Monthly Archives: April 2014

Nevada Statehood

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nevadaAlthough the actual statehood sesquicentennial anniversary is October 31st, the April 17th Postal Bulletin says it will be issued May 29th in Las Vegas. (Confirmed by the May 1 Bulletin; details below.) The design is shown here.

Digital Color Postmark first-day cancel added May 15th.

The stamp ceremony is the only event listed on the Nevada 150 website for May 29th.

From the May 1st Postal Bulletin:

On May 29, 2014, in Las Vegas, Nevada, the U.S. Postal Service will issue the Nevada Statehood 49-cent Forever Commemorative stamp, in one design, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 20 stamps (Item 472200).

The stamp will go on sale nationwide May 29, 2014.

This stamp celebrates the 150th anniversary of Nevada statehood. Nevada became the 36th state on October 31, 1864. The stamp art depicts a close-up view of an area in Fire Canyon, part of Valley of Fire, Nevada’s oldest state park. The painting is an oil-on-Masonite panel. Captured by Nevada artist Ron Spears at dawn, the sandstone formations glow in shades of brilliant reds and yellows — a result of various quantities of iron in the rock, highlighted by deep purple and blue shadows. Art director Antonio Alcalá designed the stamp.

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-STAMP-24. 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:

Nevada Statehood
USPS Customer Relations Coordinator
1001 East Sunset Road, Rm 1030
Las Vegas, NV 89199-9998

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. For more than 50, customers have to pay five cents each. All orders must be postmarked by July 28, 2014.

There are nine philatelic products for this stamp issue:

  • 472206, Press Sheet w/Die cut, $117.60 (print quantity 2,500).
  • 472208, Press Sheet w/o Die cut, $117.60 (print quantity 2,500).
  • 472210, Keepsake w/Digital Color Postmark, $11.95.
  • 472216, First-Day Cover, $0.93.
  • 472221, Digital Color Postmark, $1.64.
  • 472224, Framed Art, $39.95.
  • 472230, Ceremony Program, $6.95.
  • 472231, Stamp Deck Card, $0.95.
  • 472232, Stamp Deck Card w/Digital Color Postmark, $1.99.

 

Technical Specifications:
nevadaIssue: Nevada Statehood Stamp
Item Number: 472200
Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail Forever Commemorative
Format: Pane of 20 (1 design)
Series: Statehood
Issue Date & City: May 29, 2014, Las Vegas, NV 89199
Designer: Antonio Alcalá, Alexandria. VA
Art Director: Antonio Alcalá, Alexandria. VA
Typographer: Antonio Alcalá, Alexandria. VA
Artist: Ron Spears, Reno NV
Engraver: N/A
Modeler: Donald Woo
Manufacturing Process: Offset/Microprint
Printer: Banknote Corporation of America/SSP
Printed at: Browns Summit, NC
Press Type: Alaprinta 74
Stamps per Pane: 20
Print Quantity: 35 million stamps
Paper Type: Overall Phosphor Tagged Paper
Adhesive Type: Pressure sensitive adhesive
Processed at: Banknote Corporation of America, Browns Summit SC
Colors: Cyan, Magenta, yellow, Black, PMS 651, Cool Gray 1
Stamp Orientation: Horizontal
Image Area (w x h): 1.42 x 0.82 in./36.07 x 20.83 mm
Overall Size (w x h): 1.56 x 0.98 in./183.90 x 150.37 mm
Full Pane Size (w x h): 7.24 x 5.92 in./181.36 x 146.81 mm
Press Sheets Size (w x h): 23.68 x 21.72 in./601.47 x 551.69 mm
Plate Size: 240 stamps per revolution
Plate Numbers: “S” followed by 111111 (6) single digits
Marginal Markings:
Front: Plate numbers in four corners of pane
Back: © 2014 USPS • USPS logo • Plate position diagram • Barcode (472200) in upper right and lower left corners of pane

nevada_dcp

Where Dreams Blossom reissue

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Announced in the April 17th Postal Bulletin:

dreams_blossomOn May 2, 2014, in Acton, MA, the U.S. Postal Service will reissue the Where Dreams Blossom First-Class Forever stamp, in one design, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 20 stamps (Item 579900).

The stamp will go on sale nationwide May 2, 2014.

