Philately

STAMP ANNOUNCEMENT 06-30

Baseball Sluggers Stamps

The Postal ServiceTM will issue 39-cent Baseball Sluggers commemorative stamps in four designs in a pressure- sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 20 stamps (Item 460100), on July 15, 2006, in Bronx, New York (Yankee Stadium). The stamps, designed by Phil Jordan of Falls Church, Virginia, go on sale nationwide July 16, 2006.

With this issuance, the Postal Service recognizes the accomplishments of four baseball greats:

• Roy Campanella.

• Hank Greenberg.

• Mel Ott.

• Mickey Mantle.

These four men were powerful hitters who wowed fans with awesome and often record-breaking runs. They were also versatile players who helped lead their teams to victory and set impressive standards for subsequent generations.

Lonnie Busch of Franklin, North Carolina, based his illustrations on historic photographs, simplifying and adapting the portraits to resemble old-fashioned baseball trading cards.

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:

BASEBALL SLUGGERS STAMPS
POSTMASTER
558 GRAND CONCOURSE
BRONX NY 10451-9998

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 August 14, 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 six philatelic products available for this stamp issue:

• Item 460163, First Day Covers - $3.08.

• Item 460165, Digital Color Postmark Random Single - $1.50.

• Item 460166, Stamped Postal Cards - $9.95.

• Item 460168, Digital Color Postmark, Set of 4 - $6.00.

• Item 460184, Uncut Press Sheet - $46.80.

• Item 460199, Digital Color Postmark Keepsake (Pane w/4 DCP) - $13.80.

Distribution: Item 460100, 39-cent Baseball Sluggers, PSA Pane of 20 Stamps

Stamp distribution offices (SDOs) will receive approximately two times their full 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 for their full standard automatic distribution quantity using PS Form 17, Stamp Requisition/Stamp Return. SDOs must not distribute stamps to Post Offices before July 10, 2006.

Philatelic Requirement

SDOs will not receive a separate quantity Item 460100 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 460100 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 4,000,000 additional stamps; and the Denver APD will receive 1,760,000 additional stamps. The Kansas City Stamp Services Center will receive 12,000,000 additional stamps for fulfilling supplemental orders from the APDs.

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, 6-22-06

STAMP ANNOUNCEMENT 06-31

DC Comics Super Heroes Stamps

The Postal ServiceTM will issue 39-cent DC Comics Super Heroes commemorative stamps in 20 designs in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 20 stamps (Item 459800), on July 20, 2006, in San Diego, California. The stamps, designed by Carl T. Herrman of Carlsbad, California, go on sale nationwide July 21, 2006.

With these colorful stamps, the U.S. Postal Service honors several stars from the world of DC Comics. Their fantastic adventures provide an escape from the everyday while simultaneously encouraging readers to feel that individuals can make a difference.

Character Shots

• Superman
Art by Curt Swan & Sheldon Moldoff

• Green Lantern
Art by Neal Adams

• Wonder Woman
Art by Curt Swan & A. Vey

• Green Arrow
Art by Jack Kirby & Mike Royer

• Batman
Art by Jim Lee & Scott Williams

• The Flash
Art by Carmine Infantino & Murphy Anderson

• Plastic Man
Art by Dick Giordano

• Aquaman
Art by Kim Aparo

• Supergirl
Art by Burt Swan & Stan Kaye

• Hawkman
Art by Murphy Anderson

DC Covers

• Superman # 11
July/August 1941
Art by Fred Ray

• Green Lantern # 4
January/February 1961
Art by Gil Kane & Joe Giella

• Wonder Woman # 22 (2nd series)
November 1988
Art by George Perez

• Green Arrow # 15
September 2002
Art by Matt Wagner

• Batman # 1
Spring 1940
Art by Bob Kane

• The Flash # 111
February/March 1960

• Plastic Man # 4
Summer 1946
Art by Jack Cole

• Aquaman # 5 (of 5)
October 1989
Art by Curt Swan & A. Vey

• The Daring New Adventures of Supergirl # 1
November 1982
Art by Rich Buckler & Dick Giordano

• The Brave and the Bold # 36
June/July 1961
Art by Joe Kubert

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:

DC COMICS SUPER HEROES STAMPS
POSTMASTER
[INFORMATION NOT YET AVAILABLE]
SAN DIEGO CA

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 August 19, 2006.

Second Day Postmarks

Due to copyright agreements with DC Comics, only the following pictorial postmarks are permitted. Post Offices planning events are prohibited from designing their own special pictorial postmark. The word "Station" or the abbreviation "STA" is required somewhere in the design, because it will be a temporary station.

Guidelines for Finalizing DC Comics Super Heroes Stamp Pictorial Postmark Art

Unfinished Art Finalized Art

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 eight philatelic products available for this stamp issue:

• Item 459862, First Day Cover Full Pane - $10.30.

• Item 459864, Canceled Full Pane - $10.30.

• Item 459865, Digital Color Postmark Random Single - $1.50.

• Item 459866, Stamped Postal Cards - $9.95.

• Item 459868, Digital Color Postmark, Set of 20 - $30.00.

• Item 459872, Comic Book - [Price not yet available].

• Item 459884, Uncut Press Sheet - $31.20.

• Item 459899, Digital Color Postmark Keepsake w/DCP RS - $9.30.

DC Comics Super Heroes also will be issued in a $9.95 booklet of 20 stamped postal cards.

Distribution: Item 459800, 39-cent DC Comics Super Heroes, PSA Pane of 20 Stamps.

Stamp distribution offices (SDOs) will receive approximately two and one-half times their full 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 for their full standard automatic distribution quantity using PS Form 17, Stamp Requisition/Stamp Return. SDOs must not distribute stamps to Post Offices before July 17, 2006.

Philatelic Requirement

SDOs will not receive a separate quantity Item 459800 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 459800 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 4,000,000 additional stamps; and the Denver APD will receive 2,000,000 additional stamps. The Kansas City Stamp Services Center will receive 15,000,000 additional stamps for fulfilling supplemental orders from the APDs.

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, 6-22-06