Philatelic News
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 4, 2002
Stamp Release #02-071
Snowmen Will Be Featured On This Year's Holiday Stamps
WASHINGTON - The warmth, joy, and magic of the holiday season are captured on this year's Holiday postage stamps featuring charming images of four Snowmen. The new 37-cent stamps will be issued Oct. 28 by the U.S. Postal Service in Houghton, Mich.
The public is invited to the first day of issue ceremony, which will be held on Oct. 28 at 9:00 AM in the Memorial Union Building, Michigan Technological University, 1400 Townsend Drive, Houghton.
The Holiday Snowmen stamps will available at Houghton Post Offices starting Oct. 28 and at post offices nationwide beginning the following day.
The stamps will be issued in a self-adhesive pane of 20, a double-sided booklet of 20 and a folded vending booklet of 20. A fourth format, called "Tape Stamps" or linerless coil stamps, will have limited distribution in coils of 100 at larger post offices and postal stores. A new, reusable dispenser for the Tape Stamps will also be available.
"Regardless of age, we all have warm memories of the holidays. As a way of communicating with the special people in our lives during the holiday season, we rely on the tradition of sending holiday cards. The cards may carry seasonal messages inside, but the season's greetings really begin on the outside of the envelope," said Catherine Caggiano, Executive Director of Stamp Services for the Postal Service.
"I hope these stamps will serve as reminders of the spirit of goodwill we all share during the most joyous of seasons," added Caggiano.
Popular in folklore, literature and song, snowmen have come to symbolize the joy and magic of the holiday season and often evoke fond childhood memories of playing in the snow.
The Snowmen stamps, issued as part of the Holiday series, feature photographs of four whimsical snowmen figurines. The snowmen were created from a variety of materials ranging in size from four to nine inches high and from two to six inches wide.
The stamps were designed by Derry Noyes of Washington, D.C., and photographed by Sally Andersen-Bruce, New Milford, Conn. Tommy Simpson of Washington, Conn., made the Styrofoam snowman wearing a top hat and the combed-wool snowman with the cork pipe. Judy Gunn-Irish of Arlington, Wash. made the hand-painted, cut-pine snowman in the red plaid scarf. Delton Products Corp., in Norcross, Ga., made the rosy-cheeked snowman in the blue and white checked scarf.
To see the Holiday stamps, visit the Postal Service Web site at www.usps.com and locate the online version of this press release by clicking on "News and Events" then "Philatelic News."
Current U.S. stamps, as well as a free comprehensive catalog, are available toll free by calling 1 800 STAMP-24. In addition, a selection of stamps and other philatelic items are available in the Postal Store at www.usps.com.
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TECHNICAL DETAILS
Issue: Snowmen
Item Number: 562500
Denomination & Type of Issue: 37-cent Special
Format: Pane of 20 (4 designs)
Series: Holiday
Issue Date & City: October 28, 2002, Houghton, MI 49931
Designer: Derry Noyes, Washington, DC
Engraver: Southern Graphics System
Art Director: Derry Noyes, Washington, DC
Typographer: Derry Noyes, Washington, DC
Photographer: Sally Andersen-Bruce, New Milford, CT
Modeler: Avery Dennison, SPD
Manufacturing Process: Gravure
Printer: Avery Dennison, (AVR)
Printed at: AVR, Clinton, SC
Press Type: Dia Nippon Kiko (DNK)
Stamps per Pane: 20
Print Quantity: 125 million stamps
Paper Type: Prephosphored, Type II
Gum Type: Pressure Sensitive
Processed at: AVR, Clinton, SC
Colors: Yellow, Cyan, Magenta, Black
Stamp Orientation: Vertical
Image Area (w x h): 0.770 x 1.050in./19.558 x 26.670 mm
Overall Size (w x h): 0.910 x 1.190 in./23.114 x 30.226 mm
Full Pane Size (w x h): 5.375 x 5.875 in./136.525 x 149.225
Plate Size: 200 stamps per revolution
Plate Numbers: "V" followed by four (4) single digits
