Shirley Chisholm (Black Heritage)

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chisholm_scratchThe December 12th USPS Postal Bulletin indicates that this issue will be released January 31st, probably in Brooklyn, NY. (The scratch image shown here was taken from the postmark sample files.)

From my article from the October press preview:

Also of note is next year’s Black Heritage subject: Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm, the first African-American woman elected to Congress. What’s also notable is that the series will again be available for Black History Month (February). 2013’s Althea GIbson stamp was issued in August, 2011’s Barbara Jordan was in September. The Chisholm stamp is a portrait by artist Robert Shetterly.

Here are the Digital Color Postmark and black-and-white pictorial postmark for this issue:chisholm_dcp_vscchisholm_bw_vsc

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:

Shirley Chisholm Stamp

Retail Manager
1050 Forbell Street
Brooklyn, NY 11256-9998

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 April 2, 2014.

There is a special postmark available for local post offices to use:chisholmcxlTechnical Specifications:
pb_chisholmIssue: Shirley Chisholm Stamp
Item Number: 471600
Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail Forever Commemorative
Format: Pane of 20 (1 design)
Series: Black Heritage
Issue Date & City: January 31, 2014, Brooklyn, NY 11201
Designer: Ethel Kessler, Bethesda, MD
Art Director: Ethel Kessler, Bethesda, MD
Typographer: Ethel Kessler, Bethesda, MD
Existing Art: Robert Shetterly
Engraver: WRE
Modeler: CCL Label, Inc.
Manufacturing Process: Gravure
Printer: CCL Label, Inc.
Printed at: Clinton, SC 29325
Press Type: Dia Nippon Kiko (DNK)
Stamps per Pane: 20
Print Quantity: 33.5 million stamps
Paper Type: Phosphor Tagged, Block; Nonphosphored, Type III
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Processed at: CCL Label, Inc., Clinton, SC
Colors: Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black
Stamp Orientation: Vertical
Image Area (w x h): 0.84 x 1.42 in./21.34 x 36.07 mm
Overall Size (w x h): 0.98 x 1.56 in./24.89 x 39.62 mm
Full Pane Size (w x h): 5.85 x 7.25 in./148.59 x 184.15 mm
Plate Size: 200 stamps per revolution
Plate Numbers: “C” followed by four (4) single digits
Marginal Markings:
Front: Header: “BLACK HERITAGE” • “37TH IN A SERIES • Plate numbers in four corners of pane
Back: ©2013 USPS • Verso text • USPS logo • Plate position diagram • Barcode (471600) in upper right and lower left corners of pane • Promotional text

Ferns

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This page also includes information now on the March 6th varieties.

The December 12th USPS Postal Bulletin indicates that this issue will be released January 27th, with a first-day city of Kansas City.

From my article from the October press preview:

There will be two different sets of coil stamps intended for volume mailers, issued in rolls of 3,000 and 10,000 stamps. One has four similar designs of stylized flags, the other features ferns.

There will be five designs for Ferns.

And, on December 20th, here they are: Ferns

From the USPS on the 20th:

Five new stamps from the U.S. Postal Service celebrate the beauty — and popularity — of ferns.

A favorite with gardeners and florists, ferns range from tiny moss-like plants to giants as tall as trees. The ferns featured on the stamps are five of the approximately 380 different species found in North America.

Each of the five stamps depicts a close-up photograph of a different species of fern. The shapes and textures of the fronds stand out against a stark white background, highlighting the placement of the leaflets along each fern’s stem. The name of each fern — autumn fern, Goldie’s wood fern, soft shield fern, Fortune’s holly fern, or painted fern — is placed vertically in capital letters along one edge of the stamp.

Art director Phil Jordan chose the five images from among dozens of existing pictures by photographer Cindy Dyer. After Dyer isolated the fronds in her photos, providing a white background, Jordan tightened the focus on each to fit within the stamp borders. He rotated some of the fronds to provide visual interest and oriented them in relation to one another to form a unified whole.

These stamps add elegance to envelopes and are an exquisite continuation of the U.S. Postal Service’s tradition of offering stamps that feature beautiful plants.

The Ferns stamps are being issued in self-adhesive large coils of 3,000 and 10,000, which are designed to be used by businesses. This year the U.S. Postal Service will make large coil stamps available as Forever® stamps. Forever stamps are always equal in value to the current First-Class Mail® one-ounce rate.

