Modern Die Cut And No-Die-Cut Press Sheets

slpslp: I believe JillA actually called the USPS toll free phone line & asked the person on the other end of the phone about the item order numbers & the issue date. As I understand it, no info concerning quantities was available. The issue date she was given proved to be accurate.

Guess I am in this up to the hilt - I am searching for FULL UNCUT PRESS SHEETS - I missed 1 in 2014 (RUDOLPH with) and 3 in 2015 (WATER LILLIES with, CIVIL WAR with-out, JAPAN JOINT ISSUE with-out). I have the corresponding FULL UNCUT PRESS SHEETS available as a full or partial trade if interested.
So far I cannot find ANY DEALER selling these - some advertise but when you inquire they have none. WHERE DID ALL THESE SHEETS GO ???

I wonder why all the sudden interest in only some (read moon) press sheets? There are still plenty of others available with and without die cuts on the USPS site.

Doug

Because they cannot get it.

My four Botanical Art booklets with no die cuts sold for $50.00 each to the same person, who happens to be a dealer. I wonder what he is going to sell them for.

The designs for the stamps were from items held by the New York Botanical Gardens. The Gardens are celebrating their 125th Anniversary this year. I wonder if the Gardens was the organization that purchased a good many of the press sheets.

sipsip: The information about the order numbers and the quantity were published in the January 7, 2016 Postal Bulletin which is published every other Thursday. The next issue will be online around February 18, 2016.

You can access the Postal Bulletin at http://about.usps.com/postal-bulletin/pb2016.htm

Thanks to all for the info - I hope to find invaluable updates from the group

Chiming in again - I am looking for a COLUMBIA RIVER GORGE NDC CROSS-GUTTER PAIR - if anyone has a source let me know - as always THANKS

slpslp: Good Luck. You should expect to pay at least $150.00 for a cross-gutter pair, if not more.

blcjr...I'm not sure I understand your comment "Because they cannot get it". Understand it hasn't been issued yet therefore cannot get it. However one can still buy several other International Mail Rate press sheets NDC's but there evidently is no interest. Is it just because it is the Moon?

Doug

Doug,

The fact that they cannot get it is why it is being discussed. Sometimes the fact that something is difficult to acquire simply attracts greater interest. In this case, I wouldn't say that it is because it is "the Moon," but the fact that it is a stamp specifically issued for the international mail rate may be a factor. Obviously, for those who want it for that reason, the other no die cut sheets that are available are not going to be suitable substitutes.

Basil

Doug: I believe the primary reason for all the furor over the moon global forever press sheets is the USPS recent reduction in press sheet quantities, making these items somewhat difficult to obtain. Take the 2016 Botanical Art & Richard Allen press sheets as examples. Quantities printed were 350 & 250. These are smaller than any previous press sheet quantities (500 had been the smallest). Both issues sold out prior to their release date. This has produced a signficant level of angst among those of us who have been collecting these stamps.
To be sure, all the furor may prove to be a bit premature. We won't know the quantities until they are reported in the postal bulletin (hopefully Feb. 18). If the press sheet quantities return to a more "normal" level, most of the concern should melt away.

I called Kansas City at 8:01 am this morning, hoping to be able to order the 'Moon' press sheets. The clerk stated that she thought that they were on sale for preorder. She seemed to be having a little problem with the computer.

She told me that the die-cut version was showing up as available for preorder, but the no-die-cut vetsion was showing as invalid, "probably because they are not going to issue a no-die-cut version."

She took my order for the die-cut version and switched me to the secure line. At that point she announced that she was getting an error message that she had not seen before, and asked me if she could call me back after she contacted an IT manager.

About 5 minutes later she called back and said that they could not resolve the error message and that she was told to cancel the order. She suggested that I call back in a couple of days. The bottom line is that I still was not able to preorder the 'Moon' press sheets.

OK all. Got it. Thanks.

Doug

There is a first time for everything. The moon global forever stamp will have press sheets with die-cuts ... but apparently NO press sheets without die-cuts. I think this is the first time this has happened since the imperf press sheets first burst upon the stamp collecting scene in the summer of 2012.