Two Hot Rods forever stamps debut June 6 in York, Pa.

Two classic hot rods will debut on new forever stamps to be issued June 6 in York, Pa.

The definitive-size stamps — not part of any series, according to the United States Postal Service — will be sold in a double-sided pane of 20, convertible booklet format.

Both cars are varieties of the 1932 Ford “Deuce” roadster, with one in red and the other in black with orange flames.

“Hot rodding first took hold in the 1920s, when young men began modifying their cars,” according to the Postal Service. “Aficionados souped up engines, lowered chassis, chopped bodies, and cut excess weight, creating light, fierce machines that looked and moved unlike anything that had rolled off assembly lines.”

The first-day ceremony will take place at 11 a.m. during the National Street Rod Association’s National East Plus Conference at York Expo and Fairgrounds, 334 Carlisle Ave., York, Pa.

Collectors wishing to attend the ceremony must enter the conference, and the fee for admission to the conference is normally $15.

Collectors can request a complimentary ticket from the Postal Service no later than June 3 by telephoning 866-268-3243, or by sending an e-mail to NationalEvents@usps.gov. One ticket is allowed per request.

Artist John Mattos of California digitally created the two illustrations used on the stamps. He worked with USPS art director Derry Noyes on the design.

Mattos previously illustrated the 2006 39¢ Olympic Winter Games stamp (Scott 3995), the 2009 44¢ Seabiscuit stamped envelope (U668), the 2011 Indianapolis 500 forever stamp (4530) and the four 2012 Bicycling forever stamps (4687-4690).

CCL Label of Clinton, S.C., produced an initial quantity of 100 million Hot Rods stamps.

Press sheets, both with and without die cuts, will be issued for the Hot Rods stamps. Each press sheet consists of seven panes and sells for $68.60. A total of 1,000 press sheets with die cuts and 1,500 without die cuts will be available.

Technical details for the two Hot Rods forever stamps are:

Nondenominated (49¢) Hot Rods forever stamps

FIRST DAY— June 6, 2014; city— York, Pa., and nationwide.

DESIGN: illustrator— John Mattos, San Francisco, Calif.; designer, typographer and art director— Derry Noyes, Washington, D.C.; modeler— CCL Label Inc.; engraver— WRE.

PRINTING: process— gravure; printer and processor— CCL Label Inc., Clinton, S.C.; press— Dia Nippon Kiko; inks— yellow, Pantone Matching System 1795 red, cyan, black; paper— nonphosphored type III, overall tagged; gum— self-adhesive; issue quantity— 100 million stamps; format— double-sided pane of 20 (convertible booklet format), from 140-subject cylinders; size— 0.84 inches by 0.73 inches (image); 0.98 inches by 0.87 inches (overall); 1.96 inches by 5.5 inches (full pane); plate numbers— “C” followed by four single digits; marginal markings— plate numbers, “©2014 USPS,” USPS logo, bar code 689200; USPS item No.— 689204.

First-day cancel ordering information

Collectors requesting first-day cancels are encouraged to purchase their own stamps and affix them to envelopes. The first-day cover envelopes should be addressed for return (a removable label may be used), and mailed in a larger envelope addressed to Hot Rods Stamps, Postmaster, 3435 Concord Road, York, PA 17402-9998. Requests for first-day cancels must be postmarked by Aug. 5.

The Postal Service’s uncacheted set of two first-day covers for the Hot Rods stamps is USPS item No. 689216 at $1.86. USPS order numbers for stamps and FDCs also appear in Linn’s 2014 U.S. Stamp Program.