© 2009 USPS
On January 22, 2011, in Morrow, Georgia, the Postal Service™ will issue a Lunar New Year: Year of the Rabbit Forever® commemorative stamp (44-cent), in one design in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) souvenir sheet of 12 stamps (Item 575600). Designed by Ethel Kessler of Bethesda, Maryland, the stamp goes on sale nationwide January 22, 2011. The $5.28 Lunar New Year: Year of the Rabbit souvenir sheet may not be split, and the stamps may not be sold individually.
The U.S. Postal Service® introduced its Celebrating Lunar New Year series in 2008. This is the fourth stamp in that series, which will continue through 2019 with stamps for the Year of the Dragon, Snake, Horse, Ram, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, and Boar.
Art Director Ethel Kessler and Artist Kam Mak, who grew up in New York City’s Chinatown and now lives in Brooklyn, worked on the new series. The artwork focuses on some of the common ways the Lunar New Year Holiday is celebrated. For the Year of the Rabbit, which begins February 3, 2011, the art depicts kumquats, which are eaten for luck and given as special gifts. The illustration was originally created using oil paints on panel. Kessler’s design also incorporates elements from the previous series of Lunar New Year stamps, using Clarence Lee’s intricate paper-cut design of a rabbit and the Chinese character — drawn in grass-style calligraphy by Lau Bun — for “Rabbit.”
Issue:
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Lunar New Year: Year of the Rabbit
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Item Number:
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575600
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Denomination & Type of Issue:
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First-Class Forever Commemorative
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Format:
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Souvenir Sheet of 12 (one design)
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Series:
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Celebrating Lunar New Year
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Issue Date & City:
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January 22, 2011, Morrow, GA 30260
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Designer:
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Ethel Kessler, Bethesda, MD
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Art Director:
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Ethel Kessler, Bethesda, MD
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Artist:
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Kam Mak, Brooklyn, NY
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Typographer:
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Ethel Kessler, Bethesda, MD
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Engraver:
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Trident
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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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Printer:
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Avery Dennison (AVR)
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Printed at:
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AVR, Clinton, SC
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Press Type:
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Dia Nippon Kiko (DNK)
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Stamps per Pane:
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12
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Print Quantity:
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80,640,000 stamps
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Paper Type:
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Non-phosphored, Type III
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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 872 (Gold), PMS 132 (Brown), PMS 3272 (Blue)
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Stamp Orientation:
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Horizontal
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Image Area (w x h):
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1.42 x .85 in./36.07 x 21.59 mm
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Overall Size (w x h):
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1.56 x .98 in./39.62 x 24.89 mm
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Full Pane Size (w x h):
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7.25 x 5.85 in./184.15 x 148.59 mm
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Plate Size:
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108 stamps per revolution
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Plate Numbers:
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N/A
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Marginal Markings:
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Front:
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Header: “CELEBRATING LUNAR NEW YEAR”
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Back:
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© 2010 USPS • USPS logo
• Header: “CELEBRATING LUNAR NEW YEAR” • Paragraph: “Millions of people…for Rabbit.” • Barcode (575600) at bottom
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Other:
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Background information on Lunar New Year appears on the back of each stamp
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How to Order the First Day of Issue Traditional or Digital Color Postmarks
Customers have 60 days to obtain the first day of issue postmarks by mail. They may purchase new stamps at their local Post Office™ facility, at The Postal Store® website at www.usps.com/shop, or by calling 800-STAMP-24.
Traditional Postmarks
Customers 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:
Lunar New Year: Year of the Rabbit Stamp
Postmaster
1600 Lake Harbin Road
Morrow, GA 30260-9998
After applying the first day of issue postmark, the Postal Service will return the envelopes through the mail unless a self-addressed stamped envelope for return is provided. There is no charge for the postmark. All orders must be postmarked by March 22, 2011.
Digital Color Postmarks
Customers may submit #6 or #10 envelopes constructed of paper rated as “laser safe.” The Postal Service recommends envelopes of 80-pound Accent Opaque, acid-free, 9/16" side seams with no glue on the flap. The maximum size of all digital color postmarks is 2" high x 4" long. Allow sufficient space on the envelope to accommodate the postmark. Do not use self-adhesive labels for addresses on the envelope. Two test envelopes must be included. There is a minimum of 10 envelopes at 50 cents per postmark required at the time of servicing. Customers should submit a check, money order, or credit card for payment. The Postal Service reserves the right to not accept hand-painted and other cachet envelopes that are not compatible with our digital color postmark equipment. The Postal Service also reserves the right to substitute traditional black rubber postmarks if use of nonspecified envelopes results in poor image quality or damage to equipment. Customers should affix the stamps to the envelopes and address them to themselves or others for return through the mail. Or, they may include an additional self-addressed return envelope large enough to accommodate their canceled items, with sufficient postage affixed for return of their postmarked items. Mail the request for a first day of issue digital color postmark to:
Lunar New Year: Year of the Rabbit Stamp
Postmaster — DCP Cancel
1600 Lake Harbin Road
Morrow, GA 30260-9998
The Post Office will then forward all customer requests for digital color postmarks to Cancellation Services, Stamp Fulfillment Services, PO Box 449992, Kansas City, MO 64144-9992. After applying the first day of issue postmark, the Postal Service will return the envelopes to the customer by U.S. Mail.
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
Celebrate the Year of the Rabbit with this beautiful note card set (Item 885800, $14.95), complete with everything you need to keep in touch! Note cards showcase the Year of the Rabbit stamp artwork — a vivid illustration of kumquats by Kam Mak. Kumquats are often given as gifts and eaten for luck during Lunar New Year festivities. The set includes: Sheet of 12 Year of the Rabbit stamps, 12 note cards (blank inside), and 12 coordinating envelopes all packaged in a gorgeous collectible box.
There are seven other philatelic products available for this stamp issue:
n 575661*, First Day Cover, $0.82.
n 575662*, First Day Cover Full Sheet, $7.78.
n 575664*, First Day Cancelled Full Sheet, $7.78.
n 575665*, Digital Color Postmark, $1.50.
n 575684*, Uncut Press Sheet, $47.52.
n 575691*, Ceremony Program, $6.95.
n 575699*, Cancellation Keepsake (Two Souvenir Sheets & One Digital Color Postmark First Day Cover), $12.95.
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 575600, $5.28, Celebrating Lunar New Year: Year of the Rabbit, PSA Souvenir Sheet of 12 Stamps
Stamp distribution offices (SDOs) and stamp distribution centers (SDCs) will receive approximately 25 percent of their standard automatic distribution quantity for a PSA sheet stamp. Distributions are rounded up to the nearest master carton size of 2,000 panes (24,000 stamps). SDCs will also receive a second distribution.
Initial Supply to Post Offices
SDOs/SDCs will make a subsequent automatic distribution to Post Offices of approximately 25 percent of their standard automatic distribution quantity using PS Form 17, Stamp Requisition/Stamp Return. SDOs/SDCs must not distribute this commemorative sheet to Post Offices before January 7, 2011.
The $5.28 Lunar New Year: Year of the Rabbit commemorative sheet may not be split and the stamps may not be sold individually.
Additional Supply
Post Offices requiring additional quantities of Item 575600 must requisition them from their designated SDO/SDC using PS Form 17. SDOs requiring additional commemorative sheets must order them from the appropriate SDC using PS Form 17. For fulfilling supplemental orders from SDOs, the six SDCs 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, 12-16-10
