STAMP ANNOUNCEMENT 06-04

Great Smoky Mountains, North Carolina/Tennessee Stamp

The Postal ServiceTM will issue a Great Smoky Mountains, North Carolina/Tennessee international postcard rate stamp in one design in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 20 stamps (Item 568200), on February 24, 2006, in St. Louis, Missouri. The stamp, designed by Ethel Kessler of Bethesda, Maryland, goes on sale nationwide February 24, 2006.

The international rate stamp in the Scenic American Landscapes series features a photograph of the Great Smoky Mountains at sunset, taken by David Muench of Santa Barbara, California.

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:

GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS NORTH CAROLINA
TENNESSEE STAMP
POSTMASTER
8655 AIRPORT RD
ST LOUIS MO 63134-9998

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 March 23, 2006.

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 no philatelic products available for this stamp issue.

Distribution: Item 568200, 75-cent Great Smoky Mountains, PSA Pane of 20 Stamps

Stamp distribution offices (SDOs) will receive two waves of automatic distribution for Item 568200. The first distribution of approximately one-third the standard automatic distribution quantity for a sheet stamp completed shipment on December 28, 2006. The second distribution, of approximately one-third the standard automatic distribution quantity for a PSA sheet stamp, completed shipment on January 26, 2006. Distributions are rounded up to the nearest master carton size (40,000 stamps).

Initial Supply to Post Offices

SDOs will not make a subsequent automatic distribution to Post Offices. Post Offices requiring quantities of Item 568200 must order them from their designated SDO using a separate PS Form 17, Stamp Requisition/Stamp Return. SDOs must not distribute stamps to Post Offices before February 17, 2006.

Philatelic Requirement

SDOs will not receive a separate quantity Item 568200 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 stamps must requisition Item 568200 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.

Following the first distribution to SDOs, the Kansas City SSC received 19,200,000 additional stamps for fulfilling supplemental orders from APDs.

Following the second distribution to SDOs, the Memphis, Chicago, New York, and San Francisco APDs will each receive 2,880,000 additional stamps; and the Denver APD will receive 1,440,000 additional stamps for fulfilling supplemental orders from SDOs. The Kansas City Stamp Services Center will receive 8,640,000 additional stamps for fulfilling supplemental orders from APDs.

— Stamp Services,
Government Relations, 2-2-06