{"id":7398,"date":"2018-06-26T18:39:04","date_gmt":"2018-06-26T22:39:04","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/virtualstampclub.com\/lloydblog\/?p=7398"},"modified":"2018-09-08T17:22:14","modified_gmt":"2018-09-08T21:22:14","slug":"coca-cola-santas-sparkling-holidays-u-s-2018","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/virtualstampclub.com\/lloydblog\/?p=7398","title":{"rendered":"Sparkling Holidays (Coca-Cola Santas) (U.S. 2018)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Announced June 26th; updated July 26th: To be issued October 11th in Pigeon Forge, TN (home of Dollywood). On August 28th, the USPS announced the issue would also include a souvenir sheet and gave details on the first-day ceremony.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

[press release]<\/em>
\nU.S. Postal Service to Issue Classic Santa Stamps this Christmas<\/strong><\/span>
\nArt Features Images from 1950s Coca-Cola Ads<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"WASHINGTON \u2014 It\u2019s beginning to look like a classic Christmas! This October, the Postal Service will ring in the 2018 holiday season with four Sparkling Holidays stamps featuring character-rich close-ups of Santa Claus.<\/p>\n

The Santa images are from Haddon Sundblom paintings created for The Coca-Cola Company holiday advertisements that ran from the1940s through the early 1960s. Sundblom, a famed commercial artist, depicted a rosy-cheeked, smiling, grandfatherly man in a red suit that came to embody the very essence of \u201cSanta.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Sparkling Holidays stamps will be issued as Forever stamps. Forever stamps are always equal in value to the current First-Class Mail 1-ounce price.<\/p>\n

Additional details will be announced before the stamps\u2019 release.<\/p>\n

Added June 28th:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"As reported by Foster Miller in The Stamp Collecting Forum, Bill Gicker of the USPS design team says the stamp designs were adapted from the original artwork produced by Sundblom for the soft drink company, not from specific Coca-Cola ads. Gicker was speaking at a Q&A session with Stamp Services staff June 27th at American Philatelic Society headquarters in Bellefonte, Pa.<\/p>\n

FDC collector and retired professional artist Dave Bennett found matches for three of the stamp designs in Coca-Cola ads: \"\"\"\"\"\"Dave didn’t find a match for the fourth stamp design, but he did find what may be the inspiration for the official name for this issue: \"\"Added June 30th:<\/strong> <\/span>And from VSC member Mary Kneller, the 4th design: \"\"<\/p>\n

[USPS advisory August 28th]<\/em>
\nUSPS Issues \u201cSparkling Holidays\u201d Stamps and Souvenir Sheet<\/strong><\/span>
\n Offerings Feature Sundblom Santa Paintings from Coca-Cola Ads<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"WHAT:<\/strong><\/span> U.S. Postmaster General and CEO Megan Brennan Dedicates New Sparkling Holidays Forever Stamps<\/p>\n

WHEN:<\/strong><\/span> Oct. 11, 2018
\n11:15 a.m. (EDT)<\/p>\n

WHERE:<\/strong><\/span> The Inn at Christmas Place<\/a>
\n119 Christmas Tree Lane
\nPigeon Forge, TN 37868<\/p>\n

WHY:<\/strong> <\/span>The Postal Service issues four new stamps and a souvenir sheet [shown on right] showcasing classic images of Santa Claus painted by famed commercial artist Haddon Sundblom. Each stamp portrays a close-up of Santa\u2019s face. The four images featured in the booklet are details from larger paintings created by Sundblom and originally published in ads for The Coca-Cola Company from the 1940s through the early 1960s. Sundblom is the man credited with refining the modern image of Santa Claus.<\/p>\n

\"\"The souvenir sheet includes a semi-jumbo stamp as part of a wider scene of one of Sundblom’s paintings chosen for the Sparkling Holidays stamp booklet. In it, Santa is depicted standing by a fireplace holding a book that lists good boys and girls. Three Christmas stockings hang along a mantel decorated with greens and ornaments. Peering over his glasses, Santa reads a note among the stockings.<\/p>\n

A quatrefoil design element surrounded by a metallic gold background encloses the scene. The use of gold metallic ink, the flow of the type, and the organic shape of the border are intended to harken back to the graphic style of the first half of the 20th century. Art director Greg Breeding designed the souvenir sheet and the stamps.<\/p>\n

Santa\u2019s legend is based on customs brought to America by European immigrants. St. Nicholas, the Dutch Sinterklaas, was one of Santa\u2019s forebearers. He delivered gifts on Dec. 5, the eve of his feast day.<\/p>\n

