Ten of Disney’s finest villains on new U.S. set

By Michael Baadke

The United States Postal Service offered a surprise announcement June 21 for a new set of 10 nondenominated (49¢) forever stamps paying tribute to villains from Disney animated films.

The Disney Villains stamps will be issued in a pane of 20 July 15 at the Anaheim Convention Center, Anaheim, Calif. A 1:30 p.m. first-day ceremony is scheduled during the Disney fan event D23 Expo 2017.

“Admission is limited to the ceremony that is standing room only,” according to the Postal Service. “You may RSVP at usps.com/disney; however, this does not guarantee admission. Additional instructions will be provided. D23 Expo 2017 ticket holders do not need to RSVP.”

Each stamp in the set depicts a classic Disney villain set against a deep blue background. Each stamp includes text that identifies the film in which the villain appeared, and the villain’s name.

The 10 characters on the stamps are the Queen from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Honest John (Pinocchio), Lady Tremaine (Cinderella), the Queen of Hearts (Alice in Wonderland), Captain Hook (Peter Pan), Maleficent (Sleeping Beauty), Cruella De Vil (One Hundred and One Dalmatians), Ursula (The Little Mermaid), Gaston (Beauty and the Beast), and Scar (The Lion King).

In 2004, the Postal Service issued the first of seven sets of stamps featuring characters from Disney and Disney-Pixar animated films (Scott 3865-3868).

The most recent of these, a set of five stamps featuring Pixar characters, was identified by the Postal Service as “Mail a Smile” and was issued June 1, 2012 (Scott 4677-4681).

Technical details and first-day cancel ordering information for the Disney Villains stamps are provided below.

Nondenominated (49¢) Disney Villains forever stamps

FIRST DAY— July 15, 2017; city— Anaheim, Calif., and nationwide.

DESIGN: artist— Walt Disney Studios Ink & Paint Dept.; designer, typographer, and art director— Derry Noyes, Washington, D.C.; modelers— Joseph Sheeran.

PRINTING: process— offset; printer and processor— Ashton Potter USA Ltd., Williamsville, N.Y.; press— Mueller A76; inks— cyan, magenta, yellow, black, Pantone Matching System 7687C purple; paper— nonphosphored type III, gloss block tagging; gum— self-adhesive; print quantity— 60 million stamps; format— panes of 20, from 120-subject cylinders; size— 1.085 inches by 1.42 inches (image); 1.225 inches by 1.56 inches (overall); 7.12 inches by 9.45 inches (full pane); 22.235 inches by 19.025 inches (press sheet); plate numbers— “P” followed by five single digits; marginal markings— Header reading “Disney Villains from the Walt Disney Studios Ink & Paint Department” (front); “©2017 USPS,” USPS logo, pane position diagram, bar code 475400, line drawing and quote for each character, Disney logo, Disney proprietary information (back); USPS item No.— 475404.

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 FDOI-Disney Villains Stamps, USPS Stamp Fulfillment Services, 8300 NE Underground Drive, Suite 300, Kansas City, MO 64144-9900.

Requests for first-day cancels must be postmarked by Sept. 15.

The Postal Service’s set of 10 uncacheted Disney Villains first-day covers is item 475416 at $9.30. USPS item numbers for stamps and FDCs also appear in Linn’s 2017 U.S. Stamp Program.

This story was updated July 7, 2017.

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