With a splash of color and a beautiful bouquet, the Where Dreams Blossom stamp, first issued in 2013, adds a fun and contemporary flair to all kinds of correspondence. Where Dreams Blossom is perfect for any occasion or use, including save-the-date notices, response cards, and thank-you notes. It can also be used for cards and letters sent to celebrate other joyous moments and to deliver comfort and encouragement. The stamp art highlights a stylized bouquet of flowers similar to the design of the two-ounce Yes, I Do wedding stamp first issued in 2013. The stamp artwork was designed by Michael Osborne under the direction of Ethel Kessler.

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 www.usps.com/shop, or by calling 800-STAMP-24. 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:

Where Dreams Blossom
Postmaster
Acton Post Office
7 Post Office Square
Acton, MA 01720-9998

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. For more than 50, customers have to pay five cents each. All orders must be postmarked by July 1, 2014.

There are four philatelic products for this stamp issue:

  • 519910, Keepsake (pane of 20 and Digital Color Postmark), $11.95.
  • 519916, First-Day Cover, $0.93.
  • 519921, Digital Color Postmark, $1.64.
  • 519932, Stamp Deck Card w/Digital Color Postmark, $1.99.

 

Technical Specifications:
dreams_blossomIssue: Where Dreams Blossom Stamp
Item Number: 579900
Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail Forever
Format: Pane of 20 (1 design)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: May 2, 2014, Acton, MA 01720
Art Director: Ethel Kessler, Bethesda, MD
Designer: Michael Osborne, San Francisco, CA
Typographer: Michael Osborne, San Francisco, CA
Artist: Michael Osborne, San Francisco, CA
Modeler: Donald Woo
Manufacturing Process: Offset/Microprint “USPS”
Engraver: N/A
Printer: Banknote Corporation of America, Inc./SSP
Printed at: Browns Summit, NC
Press Type: Alprinta, 74
Stamps per Pane: 20
Print Quantity: 50 million stamps
Paper Type: Phosphor Tagged, Overall
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive adhesive
Processed at: Banknote Corporation of America, Browns Summit, NC
Stamp Orientation: Horizontal
Image Area (w x h): 0.75 x 1.03 in./19.05 x 26.16 mm
Stamp Size (w x h): 0.91 x 1.19 in./23.11 x 30.23 mm
Pane Size (w x h): 5.43 x 5.64 in./137.79 x 143.00 mm
Colors: Gold, Lt. Green, Orange, Pink, Blue, Red, Dk. Green, Purple, Warm Gray
Plate Size: 160 stamps per revolution
Plate Numbers: “S” followed by nine (9) single digits
Marginal Markings:
Front: Plate numbers in four corners of pane
Back: © 2012 USPS • USPS Logo • Plate position diagram • Barcode (579900) in upper right and lower left hand corners of pane • Promotional text

Charlton Heston First Day Ceremony In Pictures

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From the USPS:

Legendary Hollywood icon and humanitarian Charlton Heston was honored as the 18th inductee into the U.S. Postal Service’s Legends of Hollywood stamp series Friday, April 11, 2014.
Legendary Hollywood icon and humanitarian Charlton Heston, honored as the 18th inductee into the U.S. Postal Service’s Legends of Hollywood stamp series . L to R: -Screen Actors Guild and American Federation of Television and Radio Artists Executive Vi(Above, left to right: Screen Actors Guild and American Federation of Television and Radio Artists Executive Vice President Gabrielle Carteris; former Screen Actors Guild and American Federation of Television and Radio Artists Executive Vice President Ned Vaughn; American Film Institute President Emerita and former U.S. Postal Service Citizens’ Stamp Advisory Committee Chair Jean Picker-Firstenberg; Charlton Heston’s son Fraser Clarke Heston; and Mickey Barnett, Chairman, Board of Governors, USPS.)

The event took place during a first-day-of-issue stamp dedication ceremony at the The Creative Life Chinese Theatre as part of the TCM Classic Film Festival.