Here’s the Digital Color Postmark for this issue: ferns_dcp_vscHow 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:

49-cent Ferns Stamp (3K & 10K)
Cancellation Services
8300 NE Underground Drive, Pillar 210
Kansas City, MO 64144-0001.

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 April 1, 2014.

Technical Specifications:
FernsIssue: Ferns Stamp
Item Number: 790000 (3,000), 790800 (10,000)
Denomination & Type of Issue: 49-cent First-Class Mail
Format: Coil of 3,000 or 10,000 (5 designs)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: January 27, 2014, Kansas City, MO (No Ceremony)
Art Director: Phil Jordan, Falls Church, VA
Designer: Phil Jordan, Falls Church, VA
Typographer: Phil Jordan, Falls Church, VA
Existing Photos: Cindy Dyer
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: 3,000, 10,000
Print Quantity: 45 million stamps (3,000), 50 million (10,000)
Paper Type: Nonphosphored, Type III; Phosphor Tagged Overall
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Processed at: AVR, Clinton, SC
Colors: Yellow, Magenta, Green (7482), Black
Stamp Orientation: Vertical
Image Area (w x h): 0.84 x 0.73 in./21.34 x 18.54 mm
Stamp Size (w x h): 0.98 x 0.87 in./24.89 x 22.09 mm
Plate Size: 300 stamps per revolution
Plate Numbers: “C” followed by four (4) single digits
Coil Number Frequency: Plate numbers every 30th stamp below stamp image

March 6th varieties:

FernsOn March 6, 2014, in Kansas City, Missouri, the U.S. Postal Service will issue the Ferns (Forever priced at 49 cents) definitive stamp in five designs, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) 10K coil of stamps (Item 777300). The stamp will go on sale nationwide March 6, 2014.

Issued earlier this year at the 49-cent First-Class Mail rate, these five 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:
    Ferns Forever Stamp (10K)
    Cancellation Services
    8300 NE Underground Drive, Pillar 210
    Kansas City, MO 64144-0001
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 May 5, 2014.

There are two philatelic products for this stamp issue:
777316, First-Day Cover set of 5, $4.65.
777321, Digital Color Postmark set of 5, $8.20.

Technical Specifications:
Issue: Ferns Stamp
Item Number: 777300
Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail Forever Definitive
Format: Coil of 10,000 (5 designs)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: March 6, 2014, Kansas City, MO 64108 (No Ceremony)
Art Director: Phil Jordan
Designer: Phil Jordan
Typographer: Phil Jordan
Existing Photos: Cindy Dyer
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: 50 million stamps
Paper Type: Nonphosphored Type III
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Processed at: AVR, Clinton, SC
Colors: Yellow, Magenta, Green (7482), Black
Stamp Orientation: Vertical
Image Area (w x h): 0.84 x 0.73 in./21.34 x 18.54 mm
Stamp Size (w x h): 0.98 x 0.87 in./24.89 x 22.09 mm
Plate Size: 300 stamps per revolution
Plate Numbers: “C” followed by four (4) single digits
Coil Number Frequency: Plate numbers every 30th stamp below stamp image

4¢ Chippendale Chair

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According to the December 12th issue of the Postal Bulletin, a version in a self-adhesive coil of 10,000 will be issued January 2nd with a first day city of Kansas City. I doubt there will be a ceremony.

[press release]
Chippendale Chair 4-Cent Definitive Stamp Now On Sale

USPS04STA036WASHINGTON — The U.S. Postal Service is today reissuing the Chippendale Chair 4-cent definitive stamp in one design in a water-activated gum coil of 10,000 stamps.

Chippendale Chair, the fourth stamp in the American Design series, was first issued on March 5, 2004. This 4-cent definitive stamp features a stylized treatment of a Chippendale chair made in Philadelphia between 1760 and 1765. The artist, the late Lou Nolan, based his design on a Chippendale side chair, or chair without arms. The colors he used for the wood and seat cover give the stamp design a contemporary feel. Derry Noyes was the art director.

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://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:

Chippendale Chair Stamp
Cancellation Services
8300 NE Underground Drive, Pillar 210
Kansas City, MO 64144-0001

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 March 2, 2014.

