On Thursday, May 7th, the Clemson Post Office will offer special “Homer” and “Bart” commemorative postmarks to the public to celebrate the issuance of the new Simpsons stamps. The pictorial cancellations, pictured below, like the stamps, are sure to be a hit with fans of all ages. The Simpsons, currently in its 20th year as a regularly scheduled half-hour series, is the longest-running comedy in television history. The show is a cultural phenomenon, recognizable throughout the world.

The U.S. Postal Service receives approximately 50,000 suggestions for stamp subjects each year, yet only about 20 topics are selected for postage. The Simpsons is the only television show to be featured as the sole subject of a stamp set while still in primetime production.

The Clemson version of the postmark, which will be advertised nationally in the Postal Bulletin, is free, but must be applied to items bearing First-Class postage. It will be available to collectors at the post office on Thursday, or through the mail for 30 days following the date of issue. "Woo hoo!” said Clemson Officer-in-Charge William Pruett, “we’re proud to be able to make our own mark on your Simpsons stamps. Be sure to order both Homer and Bart."

To order by mail, write to: Simpsons Postmark Station, Attn: Postmaster, 519 College Av., Clemson, SC 29631-9998. Enclose a self-addressed, stamped envelope for return. By-mail requests must be postmarked by June 7, 2009. (Artwork pictured below.)

# # #

An independent federal agency, the U.S. Postal Service is the only delivery service that reaches every address in the nation, 149 million residences, businesses and Post Office Boxes, six days a week. It has 34,000 retail locations and relies on the sale of postage, products and services, not tax dollars, to pay for operating expenses. Named the Most Trusted Government Agency five consecutive years by the Ponemon Institute, the Postal Service has annual revenue of $75 billion and delivers nearly half the world’s mail.