Legendary Hollywood icon and humanitarian Charlton Heston, honored as the 18th inductee into the U.S. Postal Service’s Legends of Hollywood stamp series Former Screen Actors Guild and American Federation of Television and Radio Artists Executive Vice“Acting was not Charlton Heston’s whole life,” said U.S. Postal Service Board of Governors Chairman Mickey Barnett in dedicating the stamp (shown at right). “He was never afraid to stand up for his beliefs. In the 1960s, he believed so strongly in civil rights that he marched on Washington with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., whom he called ‘a 20th century Moses.’ Later, he became a strong supporter of rights for gun owners and served as president of the National Rifle Association. No matter what kind of stand he took, you always knew his beliefs came from a place of true conviction. Beyond winning an Oscar for ‘Ben-Hur,’ he also received the Motion Picture Academy’s Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award, as well as the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor.”

(Legendary Hollywood icon and humanitarian Charlton Heston, honored as the 18th inductee into the U.S. Postal Service’s Legends of Hollywood stamp series .Ben Mankiewicz, Host, Turner Classic Movies (Master of Ceremonies)Ben Mankiewicz, host of Turner Classic Movies, served as Master of Ceremonies. He’s shown on the right here.)

Throughout his seven decade career of more than 70 films, Heston played larger than life roles from U.S. presidents to Ben Hur and Moses. He worked with the Screen Actors Guild to help others in his profession, serving as a board member and later as president from 1965-71. A civil rights advocate, Heston marched with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and led the arts contingent to the 1963 March on Washington.

Heston received the Screen Actors Guild Lifetime Achievement Award in 1971. He helped found the American Film Institute and received the prestigious Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in 1978 for his philanthropic efforts. In 1997, Heston was awarded the Kennedy Center Honors, and in 2003, received Legendary Hollywood icon and humanitarian Charlton Heston, honored as the 18th inductee into the U.S. Postal Service’s Legends of Hollywood stamp series .Fraser Clarke Heston, Charlton Heston's son and his mother, Lydia Heston with the stamp.the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor.

“On behalf of my mother, Lydia, my sister, Holly Rochell, and the entire Heston family, I can say enthusiastically how deeply grateful we all are that my father, Charlton, has been honored with a ‘Legends of Hollywood’ postage stamp,” said Fraser Clarke Heston (shown at left with his mother). “In many ways, a nation’s stamps are a cross section of a culture, its ideals and icons, in microcosm.

The Stamp Image
CharlestonHestonDesigned by art director Greg Breeding of Charlottesville, VA, the stamp features a color portrait of the actor by noted movie artist Drew Struzan of Pasadena, CA. The portrait is based on a photograph taken by Heston’s wife, Lydia Clarke Heston. The area outside of the stamps is decorated with an image of the actor from the 1959 movie Ben-Hur. Originally shot in black and white, the photo was later hand-colorized. Heston is shown wearing his costume from the film’s monumental chariot racing scene.

And a few more pictures, most courtesy the USPS and taken by Daniel Afzal of the United States Postal Service:

Legendary Hollywood icon and humanitarian Charlton Heston, honored as the 18th inductee into the U.S. Postal Service’s Legends of Hollywood stamp seriesThe autograph line after the ceremony.

Legendary Hollywood icon and humanitarian Charlton Heston, honored as the 18th inductee into the U.S. Postal Service’s Legends of Hollywood stamp seriesMichael Litvak, stamp collector and president of the Claude C. Ries Chapter of the American First Day Cover Society, servicing FDCs at the event.

kathy_and_friendThe postmarking part of the event was put together by Ries Chapter member Kathy Clements and Alvetia Smith of the USPS, who also organized the rest of the ceremony. (That’s them on the left.)

Ten different postmarks were available (and are shown below; photo courtesy Clements). “The two of us work together to make the events a success for everybody, especially the collectors who buy most of the stamps per capita,” Clements told The VSC.

Our main story on the stamp can be found here. You can click on any of these pictures to see a larger version.

heston_cancels

New Moon FDC Catalogue from AFDCS

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AFDCS OFFERS NEW EDITION OF MOON LANDING FIRST DAY COVER CATALOG

The Moon Landing cachet catalog has landed.mooncat300

First issued in 1975, the newly-revised edition of this first day cover catalog for Sc. C76 Moon Landing is now available from the American First Day Cover Society. It may be downloaded in the Marketplace section of the AFDCS website, www.afdcs.org, at $10 for AFDCS members and $12 for non-members. Printed copies are $14 and $16, respectively, and may be ordered online or from AFDCS Sales, Post Office Box 44, Annapolis Junction, MD 20701-0044.

