Philately

STAMP ANNOUNCEMENT 05-21

America on the Move: 50s Sporty Cars Stamps

The Postal ServiceTM will issue 37-cent, America on the Move: 50s Sporty Cars commemorative stamps in five designs on August 20, 2005, in Detroit, Michigan. The stamps, designed by Art M. Fitzpatrick of Carlsbad, California, go on sale nationwide August 21, 2005.

The America on the Move: 50s Sporty Cars will be issued in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) double- sided convertible booklet of 20 (Item 673800) and a booklet of 20 stamped cards (Item 980700).

These five stamps feature the sporty look of American cars designed in the 1950s - a decade marked by post- World War II euphoria and economic prosperity. The cars selected are:

• 1952 Nash Healey.

• 1953 Chevrolet Corvette.

• 1953 Studebaker Starliner.

• 1954 Kaiser Darrin.

• 1955 Ford Thunderbird.

Referring to photographs of each car and his own cache of landscape images for the stamp backgrounds, artist Art M. Fitzpatrick has rendered each stamp in meticulous detail. Fitzpatrick was once a car designer and a long-time advertising designer and illustrator for General Motors.

How to Order the 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:

AMERICA ON THE MOVE: 50S SPORTY CARS COMMEMORATIVE STAMPS
POSTMASTER
1401 W FORT ST
DETROIT, MI 48233-9998

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 September 19, 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

Philatelic Products

There are six philatelic products available for this stamp issue:

• First Day Cover (Set of 5) $3.75 (Item 673863).

• Digital Color Postmark Random Single Cover $1.50 (Item 673865).

• Stamped Postal Cards $9.75 (Item 980733).

• Digital Color Postmark (Set of 5) $7.50 (Item 673868).

• Print and Booklet Set $12.95 (Item 673888).

• Cancellation Keepsake (One random CP Cover
w/booklet) $8.90 (673899).

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

Distribution: Item 673800, $7.40 America on the Move: 50s Sporty Cars PSA Double-Sided Booklet of 20

Stamp distribution offices (SDOs) will receive approximately one-half the standard automatic distribution quantity for a PSA booklet. Distributions are rounded up to the nearest master carton size (4,000 booklets).

Initial Supply to Post Offices

SDOs will make a subsequent automatic distribution to Post Offices for one-half of their standard automatic booklet distribution quantity using PS Form 17, Stamp Requisition and Return. SDOs must not distribute booklets to Post Offices before August 15, 2005.

Philatelic Requirement

SDOs will not receive a separate quantity Item 673800 for their authorized philatelic centers. Philatelic centers must be supplied their required quantities from the initial automatic distribution made to SDOs.

Additional Supply

Post Offices requiring additional Item 673800 must requisition them from their designated SDO using PS Form 17. SDOs requiring additional booklets must order them from the appropriate accountable paper depository (APD) using PS Form 17.

For fulfilling supplemental orders from SDOs, Chicago APD will receive 600,000 additional booklets; the San Francisco, Memphis, and New York APDs will each receive 560,000 additional booklets; and the Denver APD will receive 220,000 additional booklets.

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, 7-21-05

STAMP ANNOUNCEMENT 05-22

Arthur Ashe Stamp

The Postal ServiceTM will issue a 37-cent, Arthur Ashe commemorative stamp in one design in a pressure- sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 20 stamps (Item 457400) on August 27, 2005, in Flushing, New York. The stamp, designed by Carl T. Herrman of Carlsbad, California, goes on sale nationwide August 28, 2005.

Arthur Ashe (1943-1993) is the first African American man to win Grand Slam tennis tournaments - Wimbledon and the United States and Australian Opens. Ashe became as renowned for his intellect, moral character, and commitment to social causes as for his prowess on the tennis courts of the world.

A month before Ashe died, Sports Illustrated named him "Sportsman of the Year" and ran this color photograph of Ashe by Michael O'Neill on the cover of the December 21, 1992, issue. This softly lit, photographic portrait shows a bespectacled Ashe holding a tennis racket in semiprofile against a black background.

