© 2013 USPS
On October 10, 2013, in New York, New York, at the American Stamp Dealers Association stamp show, the Postal Service™ will issue a Poinsettia (Forever® priced at 46 cents) First-Class mail® stamp in one design in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) booklet of 20 stamps (Item 688600) and a PSA automated teller machine (ATM) booklet of 18 stamps (Item 586000).
The stamp will go on sale nationwide October 10, 2013.
The U.S. Postal Service® continues its tradition of issuing beautiful and classic holiday stamps with Poinsettia, a bright, cheerful rendering of America’s favorite holiday flower. The stamp art depicts the rich red and vibrant green leaves surrounding the flower — the cluster of small, rather modest cup-shaped structures in the center. The red “petals” that we think of as the flower are actually modified leaves called bracts. The art reference for this stamp was a potted poinsettia. Designed by art director Ethel Kessler, Poinsettia features the work of William Low.
To learn more about the stories behind the stamps, visit http://www.beyondtheperf.com.
Stamp distribution offices (SDOs) and stamp distribution centers (SDCs) will receive their standard automatic distribution quantity for a PSA booklet of 20 stamps. Distributions are rounded up to the nearest master carton size of 4,000 booklets. The stamps will be shipped and sold as a booklet of 20 ($9.20).
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-sale 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: http://topkkssgsht/sites/SDCReports/Lists/StampAutomatics/default.aspx. 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All Post Offices should maintain a sufficient inventory level of this item until the stamp is officially withdrawn from sale.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.
A distribution is planned for select APC units; specific information will follow in a Retail Digest.
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 http://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:
Poinsettia Stamp
Special Events Coordinator
380 W. 33rd Street, Rm. 4032
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 December 10, 2013.
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 http://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 seven philatelic products available for this stamp issue:
n 688606, Press Sheet with Die Cuts, $73.60
(print quantity of 2,500).
n 688608, Press Sheet without Die Cuts, $73.60
(print quantity of 2,500).
n 688610*, Keepsake (Bklt and Digital Color Postmark Set), $10.95.
n 688616*, First-Day Cover, $0.90.
n 688621*, Digital Color Postmark, $1.61.
n 586016*, ATM First-Day Cover, $0.90.
n 586021*, ATM Digital Color Postmark, $1.61.
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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Poinsettia
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Item Number:
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688600
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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
(1 design)
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Series:
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Holiday Celebrations
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Issue Date & City:
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October 10, 2013, New York, NY 10199 (ASDA Stamp Show)
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Art Director:
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Ethel Kessler, Bethesda, MD
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Designer:
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Ethel Kessler, Bethesda, MD
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Typographer:
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Ethel Kessler, Bethesda, MD
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Artist:
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William Low, Huntington, NY
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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
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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 Booklet:
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20
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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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Banknote Corporation of America, 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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0.77 x 1.05 in./19.55 x 26.67 mm
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Stamp Size (w x h):
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0.91 x 1.19 in./23.11 x 30.22 mm
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Full Booklet Size (w x h):
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5.74 x 2.38 in./145.80 x 60.45 mm
|
Colors:
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Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black
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Plate Size:
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480 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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Front:
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Header: “POINSETTIA”l “Twenty First-Class Forever® Stamps”
l Plate numbers in peel strip area
l © 2013 USPS in peel strip area
l Barcode (15645688605)
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Issue:
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Poinsettia
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Item Number:
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586000
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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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ATM Booklet of 18 (1 design)
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Series:
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Holiday Celebrations
|
Issue Date & City:
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October 10, 2013, New York, NY 10199 (ASDA Stamp Show)
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Art Director:
|
Ethel Kessler, Bethesda, MD
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Designer:
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Ethel Kessler, Bethesda, MD
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Typographer:
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Ethel Kessler, Bethesda, MD
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Artist:
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William Low, Huntington, NY
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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
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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 Booklet:
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18
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Print Quantity:
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252 million stamps
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Paper Type:
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Phosphored, Overall/Nonphoshored, Type III
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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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Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black
|
Stamp Orientation:
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Vertical
|
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):
|
0.87 x 0.982 in./22.10 x 24.94 mm
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Booklet Size (w x h):
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2.61 x 6.125 in./66.29 x 155.58 mm.
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Plate Size:
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540 stamps per revolution
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Plate Numbers:
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“V” followed by four (4) single digits
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Marginal Markings:
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Front Cover:
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Header: “POINSETTIA”
l “EIGHTEEN FIRST FIRST-CLASS FOREVER® STAMPS” l © 2013 USPS l USPS logo l Barcode (015645586000)
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Stamp Side:
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Plate block numbers in peel strip area
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— Stamp Services,
Marketing and Sales, 9-5-13
