©2022 USPS
On January 23, 2023, in Lafayette, LA, the United States Postal Service® will issue the Ernest J. Gaines stamp (Forever® priced at the First-Class Mail® rate) in one design, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 20 stamps (Item 482900). This stamp will go on sale nationwide January 23, 2023, and must not be sold or canceled before the first-day-of-issue.
The 46th stamp in the Black Heritage series honors author Ernest J. Gaines (1933–2019). Best known for such novels as The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman and A Lesson Before Dying, Gaines drew from his childhood as the son of sharecroppers on a Louisiana plantation to explore the untold stories of rural African Americans. The stamp features an oil painting of Gaines based on a 2001 photograph by Raoul Benavides. Mike Ryan designed the stamp with art by Robert Peterson. Greg Breeding served as 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 will be available by logging on to SFS Web at sfsweb.usps.gov/sfsweb. 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 Ernest J. Gaines 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 Ernest J. Gaines 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 store.usps.com/store/home. 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 - Ernest J. Gaines 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 23, 2023.
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 store.usps.com/store/home. 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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Ernest J. Gaines Stamp
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Item Number:
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482900
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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 23, 2023, Lafayette, LA, 70501
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Art Director:
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Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
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Designer:
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Mike Ryan, Charlottesville, VA
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Artist:
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Robert Peterson, Lawton, OK
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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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35,000,000 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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Colors:
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Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black, Pantone 3597
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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 Sheets Size (w x h):
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18.0 x 25.75 in./ 457.20 x 654.05 mm
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Plate Size:
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180 stamps per revolution
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Plate Number:
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“B” followed by four (4) single digits in two corners
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Marginal Markings:
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Front:
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Header: “Black Heritage, Celebrating Ernest J. Gaines, 46th in a series” • Plate number in bottom 2 corners
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Back:
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©2022 USPS • USPS logo • Two barcodes (482900) • Plate position diagram (9) • Promotional text
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— Stamp Services,
Marketing, 12-15-22
