United States Patriotic Block coil stamps to arrive March 1

By David Hartwig

A single United States nonprofit-rate coil stamp will be issued March 1 in Liberty, N.Y., without an official first-day ceremony.

Intended for use on mass mailings by nonprofit organizations, the nondenominated (5¢) Patriotic Block stamp was printed by American Packaging Corp for Banknote Corporation of America in rolls of 3,000 and 10,000. Plate numbers appear on every 25th stamp.

The U.S. Postal Service offers strips of 25 stamps with plate numbers for both coil roll sizes. Sale of the strips of 25 is limited to four per order.

Customers can order the strips and the coils from Stamp Fulfillment Services in Kansas City, Mo. Ordering numbers and other details are given in Linn’s 2023 U.S. Stamp Program.

The stamp’s design features four quadrant blocks, with a white star on a blue background in the top left and bottom right quadrants, three vertical red stripes in the top right quadrant, and three horizontal red stripes in the bottom left quadrant.

Carol Beehler designed the Patriotic Block stamp with art direction by Antonio Alcala.

The “NONPROFIT ORG/USA” inscription at the bottom of the stamp indicates that a permit is required to use them on mail. The stamps are intended for use on bulk mailings by authorized nonprofit organizations.

Collectors can use these and other service-inscribed stamps on regular mail by completing USPS Form 3615, Mailing Permit Application and Customer Profile. When filling out the form, be sure to check the box labeled “Precanceled Stamp Authorization.”

The completed form must be submitted at your local post office. Also, mail franked with service-inscribed stamps must be presented at the counter for postmarking and processing.

Collector-submitted envelopes for first-day covers will receive a traditional black four-bar cancel with the words “FIRST DAY OF ISSUE” centered between the bars. A full color pictorial first-day postmark is not being offered, according to the Postal Service.

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