U.S. # 5010
2015 49¢ Red
2016 World Stamp Show
A century-old tradition continues in 2016 when collectors make the pilgrimage to New York City for the World Stamp Show. Considered the “Olympic Games” of stamp collecting, the eight-day event is expected to attract 250,000 visitors from around the globe.
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U.S. # 5010
2015 49¢ Red
2016 World Stamp Show
A century-old tradition continues in 2016 when collectors make the pilgrimage to New York City for the World Stamp Show. Considered the “Olympic Games” of stamp collecting, the eight-day event is expected to attract 250,000 visitors from around the globe.
The United States hosted its first international stamp show in 1913. Benjamin Stickney and his groundbreaking Rotary Printing Press were among the highlights of the show. Show organizers printed Cinderella stamps picturing George Washington to commemorate the event. When the next international show was held in New York City in 1926, postal officials produced genuine postage stamps to celebrate the exhibition. The White Plains sheet of 25 stamps was the first souvenir sheet issued by the U.S.
The 2015 stamps released in anticipation of the 2016 show are historic as well. They are the first U.S. “Forever” stamps to promote an international philatelic exhibition. They are also the first to include a message from the show’s organizing committee on the reverse side of the stamp sheet. In recognition of the traditions collectors love, these stamps feature a distinctly old-fashioned design in the style of early 19th-century banknotes and stamps – bridging a century of stamp collecting history.
Michael Dyer and art director Antonio Alcalá designed the 2016 World Stamp Show stamps. The intricate pattern on each stamp is meant to resemble classic 19th-century engraved stamps and banknotes. The top of the mint sheet reads “Join us for a Wonderful Week at World Stamp Show – NY 2016,” while the text on the back of the sheet has details about the show.
Value: 49¢ 1-ounce first-class letter rate
Issued: August 20, 2015
First Day City: Grand Rapids, MI
Type of Stamp: Commemorative
Printed by: Ashton Potter
Method: Offset printing in sheets of 120, with 6 panes of 20
Perforation: Serpentine Die Cut 10 ¾
Self-Adhesive
Quantity Printed: 6,000,000 stamps
The first international stamp exhibition held in America took place in 1913, though there were no stamps issued to mark the occasion. The U.S. Post Office was better prepared for the second exhibition in 1926, when they issued the famed White Plains Sheet, U.S. #630. Click here to read more about the International Stamp shows held in the U.S. and the stamps issued to accompany them.
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