On May 12, 2008, in Washington, DC, the Postal Service™ will issue a 59-cent, James A. Michener definitive stamp in one design in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 20 stamps (Item 107700). The stamp, designed by Richard Sheaff of Scottsdale, Arizona, goes on sale nationwide May 12, 2008.
This stamp in the Distinguished Americans series honors James A. Michener who is best remembered for his novels, often multigenerational sagas that focus on the history of a specific place while spanning vast periods of time. Created by Mark Summers, the stamp art is based on a photograph of Michener from the late 1970s. In both the photograph and the stamp art, Michener is shown wearing a Hawaiian lei around his neck.
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:
JAMES A MICHENER STAMP
POSTMASTER
SPECIAL CANCELLATIONS
PO BOX 92282
WASHINGTON DC 20090-2282
Issue:
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James A. Michener
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Item Number:
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107700
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Denomination &
Type of Issue:
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59-cent Definitive
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Format:
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Pane of 20 (1 design)
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Series:
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Distinguished Americans
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Issue Date & City:
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May 12, 2008,
Washington, DC 20066
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Designer:
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Richard Sheaff, Scottsdale, AZ
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Artist:
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Mark Summers,
Waterdown, Canada
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Engraver:
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N/A
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Art Director:
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Richard Sheaff, Scottsdale, AZ
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Typographer:
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Richard Sheaff, Scottsdale, AZ
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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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Banknote Corporation of
America/SSP
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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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100 million stamps
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Paper Type:
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Prephosphored, Type I
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Adhesive Type:
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Pressure-sensitive
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Processed at:
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Unique Binders, Fredericksburg, VA
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Colors:
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Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black,
Warm Red
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Stamp Orientation:
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Vertical
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Image Area (w x h):
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0.71 x 0.82 in./18.03 x 20.83
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Overall Size (w x h):
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0.87 x 0.98 in./22.10 x 24.89 mm
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Full Pane Size (w x h):
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5.30 x 4.88 in./134.62 x 123.95 mm
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Plate Size:
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400 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:
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Front:
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© 2008 USPS • Price • Header “DISTINGUISHED AMERICANS Number 10 in a series” • Plate numbers in four corners of pane • Plate position diagram
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Back:
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USPS logo • Barcodes (107700) in four corners of pane
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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 July 11, 2008.
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 is one philatelic product available for this stamp issue: Item 107761, First Day Cover, $0.97. This item 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.
Initially, stamp distribution offices (SDOs) will receive approximately 75 to 80 percent of their standard automatic distribution quantity for a PSA sheet stamp. SDO distributions which begin shipment April 29, 2008, will be completed May 29, 2008. Distributions are rounded up to the nearest master carton size (40,000 stamps).
SDOs will not make a subsequent automatic distribution to Post Offices. Post Offices requiring quantities of Item 107700 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 May 5, 2008.
Post Offices requiring additional stamps must requisition Item 107700 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 Memphis, Chicago, New York, and San Francisco APDs will each receive 5,760,000 additional stamps; and the Denver APD will receive 1,920,000 additional stamps. The Kansas City Stamp Services Center will receive 9,600,000 additional stamps for fulfilling supplemental orders from APDs. Additional quantities of this definitive stamp will also be made available to SDOs via future automatic distributions shipped directly from supplier to SDOs.
— Stamp Services,
Government Relations, 4-10-08
