Ana joins us from Boston, where her and the team will also be part of the First Day of Issue Ceremony taking place at the show on Tuesday May 26th. You won't want to miss it. As always, we'd love to hear from you, especially if you're writing from Boston! Listeners who write to us from the World Stamp Expo—or during this show week—will receive a special thank you item while supplies last. Postcrossers unite!—and write to us at:P.O. Box 26Grant Central StationNew York, NY 10163(Or digitally, at: [email protected])Links:The Boston 2026 World Stamp ExpoAbout Postcrossing (Postcrossing)The Postcrossing Blog (curated by Ana)Register for the Postcrossing First Day of Issue Ceremony (USPS)Other First Day Ceremonies for new stamps at the Show (USPS)Citizen Stamp Advisory Committee (CSAC, USPS)A bit about stamp designer and artist Antonio Alcala (NPR)Shout-out to All Good for our theme song (Spotify)And thanks to our special outro "assistant" on this one, Scott McKenzie, for his (1967) "San Francisco."