Technical Specifications:

Issue: Chippendale Chair Stamp
Item Number: 785600
Denomination & Type of Issue: 4-cent Definitive
Format: Coil of 10,000 (1 design)
Series: American Design
Issue Date & City: January 2, 2014, Kansas City, MO 64108 (No Ceremony)
Designer: Derry Noyes, Washington, DC
Art Director: Derry Noyes, Washington, DC
Typographer: Derry Noyes, Washington, DC
Artist: Lou Nolan
Modeler: Joseph Sheeran
Manufacturing Process: Gravure
Engraver: N/A
Printer: Ashton Potter/Guilford Gravure
Printed at: Williamsville, NY
Press Type: Cerutti, 118
Stamps per Coil: 10,000
Print Quantity: 100 million stamps
Paper Type: Nonphosphored, Type III
Adhesive Type: Water-activated
Processed at: Ashton Potter/Guilford Gravure, Williamsville, NY
Stamp Orientation: Vertical
Image Area (w x h): 0.708 x 0.84 in./17.98 x 21.37 mm
Overall Size (w x h): 0.87x 0.98 in./22.10 x 24.89 mm
Colors: PMS 476 (Brown), PMS 477 (Brown), PMS 7407 (Yellow), PMS 172 (Orange)
Plate Size: 432 stamps per revolution
Plate Numbers: “P” followed by four (4) single digits
Plate Number Frequency: Plate block number on 1st stamp of the form below stamp
Coil Back Number Frequency: N/A
Marginal Markings: N/A

Year of the Horse (Lunar New Year)

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yearofhorseAccording to the December 12th Postal Bulletin, this stamp will be issued January 15th. However, the Bulletin has New York as the first-day; the correct city is San Francisco.

From my October preview:

2014 will be the Year of the Horse, but as with the other six stamps in this series by Kam Mak, the design shows artifacts associated with Lunar New Year celebrations, as well as peonies, traditional symbols of prosperity. In this case, it’s Chinese drums used by revelers to welcome the new year.

More details here as we get them.horsesheet We do have illustrations, though:

Added December 19th: The Digital Color Postmark design: LNY14dcp

Hummingbird

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Hummingbird

The January 23rd Postal Bulletin says this stamp will be issued February 7 with Kansas City as the location.

A new postcard stamp celebrates the beauty and grace of the hummingbird. The stamp art is a tinted, highly stylized, digital depiction of a hummingbird hovering near a plant.

Hummingbirds, known for their agility, brilliant colors, and long bills, are among the smallest birds in the world, ranging in size from about two to eight inches long. Some weigh less than a penny. Special wing anatomy enables hummingbirds to fly forward, backward, and upside down, as well as to hover in one spot. The “humming” sound they produce is made by their rapid wing movements — the wings of some species beat up to 80 times per second!

The Hummingbird stamp features the art of illustrator Nancy Stahl. Carl T. Herrman was the art director.

Here’s the Digital Color Postmark for this issue:

humbird_dcp_vsc

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:

Hummingbird Stamp
Cancellation Services
8300 NE Underground Drive, Pillar 210
Kansas City, MO 64144-0001

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 April 11, 2014.

Technical Specifications:
Issue: Hummingbird Stamp
Item Number: 117200
Denomination & Type of Issue: 34-cent Definitive
Format: Pane of 20 (1 design)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: February 7, 2014, Kansas City, MO 64108 (No Ceremony)
Designer: Carl T. Herrman, North Las Vegas, NV
Art Director: Carl T. Herrman, North Las Vegas, NV
Typographer: Carl T. Herrman, North Las Vegas, NV
Artist: Nancy Stahl, New York, NY
Modeler: Joseph Sheeran
Manufacturing Process: Offset/Microprint “USPS”
Printer: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
Printed at: Williamsville, NY
Press Type: Mueller Martini, A76
Stamps Per Pane 20
Print Quantity: 100 million stamps
Paper Type: Nonphosphored Type III
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Processed at: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
Colors: Black, Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, PMS 625 (C Blue)
Image Orientation: Vertical
Image Area (w x h): 0.73 x 0.84 in./18.54 x 21.34
Stamp Size (w x h): 0.87 x0 .98 in./22.10 x 24.89 mm
Full Pane Size (w x h): 5.35 x 4.93 in./135.89 x 125.22 mm
Plate Size: 400 stamps per revolution
Plate Numbers: “P” followed by five (5) single digits
Marginal Markings:
Front: Plate numbers in four corners of pane
Back: © 2013 USPS • USPS logo • Plate position diagram • Barcode (117200) in upper and lower left corners of pane • Promotional text

