# 4735a - 2013 66c Imperf Wedding Cake
U.S. # 4735a
2013 66¢ Wedding Cake Imperforate
Weddings Series
A groom broke barley cake over his bride’s head in ancient Rome as a show of male dominance. Guests then rushed to pick up wayward crumbs, which were said to bring good luck. In medieval England, wedding cakes were made of wheat, where pieces were thrown at the bride as a symbol of fertility.
Sugar became plentiful during the 16th century and wedding cakes gradually became towers of sweet confection. Rather than pick crumbs off the floor, guests now stood in line to receive tiny morsels of cake served by the bride, who passed the delicious treat through her wedding band. Sugar also made wedding cakes a status symbol. The more refined sugar is, the whiter it appears. Froths of pure white icing were a display of a family’s wealth. One of the most memorable cakes was that of Queen Victoria in 1840, which was widely imitated.
Renée Comet took the photograph of this wedding cake. The three-tier cake topped with white flowers was designed and created by pastry chef Peter Brett. U.S.P.S. art director Ethel Kessler designed the final stamp.
Value: 66¢ 2-ounce first-class letter rate
Issued: January 18, 2013
First Day City: Louisville, WA
Type of Stamp: CommemorativePrinted by: Banknote Corporation of America for Sennett Security Products
Method: Lithograph printing in sheets of 200, with 10 panes of 20
Perforation: Imperforate
Self-Adhesive
The U.S.P.S. has been issuing Wedding stamps since 2004. The stamps always feature images of love, romance, and wedding traditions. These include bouquets, hearts, rings, and cakes.
The wedding cake stamp was first introduced in 2009 as part of the Weddings Series. The 2013 issue is the fourth stamp to feature the design, with the denomination changing over the years to meet the raising postage rates. The two-ounce stamp paid the rate for wedding invitations and other oversize cards.
Scarce Modern Imperforates
The modern imperforate stamps are one of the hottest stories around. In 2012, the U.S. Postal Service released some issues as press sheets. The sheets with die cut perforations were issued in limited quantities.
To the surprise of many collectors, officials then issued a small number of press sheets without perforations. The uncut sheets were only available in Kansas City, Missouri, yet most sold out immediately. In an instant, the imperforate stamp sheets became modern rarities. For example, only 75,000 Baseball All-Star se-tenant sheets were issued compared to 118,000 Bugs Bunny sheets with the 10th stamp imperforate.
In a controversial move, the editors of Scott Catalogue announced they would not list or give numbers to these stamps because they did not fit Scott guidelines. This decision was strongly debated since the imperforate stamps are valid for postage. They eventually decided to give the stamps minor numbers and have continued issuing imperforates in the years since.
Because they were issued in such limited quantities, these scarce modern imperforates can be difficult to find. Luckily Mystic purchased a small number of each imperforate stamp issued so you can add these modern rarities to your collection. Be one of the lucky few – order today.
U.S. # 4735a
2013 66¢ Wedding Cake Imperforate
Weddings Series
A groom broke barley cake over his bride’s head in ancient Rome as a show of male dominance. Guests then rushed to pick up wayward crumbs, which were said to bring good luck. In medieval England, wedding cakes were made of wheat, where pieces were thrown at the bride as a symbol of fertility.
Sugar became plentiful during the 16th century and wedding cakes gradually became towers of sweet confection. Rather than pick crumbs off the floor, guests now stood in line to receive tiny morsels of cake served by the bride, who passed the delicious treat through her wedding band. Sugar also made wedding cakes a status symbol. The more refined sugar is, the whiter it appears. Froths of pure white icing were a display of a family’s wealth. One of the most memorable cakes was that of Queen Victoria in 1840, which was widely imitated.
Renée Comet took the photograph of this wedding cake. The three-tier cake topped with white flowers was designed and created by pastry chef Peter Brett. U.S.P.S. art director Ethel Kessler designed the final stamp.
Value: 66¢ 2-ounce first-class letter rate
Issued: January 18, 2013
First Day City: Louisville, WA
Type of Stamp: CommemorativePrinted by: Banknote Corporation of America for Sennett Security Products
Method: Lithograph printing in sheets of 200, with 10 panes of 20
Perforation: Imperforate
Self-Adhesive
The U.S.P.S. has been issuing Wedding stamps since 2004. The stamps always feature images of love, romance, and wedding traditions. These include bouquets, hearts, rings, and cakes.
The wedding cake stamp was first introduced in 2009 as part of the Weddings Series. The 2013 issue is the fourth stamp to feature the design, with the denomination changing over the years to meet the raising postage rates. The two-ounce stamp paid the rate for wedding invitations and other oversize cards.
Scarce Modern Imperforates
The modern imperforate stamps are one of the hottest stories around. In 2012, the U.S. Postal Service released some issues as press sheets. The sheets with die cut perforations were issued in limited quantities.
To the surprise of many collectors, officials then issued a small number of press sheets without perforations. The uncut sheets were only available in Kansas City, Missouri, yet most sold out immediately. In an instant, the imperforate stamp sheets became modern rarities. For example, only 75,000 Baseball All-Star se-tenant sheets were issued compared to 118,000 Bugs Bunny sheets with the 10th stamp imperforate.
In a controversial move, the editors of Scott Catalogue announced they would not list or give numbers to these stamps because they did not fit Scott guidelines. This decision was strongly debated since the imperforate stamps are valid for postage. They eventually decided to give the stamps minor numbers and have continued issuing imperforates in the years since.
Because they were issued in such limited quantities, these scarce modern imperforates can be difficult to find. Luckily Mystic purchased a small number of each imperforate stamp issued so you can add these modern rarities to your collection. Be one of the lucky few – order today.