On May 8, 2009, in Washington, DC, the Postal Service™ will issue a 44-cent, Love: King and Queen of Hearts definitive stamp with two different designs in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) convertible booklet of 20 stamps (Item 678800). The stamp designed by Derry Noyes, Washington, DC, and Jeanne Greco, New York, New York, goes on sale nationwide May 8, 2009.
Since the beginning of its popular Love stamps in 1973, the U.S. Postal Service® is paying clever tribute to the world’s favorite “game” with the issuance of the King and Queen of Hearts, the latest stamps in the Love series. Artist Jeanne Greco, New York, New York, created the art on her computer for the two stamp designs, one showing the King and one showing the Queen, by using images from 18th Century French playing cards as a reference.
Over the years, the Love stamps have featured a wide variety of designs, including heart motifs, colorful flowers, and the world “LOVE” itself.
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® website 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:
Love: King and Queen of Hearts Stamp
Special Cancellations
PO Box 92282
Washington, DC 20090-2282
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 10, 2009.
Stamp Fulfillment Services (SFS) 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 three philatelic products available for this stamp issue:
n 678863*, First Day Cover Set of 2, $1.64.
n 678868*, Digital Color Postmark Set of 2, $3.00.
n 678899, Cancellation Keepsake (DCP cover/pane) 2 designs, $11.80.
Items with an asterisk (*) will use the 128 barcode from SFS. 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 30 percent of their standard automatic distribution quantity for a PSA booklet. Distributions are rounded up to the nearest master carton size (4,000 booklets). SDO distributions, which began March 23, 2009, will be complete April 22, 2009. 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-quarter their standard automatic distribution quantity for booklets using PS Form 17, Stamp Requisition/Stamp Return. SDOs must not distribute these booklets to Post Offices before May 1, 2009.
Post Offices requiring additional booklets must requisition them from their designated SDO using PS Form 17. SDOs requiring additional booklets 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 additional stamps. The Kansas City Stamp Services Center will receive additional stamps for fulfilling supplemental orders from APDs.
Issue:
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Love: King and Queen of Hearts
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Item Number:
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678800
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Denomination &
Type of Issue:
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44-cent Definitive
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Format:
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Convertible Booklet of 20
(2 designs)
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Series:
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Love
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Issue Date & City:
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May 8, 2009,
Washington, DC 20066
(No Ceremony)
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Designer:
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Derry Noyes, Washington, DC;
Jeanne Greco, New York, NY
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Art Director:
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Derry Noyes, Washington, DC
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Typographer:
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Derry Noyes, Washington, DC
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Artist:
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Jeanne Greco, New York, NY
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Modeler:
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Avery Dennison, SPD
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Manufacturing Process:
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Gravure
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Engraver:
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Keating Gravure
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Printer:
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Avery Dennison, (AVR)
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Printed at:
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AVR, Clinton, S.C.
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Press Type:
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Dia Nippon Kiko (DNK)
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Stamps per Booklet:
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20
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Print Quantity:
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500 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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AVR, Clinton, SC
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Colors:
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Yellow, Magenta, Cyan, Black,
PMS 5773 (Green)
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Stamp Orientation:
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Horizontal
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Image Area (w x h):
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1.05 x 0.77 in./26.67 x 19.56 mm
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Overall Size (w x h):
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1.19 x 0.91 in./30.23 x 23.11 mm
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Booklet Size (w x h):
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5.0x 4.55 in./115.57 x 127.0 mm
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Plate Size:
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420 stamps per revolution
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Plate Numbers:
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“V” followed by five (5) single digits
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Marginal Markings:
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Cover Side:
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© 2008 USPS • Stamp images
• Two different designs
• “LOVE” • “Twenty 44¢
Self-adhesive Stamps”
• “$8.80” • Barcode (678800)
• USPS logo • Promotional text
• Plate block numbers
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— Stamp Services,
Government Relations, 4-9-09
