©2017 USPS
On March 5, 2018, in Springfield, IL, the U.S. Postal Service® will issue the Illinois Statehood First-Class Mail® stamp (Forever® priced at 50 cents) in one design, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 20 stamps (Item 477100). The stamp will go on sale nationwide March 5, 2018.
This stamp celebrates the 200th anniversary of Illinois statehood. Known as the Prairie State, Illinois became the 21st state of the Union on December 3, 1818. The stamp art features an outline of the state map with a series of yellow beams radiating upward like the rays of a rising sun.
The colors on the map begin at the bottom with a deep yellow. The color fades upward to pale yellow and then into pale blue, with increasingly deeper blues rising to the top of the map; the yellows and blues symbolize the dawning of a new day as the state joins the Union. Stars, representing the first 20 states, grace the top of the stamp. The rising sun symbolizes the 21st star. Illinois artist Michael Konetzka designed the stamp and created the artwork. Antonio Alcalá was the art director.
Stamp Fulfillment Services (SFS) will make an automatic push distribution to Post Offices™ (in Illinois only) of a quantity to cover approximately 30 days of sales. Distribution quantities for the automatic push distribution will be available by logging on to SFS Web at sfsweb.usps.gov. Post Offices may begin ordering stamps before the first-day-of-issue through SFS Web; Illinois offices must also check the amount they will receive in their automatic push distribution.
Only the following pictorial postmark is permitted for the Illinois Statehood stamp. The word “Station” or the abbreviation “STA” is required somewhere in the design, because it will be a temporary station.
To finalize the Illinois Statehood stamp 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 4 weeks before the event using PS Form 413, Pictorial Postmark Announcement/Report. To get a copy of the form, go to blue.usps.gov/formmgmt/forms/ps413.pdf.
Customers have 120 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 usps.com/shop, or by phone at 800-782-6724. They must affix the stamps to envelopes of their choice, address the envelopes (to themselves or others), and place them in a larger envelope addressed to:
FDOI – Illinois Statehood Stamp
USPS Stamp Fulfillment Services
8300 NE Underground Drive, Suite 300
Kansas City, MO 64144-9900
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 July 5, 2018.
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 USA Philatelic publication and online at usps.com/shop. Customers may register to receive a free USA Philatelic publication online at usps.com/philatelic.
Philatelic products for this stamp issue are as follows:
n 477106, Press Sheet with Die-cut, $60.00.
n 477110*, Digital Color Postmark Keepsake, $11.95.
n 477116*, First-Day Cover, $0.94.
n 477121*, Digital Color Postmark, $1.65.
n 477130*, Ceremony Program, $6.95.
n 477133*, Panel, $10.95.
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:
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Illinois Statehood Stamp
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Item Number:
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477100
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Denomination &
Type of Issue:
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First-Class Mail, Forever
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Format:
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Pane of 20 (1 design)
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Series:
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Statehood
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Issue Date & City:
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March 5, 2018, Springfield, IL 62703
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Designer:
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Michael Konetzka, Chicago IL
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Art Director:
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Antonio Alcalá, Alexandria, VA
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Typographer:
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Michael Konetzka, Chicago IL
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Artist:
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Michael Konetzka, Chicago IL
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Modeler:
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Sandra Lane/Michelle Finn
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Manufacturing Process:
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Offset, Microprint
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Printer:
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Banknote Corporation of America
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Printed at:
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Browns Summit, NC
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Press Type:
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Alprinta 74
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Stamps per Pane:
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20
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Print Quantity:
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25,000,000 stamps
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Paper Type:
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Phosphor Tagged Paper, Overall Tag
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Adhesive Type:
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Pressure-sensitive
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Processed at:
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Banknote Corporation of America, Browns Summit NC
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Colors:
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Cool Gray 5, Cool Gray 7, Pantone 431, Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black
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Stamp Orientation:
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Vertical
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Image Area (w x h):
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0.84 x 1.42 in./21.34 x 36.07 mm
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Overall Size (w x h):
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0.98 x 1.56 in./24.89 x 39.62 mm
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Full Pane Size (w x h):
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5.92 x 7.24 in./150.37 x 183.90 mm
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Press Sheets Size (w x h):
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21.72 x 11.84 in./551.69 x 300.74 mm
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Plate Size:
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240 stamps per revolution
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Plate Numbers:
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B followed by seven (7) single digits
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Marginal Markings:
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Front:
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Plate numbers in four corners of pane
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Back:
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© 2017 USPS • USPS logo • Barcode (477100) in upper right and lower left corners of pane • Plate position diagram
• Promotional text
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— Stamp Services, Marketing, 2-1-18
