# 2433 - 1989 90c World Stamp Expo '89, souvenir sheet

U.S. #2433
1989 90¢ World Stamp Expo ’89
Souvenir Sheet

• First stamps issued at World Stamp Expo ‘89
• First imperforate sheet since 1966 SIPEX sheet
• Pictures 1869 Lincoln Pictorial and 3 trial color proofs

Stamp Category:  Commemorative
Value:  90¢, the one-ounce international airmail letter rate
First Day of Issue:  November 17, 1989
First Day City:  Washington, DC
Quantity Issued:  2,017,225
Printed by:  Bureau of Engraving and Printing
Printing Method:  Lithographed & engraved
Format:  Souvenir sheet of 4 printed in sheets of 16
Perforations:  Imperforate

Why the stamps were issued:  To kick off opening day of World Stamp Expo ’89, the first international stamp show sponsored by the US Postal Service. 

About the stamp designs:  The souvenir sheet was issued imperforate – the first imperforate souvenir sheet since the 1966 Sixth International Philatelic Exhibition sheet (#1311).  The sheet reproduces the famed carmine and black 1869 90¢ Abraham Lincoln Pictorial stamp (#122) in the top left corner.  The 1869 Lincoln had also been pictured on a stamp promoting the expo earlier in the year (#2410). 

The three other stamps on the sheet picture trial color proof combinations, which had been on display at the International Cotton Exposition in 1881.  Held in Atlanta, Georgia, October 5 to December 31, 1881, this exposition was the first world’s fair to be held in the South.  The color combinations were a blue frame with a brown center, a green frame with a blue center, and a scarlet frame with a blue center.  All four stamps were printed at slightly larger than their original sizes.

Citizens’ Stamp Advisory Committee design coordinator Richard Sheaff designed the souvenir sheet.  In addition to the four stamps, it includes a block of text about the stamps, the expo, and the 20^th Universal Postal Congress of the Universal Postal Union, along with the show’s logo.

The souvenir sheet was available to collectors only through USPS philatelic centers and by mail order, and was valid for postage, as was each of the four individual stamps.  Unfortunately, many postal clerks were unaware of this and were rejecting the imperforate stamps as invalid for postage.  One confused clerk told a patron, “These are only pictures of stamps.”  Of course, customers who had paid $3.60 – the highest value on a souvenir sheet at that time – were none too pleased to hear that their stamps weren’t “real.”

About the printing process:  Printed by intaglio and offset, the USPS saw this as a bit of a puzzle.  One stamp would be printed in black and carmine, and the other three in trial proof colors.  However, they could only use three intaglio colors on the D press.  So they had to mix and match the various trial color proof options to see not only what would look good together, but would they could print together with their color setup.  Once the decision was made, the BEP was loaned an original set of Atlanta trial color proofs, so they could match the colors as closely as possible. 

First Day City:  The First Day ceremony for the World Stamp Expo ’89 souvenir sheet was held at 10:30 a.m., after the expo’s grand opening ceremony, at the Washington Convention Center, in Washington, DC.  Fittingly, that day’s theme was “Lincoln Day.”

Unusual fact about these stamps:  Errors have been found with double impressions of the stamp frames.

About Stamp Exhibitions:  Stamp shows had been held in other countries as early as 1870.  And in 1889, the US held its first stamp exhibition at the Eden Musee in New York City. Others would follow, but none in the US were international events until 1913.

The 1913 IPEX was dubbed the “Great Exhibition” and was held at the Engineering Sciences Building at 25 East 39th Street in New York City.  Unlike later stamp shows, the Great Exhibition didn’t include special cacheted covers, souvenir sheets, commemorative stamps, or special cancellations.  However, the Hamilton Bank Note Company of New York did produce a set of steel engraved poster stamps to promote the show. 

In 1926, the US hosted its second international philatelic exhibition, again in New York City.  This time, the post office issued its first postage stamp for an international philatelic exhibition.  It was also America’s first souvenir sheet, honoring the Battle of White Plains – US #630.

Since then, the USPS has issued stamps and/or souvenir sheets for all international philatelic exhibitions in the US:

1936 TIPEX

1947 CIPEX

1956 FIPEX

1966 SIPEX

1976 INTERPHIL

1986 AMERIPEX

1997 Pacific '97

Washington 2006

2016 World Stamp Show NY

History the stamps represent:  On November 17, 1989, World Stamp Show ’89 opened its doors and held 11 first-day ceremonies to mark the exposition.  The 1989 World Stamp Show marked a significant first.  It was the first international stamp show ever sponsored by the US Postal Service.

The show began at 9:45 am on November 17, 1989, when Vice President Dan Quayle joined in the official opening ceremonies at the Washington Convention Center.  One of the most memorable stamp issues from the show was issued on opening day.  That was US #2433.  It was issued imperforate, making it the first imperforate souvenir sheet since the SIPEX sheet of 1966.

World Stamp Show ’89 saw several other interesting new issues.  The US issued a holographic envelope and the Soviet Union issued a sheet of stamps honoring American and Soviet space accomplishments.  A total of 16 other countries issued stamps at the show, including St. Vincent, whose stamps pictured Disney characters at various American tourist sites.

The show also boasted a number of celebrity visitors, including Buzz Aldrin, who was part of the ceremonies of new space stamps, Olympic gold medalist Carl Lewis, aviation pioneers Dick Rutan and Jeana Yeager, and many others.  Children got in to the show for free and there was a special dinosaur youth area celebrating the issue of new dinosaur stamps a month earlier.

Each day of the show had a special theme.  These included Lincoln, Education, Old West (the USPS issued their classic mail transportation stamps this day), Universal Postal Union, Space, International, Dinosaurs, Aviation, Transportation, America the Beautiful, Olympics, and Stamp Designers.  The Universal Postal Union held its 20th Congress during the show and many stamp issues were related to this event.

There were special presentations, such as the Post Office of the Future, a video about express mail rockets delivering mail to other planets in 2089.  The Smithsonian had several valuable stamps on display and collectors could buy stamps from 132 foreign countries.

World Stamp Show ’89 ran for 14 days over a 17-day period, until December 3.