Marginal Markings: © 2001 USPS o Barcodes (1 upper left edge and 1 lower right) o Plate position o Plate numbers o Price
Catalog Item Number(s): 562520 Block of 4 - $1.48
562530 Block of 10 - $3.70
562540 Full pane of 20 w/plate no. - $7.40
562563 First day cover - Set of 4 - $3.00
562566 Stamped cards (5 sheets) - $9.75
562593 Full pane w/FDC - $10.40
562597 Panel - $8.75
TECHNICAL DETAILS
Issue: Snowmen
Item Number: 670100
Denomination & Type of Issue: 37-cent Special
Format: Double Sided Convertible Booklet of 20 (4 designs)
Series: Holiday
Issue Date & City: October 28, 2002, Houghton, MI 49931
Photographer: Sally Andersen-Bruce, New Milford, CT
Designer: Derry Noyes, Washington, DC
Art Director: Derry Noyes, Washington, DC
Typographer: Derry Noyes, Washington, DC
Modeler: Donald H. Woo
Manufacturing Process: Gravure
Printer: Sennett Security Products (SSP)
Printed at: American Packaging Corporation, Columbus, WI
Press Type: Rotomek, 3000
Stamps per Book: 20
Print Quantity: 1.7052 billion stamps
Paper Type: Pre-phosphored Type I
Gum Type: Pressure Sensitive
Processed at: Unique Binders, Fredericksburg, VA
Colors: PMS 187 (Red), Cyan, Yellow, Black
Stamp Orientation: Vertical
Image Area (w x h): 0.76 x 1.04 in./19.30 x 26.67 mm
Overall Size (w x h): 0.91 x 1.119 in./23.11 x 30.22 mm
Booklet Size (w x h) : 1.823 x 7.50 in /46.30 x 190.50 mm
Plate Size: 288 stamps per revolution
Plate Numbers: "S" followed by four (4) single digits
Marginal Markings: " 2001 USPS" " Price " Plate numbers " "Peel here to fold "
Self-adhesive stamps " DO NOT WET " Double sided"
Catalog Item Number(s): 670140 PSA double side book of 20 - $7.40
670163 First day cover - set of 4 - $3.00
TECHNICAL DETAILS
Issue: Snowmen
Item Number: 881900
Denomination & Type of Issue: 23-cent Postal Stamped Card
Format: $9.75 Postal Stamped Card Set of 20 (4 designs)
Series: Holiday
Issue Date & City: October 28, 2002, Houghton, MI 49931
Photographer: Sally Andersen-Bruce, New Milford, CT
Designer: Derry Noyes, Washington, DC
Art Director: Derry Noyes, Washington, DC
Typographer: Derry Noyes, Washington, DC
Engraver: N/A
Modeler: Banknote Corporation of America, Inc. (BCA)
Manufacturing Process: Offset
Printer: Banknote Corporation of America, Inc. (BCA)
Printed at: BCA, Browns Summit, NC
Press Type: Komori, Lithrone
Cards per Set: 20
Print Quantity: 50,000 sets (1,000,000 cards)
Paper Type: Phosphor tagged
Gum Type: N/A
Processed at: BCA, Greensboro, NC
Colors:
Fronts: Yellow, Magenta, Cyan, Black + Aqueous Coating, 200 line screen
Backs: Yellow, Magenta, Cyan, Black + Phosphor, 150 line screen
Stamp Orientation: Vertical
Sheet Size (w x h): 8.5 x 11.0 in./215.90 x 279.40 mm
Card Size (w x h): 4.25 x 5.50 in./107.95 x 139.70 mm
Plate Size: 36 cards per revolution
Plate Numbers: N/A
Marginal/Backside Markings:
Front: "Greetings"
Back: Black line "© 2002 USPS"
Catalog Item Number(s) 562566 Snowmen stamped cards - $9.75
TECHNICAL DETAILS
Issue: Snowmen
Item Number: 781200
Denomination & Type of Issue: 37-cent Special
Format: Linerless Coil of 100 (4 designs)
Series: Holiday
Issue Date & City: October 28, 2002, Houghton, MI 49931
Designer: Derry Noyes, Washington, DC
Engraver: Acitronics
Art Director: Derry Noyes, Washington, DC
Typographer: Derry Noyes, Washington, DC
Photographer: Sally Andersen-Bruce, New Milford, CT
Modeler: Guilford Gravure Inc., Guilford, CT
Manufacturing Process: Gravure
Printer: Guilford Gravure, Inc. (GFD)
Printed at: Guilford Gravure Inc., Guilford, CT
Press Type: Cerutti, R118
Stamps per Coil: 100
Print Quantity: 300 million stamps
Paper Type: Pre-phosphored, Type II
Gum Type: Pressure Sensitive
Processed at: Guilford Gravure, Guilford, CT
Colors: Magenta, Cyan, Yellow, Black
Stamp Orientation: Horizontal
Image Area (w x h): 0.71 x 0.82 in./18.03 x 20.82 mm
Overall Size (w x h): 0.87 x 0.982 in./22.09 x 24.94 mm
Full Pane Size (w x h): N/A
Plate Size: 384 stamps per revolution
Plate Numbers: "G" followed by four (4) single digits every 12th stamp (8 per coil).
