La Cueva del Indio (U.S. 2016)

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Updated March 7th: The Scott Catalogue number for this issue is 5040; the imperforate single is 5040a. The stamped envelope is U693.

Updated January 21st: From the Postal Bulletin:
s_cuevaOn January 17, 2016, in Washington, DC, the U.S. Postal Service® issued the $6.45 La Cueva del Indio Priority Mail® stamp, in one design, in a pressure–sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 10 stamps (Item 119100).

The stamp went on sale nationwide January 17, 2016.

With this new Priority Mail stamp, the U.S. Postal Service celebrates one of Puerto Rico’s many magical and mysterious caves, La Cueva del Indio. The stamp art depicts a sunset view of La Cueva del Indio, or the Cave of the Indian, which is located near Arecibo on Puerto Rico’s north coast. The cave gets its name from the great number of engravings, known as petroglyphs, found on its walls. Art director Greg Breeding designed the stamp with original art by Dan Cosgrove.

How to Order the First-Day-of-Issue Postmark:
Customers have 60 days to obtain the first-day-of-issue postmark by mail. They may purchase new stamps at their local Post Office, at The Postal Store® website at http://www.usps.com/shop, or by calling 800-782-6724. They should affix the stamps to envelopes of their choice, address the envelopes (to themselves or others), and place them in a larger envelope addressed to:

La Cueva del Indio Stamp
Special Events
PO Box 92282
Washington, DC 20090-2282

After applying the first-day-of-issue postmark, the Postal Service™ will return the envelopes through the mail. There is no charge for the postmark up to a quantity of 50. There is a 5-cent charge for each additional postmark over 50. All orders must be postmarked by March 17, 2016.

There are four philatelic products for this stamp issue:

  • 119106, Press Sheet with Die-cut, $387.00 (print quantity 300).
  • 119108, Press Sheet without Die-cut, $387.00 (print quantity 500).
  • 119116 First-Day Cover, $6.89.
  • 119121 Digital Color Postmark, $7.60.

Technical Specifications:

s_cuevaIssue: La Cueva Del Indio
Item Number: 119100
Denomination & Type of Issue: $6.45 Priority Mail Price
Format: Pane of 10 (1 design)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: January 17, 2016, Washington,
DC 20066
Designer: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
Art Director: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
Typographer: Dan Cosgrove, Chicago, IL
Artist: Dan Cosgrove, Chicago, IL
Modeler: Joseph Sheeran
Manufacturing Process: Offset, Microprint
Printer: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
Printed at: Williamsville, NY
Press Type: Muller A76
Stamps per Pane: 10
Print Quantity: 12 million stamps
Paper Type: Nonphosphored Type III, Block Tag applied
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Processed at: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
Colors: Black, Cyan, Magenta, Yellow
Stamp Orientation: Horizontal
Image Area (w x h): 1.42 x 1.085 in./36.07 x 27.56 mm
Overall Size (w x h): 1.56 x 1.225 in./39.62 x 31.12 mm
Full Pane Size (w x h): 4.12 x 7.12 in./104.64 x 180.85 mm
Press Sheet Size (w x h): 8.24 x 21.36 in./209.30 x 542.54 mm
Plate Size: 180 stamps per revolution
Plate Numbers: “P” followed by four (4) single digits
Marginal Markings:
Front: Plate numbers in two corners of pane
Back: © 2015 USPS • USPS logo • Plate position diagram • UPC Code in upper right and lower left corners of pane • Static UPC Code behind each stamp • Plate Position Diagram • Website Information

Updated January 15th: This stamp will be issued January 17th, still with a Washington postmark and still without a ceremony.

From the USPS:

Priority Mail
FDOI: January in Washington, DC (no ceremony)
s_cuevaFormat: Pane of 10

With this new Priority Mail® stamp, the U.S. Postal Service® celebrates one of Puerto Rico’s many magical and mysterious caves, La Cueva del Indio.

The stamp art depicts a sunset view of La Cueva del Indio, or the Cave of the Indian, which is located near Arecibo on Puerto Rico’s north coast.
The cave gets its name from the great number of engravings, known as petroglyphs, found on its walls.

Art Director: Greg Breeding
Illustrator: Dan Cosgrove

 

11 thoughts on “La Cueva del Indio (U.S. 2016)”

  1. http://stamps.org/US-New-Issues

    On 4 JAN 2016 This list says the USPS will also issue this in the Embossed Priority Mail Flat Rate Envelope format as well. Sold in packs of 5 from The Caves in KC MO. First Day is Probably 17 JAN 2016. Maybe some First Day of Sale cancellations from cities on the north side of Puerto Rico.

    • But only if you can find the envelopes at a post office there on that date. HA! (Nice road trip for January, though.)

      • From USPS.COM They have a Stamp (1191xx) and an Embossed Envelope (2326xx) for this. The Stamp has a 4-Bar cancel (#16), a DCP (#21) as well as Cut and Uncut press sheets. The Envelope only offers the 4-Bar cancel for FDC. You can get any of the cancels, for up to a Year Later, from The Caves in KC MO.
        This would be the excuse for the Postmaster General to cover the expenses of a trip to P.R. in January. (Keep your palete wet with caribean rum?)

  2. For U693; will the vignette on the envelope be
    A) a stamp,
    B) Embossed, or
    C) printed on the envelope stock itself.

    For cut square/ full corner collectors, it makes a difference

    • In the past, the “indicia” has been printed on the envelope itself, no embossing.

  3. Is the stamped envelope available without the first day mailing as previous priority mail envelopes ?

  4. Is the Priority Mail Stamped envelope available without the first day of sale on it as previous Priority Mail Stamped Envelopes were?

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