Stamp Announcement 13-36: Althea Gibson Stamp

Stamp Announcement 13-36: Althea Gibson Stamp

On August 23, 2013, in Flushing, New York, the Postal Service™ will issue the Althea Gibson (Forever® priced at 46 cents) First-Class mail® commemorative stamp in one design in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 20 stamps (Item 470800).

The stamp will go on sale nationwide August 23, 2013.

The U.S. Postal Service® honors tennis great Althea Gibson (1927-2003) with the 36th stamp in its Black Heritage series. The first black player to win one of the four major singles tournaments, Gibson twice captured Wimbledon and the U.S. Championships (now known as the U.S. Open) and became the top-ranked player in the world. In the stamp art, artist Kadir Nelson depicts Gibson at Wimbledon. Art director Derry Noyes designed the stamp.

To learn more about the stories behind the stamps, visit www.beyondtheperf.com.

Distribution: Item 470800, Althea Gibson (Forever priced at 46 cents) Commemorative PSA Pane of 20 Stamps

Stamp Distribution Offices (SDOs) and Stamp Distribution Centers (SDCs) will receive their standard automatic distribution quantity for a PSA pane of 20 stamps. Distributions are rounded up to the nearest master carton size of 40,000 stamps.

Initial Supply to Post Offices

SDOs/SDCs will make a subsequent automatic distribution to all Post Offices™ of a quantity to cover approximately 45 days of sales. Post Offices may preorder these stamps 30 days prior to first-day-of-issue through the eBuy2 SEAM Catalog. However, offices should first check the website to determine the amount they will receive on their automatic push prior to placing a preorder at http://topkkssgsht/sites/SDCReports/Lists/StampAutomatics/default.aspx.

Post Offices participating in the SEAM Stamp Auto Replenishment Pilot (Seattle, Portland, Alaska, and Salt Lake City districts) will receive their automatic push distribution and will be automatically replenished after that based on sales. If pilot sites need additional stock to meet unexpected demand, they must first check the website at: http://topkkssgsht.usps.gov/sites/SDCReports/Web/default.htm to see if a SEAM replenishment order has already been placed before placing an expedited order in eBuy2. Post Offices should not sell the stamp prior to first-day-of-issue.

Sales Policy

All Post Offices should maintain a sufficient inventory level of this item until the stamp is officially withdrawn from sale.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.

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, 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:

Althea Gibson Stamp
Postmaster
421 Eighth Avenue, 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 up to a quantity of 50. For more than 50, customers have to pay five cents each. All orders must be postmarked by October 23, 2013.

How to Order First-Day Covers

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 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

Philatelic Products

There are eight philatelic products available for this stamp issue:

n 470806, Press Sheet with Die Cuts, $92.00 (print quantity of 2,500).

n 470808, Press Sheet without Die Cuts, $92.00 (print quantity of 2,500).

n 470810*, Keepsake (Pane & Digital Color Postmark Set), $10.95.

n 470816*, First-Day Cover, $0.90.

n 470821*, Digital Color Postmark, $1.61.

n 470830*, Ceremony Program, $6.95.

n 470831*, Stamp Deck Card, $0.95.

n 470832*, Stamp Deck Card with Digital Color Postmark, $1.96.

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:

Althea Gibson

Item Number:

470800

Denomination & Type of Issue:

First-Class Forever Commemorative

Format:

Pane of 20 (1 design)

Series:

Black Heritage

Issue Date & City:

August 23, 2013, Flushing, NY 11368

Designer:

Derry Noyes, Washington, DC

Art Director:

Derry Noyes, Washington, DC

Typographer:

Derry Noyes, Washington, DC

Artist:

Kadir Nelson, Los Angeles, CA

Engraver:

Trident

Modeler:

Avery Dennison, Designed and Engineered Solutions

Manufacturing Process:

Gravure

Printer:

Avery Dennison (AVR)

Printed at:

AVR, Clinton, SC

Press Type:

Dia Nippon Kiko (DNK)

Stamps per Pane:

20

Print Quantity:

40 million stamps

Paper Type:

Prephosphored, Type II

Adhesive Type:

Pressure-sensitive

Processed at:

AVR, Clinton, SC

Colors:

Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black

Stamp Orientation:

Vertical

Image Area (w x h):

0.84 x 1.42 in./21.34 x 36.07 mm

Overall Size (w x h):

0.98 x 1.56 in./24.89 x 39.62 mm

Full Pane Size (w x h):

5.85 x 7.25 in./148.59 x 184.15 mm

Plate Size:

200 stamps per revolution

Plate Numbers:

N/A

Marginal Markings:

Front:

Header: “BLACK HERITAGE 36th IN A SERIES” Plate block numbers in all four corners of pane

Back:

©2013 USPS USPS logo Barcode (470800) in upper right and lower left corners of pane Verso text
Promotional text