Stamp Services

Stamp Announcement 14-49: Wilt Chamberlain Stamps

Stamp Announcement 14-49: Wilt Chamberlain Stamps

On December 5, 2014, in Philadelphia, PA, the U.S. Postal Service® will issue the Wilt Chamberlain stamps, in two designs, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 18 stamps (Item 472400).

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

This year, the U.S. Postal Service celebrates the life of basketball superstar Wilt Chamberlain (1936–1999). The 7-foot-1-inch center set a plethora of records and, as a pro, led his teams to two NBA championships. Two new stamps feature portraits of Chamberlain by artist Kadir Nelson. One stamp portrays Chamberlain in a Philadelphia Warriors uniform, and the other stamp shows him in a Los Angeles Lakers uniform. The selvage features photographer Ken Regan’s image of Chamberlain in a Philadelphia 76ers uniform. Art director Antonio Alcalá designed the stamps and pane.

To learn more about the stories behind the stamps, visit http://uspsstamps.com.

Initial Supply to Post Offices: Item 472400, Wilt Chamberlain (Forever® stamps priced at 49 cents) commemorative $8.82 PSA Pane of 18

Stamp Fulfillment Services will make a subsequent automatic push distribution to Post Offices™ of a quantity to cover approximately 30 days of sales. Distribution quantities for the automatic push distribution are available by logging on to SFS Web at https://sfsweb.usps.gov. Post Offices may begin ordering stamps prior to the FDOI through SFS Web. However, offices should check the website noted above to determine the amount they will receive on their automatic push distribution.

Special Dedication Postmarks

Only the following pictorial postmark is permitted for the Wilt Chamberlain stamps. The word “Station” or the abbreviation “STA” is required somewhere in the design, because it will be a temporary station.

Guidelines for Finalizing the Wilt Chamberlain Stamps Pictorial Postmark Art

Wilt Chamberlain Pictorial Postmark Art

To finalize the Wilt Chamberlain stamps pictorial postmark art, insert the date, city, state, and ZIP™ Code of the physical location of your event adjacent to the stamp image. Overall dimensions of the pictorial postmark must not exceed 4 inches horizontally by 2 inches vertically. Collectors prefer the dimensions 3-1/2 inches by 1.

The Postal Service™ must make all special postmarks known to collectors through advance publicity in the Postal Bulletin. Therefore, all special dedication cancellations must be reported to Stamp Services four weeks before the events using PS Form 413, Pictorial Postmark Announcement/Report. To get a copy of the form, go to http://blue.usps.gov/formmgmt/forms/ps413.pdf.

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:

Wilt Chamberlain Stamps
Retail Manager
Philadelphia Metropolitan District
3190 South 70th Street
Philadelphia, PA 19153-3244

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 February 3, 2015.

How to Order 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 http://usps.com/shop, 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

There are nine philatelic products for this stamp issue:

n 472406, Press Sheet w/Die cut, $70.56,
(print quantity 1,000).

n 472408, Press Sheet w/o Die cut, $70.56,
(print quantity 1,500).

n 472410*, Digital Color Postmark Keepsake,
set of 2, $12.95.

n 472416*, First-Day Cover, set of 2, $1.86.

n 472421*, Digital Color Postmark, set of 2, $3.28.

n 472424*, Framed Art, $39.95.

n 472430*, Ceremony Program, $6.95.

n 472431*, Stamp Deck Card, $0.95.

n 472432*, Stamp Deck Card w/ Digital Color
Postmark, $1.99.

Items with an asterisk (*) will use the 128 barcode from Stamp Fulfillment Services. All other philatelic products will continue to use barcode series A, with the exception of the Yearbook and the Guide Book.

 

Issue:

Wilt Chamberlain Stamps

Item Number:

472400

Denomination & Type of Issue:

First-Class Mail Forever®

Format:

Pane of 18 (2 design)

Series:

N/A

Issue Date & City:

December 5, 2014, Philadelphia,
PA 19153

Designer:

Antonio Alcalá, Alexandria, VA

Art Director:

Antonio Alcalá, Alexandria, VA

Typographer:

Antonio Alcalá, Alexandria, VA

Artist:

Kadir Nelson, San Diego, CA

Modeler:

Donald Woo

Manufacturing Process:

Offset, Microprint

Printer:

Banknote Corporation of America/SSP

Printed at:

Browns Summit, NC

Press Type:

Alprinta 74

Stamps per Pane:

18

Print Quantity:

50 million stamps

Paper Type:

Phosphor Tagged Paper

Adhesive Type:

Pressure-sensitive adhesive

Processed at:

Banknote Corporation of America, Browns Summit SC

Colors:

Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black

Stamp Orientation:

Vertical

Image Area (w x h):

0.84 x 1.93 in./21.34 x 48.97 mm

Overall Size (w x h):

0.98 x 2.07 in./24.89 x 52.52 mm

Full Pane Size (w x h):

9.25 x 6.88 in./234.95 x 174.63 mm

Press Sheets Size (w x h):

18.5 x 27.5 in./469.90 x 698.50 mm

Plate Size:

144 stamps per revolution

Plate Numbers:

“S” followed by four (4) single digits

Marginal Markings:

© 2014 USPS • USPS logo • Plate position diagram • UPC Code
• Promotional text • NBA Information • Wilt Chamberlain bio.