The original edition, by Monte Eiserman and Harry L. Anderson, contained illustrations of 205 FDCs, history of the designing and production of the stamp, the first day activities, plate number information, postmarks, and descriptions of the three first day ceremonies. Over the years, some of that material was cut from subsequent editions, while more illustrations were added.

It has been out of print for at least five years.

The 2014 edition, revised by David S. Zubatsky, restores all the introductory material and adds more information. It also includes all the original black and white illustrations.

“The 1969 First Man on the Moon stamp  is the most iconic space related stamp ever issued,” says stamp designer Chris Calle, whose father Paul designed what became Sc. C76. “As a collector of the C76 issue this is a most welcome catalogue for space collectors worldwide.”

The American First Day Cover Society is the world’s largest not-for-profit organization dedicated to the collecting of FDCs. Each issue of First Days is published in full color and includes articles, columns, Society business, a non-commercial Cover Exchange, and the best collection of FDC advertisements anywhere.

For more information on the AFDCS, visit www.afdcs.org or write to the AFDCS, P.O. Box 16277 Tucson, Arizona 85732-6277, or e-mail afdcs@afdcs.org.

Circus Posters

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Rumored for awhile, Linn’s Stamp News now reports these 8 stamps will be issued May 5 at a Ringling Brothers-Barnum & Bailey Circus facility in Sarasota, Fla. VSC does not have independent confirmation, but Jay Bigalke of Linn’s is usually right. Neither Linn’s nor we have an illustration at this time. (April 10).

This issue was confirmed in the April 17th Postal Bulletin, and some details (but just one stamp’s design) provided: We picked up a second later that day, but www.linns.com has all 8.

circus_posterOn May 5, 2014, in Sarasota, FL, the U.S. Postal Service will issue Vintage Circus Posters Commemorative stamps, in eight designs, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 16 stamps (Item 472100).

The stamps will go on sale nationwide May 5, 2014.

With this issuance the U.S. Postal Service celebrates the large, colorful pieces of early 20th-century circus poster art that showcased eye-catching imagery of stunts, performers, and animals. This pane of 16 self-adhesive stamps features reproductions of eight vintage circus posters; each stamp features one poster. The pane’s verso text includes a brief discussion of the history and purpose of circus posters. The selvage features an image of a circus entrance shot by photographer Edward J. Kelty in 1937. Art director Greg Breeding worked on the stamp pane with designer Jennifer Arnold.

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 www.usps.com/shop, or by calling 800-STAMP-24. 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:

Vintage Circus Posters
Postmaster
1661 Ringling Boulevard
Sarasota, FL 34230-9998

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. For more than 50, customers have to pay five cents each. All orders must be postmarked by July 4, 2014.

(The USPS is also allowing post offices to use this special cancellation, if they so choose:)

info_008_3There are eleven philatelic products available for this stamp issue:

  • 472106, Press sheet w/Die Cuts, $47.04 (print quantity of 2,500).
  • 472108, Press Sheet w/o Die Cuts, $47.04 (print quantity of 2,500).
  • 472110, Keepsake (Pane of 16, 1 random single Digital Color Postmark), $9.95.
  • 472116, First-Day Cover (set of 8), $7.44.
  • 472118, Full Pane First-Day Cover, $10.34.
  • 472119, Cancelled Full Pane, $10.34.
  • 472121, Digital Color Postmark (set of 8), $13.12.
  • 472124, Framed Art, $39.95.
  • 472130, Ceremony Program random single, $6.95.
  • 472131, Stamp Deck Card random single, $0.95.
  • 472132, Stamp Deck Card with Digital Color Postmark, $1.99.