How to Order the 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:

ARTHUR ASHE COMMEMORATIVE STAMPS
POSTMASTER
41-65 MAIN ST
FLUSHING NY 11355-9998

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 September 26, 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

Philatelic Products

There are four philatelic products available for this stamp issue:

• First Day Cover (Single) $0.75 (Item 457461).

• Digital Color Postmark Cover $1.50 (Item 457465).

• Cultural Diary Page w/stamp $12.95 (Item 457496).

• Cancellation Keepsake (FP w/CP Cover) $8.90 (Item 457499).

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

Distribution: Item 457400, 37-cent Arthur Ashe Commemorative Stamps

Stamp distribution offices (SDOs) will receive approximately one-half of their standard automatic distribution quantity for a PSA sheet stamp. Distributions are rounded up to the nearest master carton size (40,000 stamps).

Initial Supply to Post Offices

SDOs will make a subsequent automatic distribution to Post Offices of one-half their standard automatic distribution quantity using PS Form 17, Stamp Requisition and Return. SDOs must not distribute stamps to Post Offices before August 22, 2005.

Philatelic Requirement

SDOs will not receive a separate quantity Item 457400 for their authorized philatelic centers. Philatelic centers must be supplied their quantities from the initial automatic distribution made to stamp distribution offices.

Additional Supply

Post Offices requiring additional stamps must requisition Item 457400 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 Chicago APD will receive 6,000,000 additional stamps; the Memphis and New York APDs will each receive 5,000,000 additional stamps; the San Francisco APD will receive 4,000,000 additional stamps; and the Denver APD will receive 1,800,000 additional stamps. For fulfilling supplemental orders from APDs, the Kansas City Stamp Services Center will receive 4,000,000 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, 7-21-05

Pictorial Postmarks Announcement

As a community service, the Postal ServiceTM offers pictorial postmarks to commemorate local events celebrated in communities throughout the nation. A list of events for which pictorial postmarks are authorized appears below. If available, the sponsor of the pictorial postmark appears in italics under the date. Also provided, as space permits, are illustrations of those postmarks that were reproducible and available at press time.

People attending these local events may obtain the postmark in person at the temporary Post OfficeTM station established there. Those who cannot attend the event, but who wish to obtain the postmark, may submit a mail order request. Pictorial postmarks are available only for the dates indicated, and requests must be postmarked no later than 30 days following the requested pictorial postmark date.

All requests must include a stamped envelope or postcard bearing at least the minimum First-Class Mail® postage. Items submitted for postmark may not include postage issued after the date of the requested postmark. Such items will be returned unserviced.

Customers wishing to obtain a postmark should affix stamps to any envelope or postcard of their choice, address the envelope or postcard to themselves or others,insert a card of postcard thickness in envelopes for sturdiness, and tuck in the flap. Place the envelope or postcard in a larger envelope and address it to: PICTORIAL POSTMARKS, followed by the NAME OF THE STATION,ADDRESS, CITY, STATE, ZIP+4® CODE, exactly as listed below (using all capitals and no punctuation, except thehyphen in the ZIP+4 code).

Customers can also send stamped envelopes and postcards without addresses for postmark, as long as they supply a larger envelope with adequate postage and their return address. After applying the pictorial postmark, the Postal Service returns the items (with or without addresses) under addressed protective cover.

—Stamp Services,
Government Relations, 7-21-05

CORRECTION

Pictorial Postmarks Announcement

In the article "Pictorial Postmarks Announcement," in Postal Bulletin 22157 (6-23-05, pages 43-51), the ZIP CodeTM for the pictorial postmark July 4, 2005, Sesquicentennial Celebration, Marshfield, MO, (pictured on page 50) is incorrect.

The correct ZIP Code is 65706-9998.

—Stamp Services, Government Relations, 7-21-05

—Mailing Standards, Pricing and Classification, 7-21-05