HummingbirdTechnical Specifications:
Issue: Hummingbird Stamp
Item Number: 774600
Denomination & Type of Issue: 34-cent Definitive (Postcard Rate)
Format: Coil of 100
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: February 7, 2014, Kansas City, MO 64108 (No Ceremony)
Designer: Carl T. Herrman, North Las Vegas, NV
Art Director: Carl T. Herrman, North Las Vegas, NV
Typographer: Carl T. Herrman, North Las Vegas, NV
Artist: Nancy Stahl, New York, NY
Modeler: Joseph Sheeran
Manufacturing Process: Offset/Microprint “USPS”
Printer: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
Printed at: Williamsville, NY
Press Type: Mueller Martini, A76
Stamps Per Coil: 100
Print Quantity: 400 million stamps
Paper Type: Prephosphored Type I, Block Tag Applied
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Processed at: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
Colors: Black, Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, PMS 625 (C 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): 0.87096 x 0.98 in./22.12 x 24.89 mm
Coil Size (w x h): 0.98 x 87.000 in./24.89 x 2209.80 mm
Plate Size: 744 stamps per revolution
Plate Numbers: “P” followed by five (5) single digits
Coil Number Frequency: Plate numbers located under first stamp of impression • Barcode (07746004)

Cut Paper Heart

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From the USPS:

CutPaperHeartsThe Cut Paper Heart stamp adds another romantic entry to the beautiful Love stamp series.

This fanciful stamp takes its inspiration from the folk traditions of papercutting. Its digital illustration depicts a large white heart enclosing a smaller pink heart with a saw-toothed edge along its left-hand side. Surrounding the central hearts are pink swirls, with smaller hearts imbedded in the design and a ragged-edge motif that echoes the edging on the small pink heart. The hearts and swirls are contained within a red square that has “pinked” edges, as if cut with pinking shears. A white border frames the entire design.

The stamp art is reminiscent of liebesbriefe — ornately cut and painted love letters that are a form of scherenschnitte, the papercutting tradition brought to America in the 18th and 19th centuries by German immigrants. Not intended only for February 14, these early precursors to valentines carried declarations of love and sometimes proposals of marriage. The stamp art is a stunning digital interpretation of these traditional love-letter decorations.

Like the liebesbriefe, the Cut Paper Heart stamps are not just for use on Valentine’s Day, but say “love” all year round.

Designed by art director Antonio Alcalá, the stamp features an illustration by Q. Cassetti.

From my October report:

There will be a new Love stamp, a heart in the center of art deco-like swirls. We were told it’s a cut-paper heart, although I don’t see how you would be able to tell.

Here’s the Digital Color Postmark for this issue:

cutpaper_dcp_vscFrom the USPS on the first-day, January 21st:

U.S. Postal Service Unveils Limited-Edition 2014 Love Stamp
and Hosts Crafting Workshop for Handmade Valentines

Actress Bella Thorne Joins the Fun And Talks About The Personal Touch of Handmade Valentines

CutPaperHeartsNEW YORK — Love is in the air. The United States Postal Service today dedicated the Cut Paper Heart Forever Stamp, this year’s limited-edition Love stamp.
Postal customers can beat the Valentine’s Day rush as the stamps go on sale today at Post Offices nationwide, online at usps.com/stamps, at the Postal Store on eBay at ebay.com/stamps, and by calling 800-STAMP24 (800-782-6724).

“This year’s Love stamp is a reminder that the most heartfelt messages for Valentine’s Day are personalized and sent by mail, not text,” said Richard Uluski, area vice president, Northeast Area, who dedicated the stamp during a ceremony held at the Time Warner Center in New York City. Joining Uluski to dedicate the Cut Paper Heart Forever Stamp was actress Bella Thorne, who participated in a valentine crafting workshop.

“With this lovely paper heart, our stamps will once again help spread a message of love on millions of cards and letters mailed all across America. And, these Forever stamps will be valid for First-Class Mail postage forever, no matter what the price is when you put them on the envelope,” Uluski said. The Love stamp series was launched in 1973.

