Philately

STAMP ANNOUNCEMENT 05-14

The Art of Disney: Celebration Stamps

The Postal ServiceTM will issue 37-cent, The Art of Disney: Celebration commemorative stamps in four designs on June 30, 2005, in Anaheim, California, at the Disneyland Resort. The theme "Celebration" was selected to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the opening of Disneyland in 1955. The stamps designed by David Pacheco, of Burbank, California, go on sale nationwide July 1, 2005.

This is the second stamp pane honoring the art of Disney to be issued by the U.S. Postal Service®. The first, issued in 2004, was on the theme of friendship. With these stamps, the Postal Service honors the "art" of celebration as portrayed by Walt Disney and his studio animators. Postal Service art director Terrence McCaffrey joined with a Disney team to represent on the stamps four types of celebration:

• Mickey Mouse and his faithful dog Pluto are experts when it comes to sharing cake and having good times.

• A very merry tea party hosted by the Mad Hatter gives Alice a chance to catch up on all the news in Wonderland.

• Ariel, a little mermaid, longs to enjoy life on land, but that does not stop her from enjoying music with Flounder and her other undersea friends.

• When it is time to celebrate, our best advice is to follow the lead of Snow White and Dopey and dance!

The Art of Disney: Celebration stamps will be issued in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 20 (Item 567200) and a booklet of 20 stamped cards (Item 980600).

How to Order First Day of Issue Postmark

Customers have 30 days to obtain the first day of issue postmark by mail. They may purchase new stamps at their local Post OfficeTM, by telephone at 800-STAMP-24, and at the Postal Store Web site at www.usps.com/shop. 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:

DISNEY CELEBRATION STAMPS
POSTMASTER
701 N LOARA ST
ANAHEIM CA 92803-9998

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 July 29, 2005.

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
US POSTAL SERVICE
PO BOX 219014
KANSAS CITY MO 64121-9014

First day covers remain on sale for at least 1 year after the stamp's issuance.

Philatelic Products

There are three philatelic products available for this stamp issue:

• Cancellation keepsake (full pane with digital color postmark), $13.40 (Item 567299).

• Stamped cards, $9.75 (Item 980600).

• Prints (set of four 8 x 10), $14.95 (Item 567288).

These products will be available while supplies last in postal stores, online at www.usps.com, and by telephone at 800-STAMP-24.

Distribution: Item 567200, The Art of Disney: Celebration Commemorative Stamps

Stamp distribution offices (SDOs) will receive two automatic distributions of Item 567200, 37-cent The Art of Disney: Celebration commemorative stamps.

The first distribution of approximately three-fourths the standard automatic distribution quantity for a sheet stamp will be completed on June 3, 2005.

The second distribution, of approximately one and one- fourth the standard automatic distribution quantity for a PSA sheet stamp, will be completed on July 1, 2005. Distributions are rounded up to the nearest master carton size (40,000 stamps).

Initial Supply to Post Offices

From the initial shipment, SDOs will make a subsequent automatic distribution to Post Offices for one-half their standard automatic distribution quantities using PS Form 17, Stamp Requisition/Stamp Return. SDOs must not distribute stamps to Post Offices before June 24, 2005.

Philatelic Requirement

SDOs will not receive a separate quantity of Item 567200 for their authorized philatelic centers. Philatelic centers must be supplied their quantities from the initial automatic distribution made to SDOs.

Additional Supply

Post Offices requiring additional Item 567200 must requisition them from their designated SDO using PS Form 17. SDOs requiring additional stamps must order them from the appropriate accountable paper depository (APD) using PS Form 17.

For fulfilling supplemental orders from SDOs, the New York, Chicago, Memphis, and San Francisco APDs will receive 4,000,000 additional stamps; and the Denver APD will receive 1,440,000 additional stamps.

For fulfilling supplemental orders from APDs, the Kansas City Stamp Service Center will receive 6,800,000 additional stamps.

Sales Policy

All Post Offices must acquire and maintain a supply of each new commemorative stamp as long as customer demand exists, until inventory is depleted, or until the stamp is officially withdrawn from sale. If supplies run low, Post Offices must reorder additional quantities using their normal ordering procedures.

