2013 First-Class Forever Stamp,Imperforate Contemporary Christmas: Gingerbread Houses
# 4817-20c - 2013 First-Class Forever Stamp - Imperforate Contemporary Christmas: Gingerbread Houses
$16.95 - $84.95
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4817-20c - 2013 First-Class Forever Stamp - Imperforate Contemporary Christmas: Gingerbread Houses
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Fleetwood Imperf FDC Set
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$ 22.50
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$ 22.50 |
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Mint Imperforate Stamp(s)
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$ 16.95
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$ 16.95 |
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Mint Imperforate Booklet Pane
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Usually ships within 30 days.
$ 84.95
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$ 84.95 |
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Mounts - Click Here
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U.S. # 4817-20c
2013 46¢ Gingerbread Houses Imperforate
Set of Four
The fondest holiday memories often include the scent of warm ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and molasses used in gingerbread drifting throughout the house. With a little imagination and a lot of patience, gingerbread can be converted into a whimsical house decorated with stiff royal icing and sparkling candies.
Gingerbread recipes originated during the Middle Ages, when maidens tempted knights with the spiced bread. By the early 1600s, American colonists were enjoying the richly flavored treat, although Christmas would not be widely celebrated for years to come.
Over time, bakers learned to cut or mold the dough into a variety of shapes, including animals and people. Heart-shaped gingerbread tied with ribbon was a popular treat at European fairs. The 1812 publication of the Brothers Grimm fairy tale, Hansel and Gretel, inspired German bakers to create witches’ houses out of gingerbread. By the time Christmas was declared a national holiday in 1870, gingerbread houses had already become a beloved winter tradition in America.
Building gingerbread houses today can be as simple as buying kits or as complex as constructing small buildings from scratch, giving people of all skill levels the chance to create joyous holiday memories.
Baker Teresa Layman created the gingerbread houses specifically for these stamps. Sally Andersen-Bruce photographed them and art director Derry Noyes designed the stamps.
Value: 46¢ 1-ounce first-class letter rate
Issued: November 6, 2013
First Day City: New York, NY
Type of Stamp: Commemorative
Method: Offset printing in sheets of 200 in 10 booklets of 20
Perforation: Imperforate
Self-Adhesive
The first U.S. Christmas stamp was issued in 1962. Since then, there have been both religious and contemporary Christmas stamps issued each year. Click here to learn more about the Traditional Christmas series and here for the Contemporary Christmas series.
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. # 4817-20c
2013 46¢ Gingerbread Houses Imperforate
Set of Four
The fondest holiday memories often include the scent of warm ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and molasses used in gingerbread drifting throughout the house. With a little imagination and a lot of patience, gingerbread can be converted into a whimsical house decorated with stiff royal icing and sparkling candies.
Gingerbread recipes originated during the Middle Ages, when maidens tempted knights with the spiced bread. By the early 1600s, American colonists were enjoying the richly flavored treat, although Christmas would not be widely celebrated for years to come.
Over time, bakers learned to cut or mold the dough into a variety of shapes, including animals and people. Heart-shaped gingerbread tied with ribbon was a popular treat at European fairs. The 1812 publication of the Brothers Grimm fairy tale, Hansel and Gretel, inspired German bakers to create witches’ houses out of gingerbread. By the time Christmas was declared a national holiday in 1870, gingerbread houses had already become a beloved winter tradition in America.
Building gingerbread houses today can be as simple as buying kits or as complex as constructing small buildings from scratch, giving people of all skill levels the chance to create joyous holiday memories.
Baker Teresa Layman created the gingerbread houses specifically for these stamps. Sally Andersen-Bruce photographed them and art director Derry Noyes designed the stamps.
Value: 46¢ 1-ounce first-class letter rate
Issued: November 6, 2013
First Day City: New York, NY
Type of Stamp: Commemorative
Method: Offset printing in sheets of 200 in 10 booklets of 20
Perforation: Imperforate
Self-Adhesive
The first U.S. Christmas stamp was issued in 1962. Since then, there have been both religious and contemporary Christmas stamps issued each year. Click here to learn more about the Traditional Christmas series and here for the Contemporary Christmas series.
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.