2001 $3.50 US Capitol

$13.50

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Condition *

326220 -- Mint Stamp(s) -- Mint Stamp(s)

Mint Stamp(s) ⓘ

326223 -- Used Single Stamp(s) -- Used Stamp(s)

Used Single Stamp(s) ⓘ

326219 -- Used Stamp(s) -- Used Stamp(s) -- small flaws

Used Stamp(s) small flaws ⓘ

326216 -- Classic First Day Cover -- First Day Cover

Classic First Day Cover ⓘ

326217 -- Fleetwood First Day Cover -- First Day Cover

Fleetwood First Day Cover ⓘ

326218 -- Fleetwood First Day Cover (Plate Block) -- First Day Cover

Fleetwood First Day Cover (Plate Block) ⓘ

493551 -- Colorano Silk First Day Cover -- First Day Cover

Colorano Silk First Day Cover ⓘ

326221 -- Mint Plate Block -- Mint Stamp(s)

Mint Plate Block ⓘ

326222 -- Mint Sheet(s) -- Mint Stamp(s)

Mint Sheet(s) ⓘ

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U.S. #3472
$3.50 U.S. Capitol Dome
Priority Mail

Issue Date: January 29, 2001
City: Washington, DC
Printed by: Derry Noyes
Printing Method: Photogravure
Perforations: Serpentine die cut 11 ¼ x 11 ½
Color: Multicolored

Unlike previous Priority and Express Mail issues, which featured pictures related to the U.S. space program, this year's stamps use photographic images of Washington, D.C., landmarks. The self-adhesive Priority Mail stamp shows the Capitol Dome gleaming against a dark sky. Looking at the stamp through a special U.S.P.S. decoder will reveal scrambled identifying marks saying, "Priority Mail."

First U.S. Stamp With Scrambled Indicia

On September 18, 1997, the USPS issued the U.S. Air Force stamp, the first U.S. stamp to have a hidden image using Scrambled Indicia.

Over the years, the USPS had always sought ways to combat counterfeiting, with grills being one of the earliest examples. As technologies changed, they found new, more advanced ways to do this, including microprinting and tagging. Then in 1997, they introduced Scrambled Indicia.

Scrambled Indicia is a pre-press process invented by Graphic Security Systems Corporation. According to the company, it “scrambles, distorts, intertwines, overlaps, or otherwise manipulates images making encoded information on them unreadable by the naked eye, and non-copyable by current color copiers and digital scanners.” These images could then be viewed using a special decoder. In addition to thwarting counterfeiting, the USPS also hoped this interesting new technology could help arouse interest among collectors and inspire new ones.

Between 1997 and 2004 the USPS produced more than 40 stamps with Scrambled Indicia: