$1, $2 & $5 Statue of Freedom (U.S. 2018)

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The Scott catalogue numbers for these stamps are 5295 $1, 5296 $2 and 5297 $5.

The USPS announced these three stamps on May 10th, with an issue date of Wednesday, June 27th in Bellefonte, PA, the headquarters of the American Philatelic Society. That is in the middle of its annual Summer Seminar Week.

Added June 14: The date and location for the issuance of these stamps was suggested by APS executive director Scott English.

The information from the USPS:

These three designs feature the head of the statue that tops the United States Capitol dome, in a modern interpretation of an engraved vignette originally created for a 1923 stamp ($5 Head of Freedom Statue). The engraved artwork was originally created for the U.S. Bureau of Engraving and Printing by John Eissler (1873–1962). Rendered in emerald green ($1), indigo ($2) and brick red ($5), the tightly cropped enlargements highlight the solid and dashed lines and the crosshatching characteristic of engraved illustrations.

American sculptor Thomas Crawford (1814–1857) created the allegorical Statue of Freedom during the mid-1850s. She wears a variation on a Roman helmet — circled by stars, topped with an eagle head, and embellished by feathered plumes meant to evoke Native American headdress. Installation of the statue onto the new Capitol dome was completed in 1863.

All three stamps were printed in intaglio and were designed by Art Director Greg Breeding.

$1 Statue of Freedom
The U.S. Postal Service will be issuing the $1 Statue of Freedom stamp, offering a modern take on vintage patriotic stamp art for use on packages, large envelopes and other mailings. $1 Statue of Freedom will be sold in panes of 10 stamps.

$2 Statue of Freedom
The Postal Service will be issuing the $2 Statue of Freedom, also offering a modern take on vintage patriotic stamp art for use on packages, large envelopes and other mailings. $2 Statue of Freedom will be sold in panes of 10 stamps.

$5 Statue of Freedom
The Postal Service will be issuing the $5 Statue of Freedom for use on packages, large envelopes and other mailings. $5 Statue of Freedom will be sold in panes of four stamps.

Updated May 25th:

On June 27, 2018, in Bellefonte, PA, the U.S. Postal Service will issue the $1, $2, and $5 Statue of Freedom definitive stamps in one design each. The $1 and $2 Statue of Freedom stamps will be issued in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 10 stamps (Items 114200 and 114300). The $5 Statue of Freedom stamp will be issued in a PSA pane of 4 stamps (Item 117900). All three will go on sale nationwide June 27, 2018.

The $1, $2, and $5 Statue of Freedom stamps offer a modern take on vintage patriotic stamp art for use on packages, large envelopes, and other mailings. The design features the head of the statue that tops the U.S. Capitol dome in artwork based on an engraved vignette originally created for a 1923 stamp ($5 Head of Freedom Statue). The tightly cropped enlargement, rendered in emerald green, indigo, and brick red, highlights the solid and dashed lines as well as the cross-hatching characteristic of engraved illustration. These stamps were printed in intaglio. Art director Greg Breeding designed the stamps using John Eissler’s engraved artwork.

Availability to Post Offices: Item 114200 and 114300, $1 and $2 Statue of Freedom PSA Pane of 10 Stamps and Item 117900 $5 Statue of Freedom PSA Pane of 4 Stamps: Stamp Fulfillment Services will not make an automatic push distribution to Post Offices.

How to Order the First-Day-of-Issue Postmark:
Customers have 120 days to obtain the first-day-of-issue postmark by mail. They may purchase new stamps at their local Post Office or at the Postal Store website at usps.com/shop. They must affix the stamps to envelopes of their choice, address the envelopes (to themselves or others), and place them in a larger envelope addressed to:

FDOI – Statue of Freedom Stamps
USPS Stamp Fulfillment Services
8300 NE Underground Drive, Suite 300
Kansas City, MO 64144-9900

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 October 27, 2018.

No locally produced items are authorized. Only merchandise that has been approved and assigned an item number by Headquarters Retail Marketing may be produced and sold.

Technical Specifications:

Issue: $1 Statue of Freedom Stamp
Item Number: 114200
Denomination & Type of Issue: $1 Definitive
Format: Pane of 10 (1 design)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: June 27, 2018, Bellefonte, PA 16823
Designer: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
Art Director: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
Typographer: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
Modeler: Sandra Lane/Michelle Finn
Manufacturing Process: Offset, Intaglio, Microprint
Printer: Banknote Corporation of America
Printed at: Browns Summit, NC
Press Type: Alprinta 74
Stamps per Pane: 10
Print Quantity: 100,000,000 stamps
Paper Type: Phosphor Tagged Paper, Block
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Processed at: Banknote Corporation of America, Browns Summit, NC
Colors: Custom Green, Custom Black, Custom OVI
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): 4.85 x 8.27 in./123.19 x 210.06 mm
Press Sheets Size (w x h): 9.70 x 24.81 in./246.38 x 630.17 mm
Plate Size: 120 stamps per revolution
Plate Numbers: B followed by three (3) single digits
Marginal Markings:
Front: Plate Block Number
Back: ©2018 USPS • USPS logo • 10 Barcodes (114200) • Plate position diagram • Promotional text

Technical Specifications:

Issue: $2 Statue of Freedom Stamp
Item Number: 114300
Denomination & Type of Issue: $2 Definitive
Format: Pane of 10 (1 design)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: June 27, 2018, Bellefonte, PA 16823
Designer: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
Art Director: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
Typographer: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
Modeler: Sandra Lane/Michelle Finn
Manufacturing Process: Offset, Intaglio, Microprint
Printer: Banknote Corporation of America
Printed at: Browns Summit, NC
Press Type: Alprinta 74
Stamps per Pane: 10
Print Quantity: 30,000,000 stamps
Paper Type: Phosphor Tagged Paper, Block
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Processed at: Banknote Corporation of America, Browns Summit, NC
Colors: Custom Blue, Custom Black, Custom OVI
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): 4.85 x 8.27 in./123.19 x 210.06 mm
Press Sheets Size (w x h): 9.70 x 24.81 in./246.38 x 630.17 mm
Plate Size: 120 stamps per revolution
Plate Numbers: B followed by three (3) single digits
Marginal Markings:
Front: Plate Block Number
Back: ©2018 USPS • USPS logo • 10 Barcodes (114300) • Plate position diagram • Promotional text

Technical Specifications:

Issue: $5 Statue of Freedom Stamp
Item Number: 117900
Denomination & Type of Issue: $5 Definitive
Format: Pane of 4 (1 design)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: June 27, 2018, Bellefonte, PA 16823
Designer: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
Art Director: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
Typographer: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
Modeler: Sandra Lane/Michelle Finn
Manufacturing Process: Offset, Intaglio, Microprint
Printer: Banknote Corporation of America
Printed at: Browns Summit, NC
Press Type: Alprinta 74
Stamps per Pane: 4
Print Quantity: 5,000,000 stamps
Paper Type: Phosphor Tagged Paper, Block
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Processed at: Banknote Corporation of America, Browns Summit, NC
Colors: Custom Red, Custom Black, Custom OVI
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): 4.85 x 4.17 in./123.19 x 105.92 mm
Press Sheets Size (w x h): 9.70 x 20.85 in./246.38 x 529.59 mm
Plate Size: 80 stamps per revolution
Plate Numbers: B followed by three (3) single digits
Marginal Markings:
Front: Plate Block Number
Back: ©2018 USPS • USPS logo • 4 Barcodes (117900) • Plate position diagram • Promotional text

Thanks to Mary, here are the first-day postmarks. They all appear to be approximately three inches in width.

27 thoughts on “$1, $2 & $5 Statue of Freedom (U.S. 2018)”

  1. What Kind of a SCAM IS THE POST OFFICE is UP TO in issuing the $1.00, $2.00 and $5.00 seperately, and also in Pane form?!

    • Each of the designs is issue in its own pane, not all three designs in one pane.

  2. Because I generally have no idea how much postage a package I want to mail will require, I take it to the Post Office where they weigh it, determine the postage, and place a “metered” postage sticker on it. I have never seen postal counter workers apply stamps–of any variety–at any of my frequent visits. So stipulating that these stamps are primarily for packages and large envelopes is a stretch of the imagination. These stamps are exactly what they are, a method to increase revenue from collectors. Nuff said.

    • I buy them and use them on packages and large envelopes (domestic and intl) all the time!

