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Yes. The USPS issues pictorial postmarks for stamp shows, anniversaries, and local events, and anyone can request one by mail. Send the stamped, addressed item you want postmarked inside a larger envelope to the postmaster of the event's city, with a note asking for the pictorial postmark. Canada Post issues commemorative pictorial cancels at select post offices too.
USPS announces upcoming pictorial postmarks in its postal bulletins, and collector communities track them online. Once you know the event, the city, and the postmark date, the request goes like this:
The standard USPS rule is generous: requests are generally accepted if postmarked within thirty days after the event date, which means you do not have to hit the exact day. But do not push it to day twenty-nine; late requests at a busy post office get less care. One more detail people miss: the item itself needs real postage affixed, because the pictorial mark cancels a stamp. An unstamped envelope with a request note gets you a polite refusal.
| Event type | Example |
|---|---|
| Stamp shows and philatelic exhibitions | The most common source of new pictorial marks. |
| City and town anniversaries | Centennials and sesquicentennials are frequent. |
| Historical commemorations | Battles, expeditions, famous firsts. |
| First-day ceremonies | New stamp issues with a local connection. |
Designs range from simple text rings to little works of art: lighthouses, covered bridges, famous faces. Collectors call the mailed-back souvenirs "covers," and a good one is worth more than the stamp on it.
USPS publishes them in its postal bulletins, which are the official source, but few casual collectors read bulletins. The practical route is the collector community: philatelic societies, postmark-collector forums, and event calendars maintained by enthusiasts track every announced mark with the request address and deadline. Stamp shows almost always advertise their show postmark in advance, since it is part of the draw. Once you have the event details, the request itself is the same every time: stamped item, outer envelope to the postmaster, note naming the mark, and enough lead time that it arrives around the event date.
Yes, though the system is less centralized. Canada Post issues commemorative pictorial cancels, often tied to stamp releases and events, and they are usually available at designated post offices rather than by a single national request address. Ask at a larger post office or check collector forums for the current list. As with the US version, the item needs proper postage affixed for the cancel to do its job.
Usually only sentimental value, and that is the point. Most pictorial postmarks are produced in generous quantities for anyone who asks, so they are not rare. Value in the collector market comes from the combination: a first-day cover with a scarce cachet, a postmark tied to a genuinely historic event, or an error piece. Do not request pictorial postmarks as an investment. Request them because you were at the event, or because the design is beautiful, or because your grandfather collected covers and you want to understand why. The hobby has always been about the story the envelope tells, not the price it might fetch.
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