© 2024 USPS
On April 5, 2024, in Rancho Mirage, CA, the United States Postal Service® will issue the Betty Ford stamp (Forever® priced at the First-Class Mail® rate) in one design, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 20 stamps (Item 484800). This stamp will go on sale nationwide April 5, 2024, and must not be sold or canceled before the first-day-of-issue.
This stamp celebrates the life of Betty Ford (1918–2011), wife of the 38th president, Gerald R. Ford, and first lady of the United States from 1974 to 1977. As first lady, Mrs. Ford won widespread admiration for her candor and support for women’s rights. The stamp art is a detail from the official 1977 White House portrait by Felix de Cossio (1913–1999). The oil-on-canvas portrait shows Mrs. Ford dressed in a pale blue chiffon dress. The seated portrait was cropped to accommodate the stamp format. Art director Derry Noyes designed the stamp.
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 are available by logging on to SFS Web at sfsweb.usps.gov. Post Offices may begin ordering stamps before 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 Betty Ford 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 Betty Ford 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 – Betty Ford 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 August 5, 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:
|
Betty Ford Stamp
|
Item Number:
|
484800
|
Denomination &
Type of Issue:
|
First-Class Mail Forever
|
Format:
|
Pane of 20 (1 design)
|
Series:
|
N/A
|
Issue Date & City:
|
April 5, 2024, Rancho Mirage, CA 92270
|
Art Director:
|
Derry Noyes, Washington, DC
|
Designer:
|
Derry Noyes, Washington, DC
|
Existing Art:
|
Felix de Cossio
|
Modeler:
|
Sandra Lane / Michelle Finn
|
Manufacturing Process:
|
Offset, Microprint
|
Printer:
|
Banknote Corporation of America
|
Press Type:
|
Alprinta 74
|
Stamps per Pane:
|
20
|
Print Quantity:
|
12,000,000
|
Paper Type:
|
Phosphor, Block Tag
|
Adhesive Type:
|
Pressure-sensitive
|
Colors:
|
Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black, PMS 6114C
|
Stamp Orientation:
|
Vertical
|
Image Area (w x h):
|
0.8400 x 1.4200 in. / 21.3360 x 36.0680 mm
|
Overall Size (w x h):
|
0.9800 x 1.5600 in. / 24.8920 x 39.6240 mm
|
Full Pane Size (w x h):
|
6.0400 x 7.8800 in. / 153.4160 x 200.1520 mm
|
Press Sheets Size (w x h):
|
24.1600 x 15.7600 in. / 613.6640 x 400.3040 mm
|
Plate Size:
|
160 stamps per revolution
|
Plate Number:
|
“B” followed by five (5) single digits
|
Marginal Markings:
|
Front:
|
Header: BETTY FORD • Plate number in bottom two corners
|
Back:
|
© 2024 USPS • USPS logo • Two barcodes (484800) • Plate position diagram (8) • Promotional text
|
— Stamp Services,
Marketing, 3-7-24
