Click on the image for a larger view.
44¢ American Flag
(Sennett Security Products)
Water-Activated Coils of 3,000
Scott # 4391 S111
Series USPS - NA ~ PNC3 - Flag / Patriotic
Issue Date & City May 1, 2009, Washington, DC 20066 (No First Day of Issue Ceremony)
Nationwide Sale May 1, 2009
Designer Terrence W. McCaffrey, USPS
Art Director Terrence W. McCaffrey, USPS
Typographer Terrence W. McCaffrey, USPS
Existing Photo Rick Barrentine, Duluth, GA
Modeler Donald Woo
Engraver N/A
To Press / Initial Quantity Spring 2009 / Coil of 3,000 - 200,001,000 stamps
Coil Size 3,000
Printer Banknote Corporation of America Inc. / SSP
Press Alprinta 74
Process Offset / Microprint “USPS” in the very top of the top red stripe
Where Printed Browns Summit, NC
Where Processed Unique Binders, Fredericksburg, VA
Plate Size & Interval Coil of 3,000 - 682 stamps per revolution / plate # every 31 stamps
Paper Type Prephosphored, type II, Surface Coated
Adhesive Type Water-Activated
Tagging Type Prephosphored, Smooth Tagging
Perf Gauge 9.9 Vertically
Colors Red, Blue, Black
Image Size (w x h) 0.72 x 0.81 in. / 18.29 x 20.57 mm
Overall Size (w x h) 0.87 x 0.96 in. / 22.10 x 24.38 mm
Back Numbers Reported so far:  4 digit pink top and bottom back numbers every 10 stamps.
Earliest Known Use May 1, 2009
USPS Order Numbers 787140 - Full Coil of 3,000 - $1320.00
787130 - Strip of 25 with plate # - $11.00
787120 - Str4ip of 5 - $2.20
787161 First Day Cover - $.82
Availability Stamp Fulfillment Services, Kansas City / Providence / Tucso
Official Announcement On May 1, 2009, in Washington, DC, the Postal Service™ will issue a 44-cent, definitive U.S. Flag stamp in one design. This stamp will be available in the following formats:
  • Pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) coil of 3,000 (Item 787700).
  • PSA coil of 10,000 (Item 787800).
  • Water-activated gum (WAG) coil of 3,000 (Item 787100).

The stamp, designed by Terrence W. McCaffrey, USPS, goes on sale nationwide May 1, 2009.

This new stamp depicts a detail of an American flag from a photograph by Rick Barrentine of Duluth, Georgia. The detail, showing a softly folded flag, features most prominently the starry blue field, with red-and-white stripes occupying the remaining space.
Note  
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 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:
U. S. Flag Stamp
Special Cancellations
PO Box 92282
Washington, DC 20090-2282
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. All orders must be postmarked by July 6, 2009.
How to Order First Day Covers
Stamp Fulfillment Services 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. Customers may request a free catalog by calling 800-STAMP-24 or writing to:
Information Fulfillment
Dept. 6270
U.S. Postal Service
PO Box 219014
Kansas City, MO 64121-9014
Philatelic Products
There are two philatelic products available for this stamp issue:
  • 787161*, First Day Cover (Coil of 3,000 WAG), $0.82.
  • 787861*, First Day Cover (Coil of 10,000), $0.82.
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.
Distribution: Item 787100, $1,320.00 U.S. Flag, WAG Coil of 3,000
All SDOs will receive an automatic distribution of the $1,320.00 U.S. Flag, WAG coil of 3,000. Distributions are rounded up to nearest master carton size (64 coils).
Initial Supply to Post Offices
SDOs will not make a subsequent automatic distribution of Item 787100 to Post Offices. All Post Offices requiring stamps must order them from their designated SDO using PS Form 17. SDOs must not distribute coils to Post Offices before April 24, 2009.
Additional Supply
SDOs requiring additional coils must order them from the appropriate APD using PS Form 17. For fulfilling sup­plemental orders from SDOs, APDs will receive additional stamps. For fulfilling supplemental orders from APDs, the Kansas City SSC will also receive additional stamps.