Thanksgiving Day Parade commemorative stamps (44-cent value) in four designs in a pressure-sensitive adhesive pane of 20 stamps have been issued by the U.S. Postal Service. They were designed by Howard E. Paine, Delaplane, VA, and are on sale nationwide. 40 million stamps have been printed.
The four stamps feature iconic scenes of a Thanksgiving Day parade, including a lively marching band, large balloons of favorite animals and popular characters, and crowds of delighted onlookers. Drawing on the long and rich visual history of Thanksgiving Day parades in the U.S., artist Paul Rogers, Pasadena, CA, based his design on American advertising and poster art from the mid-20th Century. He used a combination of airbrush and digital medium to create the colorful and nostalgic images featured on the stamps.
Customers have 90 days from the official first day of issuance date to obtain first day of sale postmarks on new stamps and stationery items. Collectors may request a local first day of sale postmark by mail only. There is no charge for servicing of first day of sale postmarks up to 50 covers. Mail-in customers must supply a self-addressed envelope with sufficient return postage applied to return the serviced covers.
To obtain the first day of sale postmark, mail stationery items bearing Thanksgiving Day Parade stamps to: Customer Relations USPS, 79 Mid Cape Terr Ste 8, Cape Coral, FL 33991. Please specify which city you are requesting a postmark for—Fort Myers, Cape Coral, or Naples; if not specified, the postmark applied will be for the return address city. All orders must be postmarked by December 9, 2009.
For more information about purchasing stamps, stamps by mail, postal regulations, a free subscription to USA Philatelic magazine, Post Office events, the location of the nearest postal store or contract unit, or for answers to your specific Postal Service questions, contact USPS at 1-800-275-8777, or visit www.usps.com . To schedule a presentation for your community, club or group on how the Postal Service brings the Post Office to your home or office computer, call 239-573-9638.
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