© 2010 USPS
On May 23, 2011, at Yew Dell Gardens in Crestwood, Kentucky, near Louisville, the Postal Service™ will issue a Garden of Love definitive stamp (Forever® priced at 44 cents), in 10 designs in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 20 stamps (Item 576100). The designs depict an abstract garden of bright flowers, a butterfly, and a strawberry and doves, interlaced with vines that run from one stamp to another. Each prominent element of the design is in the shape of a heart. The deep blue background is reminiscent of a brilliant summer sky. The word “Love” sits atop each stamp. This issuance is a continuation of the popular Love series introduced by the Postal Service in 1973. Jose Ortega of New York City, New York, and Toronto, Canada, illustrated the stamps under the direction of Derry Noyes, Washington, DC.
The stamp will go on sale nationwide May 23, 2011.
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™ facility, 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:
Garden of Love Stamp
Postmaster
6815 Central Avenue
Crestwood, KY 40014-9998
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 July 22, 2011.
Issue:
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Garden of Love
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Item Number:
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576100
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Denomination & Type of Issue:
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First-Class Forever Special
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Format:
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Pane of 20 (10 designs)
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Series:
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Love
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Issue Date & City:
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May 23, 2011, Crestwood, KY 40014
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Designer:
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Derry Noyes, Washington, DC
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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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Jose Ortega, New York City, NY, and Toronto, Canada
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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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20
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Print Quantity:
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300 million stamps
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Paper Type:
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Nonphosphored Type III, Block
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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
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Stamp Orientation:
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Vertical
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Image Area (w x h):
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0.77 x 1.05 in./19.56 x 26.67 mm
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Overall Size (w x h):
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0.91 x 1.19 in./23.11 x 30.23 mm
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Full Pane Size (w x h):
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5.50 x 5.75 in./139.7 x 146.05 mm
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Plate Size:
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240 stamps per revolution
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Plate Numbers:
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“V” followed by four (4) single digits
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Marginal Markings:
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Front:
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Plate numbers in four corners of pane
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Back:
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© 2010 USPS • USPS logo • Plate position diagram • Barcode (576100) in lower left and upper right of pane
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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 five philatelic products available for this stamp issue:
n 576163*, First Day Cover Set of 10, $8.80.
n 576168*, Digital Color Postmark Set of 10, $16.00.
n 576191*, Ceremony Program, $6.95.
n 576194, Notecards Set of 10, $14.95.
n 576199*, Keepsake Pane and Digital Color Postmark Set of 10, $24.95.
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 576100, First-Class Mail Garden of Love (Forever priced at 44 cents), PSA Pane of 20 Stamps
Stamp distribution offices (SDOs) and stamp distribution centers (SDCs) will receive a standard distribution of the Garden of Love (Forever @ 44 cents) stamp. Distributions are rounded up to the nearest master carton size of 40,000 stamps.
Initial Supply to Post Offices
SDOs/SDCs will not make a subsequent automatic distribution to Post Offices for this item. Post Offices should continue to maintain, order, and sell existing inventories of the current Love stamps: Item 575200, Pansies in a Basket, and Item 678800, King & Queen of Hearts, and order the new version as existing inventories of the current items deplete as determined by the servicing SDO/SDC. SDOs/SDCs will continue to ship the current Love issues, 575200 and 678800, until their inventory is depleted. SDOs/SDCs must not distribute item 576100 to Post Offices before May 9, 2011.
Sales Policy
All Post Offices must acquire and maintain a supply of each new commemorative stamp for a minimum of 90 days from the first day of issue, and beyond that 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, 4-21-11