  3. You don’t have to purchase them and if you ask, a clerk will put on any postage you want to what ever you are mailing.

    • But the clerks generally run a label before you can say anything; it’s a simple tap on the screen after checking the weight and rates. Then, if you refuse to “buy” the label, the clerk has to do some paperwork, which he or she won’t enjoy. Most will tell you they “can’t” not use the label at that point. You need to say “I want to use stamps on this” before handing the piece to the clerk. Even then, it may not help, because “labeling” is so automatic to them.

      • The clerks in “my” post office know me because of the volumes of stamps I buy. They do whatever I ask and with a smile on their faces too. I’m just lucky, I guess! And I personally know all the leader peeps at the L.A. P & DC too and that includes the DM and the Postmaster. They come to our Ries Chapter Luau every May.

  5. From Postal Bulletin MAY 24
    $1 114204 PSA Pn-10 $10
    $2 114304 PSA Pn-10 $20
    $5 117904 PSA Pn-4 $20
    No Auto-Distrib No Cancellation Artwork Same instructions about No Local Items allowed, as in Ice Pops.

    • Now a part of each stamp announcement:

      No locally produced items are authorized. Only merchandise that has been approved and assigned an item number by Headquarters Retail Marketing may be produced and sold.

      • This means our local P & DC can’t produce cacheted envelopes to make a little extra $$$. Too bad. More of USPS shooting themselves in the foot!

    • Mr Bessette, Postmaster 1104 Plainfield Pike, Oneco CT 06373 already has these, and can ship on the first-day date.

      No cancellation artwork in the 7 June Postal Bulletin, just the technical details.

      • Stamp Services
        Stamp Stock Item Withdrawn From Regular Sale
        The $5 Washington and Jackson stamp (Item 109500)
        was removed from sale in the field on March 31, 2013;
        however, the stamp remained available through Stamp
        Fulfillment Services. Effective close-of-business July 31,
        2018, the $5 Washington and Jackson stamp will no longer
        be available from Stamp Fulfillment Services.
        — Stamp Services, Marketing, 7-19-18

  6. Because there hasn’t been any cancellation artwork published, does that mean there will be 4-bar first day cancels instead?

    • I will check, but I’ve heard the APS will have one or more special cancellations of its own.

        • Sorry, I should have included dimensions.

          DCP size: 2.98″ x 1.44″
          Pictorial size: 2.65″ x 1.42″

          Thanks for posting Lloyd!

  7. So USPS has released the sizes of the Statue of Freedom press sheets
    which apparently do not exist.

  8. I’ve seen the specifications for press sheets for each of the three Statue of Freedom stamp. But, no press sheets have been listed for sale at USPS.com. Can’t find any in the secondary market. Lots of panes available, but press sheets have been elusive. Is there really a press sheet for each denomination? I’d appreciate any insight anyone might have.

  9. Before I mail a package I inform the postal clerk I want real stamps used and have had no problems.

  10. Thank you Mary for the cancels & image sizes. Greatly appreciated. So difficult and time consuming to gather all the info now that we don’t get the emails directly from Celia any more.

  11. I have a question. I assume we cannot mail these three issues all in the same envelope to make the minimum 10 DCP’s. What is the rule for high values? I haven’t prepared covers for high value stamps before. Somebody please give me the lowdown. Thanks in advance.

    I would hate to think I need to make 10 DCP’s for each of these to the tune of $80!

    I actually had planned to send in only 2 covers for each stamp plus whatever deck cards I manage to collect before the deadline to mail everything in.

    • No, I’m certain you can combine the three issues into one order. Note that there is only ONE servicing address above for all three stamps.

      I think the reasoning is that this is one “issue,” just as the 20 “O Beautiful” stamps are one issue. Or, more to the point, Dragons, with 4 different DCPs, was one issue, and I submitted 54 total, but only 12-14 of each stamps/each DCP.

  12. Hi, I brought a pane of $1 Statue of Freedom Stamp from Post Office @ EBay. I think it has misplaced the die-cut : The bottom die-cut ran cross the letter R of DOLLAR.

    Question: Do I just use them as postage or should I save them as stamp collection?

    • Quick answer: I don’t know. But don’t use these as postage until an expert in Errors checks in. I’ll ask around.

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