Note: Sparkling Holidays Stamps, sold in books of 20, and the Sparkling Holidays Souvenir Sheet, with one stamp, will be available for pre-order online starting Sept. 14 at The Postal Store at usps.com. The souvenir sheet will only be sold through usps.com or by calling 1-800-STAMP24.<\/p>\n

Updated August 30th:<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"On October 11, 2018, in Pigeon Forge, TN, the U.S. Postal Service will issue the Sparkling Holidays stamps (Forever priced at the First-Class Mail rate) in four designs, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive booklet of 20 stamps (Item 682100). The stamps will go on sale nationwide October 11, 2018, and must not be sold or canceled before the first-day-of-issue.<\/p>\n

The U.S. Postal Service celebrates Christmas with Sparkling Holidays, four new stamps featuring classic images of Santa Claus painted by famed commercial artist Haddon Sundblom. Each of the four images portraying a close-up of Santa\u2019s face are details from larger paintings created by Sundblom and originally published in ads for The Coca-Cola Company from the 1940s through the early 1960s. Sundblom is the man credited with refining the modern image of Santa Claus. Art director Greg Breeding designed the stamps.<\/p>\n

How to Order the First-Day-of-Issue Postmark:<\/strong><\/span>
\nCustomers have 120 days to obtain the first-day-of-issue postmark by mail. They may purchase new stamps at their local Post Office\u2122 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:<\/p>\n

FDOI \u2013 Sparkling Holidays Stamps<\/span><\/strong>
\nUSPS Stamp Fulfillment Services<\/span><\/strong>
\n8300 NE Underground Drive, Suite 300<\/span><\/strong>
\nKansas City, MO 64144-9900<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

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 February 11, 2019<\/span>.<\/p>\n

Technical Specifications:<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"Issue: Sparkling Holidays Stamps
\nItem Number: 682100
\nDenomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail Forever
\nFormat: Double-Sided Booklet of 20 (4 designs)
\nSeries: N\/A
\nIssue Date & City: October 11, 2018, Pigeon Forge, TN 37862
\nArt Director: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
\nDesigner: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
\nTypographer: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
\nExisting Art: Haddon Sundblom
\nModeler: Joseph Sheeran
\nManufacturing Process: Offset
\nPrinter: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
\nPress Type: Muller A76
\nStamps per Booklet: 20
\nPrint Quantity: 1,000,000,000 stamps
\nPaper Type: Nonphosphored Type III, Block Tag
\nAdhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
\nProcessed at: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
\nColors: PMS 872 Gold, Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black
\nStamp Orientation: Vertical
\nImage Area (w x h): 0.77 x 1.05 in.\/19.558 x 26.67 mm
\nStamp Size (w x h): 0.91 x 1.19 in.\/23.114 x 30.226 mm
\nFull Booklet Size (w x h): 5.76 x 2.38 in.\/146.304 x 60.452 mm
\nPress Sheet Size (w x h): 23.29 x 4.76 in.\/ 591.566 x 120.904 mm
\nPlate Size: 880 stamps per revolution
\nPlate Numbers: \u201cP\u201d followed by five (5) single digits
\nMarginal Markings:
\nFront: Header: \u201cSparkling Holidays\u201d Twenty First-Class Forever Stamps \u2022 Plate number in peel strip area
\nBack: \u00a92018 USPS in peel strip area \u2022 Barcode \u2022 Promotional text in peel strip area<\/p>\n

Added September 8th:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Here are the first-day postmarks for this issue:\"\"The Digital Color postmark measures 2.86″x1.49″\"\"<\/p>\n

The B&W pictorial measures 2.97″x1.47″\"\"<\/p>\n

The “special” postmark for use by local post offices measures 2.66″x1.47″<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Announced June 26th; updated July 26th: To be issued October 11th in Pigeon Forge, TN (home of Dollywood). On August 28th, the USPS announced the issue would also include a souvenir sheet and gave details on the first-day ceremony. [press … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[53],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7398","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-us2018"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/virtualstampclub.com\/lloydblog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7398","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/virtualstampclub.com\/lloydblog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/virtualstampclub.com\/lloydblog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/virtualstampclub.com\/lloydblog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/virtualstampclub.com\/lloydblog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=7398"}],"version-history":[{"count":14,"href":"http:\/\/virtualstampclub.com\/lloydblog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7398\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7773,"href":"http:\/\/virtualstampclub.com\/lloydblog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7398\/revisions\/7773"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/virtualstampclub.com\/lloydblog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=7398"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/virtualstampclub.com\/lloydblog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=7398"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/virtualstampclub.com\/lloydblog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=7398"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}