©2023 USPS
On September 22, 2023, in Salt Lake City, UT, the United States Postal Service® will issue the OSIRIS-REx stamp (Forever® priced at the First-Class Mail® rate) in one design, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 20 stamps (Item 484200). This stamp will go on sale nationwide September 22, 2023, and must not be sold or canceled before the first-day-of-issue.
This new stamp celebrates NASA’s 7-year OSIRIS-REx mission to study and map the asteroid Bennu and return a sample of its surface to Earth in September 2023. The sample will help scientists learn how our solar system formed. The stamp artwork shows the capsule containing the sample parachuting to the Utah Test and Training Range in the desert. A depiction of Bennu’s surface appears at the bottom of the pane’s selvage with outer space above. A view of the asteroid is in the upper-right corner.
Along the left side of the pane are four images that illustrate crucial milestones in OSIRIS-REx’s mission. On the reverse side of the pane is text courtesy of NASA that describes the OSIRIS-REx mission and explains each image. Art director Antonio Alcalá designed the stamp and pane with illustrations by Alan Dingman, who based his work on images supplied by NASA.
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/sfsweb.
Only the following pictorial postmark is permitted for the OSIRIS-REx 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 OSIRIS-REx 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 – OSIRIS-REx 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 January 22, 2024.
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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OSIRIS-REx Stamp
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Item Number:
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484200
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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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N/A
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Issue Date & City:
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September 22, 2023, Salt Lake City, UT 84199
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Art Director:
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Antonio Alcalá, Alexandria, VA
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Designer:
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Antonio Alcalá, Alexandria, VA
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Artist:
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Alan Dingman
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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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18,000,000 stamps
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Paper Type:
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Nonphosphored Type III, Block Tagged
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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, Pantone Warm Grey 2
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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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7.50 x 8.50 in / 109.50 x 215.90 mm
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Press Sheets Size (w x h):
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23.00 x 26.00 in / 584.20 x 660.40 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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“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: “OSIRIS-REx” • Mission to Asteroid Bennu and Return to Earth • Plate number in bottom 2 corners
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Back:
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©2023 USPS • USPS logo • Two barcodes (484200) • Plate position diagram (9) • Promotional text
• Verso text
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— Stamp Services,
Marketing, 8-10-23
