Statue Of Freedom Stamps

Are the $1, $2, $5 blocks/4 purchased from the USPS Cave Plate Blocks...or just plain blocks?

You can choose either

Peter

The $1 and $2 stamps come in panes of 10 with the plate numbers above the top two stamps. The panes are two across and five down. It would depend on where the blocks are separated as to whether you would get plate blocks or not. You might ask specifically for the top four, but there may be an extra charge. The $5 stamps are in panes of 4 only, so you would get the plate numbers automatically, unless they were removed for some unknown reason.

BaldEagle is correct. I've ordered blocks of 4 in the past, expecting plate blocks, only to receive a regular block of 4 instead. Not all stamps are issued with plate numbers at both the top and bottom of the same pane.

To avoid the issue, buy the $1 and $2 plate blocks at your local post office. The $5 plate block is a full pane of 4. Your PO may have no use for and therefore not carry $5 stamps - mine does not - so ordering the full pane of 4 from the USPS Store is your best bet. I had to order a $5 single from eBay.

I just received my single $1, $2, & $5 Statue of Freedoms from the Stamp Fulfillment Center. I believe their policy of being able to purchase singles of issues of $1+ without the 'special order' fee is viable. The order #s are 114321,114301, and 117901 ($1, $2, $5 respectively). Any stamp can be ordered as a single (with the exception of coils & booklet issues) for a $2.00 handling fee, but since the issue is $1, $2, & $5 the fee is waived. (at least it was for my order).

eligies - how exactly did you do that? I couldn't find any way to order singles at the USPS Stamp Store (other than the Priority and Priority Express, which are routinely sold as either singles or full panes of 4).

uboatnut: If ordering by phone, I think you can order singles by replacing the last two digits of the full pane item number with "01". But I think usps.com recognizes a quantity of 1 for the Statue of Freedom issues. If not, then you need to order by phone.
Added: Just checked the $2 SOF on usps.com & the smallest quantity offered was a block of 4. Sounds to me like a phone in order will be required.

uboatnut: I ordered by mail to the fulfillment center. I had included the 'special order' fee but put in special requests that if the fee was not appropriate to add a block of 4 of the Flag Act issue (sans a credit of $2) I received the singles & the extra block of the Flag Act issue. (Check my original post for order numbers)

For those who are wondering:

Special order by mail from USPS at:

STAMP FULFILLMENT SERVICES
US POSTAL SERVICE
8300 NE UNDERGROUND DR., PILLAR 210
KANSAS CITY, MO 64144-0011

I couldn't find a direct phone number, but this will do.

ADDENDUM: for the Stamp Fulfillment Center:

(816) 545-1110
(816) 545-1214 FAX

Regular Hours
Mon. 1 p.m.-4 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.-9 p.m.,
Tues. 5 p.m.-8 p.m.,
Wed. 1 p.m.-9 p.m.,
Thurs. 6 p.m.-9 p.m.,
Sat. 9 a.m.-3 p.m.
Closed Fri. and Sun.

(800) 782-6724 still works for phone in orders to SFS. I used that number yesterday successfully.

I also used the 800 number last week. On occasion, when a supervisor cannot answer your question at the 800 number, they may connect you directly to SFS in KCMO. The 816 area code is for St. Joseph & metropolitan KC ... so the given 816 number is probably a direct line to SFS.

The SFC advised me the $1 and $2 Statue of Freedom singles will be included in the USPS quarterly "definitive" stamp subscriptions in the 3rd wave 2008 and the $5 in the 4th wave 2018.