Stars and stripes design for Feb. 3 presorted standard coil

By Michael Baadke

The newest United States presorted standard coil stamp pays tribute to the American flag with a stars and stripes design in red, white, blue and gold.

The nondenominated Presorted Star stamp will be issued Feb. 3 with a nominal value of 10¢. The stamp sells for that amount to collectors.

The stamps are offered in 3,000-stamp or 10,000-stamp coil rolls. Banknote Corporation of America offset-printed and processed both roll sizes using identical specifications, so it is anticipated that the stamps will be identical regardless of which size coil roll they come from.

Collectors can purchase smaller strips of the new coil stamp from the U.S. Postal Service’s Stamp Fulfillment Services division using USPS item 750503 for a strip of 25 with plate number from the roll of 3,000, and 760603 for a strip of 25 with plate number from the roll of 10,000.

The individual Presorted Star stamps on the coil roll are likely to have small spaces between them on the backing paper to facilitate use in stamp-affixing machinery. A plate number beginning with the letter B will appear on every 27th stamp in the coil, according to published USPS specifications.

No first-day ceremony is planned for the new coil. Kansas City, Mo., where USPS Stamp Fulfillment Services is headquartered, is listed as the official city of issue.

Presorted standard stamps are used on large quantities of business letter mail (often advertising mail) prepared and sorted for mailing by a sender holding an applicable permit. The presorted mail is then eligible for sending at various reduced postage rates. The term bulk mail also has been used to describe this type of mailing.

Standard mail was previously known as third-class mail.

“This new stamp celebrates the beloved American Stars and Stripes by focusing on its vital components,” according to the Postal Service. “The asymmetrical design includes one large white star, two white stripes and three red stripes, and a brilliant blue backdrop, as well as lettering and three small stars in gold.”

Illustrator Matthew Pamer of Portland, Ore., designed the new coil stamp working with USPS art director Greg Breeding. Pamer has designed posters for the USPS Music Icons commemorative series, editions of the annual USPS Stamp Yearbook, and other stamp-related products for the Postal Service.

Many bulk mailers currently use the 2015 Stars and Stripes coil stamps for presorted standard mail. Banknote Corporation of America also printed this set of three (Scott 4961-4963).

The new Presorted Star coil stamp will likely replace the Stars and Stripes coil stamps on future bulk mailings.

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