PHILADELPHIA — The United States Postal Service will issue the Olympic Games commemorative stamp June 19 during the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials — Gymnastics. The event will be held as part of the Visa Fan Fest at Wachovia Center.

Postal Service Board of Governors member Thurgood Marshall, Jr., and Steve Penny, president of USA Gymnastics, will dedicate the new stamp at approximately 5:20 p.m. on the first day of competition at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials.

With the issuance of this stamp, the Postal Service continues its tradition of honoring the spirit of athleticism and international unity inspired by the Olympic Games. The stamp is being issued to coincide with the games of the XXIX Olympiad, which will be held Aug. 8-24 in Beijing, China.

Designed by Clarence Lee, this stamp features a drawing by artist Katie Doka of a gymnast surrounded by ribbon-like design elements. In the upper right corner of the stamp, the denomination is surrounded by a graphic element that resembles the ink mark created by a Chinese “chop,” a carved wooden stamp often used for signatures or seals. The five Olympic rings appear in the lower left corner.

Olympic Games Philatelic Fact Sheet

Philatelic Products
There are three philatelic products available for this stamp issue:

462961, First-Day Cover, $.80
462991, Ceremony Program, $6.95
462993, First-Day Cover Keepsake, $9.20

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, or at The Postal Store Web site 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:

Olympic Games Stamp
Postmaster
Attn.:  First-Day Cancellation – Olympic Games Stamp
3190 S. 70th Street Room 509
Philadelphia, PA  19153-9611

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. All orders must be postmarked by Aug. 20.

How to Order First Day Covers
Stamp Fulfillment Services 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. Customers may request a free catalog by calling 800-STAMP-24 or writing to:

Information Fulfillment
Dept. 6270
U.S. Postal Service
PO Box 219014
Kansas City, MO  64121-9014

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