©2020 USPS
On August 13, 2020, in San Francisco, CA, the United States Postal Service® will issue the Ruth Asawa stamps (Forever® priced at the First-Class Mail® rate) in 10 designs, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive pane of 20 stamps (Item 476300). The stamps will go on sale nationwide August 13, 2020, and must not be sold or canceled before the first-day-of-issue. The Ruth Asawa pane of 20 stamps may not be split and the stamps may not be sold individually.
With these stamps, the Postal Service™ honors pioneering Japanese American artist Ruth Asawa (1926–2013). Showcasing Asawa‘s wire sculptures, the pane includes 20 stamps, two each of 10 designs, featuring photographs by Laurence Cuneo and Dan Bradica for David Zwirner gallery. The selvage features a photograph of Asawa taken by Nat Farbman in 1954 for Life magazine. Ethel Kessler served as art director and designer for this issuance.
Stamp Fulfillment Services will not make an automatic push distribution to Post Offices. Post Offices may begin ordering stamps before the first-day-of-issue through SFS Web at sfsweb.usps.gov.
Only the following pictorial postmark is permitted for Ruth Asawa 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 Ruth Asawa 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 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 – Ruth Asawa 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 December 13, 2020.
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 catalog and online at usps.com/shop. Customers may register to receive a free USA Philatelic catalog 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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Ruth Asawa Stamps
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Item Number:
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476300
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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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August 13, 2020, San Francisco, CA 94188
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Art Director:
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Ethel Kessler, Bethesda, MD
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Designer:
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Ethel Kessler, Bethesda, MD
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Existing Art:
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Ruth Asawa
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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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18,000,000 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
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Processed at:
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Banknote Corporation of America
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Colors:
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Custom 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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0.84 x 1.42 in./ 21.336 x 36.068 mm
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Overall Size (w x h):
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0.98 x 1.56 in./24.892 x 39.624 mm
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Full Pane Size (w x h):
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7.93 x 7.12 in./201.422 x 180.848 mm
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Press Sheets Size (w x h):
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21.61 x 24.596 in./548.894 x 624.738 mm
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Plate Size:
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180 stamps per revolution
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Plate Numbers:
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“B” followed by five (5) single digits in two corners
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Marginal Markings:
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Front:
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Header: Ruth Asawa — Artist 1926-2013 • Plate number in bottom two corners
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Back:
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©2020 USPS • USPS logo • 2 barcodes (476300) • Plate position diagram (9) • Promotional text
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— Stamp Services, Marketing, 7-2-20
