©2018 USPS
On February 23, 2019, in Huntsville, AL, the U.S. Postal Service® will issue the Alabama Statehood stamp (Forever® priced at the First-Class Mail® rate) in one design, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive pane of 20 stamps (Item 478400). The stamp will go on sale nationwide February 23, 2019, and must not be sold or cancelled before the first-day-of-issue.
This stamp celebrates the bicentennial of Alabama statehood. Alabama became the twenty-second state in the Union on December 14, 1819. The stamp art is a photograph taken at sunset in Cheaha State Park. Alabama photographer Joe Miller took the picture from the park’s Pulpit Rock Trail. With Pulpit Rock in the foreground, most of the area in the valley below the overlook is part of the Talladega National Forest, which surrounds the state park. The name of the state and the year of statehood are included in the stamp art. The art director is William J. Gicker. Greg Breeding designed the stamp with Miller’s existing photograph.
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 will be 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 on their automatic push distribution.
Only the following pictorial postmark is permitted for the Alabama Statehood stamp. The word “Station” or the abbreviation “STA” is required somewhere in the design, because it will be a temporary station. Use of any image other than the following special pictorial image is prohibited.
To finalize the Alabama Statehood 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 – Alabama Statehood 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 June 23, 2019.
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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Alabama Statehood Stamp
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Item Number:
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478400
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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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Statehood
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Issue Date & City:
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February 23, 2019, Huntsville, AL 35801
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Art Director:
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William J. Gicker, Washington, DC
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Designer:
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Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
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Typographer:
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Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
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Existing Photo:
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Joe Miller
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Modeler:
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Sandra Lane/Michelle Finn
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Manufacturing Process:
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Offset, Microprint
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Printer:
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Banknote Corporation of America
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Press Type:
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Alprinta 74
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Stamps per Pane:
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20
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Print Quantity:
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25,000,000 stamps
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Paper Type:
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Phosphor Tagged, Block Tag
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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
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Colors:
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Custom Blue, Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black
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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/36.068 x 21.336 mm
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Overall Size (w x h):
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1.56 x 0.98 in/39.624 x 24.892 mm
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Full Pane Size (w x h):
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7.24 x 5.92 in/183.896 x 150.368 mm
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Press Sheet Size
(w x h):
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21.72 x 11.84 in/551.688 x 300.736 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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“B” followed by five (5) single digits
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Marginal Markings:
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Front:
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Plate numbers in four corners
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Back:
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©2018 USPS • USPS Logo • Two barcodes (478400) • Plate position diagram • Promotional text
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— Stamp Services, Marketing, 1-17-19
