Snowflakes

Scan courtesy of Jill Ambrose

(10¢) Snowflakes Presorted Standard
(CCL Label, Inc.)
Self Adhesive Coil of 10,000
Scott # 4812a, Strip of 5
or
Strip of 11
Scott # 4808 - First full stamp on left
Scott # 4809 - Second stamp from left
Scott # 4810 - Stamp with Plate # C11111111
Scott # 4811 - Second stamp from right
Scott # 4812 - Stamp on far right
Series USPS - NA ~ PNC3 - Misc.
Issue Date & City October 1, 2013, Weston, MO 64098 (No Ceremony)
Nationwide Sale October 1, 2013
Designer Jennifer Arnold, Washington, DC
Art Director William J. Glicker, Washington, DC
Typographer N/A
Existing Photos Kenneth G. Libbrecht
Engraver WRE
Modeler CCL Label, Inc.
To Press / Initial Quantity Summer 2013 / 500 Million
Coil Size 10,000
Printer CCL Label, Inc.
Press Dia Nippon Kiko (DNK)
Process Gravure
Where Printed Clinton, S.C.
Where Processed AVR, Clinton, S.C.
Plate Size & Interval 300 stamps per revolution / Plate # every 30 stamps
Paper Type Nonphosphored, USPS Type III
Adhesive Type Pressure Sensitive
Tagging Type None
Die Cut Gauge 12 x 12 Valley Peak (VP) Vertically with Rounded Corners
Colors Yellow, Magenta, Cyan, Black, Powder Blue (PMS 628), Light Purple (PMS 2706), Light Blue (PMS 2707), Dark Purple (PMS 7671)
Image Size (w x h) 0.84 x 0.73 in. / 21.34 x 18.54 mm
Overall Size (w x h) 0.98 x 0.87 in. / 24.89 x 22.09 mm
Back Numbers Middle Black 5-digit every 10 stamps.
Earliest Known Use October 1, 2013
USPS Order Numbers 789304 Full Coil of 3,000 - $1380.00
789303 Strip of 25 with plate number - $11.50
789404 Full Coil of 10,000 - $4600.00
789403 Strip of 25 with plate number - $11.50
789416 First Day Cover - $3.60 (Set of 4)
Availability Nationwide
Official Announcement On October 1, 2013, in Weston, Missouri, the Postal Service™ will issue the Snowflakes presorted standardnon-denominated stamp (priced @ 10 cents) in five designs in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) coil of 10,000 stamps (Item 789800).

The stamp will go on sale nationwide October 1, 2013.

This holiday season, the U.S. Postal Service® will issue five festive snowflake stamps in the Presorted Standard price (10 cents) for bulk mail users. Each stamp features a photograph of a different snowflake, set against a background of colors that fade from white at the bottom to icy blues and purples at the top. To photograph these snowflakes, fallen snowflakes were rapidly transferred from a cardboard collecting surface to a glass slide and inserted into a high-resolution microscope. Photographs were made with a digital camera attached to the microscope. William J. Gicker was the art director for the stamp issue. Jennifer Arnold designed the stamps using existing photographs by Kenneth Libbrecht, a professor at the California Institute of Technology.

To learn more about the stories behind the stamps, visit www.beyondtheperf.com.

Note The 2013 date is in the top left hand corner in the selvage, and is placed vertically
Distribution: Item 789800, Snowflakes (Presorted Standard Non-denominated priced @ 10 cents) PSA Coil of 10,000 Stamps
Stamp distribution offices (SDOs) and stamp distribution centers (SDCs) will receive their normal automatic distribution quantity for a PSA coil of 10,000. Distributions are rounded up to the nearest master carton size of 10 coils.
Initial Supply to Post Offices
SDOs/SDCs will NOT make an automatic distribution to Post Offices™. Post Offices requiring these items must requisition them from their designated SDO/SDC using PS Form 17, Stamp Requisition/Stamp Return. Once the SDCs have received their distribution of this item (estimated September 25, 2013), Post Offices will be able to preorder these stamps through the eBuy2 SEAM Catalog. Post Offices should not sell the stamp prior to first-day-of-issue.
Sales Policy
All Post Offices should maintain a sufficient inventory level of this item until the stamp is officially withdrawn from sale. If supplies run low, Post Offices must reorder additional quantities using their normal ordering procedures.
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 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:
Snowflakes (Presorted Standard) Stamp
Postmaster
18205 Library Drive
Weston, MO 64098-9998
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 December 1, 2013.
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://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 Service
Catalog Request
PO Box 219014
Kansas City, MO 64121-9014
Philatelic Products
There is one philatelic product available for this stamp issue:
  • 789816*, First-Day Covers, Set of 5, $5.00.
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.