Four Flags In Atm Booklet Of 18 - Revised Doi: 09/22/2012

The Postal Bulletin of 08/09/2012 has announced a September 14, 2012 first day of issue for a new ATM Booklet of 18 of the Four Flags Stamps in Washington, DC (with no FDOI ceremony).*

*Note the 09/20/2012 issue of the Postal Bulletin has confirmed the FDOI change to 09/22/2012 with a first day of issue ceremony in Humble, TX.

Yet another variety to collect of these definitive stamps that were previously issued in coil form, booklets of 20 and booklets of 10 -- and now ATM booklets of 18.

This particular variety will be issued by Ashton Potter (APU) in a print quantity of 342 million stamps (with microprinting).

wt1, yeah, these will be the seventh varieties of the same stamp designs (#4629-32, #4633-36, #4637-40, #4641-44, #4645-48, 4673-76, and now this one). Arrggh! Just another bolt out of the blue by USPS with absolutely no previous indication. Ridiculous.

What makes this stamp especially odd in terms of "need of use", etc., is that ATM panes of 18 are on their way out (seldom used) in deference to the panes of 10. The USPS has acknowledged that these stamps to be issued will NOT be distributed at this time, but will only be available via SFS, as there is sufficient quantity of the Lady Liberty/Flag ATM booklets of 18 to meet present need. Therefore, we collectors can only get this variety of stamp by ordering it from SFS.

With a quantity of 342 million stamps (19 million booklets) that's quite a print run for a stamp that will for all intents and purposes be placed in storage for the immediate future (except for the casual order by collectors).

And here I thought my custom sheet for the four flags definitives was done. Now I have to move stuff around to make it fit....

I hate remounting stuff...

So, if you shift the strips of 4 to the right or left, will the ATM fit there. I think it's 'gonna be hard to get 'me all on one page.

I'd put the coils on one page and the booklets on the other.

So, I just read that these stamps are not coming out now until 9/22.

Yeah, it would look great if you put the coils on one page and the booklets on the next! But I also like the lay-out of the page above.

Yeah, it had something to do with the change of location of the first day of issue which is now Humble, TX. Interestingly, this notice was carried in the last Postal Bulletin, which correctly names the new first day of issue city (but not the date). I understand a further correction will be published later this week in the next Postal Bulletin advising of the date change:



Is it just me, or do you find these last minute changes rather frustrating to your average stamp collector?

Of course, in this case, the stamps aren't available at the post office, so if one wants them early, they have to be ordered from SFS (or wait until they arrive in an ATM machine somewhere).

Someone is actually already selling them on ebay. The stamps aren't even out yet!

I just checked those ebay listings and if you look at the shipping data it clearly states it will be shipped on 09/22/2012 (the first day of issue).

I just find it funny that they're up on ebay for way more that stamp fulfillment is going to sell them for. Opportunists...

The 09/20/2012 Postal Bulletin is out and the following changed FDOI date and location information change is now included:



I have changed the title of the thread to read DOI 09/22/2012 (instead of the formerly announced date of 09/14/2012)