©2018 USPS
On August 11, 2018, in College Park, MD, the U.S. Postal Service® will issue the United States Air Mail (red) stamp (Forever® priced at the First-Class Mail® rate) in one design, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive pane of 20 stamps (Item 477900). The stamp will go on sale nationwide August 11, 2018.
The United States Air Mail (red) stamp will be the second stamp issued in 2018 by the Postal Service™ to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the beginning of regular airmail service. The first stamp, United States Air Mail (blue), issued in May, paid tribute to the pioneering spirit of the brave Army pilots who initiated the airmail service on May 15, 1918. This second stamp, identical to the first except that it is rendered in red, commemorates the beginning of airmail delivery through the U.S. Post Office Department on August 12, 1918. Both stamps are printed in intaglio and feature a drawing of the type of plane typically used in the early days of airmail, a Curtiss JN-4H biplane. The stamp design evokes that earlier period. The stamp designer and typographer was Dan Gretta, while Greg Breeding served as the art director.
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 sfsweb.usps.gov. Post Offices may begin ordering stamps on the first-day-of-issue through SFS Web; offices must also check the amount they will receive in their automatic push distribution.
Only the following pictorial postmark is permitted for the United States Air Mail (red) stamp. The word “Station” or the abbreviation “STA” is required somewhere in the design, because it will be a temporary station.
To finalize the United States Air Mail (red) 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 inch.
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 4 weeks before the event using PS Form 413, Pictorial Postmark Announcement/Report. To get a copy of the form, go to blue.usps.gov/formmgmt/forms/ps413.pdf.
Customers have 120 days to obtain the first-day-of-issue postmark by mail. They may purchase new stamps at their local Post Office or at The Postal Store® website at usps.com/shop. They must affix the stamps to envelopes of their choice, address the envelopes (to themselves or others), and place them in a larger envelope addressed to:
FDOI – United States Air Mail (Red) Stamp
USPS Stamp Fulfillment Services
8300 NE Underground Drive, Suite 300
Kansas City, MO 64144-9900
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 December 11, 2018.
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 USA Philatelic publication and online at usps.com/shop. Customers may register to receive a free USA Philatelic publication online at usps.com/philatelic.
Locally produced items are not authorized. Only merchandise that has been approved and assigned an item number by Headquarters Retail Marketing may be produced and sold.
Issue:
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United States Air Mail (Red) Stamp
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Item Number:
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477900
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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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August 11, 2018, College Park, MD 20740
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Art Director:
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Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
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Designer:
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Dan Gretta, Alameda, CA
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Typographer:
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Dan Gretta, Alameda, CA
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Modeler:
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Joseph Sheeran
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Manufacturing Process:
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Intaglio
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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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Stevens Vari-Size Security Press
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Stamps per Pane:
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20
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Print Quantity:
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20,000,000 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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Pantone 7623 Red
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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 .84 in./36.07 x 21.34 mm
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Overall Size (w x h):
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1.56 x .98 in./39.62 x 24.89 mm
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Full Pane Size (w x h):
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7.25 x 7.25 in./184.15 x 184.15 mm
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Press Sheet Size (w x h):
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14.5 x 21.75 in./368.3 x 552.45 mm
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Plate Size:
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120 stamps per revolution
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Plate Numbers:
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“P” followed by one (1) digit
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Marginal Markings:
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Front:
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Header: United States Air Mail • Established 1818 • Plate number in two corners
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Back:
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©2018 USPS • USPS Logo • Two barcodes (477900) • Plate Position Diagram • Promotional Text
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— Stamp Services, Marketing, 7-5-18
