On October 9, 2009, in New York, New York, at the Mega Stamp Show, the Postal Service™ will issue a 44-cent, Kwanzaa special stamp in one design in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 20 stamps (Item 573400). Designed by Carl T. Herrman, North Las Vegas, Nevada, the stamp goes on sale nationwide October 9, 2009.
With this colorful stamp, the U.S. Postal Service® celebrates Kwanzaa, a nonreligious holiday that takes place over 7 days from December 26 to January 1. Kwanzaa draws on African traditions and takes its name from the phrase for “first fruits” in Swahili, a widely spoken African language. Stamp artist Lloyd McNeill, New York, New York, created a festive, highly symbolic design to celebrate the holiday.
This is the third stamp design issued by the U.S. Postal Service in celebration of Kwanzaa. The first Kwanzaa commemorative stamp was issued in 1997.
How to Order the First Day of Issue Postmark
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,
Issue:
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Kwanzaa
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Item Number:
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573400
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Denomination &
Type of Issue:
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44-cent Special
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Format:
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Pane of 20 (1 design)
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Series:
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Holiday
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Issue Date & City:
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October 9, 2009,
New York, NY 10199
Mega Stamp Show
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Designer:
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Carl T. Herrman,
North Las Vegas, NV
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Art Director:
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Carl T. Herrman,
North Las Vegas, NV
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Typographer:
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Carl T. Herrman,
North Las Vegas, NV
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Artist:
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Lloyd McNeill, New York, NY
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Modeler:
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Joseph Sheeran
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Manufacturing Process:
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Offset/Microprint “USPS”
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Printer:
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Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd.
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Printed at:
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Williamsville, NY
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Press Type:
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Mueller Martini, A 76
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Stamps per Pane:
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20
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Print Quantity:
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30 million stamps
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Paper Type:
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Nonphosphored, Type III
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Adhesive Type:
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Pressure-sensitive
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Processed at:
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Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd.
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Colors:
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Black, Cyan, Magenta, Yellow
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Stamp Orientation:
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Vertical
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Image Area (w x h):
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.77 x 1.105 in./19.56 x 28.07 mm
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Overall Size (w x h):
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.91 x 1.19 in./23.11 x 30.23 mm
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Full Pane Size (w x h):
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5.55 x 76 in./140.97 x 146.30 mm
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Plate Size:
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320 stamps per revolution
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Plate Numbers:
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“P” followed by four (4) single digits
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Marginal Markings:
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Front:
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© 2008 USPS • Price • Plate
numbers in four corners of pane
• Plate position diagram
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Back:
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USPS logo • Barcode (573400) in
two positions
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address the envelopes (to themselves or others), and place them in a larger envelope addressed to:
Kwanzaa Stamp
Postmaster
421 Eighth Ave., Rm. 2029B
New York, NY 10199-9998
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 11, 2009.
How to Order First Day Covers
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
Philatelic Products
There are three philatelic products available for this stamp issue:
n 573461*, First Day Cover, $0.82.
n 573491*, Ceremony Program, $6.95.
n 573493*, Cancellation Keepsake (w/pane), $9.62.
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.
Distribution: Item 573400, 44-cent Kwanzaa, PSA Pane of 20 Stamps
Stamp distribution offices (SDOs) will receive approximately 20 to 25 percent of their standard automatic distribution quantity for a PSA sheet stamp. Distributions are rounded up to the nearest master carton size of 40,000 stamps.
Initial Supply to Post Offices
SDOs will make a subsequent automatic distribution to Post Offices of 15 percent of their standard automatic distribution quantity using PS Form 17, Stamp Requisition/Stamp Return. SDOs must not distribute this commemorative sheet to Post Offices before October 1, 2009.
Additional Supply
Post Offices requiring additional commemorative sheets must requisition them from their designated SDO using PS Form 17. SDOs requiring additional commemorative sheets must order them from the appropriate accountable paper depository (APD) using PS Form 17.
For fulfilling supplemental orders from SDOs, the San Francisco, Memphis, New York, and Chicago APDs will receive additional commemorative sheets.
Sales Policy
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 and Public Policy, 9-10-09
