# 4847a - 2014 First-Class Forever Stamp - Imperforate Love Series: Cut Paper Heart

U.S. # 4847a
2014 46¢ Cut Paper Heart Imperforate

Love Series

The 2014 stamps features cut paper hearts. The ancient Chinese conceived the art of cutting paper in lace-like patterns. The practice spread across Asia and Europe, and was eventually brought to the United States by German immigrants settling in Pennsylvania. 

Paper cutting, also known as scherenschnitte, was closely related to milestones in the Pennsylvania Dutch community, including birth, marriage, and death. Perhaps it was seen most often in courtship, as witnessed in romantic Valentines from the era.

Patterns today range from basic to highly complex. Medium-weight paper is usually chosen. Small bits of the paper are cut out using tiny scissors and razor-sharp knives, forming the design on the remaining paper. This may take minutes or hundreds of hours, depending on the intricacy of the pattern.

Expert cut-paper artwork can command premium prices. A 19th-century cutout picture recently sold for $27,500. But the best payment for these labors of love just may be a smile from that special sweetheart.

Artist Q. Cassetti drew the illustration for the stamp by hand, scanned it, and finished the details on the computer. She is quite familiar with the artwork on valentines, having written her graduate school thesis on the topic. When she was asked to design a love stamp, she submitted 30 designs and the Cut Paper Heart was chosen.

Value: 46¢ First-class rate

Issued: January 21, 2014

City: New York, NY

Type of Stamp: Commemorative

Printed By: CCL Label Inc.

Printing Method: Photogravure in sheets of 120 with 6 panes of 20

Perforations: Imperforate

Self-Adhesive

The first Love stamp, issued in 1973, began a tradition the U.S. Postal Service has continued for over four decades. 

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.