Panes of U.S. 2019 Tyrannosaurus Rex stamps most popular format

Dec 4, 2024, 8 AM

Stamp Market Tips by Henry Gitner and Rick Miller

There is a long-standing affinity between kids and dinosaurs. Who among us as a child did not have dozens if not hundreds of plastic toys representing such species as Brontosaurus, Triceratops, and, most beloved of all, Tyrannosaurus Rex.

The love affair often continued into teenage years as we flocked to the movie theaters or the drive-ins for such classics as Dinosaurus! (1960), One Million Years B.C. (1940, reprised in 1966) and Caveman (1981). More recently, the Jurassic Park franchise has vastly eclipsed those earlier efforts in popularity and profitability.

On Aug. 29, 2019, the U.S. Postal Service issued a set of four Tyrannosaurus Rex stamps (Scott 5410-5413). The stamps were designed by Derry Noyes and printed by Banknote Corporation of America in panes of 16. The tagged nondenominated (55¢) stamps were printed by lithography with lenticular lens affixed and have gauge 10¼ by 10½ serpentine die cuts.

The Scott Specialized Catalogue of United States Stamps and Covers states: “Only Nos. 5411 and 5412 show movement in the design when viewed from different positions.” Uncut press sheets of 96 in six panes of 16 also were sold to the public.

Full mint panes are the most popular collecting format for new issues with se-tenant (side-by-side) designs. The Scott U.S. Specialized catalog values a mint, never-hinged pane of 16 at $24, against a current postage value of $11.68. The mint pane of 16 is a good buy at around $16. Read up on proper storage of the pane to avoid damage to the lenticular lens.

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