© 2013 USPS
On May 3, 2013, in Weston, Massachusetts at the Spellman Museum of Stamp and Postal History, the Postal Service™ will issue A Flag for All Seasons First-Class Mail® stamp (Forever® priced at 46 cents) in four designs in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) coil of 100 stamps (Item 789600).
The stamps will go on sale nationwide May 3, 2013.
In 2013, the U.S. Postal Service® proudly presents A Flag for All Seasons, featuring four different stamp designs. Each stamp shows an American flag, viewed from below, flying from a pole at full staff against a background of trees that evoke one of the four seasons of the year. Artist Laura Stutzman worked with art director and stamp designer Phil Jordan on this stamp art.
To learn more about the stories behind the stamps, visit www.beyondtheperf.com.
Stamp distribution offices (SDOs) and stamp distribution centers (SDCs) will receive their normal automatic distribution quantity of A Flag for All Seasons stamps. Distributions are rounded up to the nearest master carton size of 800 coils.
SDOs/SDCs will not make any automatic distribution to Post Offices™. Post Offices requiring these items must requisition them from their designated SDO/SDC using PS Form 17, Stamp Requisition/Stamp Return. Post Offices may preorder these stamps 30 days prior to first-day-of-issue through the eBuy2 SEAM Catalog. Post Offices should not sell the stamp prior to first-day-of-issue.
All Post Offices should maintain a sufficient inventory level of this item until the stamp is officially withdrawn from sale.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/stamps, 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:
A Flag for All Seasons Stamp
Retail Specialist
25 Dorchester Avenue, Rm. 3011
Boston, MA 02205-9600
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 up to a quantity of 50. For more than 50, customers have to pay five cents each. All orders must be postmarked by July 3, 2013.
The Postal Service also offers first-day covers for new stamp and stationery issues. These items are 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/stamps 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 two philatelic products available for this stamp issue:
n 789616*, First-Day Cover Set of 4, $3.60.
n 789621*, Digital Color Postmark Set of 4, $6.44.
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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A Flag for All Seasons
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Item Number:
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789600
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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 100 (4 designs)
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Series:
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N/A
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Issue Date & City:
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May 3, 2013, Weston, MA 02493 (Spellman Museum of Stamp & Postal History)
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Director:
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Phil Jordan, Falls Church, VA
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Designer:
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Phil Jordan, Falls Church, VA
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Typographer:
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Phil Jordan, Falls Church, VA
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Artist:
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Laura Stutzman, Mountain Lake Park, MD
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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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Engraver:
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N/A
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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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Press Type:
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Mueller Martini, A76
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Stamps per Coil:
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100
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Print Quantity:
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1 billion stamps
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Paper Type:
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Prephosphored, Type II
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Adhesive Type:
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Pressure-sensitive
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Processed at:
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Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
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Stamp Orientation:
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Vertical
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Image Area (w x h):
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0.70375 x .84 in./17.88 x 21.34 mm
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Overall Size (w x h):
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0.84375x .98 in./21.43 x 24.89 mm
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Coil Size (w x h):
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84.375 x .98 in./2143.12 x 24.89 mm
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Colors:
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Black, Cyan, Magenta, Yellow
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Plate Size:
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768 stamps per revolution
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Plate Numbers:
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“P” followed by four (4) single digits
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Plate Number Frequency:
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Plate block number below 1st stamp of the form below the “Spring” stamp image
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Coil Back Number Frequency:
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N/A
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Marginal Markings:
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N/A
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Other:
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Each coil to begin with “Spring” image and end with “Winter” image • Coil Wrap Barcode (07896006)
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Issue:
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A Flag for All Seasons
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Item Number:
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789600
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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 100 (4 designs)
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Series:
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N/A
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Issue Date & City:
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May 3, 2013, Weston, MA 02493 (Spellman Museum of Stamp & Postal History)
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Art Director:
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Phil Jordan, Falls Church, VA
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Designer:
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Phil Jordan, Falls Church, VA
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Typographer:
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Phil Jordan, Falls Church, VA
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Artist:
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Laura Stutzman, Mountain Lake Park, MD
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Engraver:
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WRE
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Modeler:
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Avery Dennison, Designed and Engineered Solutions
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Manufacturing Process:
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Gravure, Microprinting (USPS)
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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 Coil:
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100
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Print Quantity:
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1 billion stamps
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Paper Type:
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Prephosphored, Type II
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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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0.73 x 0.84 in./18.54 x 21.34 mm
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Overall Size (w x h):
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0.87 x 0.92 in./22.10 x 24.94 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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480 stamps per revolution
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Plate Numbers:
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“V” followed by four (4) single digits
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Coil Number Frequency:
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Plate numbers to appear in center below the “Spring” image every 20th stamp intervals • Barcode on coil banding
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Issue:
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A Flag for All Seasons
|
Item Number:
|
789600
|
Denomination & Type of Issue:
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First-Class Mail Forever
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Format:
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Coil of 100 (4 designs)
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Series:
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N/A
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Issue Date & City:
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May 3, 2013, Weston, MA 02493 (Spellman Museum of Stamp & Postal History)
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Art Director:
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Phil Jordan, Falls Church, VA
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Designer:
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Phil Jordan, Falls Church, VA
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Typographer:
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Phil Jordan, Falls Church, VA
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Artist:
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Laura Stutzman, Mountain Lake Park, MD
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Modeler:
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Donald Woo
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Manufacturing Process:
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Offset/Microprint “USPS”
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Engraver:
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N/A
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Printer:
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Banknote Corporation of America/SSP
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Printed at:
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Browns Summit, NC
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Press Type:
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Alprinta, 74
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Stamps per Coil:
|
100
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Print Quantity:
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1 billion stamps
|
Paper Type:
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Type II
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Adhesive Type:
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Pressure-sensitive
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Processed at:
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Banknote Corporation, Browns Summit, NC
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Stamp Orientation:
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Vertical
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Image Area (w x h):
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0.754 x .82 in./19.15 x 20.82 mm
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Stamp Size (w x h):
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0.875 x .96 in./22.19 x 24.38 mm
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Booklet Size (w x h):
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N/A
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Colors:
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Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black
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Plate Size:
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800 stamps per revolution
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Plate Numbers:
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“S” followed by four (4) single digits
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Marginal Markings:
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N/A
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Coil Back Number Frequency: Plate
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Plate block numbers every 32nd stamp
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— Stamp Services,
Marketing and Sales, 4-4-13