Technical Specifications:
circus_posterIssue: Vintage Circus Posters Stamps
Item Number: 472100
Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail Forever Commemerative
Format: Pane of 16 (8 designs)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: May 5, 2014, Sarasota, FL 34230
Designer: Jennifer Arnold, Washington, DC
Art Director: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
Typographer: Jennifer Arnold, Washington, DC
Engraver: N/A
Modeler: Donald Woo
Manufacturing Process: Offset Microprint “USPS”
Printer: Banknote Corporation of America
Printed at: Browns Summit, NC
Press Type: Alprinta 74
Stamps per Pane: 16
Print Quantity: 60 million stamps
Paper Type: Overall Phosphor Tagged
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive adhesive
Processed at: Banknote Corporation of America, Browns Summit SC
Colors: Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black
Stamp Orientation: Horizontal and Vertical
Image Area (w x h): 1.85 x 1.32 in./46.95 x 33.56 mm
Image Area (w x h): 0.98 x 1.32 in./24.91 x 33.56 mm
Overall Size (w x h): 2.00 x 1.46 in./50.76 x 37.11 mm
Overall Size (w x h): 1.12 x 1.46 in./28.47 x 37.11 mm
Full Pane Size (w x h): 7.75 x 9.25 in./196.85 x234.95 mm
Press Sheets Size (w x h): 23.5 x 18.63 in
Plate Size: 96 stamps per revolution
Marginal Markings:
Back: © 2014 USPS • USPS logo • Plate position diagram • Barcode (472100) lower left corner of pane • Promotional text • Verso Text

USPS Media Advisory, April 17th:

U.S. Postal Service is Bringing Wonder and Amusement to Town with New Limited-Edition Vintage Circus Posters Forever® Stamps

Stamps Featuring Clowns, Wire Dancers and Other Amazing Circus Acts to be Unveiled led by Ringling Bros. Ringmaster and Clowns

circus2upWHAT: Ladies and Gentlemen, Children of all Ages… Step right up and share the magic of the circus as the United States Postal Service releases the new, limited-edition Vintage Circus Posters Forever® stamps. Since the early 20th century, the circus has brought together Americans of all ages and walks of life to watch the amazing acts and let imaginations soar.

Back in the day, companies like the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey would use posters with eye-catching imagery of stunts, performers, and animals as a vehicle to attract people to come watch the circus. And, now, the United States Postal Service is paying tribute to the history of these vintage works of art. These eight stamps were inspired by original circus posters which are now part of the Tibbals Digital Collection at The Ringling Museum.

The interactive first-day-of-issue ceremony will feature a Ringling Bros. ringmaster, clowns, as well as a concert by the Ringling Bros. bell wagon, which will be the first time it has been seen, or heard, in Sarasota in 30 years. The event is free and open to the public.

WHO: Ellen Williams, Member, Board of Governors, U.S. Postal Service
Nicole Feld, Executive Vice President, Feld Entertainment
Steven High, Executive Director, The Ringling Museum
Ringling Bros. Ringmaster and Clowns

WHEN: 11 a.m. EST, Monday, May 5, 2014

WHERE: The Ringling Museum – Ca’ d’Zan 5401 Bay Shore Road, Sarasota, FL 34243

*Parking available at the parking lot near the Ca’ d’Zan

BACKGROUND:
The U.S. Postal Service honors the “Best of America” by introducing limited-edition stamps that celebrate various American passions, including the circus. The Vintage Circus Posters Forever® stamps pay tribute to the wonder and amusement of the circus which Americans have been celebrating since the early 20th century.

The new limited-edition stamps, designed by Jennifer Arnold, celebrate the eye-catching pieces of art used in the early 20th century to announce when the circus was coming to town, giving audiences a taste of what awaited under the big top. The design for each of the eight (8) stamps is modeled off of unique posters which were used in the early 20th century as informational advertisements to garner excitement and attendance for the circus. These stamps showcase majestic elephants, fierce tigers and colorful clowns, in addition to the iconic acts such as acrobatic gymnasts, graceful wire dancers and daring stuntmen. These posters are now part of the Tibbals Digital Collection at the Ringling Museum.

Here’s the complete front of the pane:

CircusPosters

Red, White & Blue Stamps

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redwhiteblueFirst announced in the sales section of USPS.com, this patriotic-design stamp will be issued April 25 in San Francisco, with a first-day ceremony at WESTPEX (which is actually in Burlingame, Calif.) However, this issue was mentioned in my October 2013 preview of the 2014 stamp program. It will be issued in coils of 10,000, although collectors can buy quantities as small as 25.

From the description on shop.usps.com:

Celebrate America with the Red, White and Blue issuance. Each of the four stamps features a modern interpretation of a flying flag, complete with six red and white wavy stripes and a handful of five-pointed stars. The designs were inspired by 20th-century American ephemera, such as pins and flags.

