USPS Postal News – Houston Barge Industry depicted on new Earthscapes Forever Stamps

Houston, Texas — The Houston District Post Office celebrates October as National Stamp

Collecting Month with a special kick-off dedication ceremony of the Earthscapes Forever stamps

that put attendees on cloud nine.

“The Earthscapes Forever stamps depict America’s diverse landscapes on photos taken from

ultra-lights to satellites,” said Houston District Manager, William J. Mitchell. “The stamps provide a

view of the nation’s diverse landscapes in a whole new way — from several hundred feet in the

sky to several hundred miles in space.

The Kirby Corporation has partnered with the United States Postal Service to showcase the

Barge Fleeting stamp that is one of the 15 new stamps which wasphotographed in the Old River

barge fleeting area close to the Houston Ship Channel.

Joining William J. Mitchell in dedicating the stamps on Monday October 1, 2012 will be CEO of

Kirby Corporation, Joe Pyne; and Owner, Topper Stamps & Postal History – Jonathan Topper.

Back ground: Natural, Agricultural and Urban Perspectives This stamp pane presents examples of three categories of earthscapes: natural, agricultural, and urban. The photographs were all created high above the planet’s surface, either snapped by “eyes in the sky” — satellites orbiting the Earth — or carefully composed by photographers in aircraft. In the top row, we fly over America’s stunning wilderness. While a volcanic eruption scars the forests of Washington State, fog drifts over the timeless sandstone towers of Utah’s Monument Valley. In Alaska, a wide stripe that looks like a highway is actually a glacier, an immense conveyer belt of ice. At its base, jagged white shards resembling broken glass are really icebergs, bobbing in a lake. The stamps in the center row may look like abstract art, but they show five products being gathered, grown, or harvested: salt, timber, grain, cherries, and cranberries. In the middle stamp, center-pivot irrigation systems create geometric shapes — although bystanders on the ground might see only sprinklers in fields of wheat, alfalfa, corn, and soybeans. In the bottom row, urban life takes center stage. Highways corkscrew around themselves and neat subdivisions sport tiny blue pools. It’s our familiar world, shrunken into miniature — and seen with the new eyes that a fresh perspective can bring. From the power and glory of nature to the interaction of people with the land — in both agricultural and urban settings — each stamp, within its limited amount of space, represents only a fragment of a geographical area, which may or may not be typical of a particular region. Art director Howard E. Paine designed this educational and visually rich pane of stamps.

Customers may view the Earthscapes Forever stamps, as well as many of this year’s other stamps, indicate which stamps they like and vote for their favorite stamp on Facebook at facebook.com/USPSStamps, through Twitter @USPSstamps or on the website Beyond the Perf at beyondtheperf.com/2012-preview. Beyond the Perf is the Postal Service’s online site for background information on upcoming stamp subjects, first-day-of-issue events and other philatelic news.

How to Obtain 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 a local Post Office, at The Postal Store website at 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 larger envelopes addressed to:

Earthscapes Stamps

Special Cancellations

P.O. 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 Dec. 2, 2012.

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 www.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 are 11 philatelic products available for this stamp issue:

• 470162, First Day Cover (Full Pane), $9.25.
• 470163, First Day Cover Set of 15, $13.35.
• 470164, First Day Cancelled (Full Pane), $9.25.
• 470168, Digital Color Postmark Set of 15, $24.00.
• 470177, Jigsaw Puzzle (includes Earthscapes stamp sheet), $17.95.
• 470184, Uncut Press Sheet (without die cut), $60.75. (print quantity of 2,500)
• 470191, Ceremony Program (random single), $6.95.
• 470192, Stamp Deck Card, $0.95.
• 470194, Stamp Deck Card w/Digital Color Postmark (DCP) (random single), $1.95.
• 470197, Commemorative Stamp Panel, $16.95.
• 470199, Cancellation Keepsake (random DCP w/Pane), $8.95.

 

The Postal Service receives no tax dollars for operating expenses and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations.

First-Day-of-Issue Postmarks

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 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:

Earthscapes Stamps

Special Cancellations

P.O. 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 Dec. 2, 2012.

Ordering 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 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

 

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