1989 25c Contemporary Christmas: Sleigh with Presents, booklet single
# 2429 - 1989 25c Contemporary Christmas: Sleigh with Presents, booklet single
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2429 - 1989 25c Contemporary Christmas: Sleigh with Presents, booklet single
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U.S. #2429
1989 25¢ Sleigh with Presents
Contemporary Christmas
- First US stamp printed in two formats by two different printers
- First stamp issued in a city related to the stamp designer
Stamp Category: Commemorative
Series: Contemporary Christmas
Value: 25¢, first-class rate
First Day of Issue: October 19, 1989
First Day City: Westport Connecticut
Quantity Issued: 399,243,000
Printed by: Bureau of Engraving and Printing
Printing Method: Photogravure
Format: Booklet panes of 10
Perforations: 11½
Why the stamp was issued: For use on holiday mail.
About the stamp design: This Contemporary Christmas stamp was created by veteran stamp designer Stevan Dohanos. A former cover artist for The Saturday Evening Post, he had also served as design coordinator for the Citizens’ Stamp Advisory Committee, supervising the design of over 300 stamps and designing more than two dozen himself. For this stamp, he took inspiration in an antique toy sleigh from the New York State Historical Association in Cooperstown, New York. The actual sleigh measures three feet, four inches long and 16 inches wide with an upholstered seat and red curved runners. Dohanos also added several gifts wrapped in paper to the sleigh.
About the printing process: Issued in both booklet and sheet form, this is the first time a US stamp has been printed by two different institutions. The American Bank Note Company produced the sheet stamps (#2428), while the Bureau of Engraving and Printing produced the booklet (#2429). Both companies used gravure printing, but the American Bank Note Company used an additional color, magenta, which help distinguish it from the booklet stamp. Plus, the booklet stamps have at least one straight edge.
First Day City: The First Day ceremony for this stamp was held at the Westport Arts Center in Westport, Connecticut. The location was selected as it was the hometown of the stamp’s designer. This was reportedly the first time that the first day ceremony location was selected to honor a person involved in a stamp’s design.
Unusual fact about this stamp: Error varieties have been found imperforate and with the red ink missing.
About the Contemporary Christmas series: The US issued its first Christmas stamp (picturing a wreath and candles) on November 1, 1962, and it was wildly popular. The Post Office printed 350 million stamps, the largest print run for a special stamp up to that time, but still the stamps quickly sold out. The Bureau of Engraving and Printing produced more to satisfy demand and the total number issued was over 860 million by the end of the year.
In 1966, the Post Office started issuing traditional themed Christmas stamps picturing the Madonna and Child and other religious icons. In 1969, they switched back to non-religious Christmas designs with a stamp picturing the painting Winter Sunday in Norway, Maine.
Finally, in 1970, the Post Office decided to permanently split Christmas stamps into two categories to satisfy everyone: Traditional and Contemporary. They issued a block of four stamps picturing Christmas toys along with a stamp picturing a classic painting of the Nativity. The decision to do both proved popular, and the Post Office has continued to issue stamps in both categories ever since.
History the stamp represents: Antique sleighs were popular throughout the US in the late 19th century. A thing of the past in America, they’re still used in those parts of the world that almost constantly have snow, such as Siberia and Lapland.
U.S. #2429
1989 25¢ Sleigh with Presents
Contemporary Christmas
- First US stamp printed in two formats by two different printers
- First stamp issued in a city related to the stamp designer
Stamp Category: Commemorative
Series: Contemporary Christmas
Value: 25¢, first-class rate
First Day of Issue: October 19, 1989
First Day City: Westport Connecticut
Quantity Issued: 399,243,000
Printed by: Bureau of Engraving and Printing
Printing Method: Photogravure
Format: Booklet panes of 10
Perforations: 11½
Why the stamp was issued: For use on holiday mail.
About the stamp design: This Contemporary Christmas stamp was created by veteran stamp designer Stevan Dohanos. A former cover artist for The Saturday Evening Post, he had also served as design coordinator for the Citizens’ Stamp Advisory Committee, supervising the design of over 300 stamps and designing more than two dozen himself. For this stamp, he took inspiration in an antique toy sleigh from the New York State Historical Association in Cooperstown, New York. The actual sleigh measures three feet, four inches long and 16 inches wide with an upholstered seat and red curved runners. Dohanos also added several gifts wrapped in paper to the sleigh.
About the printing process: Issued in both booklet and sheet form, this is the first time a US stamp has been printed by two different institutions. The American Bank Note Company produced the sheet stamps (#2428), while the Bureau of Engraving and Printing produced the booklet (#2429). Both companies used gravure printing, but the American Bank Note Company used an additional color, magenta, which help distinguish it from the booklet stamp. Plus, the booklet stamps have at least one straight edge.
First Day City: The First Day ceremony for this stamp was held at the Westport Arts Center in Westport, Connecticut. The location was selected as it was the hometown of the stamp’s designer. This was reportedly the first time that the first day ceremony location was selected to honor a person involved in a stamp’s design.
Unusual fact about this stamp: Error varieties have been found imperforate and with the red ink missing.
About the Contemporary Christmas series: The US issued its first Christmas stamp (picturing a wreath and candles) on November 1, 1962, and it was wildly popular. The Post Office printed 350 million stamps, the largest print run for a special stamp up to that time, but still the stamps quickly sold out. The Bureau of Engraving and Printing produced more to satisfy demand and the total number issued was over 860 million by the end of the year.
In 1966, the Post Office started issuing traditional themed Christmas stamps picturing the Madonna and Child and other religious icons. In 1969, they switched back to non-religious Christmas designs with a stamp picturing the painting Winter Sunday in Norway, Maine.
Finally, in 1970, the Post Office decided to permanently split Christmas stamps into two categories to satisfy everyone: Traditional and Contemporary. They issued a block of four stamps picturing Christmas toys along with a stamp picturing a classic painting of the Nativity. The decision to do both proved popular, and the Post Office has continued to issue stamps in both categories ever since.
History the stamp represents: Antique sleighs were popular throughout the US in the late 19th century. A thing of the past in America, they’re still used in those parts of the world that almost constantly have snow, such as Siberia and Lapland.