In addition to the stamp dedication ceremony, the Postal Service hosted a workshop to create handmade valentines. The Cut Paper Heart stamp takes its inspiration from the folk traditions of papercutting.

The digital illustration depicts a large white heart enclosing a smaller pink heart with a saw-toothed edge along its left-hand side. Surrounding the central hearts are pink swirls with smaller hearts imbedded in the design, and a ragged-edge motif that echoes the edging on the small pink heart. The hearts and swirls are contained within a red square that has “pinked” edges, as if cut with pinking shears. A white border frames the entire design. Art director Antonio Alcalá designed the stamp, which features an illustration by Q. Cassetti.

Ordering First-Day-of-Issue Postmark for Cut Paper Heart Forever Stamp:
Customers have 90 days to obtain the first-day-of-issue postmark by mail. They may purchase the new stamps at local Post Offices, at usps.com/stamps or by calling 800-STAMP-24. They should apply the stamps to envelopes of their choice, address the envelopes to themselves or others and place them in larger envelopes addressed to:

Love: Cut Paper Heart Stamp
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 for fewer than 50 requests. For more than 50, customers have to pay five cents each. All orders must be postmarked by March 21, 2014.

Ordering First-Day Covers:
The Postal Service also offers first-day covers for new stamp issues and Postal Service stationery items postmarked with the official first-day-of-issue cancellation. Each item has an individual catalog number and is offered in the quarterly USA Philatelic catalog, online at usps.com/stamps or by calling 800-782-6724. Customers may request a free catalog by calling 800-782-6724 or writing to:

U.S. Postal Service
Catalog Request
PO Box 219014
Kansas City, MO 64121-9014

Philatelic Products for Cut Paper Heart Forever Stamp
There are 11 philatelic products available:

  • 587206, Press Sheet w/die cuts, $55.20
    587208, Press Sheet w/o die cuts, $55.20
    587246, Press Sheet w/die cuts, $58.80
    587248, Press Sheet w/o die cuts, $58.80
    587210, Keepsake (Panel and Digital Color Postmark set), $10.95
    587216, First-Day Cover, $.90
    587221, Digital Color Postmark, $1.61
    587224, Framed Art, $39.95
    587230, Ceremony Program, $6.95
    587231, Stamped Deck Card, $.95
    587232, Stamped Deck Card w/Digital Color Postmark, $1.96

The Postal Service receives no tax dollars for operating expenses, and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations.

Technical Specifications:
CutPaperHeartsIssue: Cut Paper Heart Stamp
Item Number: 587200
Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail Forever
Format: Pane of 20 (1 design)
Series: Love
Issue Date & City: January 21, 2014, New York, NY 10199
Designer: Antonio Alcalá, Alexandria, VA
Art Director: Antonio Alcalá, Alexandria, VA
Typographer: Antonio Alcalá, Alexandria, VA
Artist: Q. Cassetti, Trumansburg, NY
Engraver: WRE
Modeler: CCL Label, Inc.
Manufacturing Process:
Gravure Printer: CCL Label, Inc.
Printed at: Clinton, SC 29325
Press Type: Dia Nippon Kiko (DNK)
Stamps per Pane: 20
Print Quantity: 50 million stamps
Paper Type: Prephosphored, Type I
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Processed at: CCL Label, Inc., Clinton, SC
Colors: 032 (Red), 211 (Pink), 1807 (Dk. Red)
Stamp Orientation: Horizontal
Image Area (w x h): 1.05 x 0.77 in./26.67 x 19.56 mm
Overall Size (w x h): 1.19 x 0.91 in./30.23 x 23.11 mm
Full Pane Size (w x h): 5.75 x 5.50 in./146.05 x 139.70 mm
Plate Size: 120 stamps per revolution
Plate Numbers: “C” followed by three (3) single digits
Marginal Markings:
Front: Plate numbers in four corners of pane
Back: ©2013 USPS • USPS logo • Plate position diagram • Barcode (587200) in upper right and lower left corners of pane • Promotional text

USS Arizona Memorial Express Mail

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From the USPS:

Note that the denomination may change.

Note that the denomination may change.

