STAMP ANNOUNCEMENT 06-05

Our Wedding Stamps

The Postal ServiceTM will issue Our Wedding special stamps, on March 1, 2006, in New York, New York. The stamps, designed by Michael Osborne, Berkeley, California, go on sale nationwide March 2, 2006.

These stamps will be available in two formats:

• $20.40 Pressure-sensitive (PSA) combination booklet of 40 stamps: twenty 39-cent (1 ounce) stamps and twenty 63-cent (2 ounces) stamps (Item 674800).

• $7.80 PSA convertible booklet of twenty 39-cent (1 ounce) stamps (Item 675300).

Michael Osborne created the 2006 Our Wedding stamps especially for mailing wedding invitations and RSVPs. Both stamps feature an illustration of a white dove - a time-honored symbol of peace, love, and fidelity - and a heart, surrounded by calligraphic flourishes set against a lavender background (1-ounce denomination) and a light green background (2-ounce denomination). The stamp art is based on elegant calligraphic designs used to embellish correspondence during the 18th and 19th centuries.

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:

OUR WEDDING STAMPS
POSTMASTER
421 EIGHTH AVE RM 2029B
NEW YORK NY 10199-9998

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 31, 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 four philatelic products available for Our Wedding booklet of 40 stamps (Item 674800):

• Item 674862: First Day Cover, $1.40.

• Item 568175: Gold Series Prestige Folder (w/2 stamps), $7.95.

• Item 674887: Weddiquette Book, Invitation Mailing Guide (w/20 stamps), $14.95.

• Item 674894: Noteworthy Bridal Set (stationery, mailing kit), $23.95.

There are four philatelic products available for Our Wedding booklet of 20 stamps (Item 675300):

• Item 675361: First Day Cover, $0.77.

• Item 675387: Thank You Cards w/20 stamps and envelopes, $14.95.

• Item 675393: Cancellation Keepsake (booklet and first day cover), $8.57.

• Item 675394: Stationery Set w/20 stamps and envelopes, $14.95.

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

Distribution: Item 674800, $20.40 Our Wedding, PSA Convertible Booklet of 40

Stamp distribution offices (SDOs) will receive an automatic distribution of this PSA booklet of 40. Distributions are rounded up to the nearest master carton size (2,000 booklets).

Initial Supply to Post Offices

SDOs will not make a subsequent automatic distribution to Post Offices. Post Offices requiring quantities of Item 674800 must order them from their designated SDO using a separate PS Form 17, Stamp Requisition/Stamp Return. SDOs must not distribute booklets to Post Offices before February 24, 2006.

Philatelic Requirement

SDOs will not receive a separate quantity Item 674800 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 booklets must requisition Item 674800 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 San Francisco, Chicago, Memphis, and New York APDs will each receive 200,000 additional booklets; and the Denver APD will receive 60,000 additional booklets.

Sales Policy

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

Distribution: Item 675300, $7.80 Our Wedding, PSA Convertible Booklet of 20

SDOs will receive a approximate one-third their standard automatic distribution quantity for a PSA booklet. Distributions are rounded up to nearest master carton size (4,000 booklets).

Initial Supply to Post Offices

SDOs will make a subsequent automatic distribution to Post Offices for one-fourth their full standard automatic distribution quantity for a PSA booklet using PS Form 17, Stamp Requisition/Stamp Return. SDOs must not distribute stamps to Post Offices before February 24, 2006.

Philatelic Requirement

SDOs will not receive a separate quantity Item 675300 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 booklets must requisition Item 675300 from their designated SDO using PS Form 17. SDOs requiring additional stamps must order them from the appropriate APD using PS Form 17.

For fulfilling supplemental orders from SDOs, the San Francisco, Chicago, Memphis, and New York APDs will each receive 760,000 additional booklets; and the Denver APD will receive 240,000 additional booklets.

Sales Policy

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

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