Today, the American flag remains a powerful symbol. “In those broad stripes and bright stars, we see the arc of the American story,” President Barack Obama said in his 2013 Flag Day proclamation, “from a handful of colonies to 50 States, united and free.”

Designed for business use, the Red, White and Blue Forever® self-adhesive stamps are being issued in a strip of 25, with plate number. These Forever stamps will always be equal in value to the current First-Class Mail® one-ounce rate.

Art director Ethel Kessler designed the stamps.

The text for the Digital Color Postmark FDCs says:

rwbfdcShow your spirit with this patriotic set, featuring Old Glory with a modern twist. Each of the four First Day Covers (#6 3/4 envelope) bears a different Red, White and Blue Forever® stamp and an official First Day of Issue color postmark.

Inspired by 20th-century American ephemera, the four Red, White and Blue Forever® stamps each features a flying flag, complete with wavy red and white stripes, a swath of blue, and a handful of five-pointed stars. Playing off the contemporary styling of the stamp, the color postmark design incorporates the stars and stripes in a banner-like formation with the stamp title at its center. Also included are the date and location of stamp issuance.

And for the “regular” FDCs:

rwbfdc2National pride is always in style, and with this patriotic set of four First Day Covers, Old Glory gets a modern twist. Each #6 3/4 envelope bears a different Red, White and Blue Forever® stamp and an official First Day of Issue postmark.

Inspired by 20th-century American ephemera, the 2014 Red, White and Blue Forever® stamps each features a flying flag, complete with wavy red and white stripes, a swath of blue, and a handful of five-pointed stars. The standard four-bar postmark notes the stamp’s official First Day of Issue date and location.

Added from the April 17th Postal Bulletin:

On April 25, 2014, in San Francisco, CA, the U.S. Postal Service will issue the Red, White, and Blue (Forever priced at 49 cents) definitive stamps, in four designs, in pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) coils of 10,000 (Item 776500).

The stamps will go on sale nationwide April 25, 2014.

To accommodate business use, the Postal Service will issue four Red, White, and Blue self-adhesive Forever stamps in large coils of 10,000. Inspired by 20th-century American ephemera, each stamp features a modern interpretation of a flying flag, complete with wavy stripes and five-pointed stars. Art director Ethel Kessler designed the stamps.

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 www.usps.com/shop, or by calling 800-STAMP-24. 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:

Red, White, and Blue
Retail Manager
220 Park Road
Burlingame, CA 94010

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. For more than 50, customers have to pay five cents each. All orders must be postmarked by June 24, 2014.

There are two philatelic products for this stamp issue:

  • 776516, First-Day Cover set of 4, $3.72.
  • 776521, Digital Color Postmark set of 4, $6.56.

Technical Specifications:
redwhiteblueIssue: Red, White, and Blue Stamps
Item Number: 776500
Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail Forever
Format: Coil of 10,000 (4 designs)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: April 25, 2014, San Francisco, CA 94188
Art Director: Ethel Kessler, Bethesda, MD
Designer: Ethel Kessler, Bethesda, MD
Typographer: Greg Berger, Manassas, VA
Engraver: WRE
Modeler: CCL Label, Inc.
Manufacturing Process: Gravure
Printer: CCL Label, Inc.
Printed at: Clinton, SC
Press Type: Dia Nippon Kiko (DNK)
Stamps per Coil: 10,000
Print Quantity: 150 Million
Paper Type: Nonphosphored, Type III; Phosphor Tagged Overall
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive adhesive
Processed at: AVR, Clinton, SC
Colors: Red, Blue
Stamp Orientation: Vertical
Image Area (w x h): 0.73 x 0.84 in./18.54 x 21.34 mm
Stamp Size (w x h): 0.87 x 0.98 in./22.09 x 24.89 mm
Plate Size: 320 stamps per revolution
Plate Numbers: “C” followed by 11 (2) single digits
Coil Number Frequency: Plate numbers every 32nd stamp below stamp image • Coil Back Number Frequency every 10th stamp

Stamp dealer and wife murdered in NH

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From the APS:

On or about March 19th, New Hampshire stamp dealer Robert Dion and his wife, Connie, were murdered in their home in Manchester, NH. Their bodies were discovered on March 24th when local authorities responded to a fire at their house. At this time, Manchester police have identified the Dions’ adopted son, Matthew Dion, as a person of interest. It is believed that Matthew took one of the family cars and most or all of Robert’s stamp stock. There is not a current inventory of what the stock contained other than a collection of Manchester, CT postal history. Additional information will be sent as it is received.

