Flowers and birds feature in designs of U.S. Colorful Celebrations stamps

By Michael Baadke

On June 3, the United States Postal Service plans to issue a set of 10 stamps with the name Colorful Celebrations.

The stamps will be sold in a double-sided pane of 20 that the Postal Service refers to as a booklet.

The stamps feature designs reminiscent of the Mexican art form of papel picado, which translates to “pierced paper.” The intricate designs in this set show a variety of birds, flowers, and patterns.

The designs were created digitally by artist Atzin Gaytan and designed by Sally Andersen-Bruce, with typography and art direction by Derry Noyes of the USPS.

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The stamps are offset-printed in one of four colors: blue, orange, purple, and fuchsia. The stamps each show floral patterns, in some instances combined with images of birds and other ornamentation.

The stamps will be issued in New York City with an 11 a.m. first-day ceremony at the Javits Center during World Stamp Show-NY 2016. Sharon Owens, USPS vice president of pricing and costing, is scheduled to be the dedicating official for this issue.

The Postal Service scheduled seven consecutive first-day ceremonies at the international stamp show from May 28 through June 3, each welcoming a new stamp or set. The Colorful Celebrations set is the final issue in this series.

Collectors will have an opportunity to purchase press sheets of the Colorful Celebrations double-sided panes. The Postal Service has printed 3,000 press sheets with die cuts. Each press sheet includes eight double-sided panes (160 stamps).

Technical details and first-day cancel ordering information for the Colorful Celebrations stamps can be found in the box on this page. 

Nondenominated (47¢) Colorful Celebrations forever stamps

FIRST DAY— June 3, 2016; city— New York, N.Y., and nationwide.

DESIGN: artist — Atzin Gaytan, New Milford, Conn.; designer— Sally Andersen-Bruce, New Milford, Conn.; art director and typographer— Derry Noyes, Washington, D.C.; modelers— Michelle Finn and Sandra Lane.

PRINTING: process— offset with microprinting; printer and processor— Banknote Corporation of America, Browns Summit, N.C.; press— Alprinta 74; inks— black, Pantone Matching System orange, fuchsia, blue, purple; paper— phosphor tagged, block tagging; gum— self-adhesive; issue quantity— 100 million stamps; format— 10 designs in double-sided pane of 20, from 800-subject cylinders; size— 1.05 inches by 0.77 inches (image); 1.19 inches by 0.91 inches (overall); 2.38 inches by 5.74 inches (full pane); 9.5 inches by 11.49 inches (press sheet); plate numbers— “B” followed by five single digits; marginal markings— Plate numbers, “©2016 USPS,” “USPS”; USPS item No.— 681004.

First-day cancel ordering information

Standard ordering instructions apply. Collectors requesting first-day cancels are encouraged to purchase their own stamps and affix them to envelopes. The first-day cover envelopes should be addressed for return (a removable label may be used), and mailed in a larger envelope addressed to Classics Forever Stamps, Special Events Coordinator, 380 W. 33rd St., New York, NY 10199-9998.

Requests for first-day cancels must be postmarked by Aug. 3.

The Postal Service’s set of 10 uncacheted first-day covers for the Colorful Celebrations stamps is item 681016 at $9.10. USPS order numbers for stamps and FDCs also appear in Linn’s 2016 U.S. Stamp Program.

Read about more what’s happening at World Stamp Show-NY 2016:

Gaertner Worldwide Rarities auction at World Stamp Show-NY 2016 May 30

Post office posters promote World Stamp Show

Olympian to speak on stamps and sports at World Stamp Show-NY 2016: Linn’s Buzz