Sets of Building a Nation commemorative forever stamp panes in demand

Stamp Market Tips by Henry Gitner and Rick Miller

On Aug. 8, 2013, the U.S. Postal Service issued a pane of 12 nondenominated (46¢) Building a Nation commemorative forever stamps (Scott 4801). The stamps were printed in sheets of 60, which were cut into five panes of 12 for distribution and sale.

Uncut press sheets of the issue were also sold to the public.

The stamps were designed by Derry Noyes and printed by Avery Dennison.

The designs were based on black-and-white photographs showing an airplane mechanic, a derrick man on the Empire State Building, a millinery apprentice, a man on a hoisting ball on the Empire State Building, a linotype operator, a welder on the Empire State Building, a coal miner, riveters on the Empire State Building, a powerhouse mechanic, a railroad track walker, a textile worker, and a man guiding a beam on the Empire State Building.

Each of the five panes in the sheet has a different design in the sheet margin selvage: a coal miner, a man on a hoisting ball, a man measuring bearings, a man on a cable, and a woman welder.

A total of 30 million stamps were produced, 6 million of each selvage design.

The Scott Specialized Catalogue of United States Stamps and Covers values a mint pane of 12 at $15.6 against a current postage value of $7.92. A set of five mint panes with one each of the different selvage illustrations is valued at $75.

There is good demand for mint sets of five panes. A single mint pane of 12 is a good buy at around $12. A set of five mint panes is a good buy at $60 or less.

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