Catalog Item Number(s): 781240 Coil of 100 - $37.00
781263 First day cover-Set of 4 - $3.00
TECHNICAL DETAILS
Issue: Snowmen
Item Number: 670300
Denomination & Type of Issue: 37-cent Special
Format: Folded Vending Booklet of 20 (4 designs)
Series: Holiday
Issue Date & City: October 28, 2002, Houghton, MI 49931
Photographer: Sally Andersen-Bruce, New Milford, CT
Designer: Derry Noyes, Washington, DC
Engraver: Southern Graphic Systems
Art Director: Derry Noyes, Washington, DC
Typographer: Derry Noyes, Washington, DC
Modeler: Avery Dennison, SPD
Manufacturing Process: Gravure
Printer: Avery Dennison, (AVR)
Printed at: AVR, Clinton, SC
Press Type: Dia Nippon Kiko (DNK)
Stamps per Booklet: 20
Print Quantity: 200 million stamps
Paper Type: Prephosphored, Type II,
Gum Type: Pressure Sensitive
Processed at: AVR, Clinton, SC
Colors: Yellow, Cyan, Magenta, Black
Stamp Orientation: Vertical
Image Area (w x h): 0.720 x 0.818 in./18.288 x 20.777 mm
Overall Size (w x h): 0.870 x 0.982 in./22.098 x 24.943 mm
Full Booklet Size (w x h): 10.375 x 1.74 in./263.525 x 44.196 mm
Plate Size: 5 books across x 3 books around (15 per press sheet)
Plate Numbers: "V" followed by four (4) single digits
Marginal Backside Markings: "© 2001 USPS" ? Plate numbers ? Price ? Barcode ? USPS Logo "Greetings" "4 Different Designs" "Twenty 37c Self-adhesive Stamps" "Have you visited our web site lately?"
Catalog Item Number(s): 670340 Vending Book of 20 - $7.40
How to Order the First Day of Issue Postmark
Customers have 30 days to obtain the first day of issue postmark by mail. They may purchase new stamps at their local Post Office, by telephone at 1 800-STAMP-24, and at the Postal Store Web site at www.usps.com. They should affix the stamps to envelopes of their choice, address the envelopes (to themselves or others), and place them in a larger envelope addressed to: HOLIDAY SNOWMEN STAMPS, POSTMASTER, 702 SHELDEN AVE, HOUGHTON MI 49931-9991.
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. All orders must be postmarked by November 27, 2002.
Stamp Fulfillment Services (SFS) 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 quarterly USA Philatelic catalog. Customers may request a free catalog by telephoning 1 800-STAMP-24 or writing to: INFORMATION FULFILLMENT, DEPT 6270, US POSTAL SERVICE, PO BOX 219014, KANSAS CITY, MO 64121-9014. First day covers remain on sale at least one year after the stamp's issuance.
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Since 1775, the U.S. Postal Service has connected friends, families, neighbors and businesses by mail. It is an independent federal agency that visits 137 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 $65 billion, it is the world's leading provider of postal 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 207 billion letters, advertisements, periodicals and packages a year-and serves 7 million customers each day at its 40,000 retail locations nationwide.
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