© 2013 USPS
On October 11, 2013, in New York, New York, at the American Stamp Dealers Association stamp show, the Postal Service™ will issue a Virgin and Child by Jan Gossaert (Forever® First-Class Mail priced at 46 cents) stamp in one design in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) booklet of 20 stamps (Item 688700).
The stamp will go on sale nationwide October 11, 2013.
This new Christmas stamp features a detail of Jan Gossaert’s 1531 oil-on-wood painting, Virgin and Child, from the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art. Gossaert (circa 1478-1532) was a Netherlandish artist credited with being one of the first to bring the innovations of the Italian Renaissance to northern Europe. Richard Sheaff served as art director for this issue.
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-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: 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All Post Offices should maintain a sufficient inventory level of this item until the stamp is officially withdrawn from sale.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
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:
Virgin and Child by Jan Gossaert 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 11, 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 four philatelic products available for this stamp issue:
n 688710*, Keepsake (Bklt and Digital Color Postmark Set), $10.95.
n 688716*, First-Day Cover, $0.90.
n 688721*, Digital Color Postmark, $1.61.
n 688730*, Ceremony Program, $6.95.
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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Virgin and Child by Jan Gossaert
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Item Number:
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688700
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Denomination & Type of Issue:
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First-Class Forever
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Format:
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Doubled-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 11, 2013, New York, NY 10199 (ASDA Stamp Show)
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Designer:
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Richard Sheaff, Scottsdale, AZ
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Art Director:
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Richard Sheaff, Scottsdale, AZ
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Typographer:
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Richard Sheaff, Scottsdale, AZ
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Existing Art:
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Jan Gossaert
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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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400 million stamps
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Paper Type:
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Phosphor, Overall
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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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Booklet Size (w x h):
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5.74 x 2.38 in./145.80 x 60.45 mm
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Colors:
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Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black, Panetone 8003 (Gold)
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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 five (5) single digits
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Marginal Markings:
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Front Cover:
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Header: “CHRISTMAS” l “VIRGIN AND CHILD” l JAN GOSSAERT
l TWENTY FIRST-CLASS FOREVER® STAMPS” l Barcode (015645688704) l © 2013 USPS in peel strip area l Plate numbers in peel strip area
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— Stamp Services,
Marketing and Sales, 9-5-13