Matthew Dion is a 38 year old white male, 5’8″ tall, 200 lbs., with brown eyes, brown hair and facial hair. He is believed to be driving a 2009 white Nissan Altima with NH plate 341-0587. Attached to this email [and shown here] are several photos of Matthew, the car and the plate.

Matthew DionThe investigation is being headed by:
Michael Lavallee
Detective Division
Manchester Police Department
405 Valley StreetManchester, NH 03103
Phone: (603) 792-5514 Fax: (603) 668-8711
Email: mlavalle@manchesternh.gov

If you should encounter Matthew, immediately notify your local police and tell them that there is a person of interest wanted by the Manchester, NH police department in connection with a double homicide at your store, booth, show, etc. You can refer them to Det. Lavallee.

Additional information will be sent as it is received and thank you for your help.

Nick Lombardi
APS Stamp Theft Committee

2014 U.S. Scott Catalogue Numbers – April

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4857 34¢ Hummingbird, serpentine die cut 11¼x10¾
4858 34¢ Hummingbird coil stamp, serpentine die cut 9½ vert.
4859 70¢ Great Spangled Fritillary Butterfly
4860 21¢ Abraham Lincoln, serpentine die cut 11
4861 21¢ Abraham Lincoln coil stamp, serpentine die cut 8½ vert.
4862 (49¢) Winter Flowers booklet stamp – Cyclamen
4863 (49¢) Winter Flowers booklet stamp – Paperwhite
4864 (49¢) Winter Flowers booklet stamp – Amaryllis
4865 (49¢) Winter Flowers booklet stamp – Christmas Cactus
a. Block of 4, #4862-4865
b. Convertible booklet pane of 20, 5 each #4862-4865
4866 91¢ Ralph Ellison
4867 70¢ Wedding Cake
4868 (49¢) Fort McHenry Flag and Fireworks lithographed self-adhesive coil stamp, with microprinted “USPS” in fireworks above flagpole, serpentine die cut 11 vert. (Sennett printing)
4869 (49¢) Fort McHenry Flag and Fireworks photogravure self-adhesive booklet stamp, without microprinted “USPS,” serpentine die cut 11¼x11½ on 2 or 3 sides (CCL printing)
a. Convertible booklet pane of 20
4870 (49¢) Fort McHenry Flag and Fireworks lithographed self-adhesive booklet stamp, with microprinted “USPS” in fireworks above flagpole, serpentine die cut 11¼x11½ on 2 or 3 sides (Sennett printing)
a. Convertible booklet pane of 20
4871 (49¢) Fort McHenry Flag and Fireworks lithographed self-adhesive booklet stamp, thin paper, with microprinted “USPS” in fireworks above flagpole, serpentine die cut 11¼x11 on 2, 3 or 4 sides (Sennett printing)
a. Convertible booklet pane of 18

RIP Bud Hennig

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budhennigroomBernard A. “Bud” Hennig, Sr., of Chicago, a major force in philatelic judging in the U.S. and recipient of the American Philatelic Society’s John Luff Award for Service to the APS, has died at the age of 97. On the right, he’s shown in the Bud & Dodie Hennig Room at the American Philatelic Center in 2005.

I didn’t know him well, so I’ll let others who did tell you about this important figure in U.S. Stamp Collecting. Please feel free to add your remembrances and cite his accomplishments below.

—Lloyd A. de Vries, The Virtual Stamp Club

“Bud was a gentleman of the old school, a legend in American philately, highly accomplished in the realm of German (among other) stamps and covers, a very involved worker for the APS — there is a Bud and Dodie Hennig room in Bellefonte — one of the finest judges ever to walk an exhibit floor (and the first recipient and namesake of the Hennig Award for Judging Excellence).”

—John M. Hotchner, Editor, U.S. Stamp News; Columnist, Linn’s Stamp News;
Chair, Hennig Judging Excellence Award Committee, AAPE

“What we do as judges is so much based upon his work principles and vision and all exhibitors as well as judges should thank him as we remember his life and mourn his passing.”

—Tim Bartshe, Past President, American Association of Philatelic Exhibitors