How to Order the First Day of Issue Digital Color or Traditional 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™, by telephone at 800-STAMP-24, or at The Postal Store® website at www.usps.com/shop.

Traditional Postmarks

Customers should affix the stamps to envelopes of their choice, address them to themselves or others, or provide a self-addressed return envelope with sufficient postage large enough to accommodate the canceled item. Mail the request to the corresponding city of issuance. There is no charge for the first 50 postmarks. There is a 5-cent charge for each additional postmark over 50. Customers should submit a check, money order, or credit card for payment. After applying the first day of issue postmark, the Postal Service™ will return the envelopes to the customer by U.S. Mail.

All postmark requests should go to the first day of issue city. The first day of issue city Post Office will then forward in bulk all postmark requests to Cancellation Services, Stamp Fulfillment Services, PO Box 449992, Kansas City, MO 64144-9992 by respective Post Offices.

Digital Color Postmarks

Only select stamp issues offer a digital color postmark. 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 the corresponding city of issuance. Post Offices 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.

 

First Day of Issue

Wedding Cake Stamp

Postmaster

1100 Wythe Street

Alexandria, VA 22314-9998

March 20, 2012

Digital Color Pictorial

 

 

First Day of Issue

Lunar New Year: Year of the Dragon Stamp

Postmaster

180 Steuart Street

San Francisco, CA 94105-9992

March 23, 2012

Digital Color Pictorial

 

 

First Day of Issue

Bonsai Stamp

Postmaster

2000 Royal Oaks Drive

Scramento, CA 95813-9998

March 23, 2012

Digital Color Pictorial

 

 

First Day of Issue

John H. Johnson Stamp

Postmaster

433 W. Harrison Street, 2nd Floor

Chicago, IL 60699-9998

March 31, 2012

Black and White Pictorial

 

 

First Day of Issue

John H. Johnson Stamp

Postmaster

433 W. Harrison Street, 2nd Floor

Chicago, IL 60699-9998

March 31, 2012

Digital Color Pictorial

 

 

First Day of Issue

Heart Health Stamp

Special Cancellations

PO Box 92282

Washington, DC 20090-2282

April 9, 2012

Digital Color Pictorial

 

 

First Day of Issue

Love Stamp

Postmaster

201 E. Pikes Peak Avenue

Colorado Springs, CO 80903-9998

April 14, 2012

Digital Color Pictorial

 

 

First Day of Issue

Arizona Statehood Stamp

Postmaster

4949 W. Van Buren Road, Rm. 187

Phoenix, AZ 85026-9998

April 14, 2012

Black and White Pictorial

 

 

First Day of Issue

Arizona Statehood Stamp

Postmaster

4949 W. Van Buren Road, Rm. 187

Phoenix, AZ 85026-9998

April 14, 2012

Digital Color Pictorial

 

 

First Day of Issue

Danny Thomas Stamp

Postmaster

555 South Third Street

Memphis, TN 38101-9998

April 16, 2012

Digital Color Pictorial

 

 

First Day of Issue

Cherry Blossom Centennial Stamp

Special Cancellations

PO Box 92282

Washington, DC 20090-2282

May 24, 2012

Digital Color Pictorial

 

 

First Day of Issue

William H. Johnson Stamp

Main Post Office

900 E. Fayette Street

Baltimore, MD 21233-9998

June 11, 2012

Digital Color Pictorial

 

 

First Day of Issue

Twentieth-Century Poets Stamp

Main Post Office

7001 S. Central Avenue

Los Angeles, CA 90052-9998

June 21, 2012

Digital Color Pictorial

 

 

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