© 2023 USPS
On January 22, 2024, in Greenbelt, MD, the United States Postal Service® will issue the $9.85 Pillars of Creation Priority Mail® stamp, in one design, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of four stamps (Item 122800). This stamp will go on sale nationwide January 22, 2024, and must not be sold or canceled before the first-day-of-issue.
The Postal Service™ celebrates our continued exploration of deep space with an awe-inspiring image captured by NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope. This new Priority Mail stamp features a digitally colored depiction of the invisible bands of mid-infrared light emitted by the Pillars of Creation. By assigning color to various wavelengths, the digitized image allows us to see a landscape otherwise invisible to the human eye. Red areas toward the end of the pillars show burgeoning stars ejecting raw materials as they form, while the relatively small red orbs scattered throughout the image show newly born stars. Art director Greg Breeding designed the stamp, using an image provided by NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration), ESA (European Space Agency), Canadian Space Agency, and the Space Telescope Science Institute.
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.
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 – Pillars of Creation 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 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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Pillars of Creation Stamp
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Item Number:
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122800
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Denomination &
Type of Issue:
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$9.85 Priority Mail Rate
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Format:
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Pane of 4 (1 design)
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Series:
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N/A
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Issue Date & City:
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January 22, 2024, Greenbelt, MD 20770
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Art Director:
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Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
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Designer:
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Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
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Existing Photo:
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NASA, ESA, Canadian Space Agency, and the Space Telescope Science Institute
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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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4
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Print Quantity:
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2,500,000 stamps
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Paper Type:
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Nonphosphored Type III, Block Tag Applied
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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
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Stamp Orientation:
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Horizontal
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Image Area (w x h):
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1.4200 x 1.0850 in. / 36.0680 x 27.5590 mm
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Overall Size (w x h):
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1.5600 x 1.2250 in. / 39.6240 x 31.1150 mm
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Full Pane Size (w x h):
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4.1200 x 3.4500 in. / 104.6480 x 87.6300 mm
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Plate Size:
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120 stamps per revolution
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Plate Number:
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“P” followed by four (4) single digits
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Marginal Markings:
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Front:
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Plate number in two corners
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Back:
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© 2023 USPS • USPS logo • Four barcodes (122800) • Plate position diagram (6) • Promotional text
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— Stamp Services,
Marketing, 1-11-24
