On October 25, 2007, in New York, New York at the opening of the American Stamp Dealers Association Mega Stamp Show, the Postal Service™ will issue a 41-cent Yoda commemorative stamp in one design in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 20 (Item 461500).
Designed by Greg Breeding of Charlottesville, Virginia, and illustrated by Drew Struzan of Pasadena, California, the stamp goes on sale nationwide October 25, 2007.
With this special issuance, the Postal Service fulfills the wishes of the hundreds of thousands of people who voted online for their favorite Star Wars stamp. This new stamp depicts Yoda as we have always known him: stately and wise, a mentor and a Jedi — and a major force in the most beloved space adventure of all time.
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:
YODA STAMP
POSTMASTER
421 EIGHTH AVE RM 2029B
NEW YORK NY 10199-9998
Issue:
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Yoda
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Item Number:
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461500
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Denomination &
Type of Issue:
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41-cent Commemorative
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Format:
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Pane of 20 (1 design)
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Series:
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N/A
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Issue Date and City:
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October 25, 2007,
New York, NY 10199
(Mega Stamp Show)
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Designer:
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Greg Breeding, Journey Group, Inc.,
Charlottesville, VA
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Artist:
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Drew Struzan, Pasadena, CA
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Art Directors:
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Terrence McCaffrey, USPS
William J. Gicker Jr., USPS
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Engraver:
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N/A
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Modeler:
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Donald Woo
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Manufacturing Process:
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Offset/Microprinting “USPS”
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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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20
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Print Quantity:
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50 million stamps
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Paper Type:
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Phosphored, 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 8260 (Teal)
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Stamp Orientation:
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Vertical
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Image Area (w x h):
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1.23 x 1.56 in./31.24 x 39.62 mm
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Overall Size (w x h):
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1.07 x 1.40 in./27.18 x 35.56 mm
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Full Pane Size (w x h):
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9.25 x 7.25 in./234.95 x 184.15 mm
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Plate Size:
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120 stamps per revolution
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Plate Numbers:
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“S” followed by five (5) single digits
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Marginal Markings:
|
|
Front:
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© 2007 USPS • Price • Plate
numbers on four corners of pane
• Plate position diagram
• Header “STAR WARS YODA”
• Proprietary notices
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Back:
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Four barcodes (461500) • USPS
logo
|
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 December 24, 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 seven philatelic products available for this stamp issue:
- 461584*, Uncut Press Sheet Left, $24.60.
- 461586*, Uncut Press Sheet Right, $24.60.
- 461561*, First Day Cover, $0.79.
- 461565*, Digital Color Postmark, $1.50.
- 461591*, Ceremony Program, $6.95.
- 461593*, First Day Cover Keepsake, $8.99.
- 461599*, Digital Color Postmark Cancellation Keepsake, $9.70.
Items with an asterisk (*) will use the 128 barcode from Stamp Fulfillment Services. All other philatelic products will continue to use barcode series A, with the exception of the yearbook and the guide book.
Stamp distribution offices (SDOs) will receive approximately 50 to 55 percent of their full standard automatic distribution quantity for a PSA sheet stamp. Distributions are rounded up to the nearest master carton size (40,000 stamps).
SDOs will make a subsequent automatic distribution to Post Offices of one-half their full standard automatic distribution quantity using PS Form 17, Stamp Requisition/Stamp Return. SDOs must not distribute stamps to Post Offices before October 19, 2007.
Post Offices requiring additional stamps must requisition Item 461500 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, New York, Chicago, and Memphis APDs will each receive 1,760,000 additional stamps, and the Denver APD will receive 560,000 additional stamps.
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, 9-27-07
