Philately

Pictorial Postmarks Announcement

As a community service, the Postal Service™ offers pictorial postmarks to commemorate local events celebrated in communities throughout the nation. A list of events for which pictorial postmarks are authorized appears below. If available, the sponsor of the pictorial postmark appears in italics under the date. Also provided are illustrations of those postmarks.

People attending these local events may obtain the postmark in person at the temporary Post Office™ station established there. Those who cannot attend the event but who wish to obtain the postmark may submit a mail order request. Pictorial postmarks are available only for the dates indicated, and requests must be postmarked no later than 30 days following the requested pictorial post­mark date.

All requests must include a stamped envelope or post­card bearing at least the minimum First-Class Mail^® postage. Items submitted for postmark may not include postage issued after the date of the requested postmark. Such items will be returned unserviced.

Customers wishing to obtain a postmark should affix stamps to any envelope or postcard of their choice, address the envelope or postcard to themselves or others, insert a card of postcard thickness in envelopes for sturdi­ness, and tuck in the flap. Place the envelope or postcard in a larger envelope and address it to: PICTORIAL POST­MARKS, followed by the NAME OF THE STATION, ADDRESS, CITY, STATE, ZIP+4^® CODE, exactly as listed below (using all capitals and no punctuation, except the hyphen in the ZIP+4 code).

Customers can also send stamped envelopes and post­cards without addresses for postmark, as long as they supply a larger envelope with adequate postage and their return address. After applying the pictorial postmark, the Postal Service returns the items (with or without addresses) under addressed protective cover.

— Stamp Services,
Government Relations, 8-28-08