On August 28, 2007, in Estes Park, Colorado, the Postal Service™ will issue a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) commemorative sheet of the 41-cent, Alpine Tundra stamps in ten designs (Item 461300). The stamps, designed by Ethel Kessler of Bethesda, Maryland, go on sale nationwide August 28, 2007.
This $4.10 commemorative sheet may not be split, and the stamps may not be sold individually. The Alpine Tundra stamps are the ninth in the Nature of America series designed to promote appreciation of major plant and animal communities in the United States.
To illustrate the diversity of species associated with the alpine tundra, artist John D. Dawson of Hilo, Hawaii, depicted more than 24 animal and plant species in his beautiful acrylic painting. The scene itself is imaginary. Such a dense grouping of plants and animals was necessary to illustrate as many species as possible on the stamp pane. Even so, all of the species can be encountered on the alpine tundra of Rocky Mountain National Park; all were recommended by scientists.
A description of alpine tundra and a numbered key to the artwork appear on the back of the pane, along with a corresponding list of common and scientific names for 24 species.
Customers have 60 days to obtain the first day of issue postmark by mail. They may purchase new stamps at their local Post Office™, at The Postal Store® Web site at www.usps.com/shop, or by calling 800-STAMP-24. 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:
ALPINE TUNDRA stampS
POSTMASTER
215 W RIVERSIDE DR
ESTES PARK CO 80517-9998
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 October 27, 2007.
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
There are five philatelic products available for this stamp issue:
- 461362, First Day Cover Full Pane, $6.60.
- 461364, Canceled Full Pane, $6.60.
- 461384, Uncut Press Sheet, $32.80.
- 461391, Ceremony Program, $6.95.
- 461393, Pane of 10/First Day Cover Pane, $10.70.
Stamp distribution offices (SDOs) will receive approximately 50 percent of their standard automatic distribution quantity for a PSA sheet stamp. Distributions are rounded up to the nearest master carton size (2,000 commemorative sheets/20,000 stamps).
SDOs will make a subsequent automatic distribution to Post Offices of one-half their standard automatic distribution quantities using PS Form 17, Stamp Requisition/Stamp Return. SDOs must not distribute this commemorative sheet to Post Offices before August 22, 2007.
Post Offices requiring additional commemorative sheets must requisition Item 461300 from their designated SDO using PS Form 17. SDOs requiring additional commemorative sheets must order them from the appropriate accountable paper depository (APD) using PS Form 17.
For fulfilling supplemental orders from SDOs, the Memphis, New York, and Chicago APDs will each receive 110,000 additional commemorative sheets; the San Francisco APD will receive 140,000 additional commemorative sheets; and the Denver APD will receive 160,000 additional commemorative sheets.
Issue:
|
Alpine Tundra
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Item Number:
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461300
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Denomination &
Type of Issue:
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$4.10 Commemorative Sheet
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Format:
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Pane of 10 (10 designs)
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Series:
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Nature of America
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Issue Date & City:
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August 28, 2007,
Estes Park, CO 80517
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Artist:
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John D. Dawson, Hilo, HI
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Designer:
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Ethel Kessler, Bethesda, MD
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Art Director:
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Ethel Kessler, Bethesda, MD
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Typographer:
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Ethel Kessler, Bethesda, MD
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Modeler:
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Donald Woo
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Engraver:
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N/A
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Manufacturing Process:
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Offset
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Printer:
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Sennett Security Products/
Banknote Corporation of
America, Inc. (SSP/BCA)
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Printed at:
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Browns Summit, NC
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Press Type:
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Alprinta, 74
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Stamps per Pane:
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10
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Print Quantity:
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50 million stamps
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Paper Type:
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Phosphored tagged, Block
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Adhesive Type:
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Pressure-sensitive
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Processed at:
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Browns Summit, NC
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Colors:
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Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black,
PMS 1605 (Brown)
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Plate Size:
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80 stamps per revolution
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Stamp Orientation:
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Horizontal and Vertical
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Orientation 1:
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Horizontal
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Overall Size (w x h):
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1.56 x 1.23 in./39.62 x 31.24 mm
|
Orientation 2:
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Vertical
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Overall Size (w x h):
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1.23 x 1.56 in./31.24 x 39.62 mm
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Full Pane Size (w x h):
|
9.13 x 6.75 in./171.45 x 231.90 mm
|
Marginal Markings:
|
|
Front:
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Header “Alpine Tundra” • “NINTH
IN A SERIES”
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Back:
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Illustrative diagram and descriptive
text • Header • “© 2006”
• Barcode “461300” • NATURE
OF AMERICA
|
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. The $4.10 Alpine Tundra commemorative sheet may not be split, and the stamps may not be sold individually.
— Stamp Services,
Government Relations, 8-2-07
