Stamp Announcement 15-24: Wedding Cake Stamp

Stamp Announcement 15-24: Wedding Cake Stamp

©2008 USPS

On June 1, 2015, in Kansas City, MO, the U.S. Postal Service® will reissue the Wedding Cake two ounce rate mail-use stamp, (Non-denominated priced at 71 cents), in one design, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 20 stamps (Item 589600).

The stamp will go on sale nationwide June 1, 2015.

The Wedding Cake issuance, first introduced in 2009 and sold at the two ounce stamp price, accommodates the heavier weight of an invitation, as well as other mailings such as oversize cards or small gifts that require extra postage. The stamp art features a photograph taken by Renée Comet of a three-tiered wedding cake topped with white flowers. Pastry chef Peter Brett created and designed the cake. The words “Two Ounce” on the stamp indicate its usage value. Like a Forever® stamp, this stamp will always be valid for the rate printed on it. The initial price and value for this stamp is 71 cents. Art director Ethel Kessler designed the stamp.

To learn more about the stories behind the stamps, visit http://uspsstamps.com.

Distribution: Item 589600, Wedding Cake Two Ounce Rate (Non-denominated priced at 71 cents) PSA Pane of 20 Stamps

Stamp Fulfillment Services will make an automatic push distribution to Premier 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 https://sfsweb.usps.gov. Post Offices may begin ordering stamps on May 25, 2015, through SFS Web. However, offices should check the website noted above to determine the amount they will receive on their automatic push distribution.

How to Order the First-Day-of-Issue Postmark

Customers have 60 days to obtain the first-day-of-issue postmark by mail. They may purchase new stamps at their local Post Office, at The Postal Store® website at http://www.usps.com/shop, or by calling 800-STAMP-24. 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:

71¢ Wedding Cake StampCancellation Services8300 NE Underground Drive, Pillar 210Kansas City, MO 64144-0001

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. For more than 50, customers have to pay five cents each. All orders must be postmarked by July 31, 2015.

How to Order First-Day Covers

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 quarterly USA Philatelic catalog, online at http://www.usps.com/shop, or by calling 800-782-6724. Customers may request a free catalog by calling 800-782-6724 or writing to:

U.S. Postal ServiceCatalog RequestPO Box 219014Kansas City, MO 64121-9014

Philatelic Products

There are five philatelic products for the Wedding Cake stamp issue:

n 589610*, Digital Color Postmark Keepsake, $16.95.

n 589616*, First-Day Cover, $1.15.

n 589621*, Digital Color Postmark, $1.86.

n 589631*, Stamp Deck Card, $0.95.

n 589632*, Stamp Deck Card with Digital Color Postmark, $2.21.

Items with an asterisk (*) will use the 128 barcode from Stamp Fulfillment Services. All other philatelic products will continue to use barcode series A, with the exception of the Yearbook and the Guide Book.

Issue:

Wedding Cake Stamp

Item Number:

589600

Denomination & Type of Issue:

Two Ounce Rate Non-Denominated, Mail-Use

Format:

Pane of 20 (1 design)

Series:

Weddings

Issue Date & City:

June 1, 2015, Kansas City, MO 64108

Designer:

Ethel Kessler, Bethesda, MD

Art Director:

Ethel Kessler, Bethesda, MD

Typographer:

Ethel Kessler, Bethesda, MD

Photographer:

Renée Comet, Washington, DC

Modeler:

Donald Woo

Manufacturing Process:

Microprint, Offset

Printer:

Banknote Corporation of America/SSP

Printed at:

Browns Summit, NC

Press Type:

Alprinta 74

Stamps per Pane:

20

Print Quantity:

30 million stamps

Paper Type:

Phosphor Tagged Paper, Overall

Adhesive Type:

Pressure-sensitive

Processed at:

Banknote Corporation of America, Browns Summit SC

Colors:

Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black PMS 874, PMS Warm Gray 9

Stamp Orientation:

Vertical

Image Area (w x h):

0.76 x 0.87 in./19.18 x 22.01 mm

Overall Size (w x h):

0..91 x 1.19 in./23.11 x 30.22 mm

Full Pane Size (w x h):

5.43 x 5.64 in./137.80 x 143.12 mm

Press Sheets Size (w x h):

10.85 x 22.54 in./275.59 x 572.52 mm

Plate Size:

200 stamps per revolution

Plate Numbers:

“S” followed by six (6) single digits

Marginal Markings:

Front:

Plate numbers in two corners of pane

Back:

© 2008 USPS • USPS logo • Plate position diagram • Barcode (589600) in upper right and lower left corners of pane • Promotional text

— Stamp Services, Marketing and Sales, 5-28-15