©2020 USPS
On January 28, 2021, in Pittsburgh, PA, the United States Postal Service® will issue the August Wilson stamp (Forever® priced at the First-Class Mail® rate) in one design, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 20 stamps (Item 480000). This stamp will go on sale nationwide January 28, 2021, and must not be sold or canceled before the first-day-of-issue.
The 44th stamp in the Black Heritage® series honors playwright August Wilson (1945–2005), who brought fresh perspectives and previously unheard voices to the American stage. This stamp features an oil painting of Wilson based on a 2005 photograph. Behind Wilson, a picket fence alludes to the title of Fences, one of his best-known plays. Art director Ethel Kessler designed the stamp with art by Tim O’Brien.
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 August Wilson 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 August Wilson 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 – August Wilson 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 May 28, 2021.
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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August Wilson Stamp
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Item Number:
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480000
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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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Black Heritage
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Issue Date & City:
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January 28, 2021, Pittsburgh, PA 15290
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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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Artist:
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Tim O’Brien, Brooklyn, NY
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Modeler:
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Joseph Sheeran
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Manufacturing Process:
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Offset, Microprint
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Printer:
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Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
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Press Type:
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Muller A76
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Stamps per Pane:
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20
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Print Quantity:
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45,000,000 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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Colors:
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Black, Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, PMS 4029 C Beige
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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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6.00 x 8.50 in./152.40 x 215.90 mm
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Press Sheet Size (w x h):
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12.00 x 25.75 in./ 304.80 x 654.05 mm
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Plate Size:
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240 stamps per revolution
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Plate Number:
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“P” 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: BLACK HERITAGE, Celebrating August Wilson, 44TH IN A SERIES
Plate number in two (2) corners
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Back:
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©2020 USPS • USPS Logo • Two barcodes (480000) • Plate position diagram (6) • Promotional text
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— Stamp Services, Marketing, 12-31-20
