FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE	
Media Contact: Media Relations (202) 268-2155
October 9, 2003                                                              	Postal Service Web Site: www.usps.com
	News Release Number: 072

POSTMASTER GENERAL'S COLLECTION
"TREASURES FROM THE STAMP VAULT"
TO DEBUT AT MEGA STAMP SHOW

WASHINGTON-The Postmaster General's Collection, "Treasures from the Stamp Vault," 
will debut in New York during the Oct. 23-26 American Stamp Dealer's Association 
Postage Stamp Mega Event. The exhibit will be officially unveiled by Postmaster 
General John E. Potter at 10 a.m., Oct. 23 at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center 
Hall E, 655 West 34th St., New York. Stamp show hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday 
through Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday. Admission is free and open to the 
public.

"The Postal Service has one of the largest and finest collections of stamps and stamp 
art in the world," said Postmaster General Potter. "I'm proud to be able to share 
this spectacular collection with the American people. Through our stamp program, the 
Postal Service has the unique ability to depict with beauty and style the people, 
places and events that have made this nation great. Now the public will have the 
chance to see some of the most historic pieces of this collection once again."

Featured in the exhibit are the die proofs of such famous issues as the 1918 inverted 
Jenny airmail stamp; the approval die proofs and full panes of the 1930 Graf Zeppelin 
airmail stamps; the 1953 New York City 300th anniversary commemorative stamp artwork, 
models die proofs and full pane; and the Norman Rockwell designs for stamps including 
reproduction of original artwork and rejected models.

Also included are the winning designs from two stamp contests held in 1937 and 1963. 
Two other unique displays are the mail pouch that carried philatelic items to the 
moon and preliminary stamp designs that were submitted, but never produced.

 It is a goal of the Postal Service to enable its customers throughout the United 
States to have an opportunity to experience the history of America and the Postal 
Service through this spectacular exhibit of stamps and stamp related materials.

Since 1775, the U.S. Postal Service has connected friends, families, neighbors and 
businesses by mail. It is an independent federal agency that visits 141 million homes 
and businesses every day and is the only service provider to deliver to every address 
in the nation. The Postal Service receives no taxpayer dollars for routine 
operations, but derives its operating revenues solely from the sale of postage, 
products and services. With annual revenues of more than $68.9 billion, it is the 
world's leading provider of mail and delivery services, offering some of the most 
affordable postage rates in the world. The Postal Service delivers more than 46 
percent of the world's mail volume-some 202 billion letters, advertisements, 
periodicals and packages a year-and serves seven million customers each day at its 
40,000 retail locations nationwide.