© 2010 USPS
On August 11, 2011, in Columbus, Ohio, at the American Philatelic Society Stamp Show, the Postal Service™ will issue the Flags of Our Nation: Set 5 (Forever® priced at 44 cents) in 10 designs in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) coil of 50 stamps (Item 788300).
With these 10 new designs, the U.S. Postal Service® continues its Flags of Our Nation series with stamps that feature the flags of eight states — Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, and Tennessee — as well as those of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. In addition to the official flag, each stamp design includes artwork that provides a “snapshot view” — such as an everyday scene or activity, rare wildlife, perhaps, or a stunning vista — of the state or other area represented by the pictured flag. Art director Howard E. Paine collaborated with artist Tom Engeman on the 50 stamps in this series.
The stamp will go on sale nationwide August 11, 2011.
Stamp distribution offices (SDOs) and stamp distribution centers (SDCs) will receive an automatic distribution quantity of this PSA coil stamp. Distributions are rounded up to the nearest master carton size of 800 coils.
SDOs/SDCs will not make an automatic distribution to Post Offices for this stamp issue. Post Offices must requisition them from their designated SDO/SDC using PS Form 17, Stamp Requisition/Stamp Return. Post Offices may preorder this item 30 days before the August 11 first day issue date to ensure their office has quantity available. SDOs/SDCs must not distribute this commemorative stamp to Post Offices before July 29, 2011.
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issue, and beyond that as long as customer demand exists, until inventory is depleted, or until the stamp is officially withdrawn from sale.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.
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:
Flags of Our Nation: Set 5 Stamps
Postmaster
850 Twin Rivers Drive
Columbus, OH 43216-9998
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 October 11, 2011.
Only the following pictorial postmark is permitted for the Flags of Our Nation: Set 5 stamp. The word “Station” or the abbreviation “STA” is required somewhere in the design, because it will be a temporary station.
To finalize the Flags of Our Nation: Set 5 stamp pictorial postmark art, insert the date, city, state and ZIP Code™ of the physical location of your event adjacent to the stamp image. Overall dimensions of the pictorial postmark must not exceed 4 inches horizontally by 2 inches vertically. Collectors prefer the dimensions 3 1/2 inches by 1.
The Postal Service must make all special postmarks known to collectors through advance publicity in the Postal Bulletin. Therefore, all special dedication cancellations must be reported to Stamp Services 4 weeks before the events using PS Form 413, Pictorial Postmark Announcement/Report. To get a copy of the form, go to http://blue.usps.gov/formmgmt/forms/ps413.pdf.
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 three philatelic products available for this stamp issue:
n 788363*, First Day Cover Set of 10, $8.80.
n 788368*, Digital Color Postmark Set of 10, $16.00.
n 788391*, Ceremony Program (random single), $6.95.
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.
Issue:
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Flags of Our Nation: Set 5
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Item Number:
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788300
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Denomination & Type of Issue:
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First-Class Mail® Forever
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Format:
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Coil of 50 (10 designs)
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Series:
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Flags of Our Nation
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Issue Date & City:
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August 11, 2011, Columbus, OH 43216 (APS Stamp Show)
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Designer:
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Howard E. Paine, Delaplane, VA
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Art Director:
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Howard E. Paine, Delaplane, VA
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Typographer:
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Howard E. Paine, Delaplane, VA
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Artist:
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Tom Engeman, Bethany Beach, DE
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Engraver:
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Southern Graphic, Richmond, VA
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Modeler:
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Donald Woo
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Manufacturing Process:
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Gravure
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Printer:
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American Packaging Corp./SSP
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Printed at:
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Columbus, WI
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Press Type:
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Cerutti, 950
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Stamps per Coil:
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50
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Print Quantity:
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250 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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Unique Binders, Fredericksburg, VA
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Colors:
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Magenta, Yellow, Cyan, Black, Light Blue, Med. Blue, Dark Blue, Red, 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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1.59 x 0.81 in./40.41 x 20.57 mm
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Overall Size (w x h):
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1.74 x 0.96 in./44.20 x 24.38 mm
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Full Pane Size (w x h):
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N/A
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Plate Size:
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760 stamps per revolution
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Plate Numbers:
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“V” followed by nine (9) single digits
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Marginal Markings:
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Front:
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Plate numbers every 20th stamp
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— Stamp Services,
Government Relations and Public Policy, 7-14-11