- Stamp Services,
Government Relations, 5-26-05

STAMP ANNOUNCEMENT 05-15

Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp

The $15 Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation stamp for the 2005-2006 season goes on sale at Post OfficesTM nationwide June 30, 2005, and is valid through June 30, 2006. The U.S. Department of the Interior will formally issue the stamp at the Russell Senate Office Building in Washington, DC, on June 30, 2005.

The Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation stamp will be issued in two formats: (1) in the traditional water- activated gum (WAG) pane of 20 stamps (Item 333400) and (2) in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) single stamp (Item 333500). The stamp size in the PSA version is the same size as the WAG version and can be peeled from its carrier sheet. The carrier sheet is the size of U.S. paper currency and fits easily in cash drawers.

Postmasters should order enough of Items 333400 and 333500 to meet the expected demand for these items by stamp collectors, conservationists, and hunters.

Distribution

Post Offices. To allow postmasters to order the 2005-2006 Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation stamps in quantities approximating customer demand, there is no minimum ordering quantity for either format. Postmasters should review their previous year's sales records to determine the appropriate number of 2005-2006 Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation stamps to requisition.

Postmasters must immediately send a separate PS Form 17, Stamp Requisition/Stamp Return, to their stamp distribution offices (SDOs) for enough Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation stamps to last until April 28, 2006. Post Offices served by stamp service centers (SSCs) must follow their established ordering guidelines.

If the initial stamp supply is exhausted before April 28, 2006, postmasters must requisition additional quantities. Retail units with authorized philatelic centers should order both formats and have them available to meet philatelic demand. All postmasters/station managers must ensure that the Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation stamps are available to meet public demand.

Stamp Distribution Offices. SDOs will receive automatic distributions of both Item 333400 and Item 333500. Automatic distributions to SDOs are scheduled to begin May 10, 2005, and complete May 24, 2005. SDOs must not distribute Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation stamps to Post Offices before June 24, 2005.

SDOs requiring additional gummed stamps (Item 333400) or additional self-adhesive stamps (Item 333500) must requisition them from a designated accountable paper depository using PS Form 17.

Hunting Regulations Pamphlets

The Department of the Interior does not automatically distribute pamphlets on hunting regulations because migratory game bird laws vary by state. Direct all inquiries about hunting regulations to the state fish and wildlife agency or state department of natural resources. Do not forward to the federal U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

- Stamp Services,
Government Relations, 5-26-05

UPDATED ANNOUNCEMENT 05-D

2005 Stamps and Postal Stationery

"2005 Stamps and Postal Stationery" (Announcement 05-D, May 2005), which appears on page 1, replaces the quarterly announcement of the same name, previously printed and sent to customers on request through Stamp Fulfillment Services in Kansas City. The announcement is a listing of stamps and postal stationery items scheduled for issuance during calendar year 2005. Post OfficesTM may wish to post this schedule on their bulletin boards.

Customers may also access the Postal Bulletin through the Postal ServiceTM Web site at www.usps.com; click on About USPS & News, then Forms & Publications, then Postal Bulletin.

This announcement will be updated every 2 to 3 months, as changes warrant.

How to Order First Day of Issue Cancellations and Covers

Customers may purchase new stamps or postal stationery items at their Post Office, from the USA Philatelic catalog, by calling 800-STAMP-24, or online at www.usps.com by clicking on Buy Stamps & Shop. Then they should prepare their own covers by affixing new stamps to the upper- right corner of envelopes or postcards of their choice, and address those envelopes, postcards, or postal stationery items to themselves or others. (Postage must equal the current First-Class Mail® rate.) For sturdiness, include a card of postcard thickness in each cover (envelopes only) submitted, and tuck in the flap. Place the cover in a larger envelope addressed to:

NAME OF ISSUE
POSTMASTER
CITY STATE ZIP CODE (followed by -9991).

Covers submitted for first day of issue cancellations may include additional uncancelled stamps only if the uncancelled stamps were issued before the first day of issue of the new stamps or postal stationery items. All orders must be postmarked on or before the deadline indicated in the "2005 Stamps and Postal Stationery" announcement that follows.

INFORMATION FULFILLMENT
DEPT 6270
US POSTAL SERVICE
PO BOX 219014
KANSAS CITY MO 64121-9014

- Stamp Services,
Government Relations, 5-26-05