© 2023 USPS
On September 5, 2024, in Philadelphia, PA, the United States Postal Service® (USPS®) will issue the First Continental Congress, 1774 stamp (Forever® priced at the First-Class Mail® rate), in one design, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 20 stamps (Item 485700). This stamp will go on sale nationwide September 5, 2024, and must not be sold or canceled before the first-day-of-issue.
With this stamp, USPS commemorates the 250th anniversary of the First Continental Congress, which convened in Philadelphia in 1774 to decide how the Colonies should respond to increasing threats to their freedom. The stamp art, evocative of the U.S. flag, is dominated by a vertical blue band bordered on either side by white stripes. The text at the top of the band reads, “12 COLONIES UNITE IN PROTEST.” The center features a plea taken from a petition sent by the Congress to King George III: “We ask but for Peace, Liberty and Safety.” The title of the stamp — “FIRST CONTINENTAL CONGRESS, 1774” — appears at the bottom. A red stripe with 12 white stars representing the number of Colonies that participated in the Congress delineates the left side. Antonio Alcalá served as art director, designer, and typographer for this 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 will be available by logging on to SFS Web at sfsweb.usps.gov/sfsweb. Post Offices may begin ordering stamps before the first-day-of-issue through SFS Web; offices need to check the amount they will receive on their automatic push distribution.
Customers have 120 days to get 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 – First Continental Congress, 1774 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 5, 2025.
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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First Continental Congress, 1774 Stamp
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Item Number:
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485700
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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 5, 2024, Philadelphia, PA 19104
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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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Typographer:
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Antonio Alcalá, Alexandria, VA
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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
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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
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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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PMS Dark Blue C, PMS 199 C Red, PMS 7681 C Light Blue, Black
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Stamp Orientation:
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Vertical
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Image Area (w x h):
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0.8400 x 1.4200 in. / 21.3360 x
36.0680 mm
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Overall Size (w x h):
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0.9800 x 1.5600 in. / 24.8920 x
39.6240 mm
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Full Pane Size (w x h):
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6.4800 x 7.2600 in. / 164.5920 x
184.4040 mm
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Press Sheets Size (w x h):
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12.9600 x 21.7800 in. / 329.1840 x
553.2120 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 four (4) single digits in four corners
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Marginal Markings:
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Front:
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Plate number in four corners
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Back:
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© 2023 USPS • USPS Logo • Two barcodes (485700) • Plate position diagram (6) • Promotional text
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— Stamp Services,
Marketing, 7-25-24
