# 5206 - 2017 First-Class Forever Stamp - Have a Ball!: Golf Ball
US #5206
2017 Golf Ball – Have a Ball!
• Special coating gives this stamp a textured feel
• One of eight stamps that make up the #3 most popular issue of 2017 as voted by stamp collectors
Stamp Category: Definitive
Set: Have a Ball!
Value: 49¢ First Class Mail Rate (Forever)
First Day of Issue: June 14, 2017
First Day City: Hartford, Wisconsin
Quantity Issued: 80,000,000
Printed by: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd.
Printing Method: Offset, Flexographic
Format: Panes of 16
Tagging: Nonphosphored Type III, Spot Tag
Why the stamp was issued: To celebrate America’s love of golf.
About the stamp design: Circular in shape and includes an image of a traditional white golf ball. Stamp art created by artist Daniel Nyari.
Special design details: The design had a special coating applied to certain areas of the stamp during printing to give it a textured feel.
First Day City: First Day of Issue Ceremony was held in Erin, Wisconsin, during the US Open golf tournament which was held from June 12-18.
About the Have a Ball! set: Emphasizes the popularity of sports in the United States, both as players and spectators. Includes eight stamp designs, each picturing a different ball: football, volleyball, soccer ball, golf ball, baseball, basketball, tennis ball, and kickball.
History the stamp represents: The modern game of golf famously began in 15th-century Scotland during the reign of King James II. Clubs were first used around 1503 and the 18-hole course came about in 1764. Golf was finally introduced to the United States in the late 19th century by two Scottish men, John Reid and Robert Lockhart. Americans were delighted by the sport, and in 1888, Reid and Lockhart built America’s first golf course in Yonkers, New York (St. Andrews Golf Club).
Early golf balls were called featheries because they were made by stuffing feathers into a leather pouch. However, these were expensive and did not last very long. In 1848, the guttie (a ball made of Malaysian tree sap) replaced the featherie. It was then golfers realized they could better control the flight of balls that had been scratched or dented. This led to modern golf balls having a dimpled pattern. Today, golfers can choose from balls made from a variety of materials like rubber, resin, or composite. Professional golf balls are strictly regulated and can have a diameter no less than 1.68 inches and weigh no more than 1.62 ounces.
Golf has become an incredibly competitive sport played by millions across the United States. It is a popular spectator sport, too. While golf was once seen as a retirement-age game, it has evolved into an activity enjoyed by people of all ages around the world.
US #5206
2017 Golf Ball – Have a Ball!
• Special coating gives this stamp a textured feel
• One of eight stamps that make up the #3 most popular issue of 2017 as voted by stamp collectors
Stamp Category: Definitive
Set: Have a Ball!
Value: 49¢ First Class Mail Rate (Forever)
First Day of Issue: June 14, 2017
First Day City: Hartford, Wisconsin
Quantity Issued: 80,000,000
Printed by: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd.
Printing Method: Offset, Flexographic
Format: Panes of 16
Tagging: Nonphosphored Type III, Spot Tag
Why the stamp was issued: To celebrate America’s love of golf.
About the stamp design: Circular in shape and includes an image of a traditional white golf ball. Stamp art created by artist Daniel Nyari.
Special design details: The design had a special coating applied to certain areas of the stamp during printing to give it a textured feel.
First Day City: First Day of Issue Ceremony was held in Erin, Wisconsin, during the US Open golf tournament which was held from June 12-18.
About the Have a Ball! set: Emphasizes the popularity of sports in the United States, both as players and spectators. Includes eight stamp designs, each picturing a different ball: football, volleyball, soccer ball, golf ball, baseball, basketball, tennis ball, and kickball.
History the stamp represents: The modern game of golf famously began in 15th-century Scotland during the reign of King James II. Clubs were first used around 1503 and the 18-hole course came about in 1764. Golf was finally introduced to the United States in the late 19th century by two Scottish men, John Reid and Robert Lockhart. Americans were delighted by the sport, and in 1888, Reid and Lockhart built America’s first golf course in Yonkers, New York (St. Andrews Golf Club).
Early golf balls were called featheries because they were made by stuffing feathers into a leather pouch. However, these were expensive and did not last very long. In 1848, the guttie (a ball made of Malaysian tree sap) replaced the featherie. It was then golfers realized they could better control the flight of balls that had been scratched or dented. This led to modern golf balls having a dimpled pattern. Today, golfers can choose from balls made from a variety of materials like rubber, resin, or composite. Professional golf balls are strictly regulated and can have a diameter no less than 1.68 inches and weigh no more than 1.62 ounces.
Golf has become an incredibly competitive sport played by millions across the United States. It is a popular spectator sport, too. While golf was once seen as a retirement-age game, it has evolved into an activity enjoyed by people of all ages around the world.