Stamp Announcement 16-03: Columbia River Gorge Stamp

Stamp Announcement 16-03: Columbia River Gorge Stamp

On January 17, 2016, in Washington, DC, the U.S. Postal Service® issued the $22.95 Columbia River Gorge Priority Mail Express® stamp, in one design, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 10 stamps (Item 119300).

The stamp went on sale nationwide January 17, 2016.

With this new Priority Mail Express stamp, the U.S. Postal Service celebrates the grandeur of the Columbia River Gorge. Approximately 80 miles long and up to 4,000 feet deep, the gorge runs along the Columbia River, which forms part of the border between Oregon and Washington. The stamp art captures the beauty of the Columbia River as it winds its way through the steep cliffs of the Cascade Mountain Range. The historic Vista House, sitting atop Crown Point and overlooking the river 725 feet below, shimmers in the golden light of the setting sun. Art director Phil Jordan designed the stamp with original art by Dan Cosgrove.

Distribution: Item 119300, Columbia River Gorge, $22.95 Priority Mail Express, PSA Pane of 10 Stamps

Stamp Fulfillment Services did not make an automatic push distribution to Post Offices™. Post Offices may order stamps through SFS Web at https://sfsweb.usps.gov.

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 800-782-6724. 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:

Columbia River Gorge Stamp
Special Events
PO Box 92282
Washington, DC 20090-2282

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 March 17, 2016.

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://www.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 four philatelic products for this stamp issue:

n 119306, Press Sheet with Die-cut, $688.50
(print quantity 100).

n 119308, Press Sheet without Die-cut, $688.50
(print quantity 250).

n 119316*, First-Day Cover, $23.39.

n 119321*, Digital Color Postmark, $24.10.

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:

Columbia River Gorge

Item Number:

119300

Denomination & Type of Issue:

$22.95 Priority Mail Express Price

Format:

Pane of 10 (1 design)

Series:

N/A

Issue Date & City:

January 17, 2016, Washington, DC 20066

Designer:

Phil Jordan, Falls Church, VA

Art Director:

Phil Jordan, Falls Church, VA

Typographer:

Phil Jordan, Falls Church, VA

Artist:

Dan Cosgrove, Chicago, IL

Modeler:

Michelle Finn/Sandra Lane

Manufacturing Process:

Offset, Microprint

Printer:

Banknote Corporation of America

Printed at:

Browns Summit, NC

Press Type:

Alprinta 74

Stamps per Pane:

10

Print Quantity:

1,500,000 stamps

Paper Type:

Phosphor Tagged Paper, Overall

Adhesive Type:

Pressure-sensitive

Processed at:

Banknote Corporation of America, Browns Summit SC

Colors:

Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black

Stamp Orientation:

Horizontal

Image Area (w x h):

1.42 x 1.085 in./36.07 x 27.56 mm

Overall Size (w x h):

1.56 x 1.225 in./39.62 x 31.12 mm

Full Pane Size (w x h):

4.12 x 7.12 in./104.65 x 180.85 mm

Press Sheets Size (w x h):

4.12 x 21.36 in./104.65 x 542.54 mm

Plate Size:

150 stamps per revolution

Plate Numbers:

“B” followed by four (4) single digits

Marginal Markings:

Front:

Plate numbers in two corners of pane

Back:

© 2015 USPS • USPS logo • Plate position diagram • Two (2) selvage UPC codes plus one (1) UPC code per stamp • Website information