© 2011 USPS
On October 11, 2012, in New York, NY, at the Mega Stamp Show, the Postal Service™ will issue the Santa and Sleigh First-Class Mail® stamps (Forever® stamp, priced at 45 cents) in four designs in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) booklet of 20 stamps (Item 679800).
The stamps will go on sale nationwide October 11, 2012.
The U.S. Postal Service’s® holiday stamps for 2012 feature a “classic” image of Santa and his reindeer circling around snow-covered rooftops. The scene is composed of four different stamp designs in two rows of two stamps each. Art director Howard E. Paine worked with illustrations by Paul Rogers in creating these gems. And this year, Operation Santa observes its 100th anniversary! Designed to make sure Santa visits children who might not otherwise have any gifts at Christmas, postal employees and citizens may register at any participating U.S. Post Office and read letters to Santa from participating boys and girls, then select a letter and provide gifts for the writer. For more information, go to http://www.operationlettertosanta.com/.
Stamp distribution offices (SDOs) and stamp distribution centers (SDCs) will receive their standard automatic distribution quantity for a PSA booklet stamp. Distributions are rounded up to the nearest master carton size of 4,000 booklets.
SDOs/SDCs will make a subsequent automatic distribution to Post Offices of a quantity to cover approximately 45 days of sales. Distribution quantities for the automatic distribution will be posted, by finance number and unit ID, on the Asset Management SDC webpage at http://blue.usps.gov/purchase/assetmgnt/am_sdchome.htm. SDOs/SDCs must not distribute this commemorative sheet to Post Offices before September 27, 2012.
Post Offices requiring additional quantities of Item 679800 must requisition them from their designated SDO/SDC after the first day of issue using PS Form 17, Stamp Requisition/Stamp Return.
All Post Offices should maintain a sufficient inventory level of this item until the stamp is officially withdrawn from sale.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™, 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:
Santa and Sleigh Stamp Booklet
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, 2012.
The Postal Service 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, online at www.usps.com/shop, or by calling 800-782-6724. Customers may request a free catalog by calling 800-782-6724 or writing to:
U.S. Postal Service
Catalog Request
PO Box 219014
Kansas City, MO 64121-9014
There are eight philatelic products available for this stamp issue:
n 679863*, First-Day Cover Set of 4, $3.56.
n 679868*, Digital Color Postmark Set of 4, $6.40
n 679872, Letters to Santa Children’s Book, $9.99.
n 679884, Uncut Press Sheet (without die cut), $90.00.
(Print Quantity of 5,000)
n 679886, Uncut Press Sheet (mini-sheet) without die cut, $27.00.
(Print Quantity of 5,000)
n 679891*, Ceremony Program (random single), $6.95.
n 679899*, Cancellation Keepsake (DCP Set of 4 w/Pane) $15.95.
n 891213, Letters to Santa Holiday Ornament, $14.99.
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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Santa and Sleigh
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Item Number:
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679800
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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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Double-sided Booklet of 20
(4 designs)
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Series:
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Holiday Celebrations
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Issue Date & City:
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October 11, 2012, New York, NY 10199 (Mega Stamp Show)
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Designer:
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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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Art Director:
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Howard E. Paine, Delaplane, VA
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Artist:
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Paul Rogers, Pasadena, CA
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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. (APU)
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Printed at:
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Williamsville, NY
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Print Quantity:
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750 million stamps
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Processed at:
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Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd.
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Press Type:
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Mueller Martini, A76
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Stamps per Booklet:
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20
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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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Colors:
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Black, Cyan, Magenta, Yellow
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Stamp Orientation:
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Horizontal
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Image Area (w x h):
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1.05 x 0.77 in./26.67 x 19.56 mm
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Overall Size (w x h):
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1.19 x 0.91 in./30.23 x 23.11 mm
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Booklet Size (w x h):
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2.38 x 5.76 in./60.45 x 146.30 mm
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Plate Size:
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880 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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Cover Side:
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Header: “SANTA and SLEIGH”
• Twenty First-Class Forever® Stamps • Barcode (015645 679801)
• © 2011 USPS in peel strip area • Plate block number in peel strip area
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— Stamp Services,
Marketing and Sales, 9-6-12
