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Margie Dana

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Margie Dana

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The US Postage Stamp: Production Notes

by Margie Dana

Last month, articles about the recent US postal increases were everywhere.* Right around that time, I read a news piece that quoted Mark Saunders of the US Postal Service Headquarters in Washington, DC. He said that about 4 billion of the new "Forever Stamps" had been printed in anticipation of the increase. It occurred to me that I had no idea how US postage stamps were produced. I contacted Mark to learn more.

Interesting Tidbits about US Postage Stamps
Before I even got into the print production aspect, I learned some interesting facts from Mark and also from David Failor, Executive Director of Stamp Services for the US Postal Service.

There are very specific criteria surrounding the eligibility of subjects for commemoration on US postage stamps. For example, they generally feature American or American-related subjects. Living persons are not eligible. Stamps will not be issued commemorating an individual sooner than five years after that person's death - in fact, the Citizens' Stamp Advisory Committee (CSAC) won't even consider a person until he or she has been deceased for at least three years (US presidents are the exception).

Stamps honor events, people, or "themes of widespread national appeal and significance." You won't see US postage stamps honoring fraternal or political organizations, service/charitable organizations, or cities, towns, schools, hospitals and the like. Also, postage stamps will not honor religious individuals or institutions.

Universities and other higher education institutions may be considered as subject matter only for a US stamped card - and only in connection with the institution's 200th anniversary of its founding.

Who Chooses?
Selecting the subject of a new stamp is difficult. The CSAC (established 50 years ago) is in charge. This Committee includes a group of individuals reflecting a broad range of expertise. About 50,000 people suggest stamp subjects every year. Of course, some folks send in really off-the-wall requests (like a "Prostitution Awareness Stamp." It didn't make the cut.). The Committee narrows this down to 20 different subjects, and the Postmaster General ultimately decides.

The selection of new subjects is done two or three years in advance. Right now, the Committee is ready to finalize the 2009 subjects.

Designing Stamps
Designing a US postage stamp is a high honor. "We get to work with America's great artists," Saunders said. They work with art directors and coordinators who help select the artists who will execute the designs. Size is an issue, I'm told, as it takes special talent to be able to portray an image within very small dimensions. (By the way, they have a policy not to accept any unsolicited work, just in case you think you qualify.)

Stamp Print Production
Every year, 35 billion US postage stamps are printed. These must be produced by American firms. Currently, the three firms (security printing firms, of course) that are under contract for the stamps are Ashton Potter in Buffalo, NY; Avery Dennison in Clinton, SC; and Senate Security in Fredericksburg, VA.

The stamps are produced via three different printing processes: intaglio, gravure, and offset. As stamps are legal tender, they are printed by specialty printers who use prepress techniques that are highly technical and proprietary.

The paper used for US postage stamps must have certain characteristics: good runnability, good processibility, good printability, good dimensional stability with respect to weathering, and good long-term archival stability. The paper must also meet recycling requirements.

Finishing Them Off
How postage stamps are finished depends on the format. There are two main formats: gummed based and pressure-sensitive-adhesive based. Gummed based stamps are perfed and require wetting (lick and stick). More than 90% of today's US postage stamps are made in the second format - pressure-sensitive-adhesive. These come in sheets, booklets, coils and ATM sheetlets.

There you have it: A bit of education about the selection and production of US postage stamps.

*I covered the recent postal increases in my April 2nd Print Tip, which, by the way, has the distinction of having the highest-ever open rate for a Print Tip. It's at 99.7% and still climbing. Read it here.

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