Stamp Featuring Elvis To Be Released Today

For all you Elvis fans out there, the King has been spotted at a store near you. The controversial Elvis commemorative stamp will be released for sale in the Cambridge Postal Store at noon today.

The stamp, which features a young, trim Elvis, represents "the first time that a rock and roll star has been acknowledged by the Postal Service," said Michael D. Hannon, supervisor of mail at the Cambridge Post Office.

The Cambridge Postal Store has received 125,000 of the stamps--five times the amount the store normally orders, according to Manager Richard J. Boyle.

Boyle said he expects the store's current supply to last about a week. "We are expecting a huge crowd," Boyle said.

The store will have access to an additional 400,000 stamps, just in case demand is even higher than anticipated, Boyle said.

In fact, the store plans to dedicate a separate sales line exclusively to purchasers of the new stamps, Boyle said.

"I'll be here at the head of [the line]--sweating," said Jeanette D. Giddings, who is scheduled to work the counter. "It will be fun," she said.

But not everybody is rushing to buy the stamp.

Stanley J. Richmond, owner of Daniel F.Kelleher Co. Inc., a store that deals in rarepostage stamps, said his store will not purchaseany Elvis stamps.

Richmond said he does not expect the stamps torise in value because too many are being printed.But he said that this should not deter people whoenjoy collecting stamps from buying them.

Hannon said his post office was buzzing all dayyesterday with people asking about the new stamp."The stamp should increase the profile for thepost office as well as for Elvis himself," hesaid.

Postal employees are gearing up for theexpected rush of eager customers today. Giddingssaid she will take her five-pack of Elvis compactdiscs to work to heighten the atmosphere.

But besides this, nothing special is planned atthe Cambridge Postal Store. "We had tried torecruit an Elvis impersonator from our employees,but there were no volunteers," Boyle said

Stanley J. Richmond, owner of Daniel F.Kelleher Co. Inc., a store that deals in rarepostage stamps, said his store will not purchaseany Elvis stamps.

Richmond said he does not expect the stamps torise in value because too many are being printed.But he said that this should not deter people whoenjoy collecting stamps from buying them.

Hannon said his post office was buzzing all dayyesterday with people asking about the new stamp."The stamp should increase the profile for thepost office as well as for Elvis himself," hesaid.

Postal employees are gearing up for theexpected rush of eager customers today. Giddingssaid she will take her five-pack of Elvis compactdiscs to work to heighten the atmosphere.

But besides this, nothing special is planned atthe Cambridge Postal Store. "We had tried torecruit an Elvis impersonator from our employees,but there were no volunteers," Boyle said