Global: Silver Bells Wreath

globalwreath800This is the second global holiday Forever stamp. It is round, and features a green wreath with silver bells and a red ribbon.

Art directors William J. Gicker and Michael Owens designed the stamp. Sally Andersen-Bruce photographed the wreath, which was constructed by Michael Owens

This stamp will be issued at the ASDA stamp show October 23 in New York City.

From the September 18th Postal Bulletin:

On October 23, 2014, in New York, NY, the U.S. Postal Service® will issue the Global: Silver Bells Wreath Forever® International Price stamp, in one design, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 10 stamps (Item 588300).

The stamp will go on sale nationwide October 23, 2014.

The U.S. Postal Service® celebrates the winter holidays internationally with the Global: Silver Bells Wreath stamp. This is the second stamp in the Global Holiday series. This stamp offers a single price for any First-Class Mail International® 1-ounce letter to any country in the world. As with all Global Forever stamps, this stamp will have a postage value equivalent to the price of a single-piece First-Class Mail International 1-ounce machinable letter in effect at the time of use. An elegant wreath of silver bells graces this round holiday stamp. The circle of densely packed bells is arranged against a deep green background, with a rich red bow anchored at the top of the wreath. Art director William J. Gicker and Michael Owens designed the stamp. Sally Andersen-Bruce photographed the wreath, which was constructed by Michael Owens. Angelica Dennis created the bow.

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:

Global Forever: Silver Bells Wreath
Special Events Coordinator
380 West 33rd Street, Room 4032
New York, NY 10199-9998

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 December 22, 2014.

There are eight philatelic products for this stamp issue:

588306, Press Sheet with Die cuts, $69.00 (print quantity 1,000).
588308, Press Sheet without Die cuts, $69.00 (print quantity 1,000).
588310 Keepsake (Pane and Digital Color Set), $13.95.
588316*. First-Day Cover, $1.59.
588321 Digital Color Postmark, $2.30.
588330 Ceremony Program, $6.95.
588331 Stamp Deck Card, $0.95.
588332 Stamp Deck Card with Digital Color Postmark, $2.65.

Technical Specifications:

Issue: Global Silver Bells Wreath Stamp
Item Number: 588300
Denomination & Type of Issue: Forever International Price
Format: Pane of 10 (1 design)
Series: Global Holiday
Issue Date & City: October 23, 2014, New York,
NY 10199
Designer: Michael Owens, Washington, DC
William J Gicker, Washington, DC
Art Director: William J Gicker, Washington, DC
Typographer: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
Photographer: Sally Andersen Bruce, New Milford, CT
Engraver: N/A
Modeler: Donald Woo
Manufacturing Process: Offset, Microprint
Printer: Banknote Corporation of America/SSP
Printed at: Browns Summit, NC
Press Type: Alprinta Model 74
Stamps per Pane: 10
Print Quantity: 30 million stamps
Paper Type: Raflatac USPS-P-1238
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive adhesive
Processed at: Banknote Corporation of America, Browns Summit SC
Colors: PMS 877 (Silver), Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black
Stamp Orientation: Round
Image Area (w x h): 1.27 x 1.27 in./32.26 x 32.26 mm
Overall Size (w x h): 1.41 x 1.41 in./35.81 x 35.81 mm
Full Pane Size (w x h): 8.25 x 4.5 in./209.55 x 114.30 mm
Press Sheets Size (w x h): 24.75 x 9.00 in./628.65 x 228.60 mm
Plate Size: 150 stamps per revolution
Plate Numbers: “S” followed by five (5) single digits
Marginal Markings:
Front: Plate numbers in two corners of pane
Back: © 2014 USPS • USPS logo • Plate position diagram • Barcode (588300) • Promotional text,/p>