Stamp Services

Stamp Announcement 15-32: United States Coast Guard Stamp

Stamp Announcement 15-32: United States Coast Guard Stamp

On August 4, 2015, in Washington, DC, the U.S. Postal Service® will issue the United States Coast Guard stamp, (Forever® priced at 49 cents) in one design, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 20 stamps (Item 473200).

The stamp will go on sale nationwide August 4, 2015.

This stamp honors the United States Coast Guard for its role in protecting the security of the nation and advancing its vital maritime interests. In an oil painting on masonite, renowned aviation artist William S. Phillips depicts two icons of the Coast Guard: the cutter Eagle, a three-masted sailing ship known as “America’s Tall Ship,” and an MH-65 Dolphin helicopter, the standard rescue aircraft of the Coast Guard. Art director Phil Jordan designed the stamp.

To learn more about the stories behind the stamps, visit http://uspsstamps.com.

Initial Supply to Post Offices: Item 473200, United States Coast Guard (Forever priced at 49 cents) Commemorative PSA Pane of 20 Stamps

Stamp Fulfillment Services will make an 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. Post Offices may begin ordering stamps prior to the FDOI through SFS Web. However, offices should check the website noted above to determine the amount they will receive on their automatic push distribution.

Special Dedication Postmarks

Only the following pictorial postmark is permitted for United States Coast Guard stamps. The word “Station” or the abbreviation “STA” is required somewhere in the design, because it will be a temporary station.

Guidelines for Finalizing United States Coast Guard Stamp Pictorial Postmark Art

Pictorial Postmark Art, blank

Pictorial Postmark Art, filled in

To finalize the United States Coast Guard 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.

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:

United States Coast Guard Stamp
Special Events
PO Box 92282
Washington, DC 20090-2282

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. There is a 5-cent charge for each additional postmark over 50. All orders must be postmarked by October 3, 2015.

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 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

Philatelic Products

There are nine philatelic products for this stamp issue:

n 473206, Press Sheet with Die-cut, $58.80
(print quantity 500).

n 473208, Press Sheet without Die-cut, $58.80
(print quantity 1,000).

n 473210*, Keepsake (stamp pane with Digital Color Postmark) $11.95.

n 473216*, First-Day Cover $0.93.

n 473221*, Digital Color Postmark $1.64.

n 473224*, Framed Art $39.95.

n 473230*, Ceremony Program $6.95.

n 473231*, Stamp Deck Card $0.95.

n 473232*, 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:

United States Coast Guard Stamp

Item Number:

473200

Denomination & Type of Issue:

First-Class Mail® Forever

Format:

Pane of 20 (1 design)

Series:

N/A

Issue Date & City:

August 4, 2015, Washington, DC 20066

Designer:

Phil Jordan, Falls Church, VA

Art Director:

Phil Jordan, Falls Church, VA

Typographer:

Phil Jordan, Falls Church, VA

Artist:

William S Phillips, Ashland OR

Modeler:

Donald Woo

Manufacturing Process:

Offset, Microprint

Printer:

Banknote Corporation of America/SSP

Printed at:

Browns Summit, NC

Press Type:

Alprinta 74

Stamps per Pane:

20

Print Quantity:

15 million stamps

Paper Type:

Phosphor Tagged Paper, Overall

Adhesive Type:

Pressure-sensitive adhesive

Processed at:

Banknote Corporation of America, Browns Summit SC

Colors:

Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black

Stamp Orientation:

Horizontal

Image Area (w x h):

1.42 x .84 in./36.07 x 21.34 mm

Overall Size (w x h):

1.56 x .98 in./39.62 x 24.89 mm

Full Pane Size (w x h):

7.24 x 5.92 in./183.90 x 150.37 mm

Press Sheets Size (w x h):

21.72 x 11.84 in./551.69 x 300.73 mm

Plate Size:

120 stamps per revolution

Plate Numbers:

“S” followed by four (4) single digits

Marginal Markings:

Front:

Plate numbers in four corners of pane

Back:

© 2014 USPS • USPS logo • Plate position diagram • Barcode (473200) in upper right and lower left corners of pane • Promotional text • Coast Guard Information