©2019 USPS
On May 31, 2019, in Spencertown, NY, the United States Postal Service® will issue the Ellsworth Kelly stamps (Forever® priced at the First-Class Mail® rate) in 10 designs, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive pane of 20 stamps (Item 478600). The stamps will go on sale nationwide May 31, 2019, and must not be sold or canceled before the first-day-of-issue. The Ellsworth Kelly pane of 20 stamps may not be split and the stamps may not be sold individually.
This stamp issue honors artist Ellsworth Kelly (1923–2015). Kelly pioneered a distinctive style of abstraction based on real elements reduced to their essential forms. His artworks include paintings, sculpture, and works on paper. The 20 stamps on the pane feature 10 pieces, each represented twice:
n Yellow White (1961),
n Colors for a Large Wall (1951),
n Blue Red Rocker (1963),
n Spectrum I (1953),
n South Ferry (1956),
n Blue Green (1962),
n Orange Red Relief (for Delphine Seyrig) (1990),
n Meschers (1951),
n Red Blue (1964), and
n Gaza (1956).
A detail from Blue Yellow Red III (1971) appears in the selvage. Derry Noyes served as art director and designer for this issuance.
Stamp Fulfillment Services completed 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 Ellsworth Kelly stamps. 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 Ellsworth Kelly stamps 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 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 – Ellsworth Kelly Stamps
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 September 30, 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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Ellsworth Kelly Stamps
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Item Number:
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478600
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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 (10 designs)
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Series:
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N/A
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Issue Date & City:
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May 31, 2019, Spencertown, NY 12165
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Art Director:
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Derry Noyes, Washington, DC
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Designer:
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Derry Noyes, Washington, DC
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Typographer:
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Derry Noyes, Washington, DC
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Existing Art:
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Ellsworth Kelly
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Modeler:
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Sandra Lane/Michelle Finn
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Manufacturing Process:
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Offset
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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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20,000,000 stamps
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Paper Type:
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Phosphor, Block Tag
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Adhesive Type:
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Pressure-sensitive adhesive
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Processed at:
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Banknote Corporation of America
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Colors:
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Pantone Black 6, Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black
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Stamp Orientation:
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Vertical
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Image Area (w x h):
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1.085 x 1.42 in./27.559 x 36.068 mm
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Overall Size (w x h):
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1.225 x 1.56 in./31.115 x 39.624 mm
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Full Pane Size (w x h):
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9.28 x 7.08 in./235.712 x 179.832 mm
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Press Sheets Size (w x h):
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18.685 x 21.49 in./474.6 x 545.847 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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“B” followed by five (5) single digits
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Marginal Markings:
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Front:
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Header: Ellsworth Kelly 1923–2015
• Plate number in bottom two corners of pane
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Back:
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©2019 USPS • USPS logo • 2 barcodes (478600) • Plate position diagram
• Promotional text
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— Stamp Services, Marketing, 4-25-19
