© 2015 USPS
On May 18, 2015, in Anaheim, CA, the U.S. Postal Service® will issue the Missing Children First-Class Mail® Forever® stamp, in one design, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 20 stamps (Item 473100).
The stamp will go on sale nationwide May 18, 2015.
Affirming its long-standing commitment to help find missing children, the U.S. Postal Service® issues this new stamp to make the public more aware of the ways they can assist — and to offer hope to families as they continue their search. The stamp features a photograph by Harald Biebel showing a small bunch of purple forget-me-nots alongside a single flower. Text at the top of the stamp reads “FORGET-ME-NOT.” Text along the bottom of the stamp reads “HELP FIND MISSING CHILDREN.” The pane’s verso text discusses this important issue, describes the program that delivers materials featuring photos of missing children to millions of American homes, and provides contact information for the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Art director Ethel Kessler designed the stamp.
To learn more about the stories behind the stamps, visit http://uspsstamps.com.
Stamp Fulfillment Services will make a subsequent automatic push distribution to Post Offices™ of a quantity to cover approximately 30 days of sales. Distribution quantities for the automatic push distribution are available by logging on to SFS Web at https://sfsweb.usps.gov. Offices should check the website noted above to determine the amount they will receive on their automatic push distribution. Post Offices will not be allowed to order prior to the first-day-of-issue.
Only the following pictorial postmark is permitted for the Missing Children stamp. The word “Station” or the abbreviation “STA” is required somewhere in the design, because it will be a temporary station.
To finalize the Missing Children stamp pictorial postmark art, insert the date, city, state and ZIP Code™ of the physical location of your event adjacent to the stamp image. Overall dimensions of the pictorial postmark must not exceed 4 inches horizontally by 2 inches vertically. Collectors prefer the dimensions 3-1/2 inches by 1.
The Postal Service™ must make all special postmarks known to collectors through advance publicity in the Postal Bulletin. Therefore, all special dedication cancellations must be reported to Stamp Services four weeks before the event using PS Form 413, Pictorial Postmark Announcement/Report. To get a copy of the form, go to http://blue.usps.gov/formmgmt/forms/ps413.pdf.
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:
Missing Children Stamp
Postmaster
Anaheim Post Office
701 North Loera Street
Anaheim, CA 92803-2282
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 17, 2015.
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 for this stamp issue:
n 473106, Press Sheet with Die-cut, $58.80 (print quantity 500).
n 473108, Press Sheet without Die-cut, $58.80 (print quantity 1,500).
n 473110*, Digital Color Postmark Keepsake, $11.95.
n 473116*, First-Day Cover, $0.93.
n 473121*, Digital Color Postmark, $1.64.
n 473130*, Ceremony Program, $6.95.
n 473131*, Stamp Deck Card, $0.95.
n 473132*, Stamp Deck Card with Digital Color Postmark, $1.99.
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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Missing Children Stamp
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Item Number:
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473100
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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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Pane of 20 (1 design)
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Series:
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N/A
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Issue Date & City:
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May 18, 2015, Anaheim, CA 92803
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Designer:
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Ethel Kessler, Bethesda, MD
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Art Director:
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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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Existing Photo:
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Harald Biebel
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Modeler:
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Joseph Sheeran
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Manufacturing Process:
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Offset, Microprint
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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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Muller A76
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Stamps per Pane:
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20
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Print Quantity:
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60 million stamps
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Paper Type:
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Nonphosphored Type III, Block Tag
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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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Colors:
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Black, Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, PMS 159 Orange
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Stamp Orientation:
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Horizontal
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Image Area (w x h):
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1.42 x 0.84 in./36.07 x 21.34 mm
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Overall Size (w x h):
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1.56 x 0.98 in./39.62 x 24.89 mm
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Full Pane Size (w x h):
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7.24 x 6.20 in./183.90 x 157.48 mm
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Press Sheet Size (w x h):
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21.72 x 12.53 in./551.69 x 318.14 mm
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Plate Size:
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240 stamps per revolution
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Plate Numbers:
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“P” followed by five (5) single digits
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Marginal Markings:
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Front:
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Plate numbers in two corners of pane
• Year of Issue • Header “Help Find Missing Children”
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Back:
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© 2015 USPS • USPS logo • Plate position diagram • Barcode (473100) in upper right and lower left corners of pane • Promotional text • Verso text
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— Stamp Services,
Marketing and Sales, 4-16-15