Every year, more than a million people visit the USS Arizona Memorial in Hawaii’s Pearl Harbor and remember the events of December 7, 1941. This tranquil shrine to the 1,177 sailors aboard the Arizona who lost their lives that day also marks the entry of the United States into World War II.

The art for this Priority Mail Express stamp features an illustration of the white concrete memorial, which rises above the sunken ship in the shape of a bridge. Depicted under a sunny sky and bright clouds with an American flag fluttering overhead, the memorial is mirrored by its own reflection on the water below.

Nearly half of the Americans killed in the attack died aboard the Arizona when a bomb struck an ammunitions store, causing it to detonate. The remains of the ship now rest at the bottom of Pearl Harbor. The illustration was created by Dan Cosgrove, working with art director Phil Jordan.

Added January 13th: This stamp will be issued March 13, 2014.

Here’s the Digital Color Postmark for this issue:

ussariz_dcp_vscHere’s the address for submitting FDCs:

USS Arizona Memorial Stamp
Marketing Department

3600 Aolele Street, Room 106
Honolulu, HI 96820-9996

Surprise! SpongeBob Postcards

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[UPDATED] A surprise from the U.S. Postal Service and the Nickelodeon children’s television channel, announced on the same day they were first available — and they’re only going available in 25,000 post offices.

They’re not “postal cards,” or postal stationery, as we first thought. They’re available for free.

Here’s the press release:

 [Nickelodeon press release]
Nickelodeon And The United States Postal Service Team Up For “SpongeBob Mailpants” Letter Writing Program

Campaign Encourages Kids to Write and Mail Letters


30 Custom-Wrapped SpongeBob Mailboxes Placed in 13 Cities Nationwide, as Program Rolls Out in 25,000 Post Office Locations

spongebob_card2NEW YORK, Dec. 5, 2013 /PRNewswire/ — Today Nickelodeon and the United States Postal Service are launching “SpongeBob MailPants,” an educational letter-writing program that uses SpongeBob SquarePants to show kids the fun of writing, sending and receiving mail this holiday season. Now through Jan. 4, 2014, kids can get special postage-paid, customized SpongeBob postcards at more than 25,000 Post Office locations nationwide to connect with their loved ones using the U.S. Postal Service.

In addition to the postcards, 30 mailboxes are being wrapped in a custom SpongeBob design in cities, including Atlanta, GA; Boston, MA; Charlotte, NC; Chicago, IL; Dallas, TX; Hollywood, FL; Kirkwood, MO; Los Angeles, CA; Miami, FL; New York, NY; Orlando, FL; Philadelphia, PA; and Washington, DC, adding a blast of color and comedy to sidewalks this winter.

spongebob_cardback2“This program is a great way to inspire kids to write and send cards and letters because it’s done with the fun, positivity and humor of the one and only SpongeBob SquarePants,” said Pam Kaufman, Chief Marketing Officer and President of Consumer Products for Nickelodeon. “SpongeBob MailPants is a terrific partnership between Nickelodeon and the Postal Service, and we’re thrilled that kids and families across the country can go to their local Post Office for some SpongeBob-inspired holiday cheer.”

“We’re excited to partner with Nickelodeon. This is a great, fun way to teach kids to write postcards. What better way to encourage kids to experience the excitement of sending personal correspondence than teaming up with SpongeBob, who is adored by children of all ages,” said Nagisa Manabe, Chief Marketing and Sales Officer at the United States Postal Service. “And the timing is perfect. A postcard is a terrific way to send a holiday thank you.”

Kids, parents, and teachers who want to learn more about letter writing and the “SpongeBob MailPants” program can visit www.nick.com/usps to find the following:

  • A step-by-step, interactive video tutorial that guides kids through the process of writing a letter and provides printable practice sheets.
  • Customizable and printable SpongeBob stationery that will be updated with new imagery throughout the program.
  • Writing-themed SpongeBob video clips.

spongebob_mailbox2Since its launch in July 1999, SpongeBob SquarePants has emerged as a pop culture phenomenon.  The series has been the most-watched animated program with kids 2-11 for more than 12 consecutive years, and over the past several years, it has averaged more than 100 million total viewers every quarter across all Nickelodeon networks. As the most widely distributed property in Viacom history, SpongeBob is seen in more than 170 countries and translated into more than 35 languages. The character-driven cartoon chronicles the nautical and sometimes nonsensical adventures of SpongeBob, an incurable optimist and earnest sea sponge, and his undersea friends.

