According to Lera, an early sheet of this series was printed improperly, and only four of the five bats circling the center design were inked. He estimates that 96 copies of this four-bat stamp were issued. BCI is indeed fortunate to name Tom Lera among its members. Many thanks to him for amassing and sharing his rich and diverse collection of stamps, which has introduced bats to people all over the world. We encourage members who live in or near Ohio to take friends and family to see Lera's exhibit in the Championship of Champions competition this summer at the American Philatelic Society's 113th Annual Convention, scheduled for August 26-29, in the Cleveland Convention Center.
Admission is free.
She is an author and construction project manager who lives in California and Massachusetts. Tom Lera for generously loaning many of his stamps so we could scan and photograph them. How to Appeal for a U.S. Bat Stamp The United States' failure to issue a bat stamp cannot be blamed on lack of effort by bat enthusiasts. But with competition from roughly 40,000 other requests a year, ours has not yet been granted. The USPS Citizens' Stamp Advisory Committee meets several times a year to select new topics for stamps.