Forget-me-not chosen as the theme for missing children stamp, envelope

A new United States social awareness stamp on the subject of missing children will be issued with a matching stamped envelope May 18.

The design shared by both the stamp and the stamped envelope has a white background and shows a group of forget-me-not flower blossoms at left, and a single smaller flower separated from the group at right.

The words “Forget-Me-Not” are inscribed across the top, and “Help Find Missing Children” is lettered near the bottom of the design.

A first-day ceremony is planned for 1 p.m. Pacific Time at the Anaheim Convention Center, 800 W. Katella Ave., in Anaheim, Calif. The ceremony is open to the public.

The annual National Postal Forum spring national convention is taking place at the convention center May 17-20.

The stamp was designed by U.S. Postal Service art director Ethel Kessler, with photography by Harald Biebel.

The single nondenominated (49¢) forever stamp is offset-printed by Ashton Potter of Williamsville, N.Y., and will be sold in panes of 20.

The single No. 10 forever stamped envelope is also offset-printed by Ashton Potter and is sold in a package of 10 with envelope seals for $9.95.

Forever stamps and forever stamped envelopes are always equal in value to the current one-ounce first-class letter rate.

The stamps will also be sold in two varieties of uncut press sheets of 120 stamps. The Postal Service will offer 500 press sheets with die cuts separating the stamps, and 1,500 press sheets without die cuts. The cost for each variety is $58.80, which is the face value of the stamps.

In its promotional information published on the USPS website uspsstamps.com, the Postal Service described its participation in the effort to recover missing children.

“More than 460,000 reports of missing children were made to law enforcement in the United States in 2014. Fortunately, loved ones have reason for hope: Increased public awareness, training, laws, and technology have led to more missing children coming home now than at any other point in history. For three decades, the U.S. Postal Service has also been honored to help with the search, cooperating with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children and Valassis Communications, Inc., on a program that features photographs of missing children on advertising materials delivered to millions of American homes. To date, about 1,900 of the nearly 3,300 children featured on these mailings have been recovered, at least 157 as a direct result of this program.

“In addition, the U.S. Postal Service publishes photos and information about missing children in the Postal Bulletin, which adds some 700,000 employees to the search effort.”

May 25 is observed as National Missing Children’s Day in the United States, and International Missing Children’s Day around the world.

This is the second U.S. stamp to specifically promote awareness of the tragic problem of missing children. A 39¢ stamp issued May 25, 2006, pictures a mother and child with the message “AMBER ALERT saves missing children” (Scott 4031).

Technical details and first-day cancel ordering information for the new Forget-me-not Missing Children forever stamp and forever stamped envelope follow:

Forget-me-not Missing Children forever stamp

FIRST DAY— May 18, 2015; city— Anaheim, Calif., and nationwide.

DESIGN: designer, typographer and art director— Ethel Kessler, Bethesda, Md.; photograph— Harald Biebel; modeler— Joseph Sheeran.

PRINTING: process— offset with microprint; printer and processor— Ashton Potter USA Ltd., Williamsville, N.Y.; press— Muller A76; inks— cyan, magenta, yellow, black, Pantone Matching System 159 orange; paper— nonphosphored type III with block tagging; gum— self-adhesive; issue quantity— 60 million stamps; format— pane of 20, from 240-subject cylinders; size— 1.42 inches by 0.84 inches (image); 1.56 inches by 0.98 inches (overall); 7.24 inches by 6.20 inches (full pane); plate numbers— “P” followed by five single digits; marginal markings— plate numbers in two corners; year of issue; header “Help Find Missing Children” (front); “©2015 USPS,” plate position diagram, USPS logo, bar code 473100 in two corners, promotional text, verso text; USPS item No.— 473100.

First-day cancel ordering information

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 Missing Children Stamp, Postmaster, Anaheim Post Office, 701 North Loera St., Anaheim, CA 92803-2282. Requests for first-day cancels must be postmarked by July 17.

The Postal Service’s uncacheted first-day cover for the Forget-me-not Missing Children stamp is USPS item No. 473116 at 93¢. USPS order numbers for stamps and FDCs also appear in Linn’s 2015 U.S. Stamp Program.

Nondenominated (49¢) Forget-me-not Missing Children forever stamped envelopes

FIRST DAY— May 18, 2015; city— Anaheim, Calif., and nationwide.

DESIGN: designer, typographer and art director— Ethel Kessler, Bethesda, Md.; photograph— Harald Biebel; modeler— Joseph Sheeran.

PRINTING: process— offset, microprinting; printer and processor— Ashton Potter, Williamsville, N.Y.; press— Halm Jet EM4000; folding machine— W&D No. 527; paper— No. 61 Postal Envelope, Type III, block tagging; inks— cyan, magenta, yellow, black, Pantone Matching System 431 gray; size— image area: 1.67 inches by 1.08 inches; overall: (No. 10) 9.5 inches by 4.13 inches; quantity— 370,000; other markings— “©USPS 2015,” Forest Stewardship Council logo, “This envelope is recyclable and made with 30% post-consumer content,” recycling logo; USPS item No.— 882102 (Forget-me-not Missing Children stamped envelope set of 10 with seals at $9.95).

First-day cancel ordering information

Collectors requesting first-day cancels are encouraged to purchase their stamped 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 Missing Children Stamped Envelopes, Postmaster, Anaheim Post Office, 701 North Loera St., Anaheim, CA 92803-2282. Requests for first-day cancels must be postmarked by July 17.

The Postal Service’s uncacheted first-day cover for the Forget-me-not Missing Children stamped envelope is USPS item No. 882104 at 74¢. USPS order numbers for stamps and FDCs also appear in Linn’s 2015 U.S. Stamp Program.

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