Radiant Star coil stamp to debut Feb. 19 in Star, Idaho

By Charles Snee

In an overt instance of philatelic congruence, the United States Postal Service will issue its new Radiant Star presorted standard-rate coil stamp Feb. 19, President’s Day, in Star, Idaho. An official first-day ceremony is not planned.

Star, a city of about 11,000 in the Boise Valley in northwestern Ada County, traces its name to the construction of a schoolhouse in the 1870s, according to the city’s website.

The website said of the city’s name: “ … When the settlers finished building the schoolhouse, one of the men sawed out a star and nailed it to the front door, pounding nails all around its edge. This star became an important landmark for miles around and was a guide for travelers and miners. When they came to the schoolhouse with the star on the door, they would find lodging for the night. In time, the town became known as Star.”

The new nondenominated (10¢) Radiant Star coil stamp will be issued in rolls of 3,000 (total print quantity of 24.9 million stamps) and 10,000 (1.5 billion stamps) designed for use in mail-processing equipment that automatically affixes the stamps to letters and cards in bulk mail shipments.

Banknote Corporation of America used its Alprinta RCS press to print the stamps.

Postal customers who presort their mail receive a postage discount. According to the Postal Service, presorting “means grouping mail by ZIP Code.”

“All of the pieces going to the same destination get grouped into the same bundle or tray,” the USPS said. “You’ll sort to specific areas, and then work your way up to more general areas. All leftover mailpieces are combined together.”

Carol Beehler of Bethesda, Md., designed the Radiant Star coil stamp, and Antonio Alcala served as the art director. Beehler and Alcala also teamed up in the same roles for the ...

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