This partnership with the United States Postal Service was created by Nickelodeon’s New Business Development team, which brings family-influenced insights to the marketing community and delivers new, robust partnership solutions to clients.

About USPS
 

The second design

The second design

A self-supporting government enterprise, the U.S. Postal Service is the only delivery service that reaches every address in the nation: 152 million residences, businesses and Post Office Boxes. The Postal Service receives no tax dollars for operating expenses and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations. With more than 31,000 retail locations and the most frequently visited website in the federal government, usps.com, the Postal Service has annual revenue of more than $65 billion and delivers nearly 40 percent of the world’s mail. If it were a private-sector company, the U.S. Postal Service would rank 42nd in the 2012 Fortune 500. The Postal Service has been named the Most Trusted Government Agency for seven years and the fifth Most Trusted Business in the nation by the Ponemon Institute.

About Nickelodeon
spongebob_2card2Nickelodeon, now in its 34th year, is the number-one entertainment brand for kids. It has built a diverse, global business by putting kids first in everything it does. The company includes television programming and production in the United States and around the world, plus consumer products, online, recreation, books and feature films. Nickelodeon’s U.S. television network is seen in more than 100 million households and has been the number-one-rated basic cable network for 18 consecutive years. Nickelodeon and all related titles, characters and logos are trademarks of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA, VIA.B).

New Scott Catalogue Numbers (U.S.)

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4813                                       (46¢) Holy Family and Donkey, dated “2013”
4814                                       ($1.10) WreathC13S

4815                                       (46¢) Virgin and Child booklet stamp
a.                                            Convertible booklet pane of 20

4816                                       (46¢) Large Poinsettia booklet stamp, serpentine die cut 11 on 2 or 3 sides
a.                                            Convertible booklet pane of 20

4817                                       (46¢) Gingerbread House with Red Door booklet stamp
4818                                       (46¢) Gingerbread House with Blue Door booklet stamp
4819                                       (46¢) Gingerbread House with Green Door booklet stamp
4820                                       (46¢) Gingerbread House with Orange Door booklet stamp
a.                                            Block of 4, #4817-4820
Convertible booklet pane of 20, 5 each

4821                                       (46¢) Small Poinsettia ATM booklet stamp, serpentine die cut 8 on 2, 3 or 4 sides
a.                                            Convertible ATM booklet pane of 18

I Was Collecting Stamps That Day

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copy-copy-lloydblog_title3.gifMy local paper has been running a “Where were you on November 22, 1963” features this month. Like most of us, I know exactly where I was, and it has a philatelic connection, but I’ve always had misgivings about it. But, after reflecting on the significance of the date, and realkennedy1246aizing that we can’t hold a 10-year-old boy to adult standards, I’ll tell the story.

Every Friday, Mrs. Meade, our 5th grade teacher at Roosevelt School in Ossining, NY, let us have the afternoon as “hobby time.” For myself and three or four of my friends, that meant stamp collecting.

In fact, I believe Mrs. Meade gave me my first first day cover; certainly, my first foreign FDC. I think I still have it somewhere.

Few fifth-graders, then or now, are into exhibiting, so it’s not as if we were going to show each other great rarities and scholarly philatelic research, kennedy1246band, just like adults then and now, our weekly “hobby time” stamp sessions had become largely buy/sell/trade sessions. Mrs. Meade wasn’t happy about that.

That afternoon, she came into the classroom and said hobby time had been canceled, because the president had been shot. I didn’t believe her. After all, no one shoots presidents. In fact, I’m not sure up to that point I knew of anyone who had been shot, much less killed.

So I figured she’d concocted this unbelievable, ridiculous excuse just because she was upset about our stamp swaps. Remember, I was 10 years old.

We returned to our desks and sat there in silence for the rest of the afternoon. I think some of the other teachers came into the room and talked with Mrs. Meade in whispers.

UC37We never had hobby time again, reinforcing my suspicion.

We also didn’t have school the following Monday, of course. I remember walking into our living room, and finding my mother weeping as she watched the funeral on television. “Why are you crying, Mommy? You’re a Republican.”

I was 10 years old.