On April 17, 2009, in New York, New York (Mega Stamp Show), the Postal Service™ will issue a 28-cent, Koi stamped card in two designs. The card, designed by Ethel Kessler of Bethesda, Maryland, goes on sale nationwide April 17, 2009.
This newest stamp product in the American Scenes series features colorful carp know as koi. Many Americans collect koi, prizing these large freshwater fish for their bold, bright colors in striking combinations and patterns. The stamp art is by Kam Mak, Brooklyn, New York, who left Hong Kong as a child and grew up in New York City’s Chinatown. He based his paintings on photographs he made of koi.
The Koi stamped card will be available in the following formats:
n Single-cut cards (Item 223100).
n Double-cut reply cards (Item 223200).
n Sheet of 40 cards (Item 223300).
Customers have 60 days to obtain the first day of issue postmark by mail. They may purchase the new stamped cards at their local Post Office™, the Postal Store® website at www.usps.com/shop, or by calling 800-STAMP 24. They should address the cards (to themselves or others), and place them in an envelope addressed to:
Koi Stamped Cards
Postmaster
421 Ave., Rm. 2028B
New York, NY 10199-9998
After applying the first day of issue postmark, the Postal Service will return the cards through the mail. There is no charge for the postmark. All orders must be postmarked by June 18, 2009.
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
U.S. Postal Service
PO Box 219014
Kansas City, MO 64121-9014
There are two philatelic products available for this stamp issue:
n 223161*, First Day Cover $.41.
n 223261*, First Day Cover Double Reply, $0.72.
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.
All stamp distribution offices (SDOs) will receive automatic distributions of the following 28-cent (31-cent value) Koi stamped cards: Item 223100, Single-Cut Card; Item 223200, Double-Cut Reply Card; and Item 223300, Sheet of 40 Cards. Stamped card items will be automatically distributed to SDOs in two waves.
The initial automatic distribution of required formats begins March 10, 2009, and completes April 7, 2009.
The second automatic distribution of all required formats begins April 20, 2009, and completes May 28, 2009.
Post Offices will not receive an automatic distribution of these stamped cards, but should order sufficient quantities of those formats that are required to meet initial customer demand. Post Offices must order these stamped cards from their designated SDO using a separate PS Form 17, Stamp Requisition/Stamp Return. SDOs must not distribute stamped cards to Post Offices before April 10, 2009.
Post Offices requiring additional stamped cards must requisition them from their designated SDO using PS Form 17.
SDOs requiring additional quantities of stamped card Item 223100, Single-cut Card; Item 223200, Double-cut Reply Card; or Item 223300, Sheet of 40 Cards may begin to order according to the normal requisition cycle once the second distribution completes. SDOs can place their order online on the SDO Stamped Card Fulfillment website at http://ashtonpotter.myprintdesk.com/uspostalservice.
Issue:
|
Koi
|
Item Number:
|
223100
|
Denomination &
Type of Issue:
|
28-cent Stamped Card
|
Format:
|
Single-cut Cards
|
Series:
|
American Scenes
|
Issue Date & City:
|
April 17, 2009, New York, NY 10199
(Mega Stamp Show,
|
|
No Ceremony)
|
Designer:
|
Ethel Kessler, Bethesda, MD
|
Art Director:
|
Ethel Kessler, Bethesda, MD
|
Typographer:
|
Ethel Kessler, Bethesda, M
|
Artist:
|
Kam Mak, Brooklyn, NY
|
Modeler:
|
Joseph Sheeran
|
Manufacturing Process:
|
Offset
|
Printer:
|
Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
|
Printed at:
|
Williamsville, NY
|
Press Type:
|
Stevens, Vari-size Security Press
|
Print Quantity:
|
40 million stamped cards
|
Paper Type:
|
Nonphosphored Type III, Block
|
Adhesive Type:
|
N/A
|
Processed at:
|
Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
|
Colors:
|
Black, Cyan, Magenta, Yellow
|
Image Orientation:
|
Horizontal
|
Card Size (w x h):
|
5.5 x 3.5 in./139.70 x 88.90 mm
|
Full Pane Size (w x h):
|
N/A
|
Plate Size:
|
18 cards per revolution
|
Plate Numbers:
|
N/A
|
Marginal Markings:
|
© 2009 USPS • Recycled logo
followed by “recycled”
|
Issue:
|
Koi
|
Item Number:
|
223200
|
Denomination &
Type of Issue:
|
28-cent Stamped Card Double
|
Format:
|
Double-cut Reply Cards
|
Series:
|
American Scenes
|
Issue Date & City:
|
April 17, 2009, New York, NY 10199
(Mega Stamp Show,
|
|
No Ceremony)
|
Designer:
|
Ethel Kessler, Bethesda, MD
|
Art Director:
|
Ethel Kessler, Bethesda, MD
|
Typographer:
|
Ethel Kessler, Bethesda, M
|
Artist:
|
Kam Mak, Brooklyn, NY
|
Modeler:
|
Joseph Sheeran
|
Manufacturing Process:
|
Offset
|
Printer:
|
Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
|
Printed at:
|
Williamsville, NY
|
Press Type:
|
Mueller Martini, A76
|
Print Quantity:
|
1,272,000 stamped cards
|
Paper Type:
|
Nonphosphored Type III, Block
|
Adhesive Type:
|
N/A
|
Colors:
|
Black, Cyan, Magenta, Yellow
|
Image Orientation:
|
Horizontal
|
Card Size (w x h):
|
5.5 x 7.0 in./139.70 x 177.80 mm
|
Full Pane Size (w x h):
|
N/A
|
Plate Size:
|
12 cards per revolution
|
Plate Numbers:
|
N/A
|
Marginal Markings:
|
© 2009 USPS • Recycled logo
followed by “recycled”
|
Issue:
|
Koi
|
Item Number:
|
223300
|
Denomination &
Type of Issue:
|
28-cent Stamped Card
|
Format:
|
Sheet of 40 Cards
|
Series:
|
American Scenes
|
Issue Date & City:
|
April 17, 2009, New York, NY 10199
(Mega Stamp Show,
|
|
No Ceremony)
|
Designer:
|
Ethel Kessler, Bethesda, MD
|
Art Director:
|
Ethel Kessler, Bethesda, MD
|
Typographer:
|
Ethel Kessler, Bethesda, M
|
Artist:
|
Kam Mak, Brooklyn, NY
|
Modeler:
|
Joseph Sheeran
|
Manufacturing Process:
|
Offset
|
Printer:
|
Sterling Sommer
|
Printed at:
|
Tonawanda, NY
|
Press Type:
|
Heidelberg, Speedmaster
|
Print Quantity:
|
4,180,000 stamped cards
|
Paper Type:
|
Nonphosphored Type III, Block
|
Adhesive Type:
|
N/A
|
Colors:
|
Black, Cyan, Magenta, Yellow
|
Image Orientation:
|
Horizontal
|
Card Size (w x h):
|
5.5 x 3.5 in./139.70 x 88.90 mm
|
Full Pane Size (w x h):
|
N/A
|
Plate Size:
|
40 cards per revolution
|
Plate Numbers:
|
N/A
|
Marginal Markings:
|
© 2009 USPS • Recycled logo
followed by “recycled”
|
— Stamp Services,
Government Relations, 3-12-09
