UNSEQUESTERED PERFORMANCE
Muscle car stamps from the USPS
This article is from our archives and has not been updated and integrated with our "new" site yet... Even so, it's still awesome - so keep reading!
Published on Fri, Mar 1, 2013
By: The LACar Editorial Staff
While the rest of the government undergoes sequestration, there’s one agency that continues to perform unfettered. It’s the U.S. Postal Service. And as if to underscore that fact, the USPS has issued a set of stamps celebrating high performance—more specifically, five iconic muscle cars: The ’66 Pontiac GTO, the ’67 Shelby GT-500, the ’69 Dodge Charger Daytona, the ’70 Plymouth Hemi ’Cuda and the ’70 Chevelle SS. “The muscle cars gave everyday Americans the opportunity to experience the rush of driving a fast, powerful car,” said Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe. “Just looking at the stamps evokes a feeling of speed. As Forever stamps, they’ll always be good for mailing a First-Class letter anytime in the future. And when you think about it, that’s fitting. Because these stamps—just like the great cars they represent—are timeless.” The Muscle Cars Forever stamps are the third issuance in the America on the Move stamp series. The artwork was created by Tom Fritz of Newbury Park, CA, under the art direction of Carl T. Herrman of North Las Vegas, NV. Other issuances in the series, ’50s Sporty Cars (2005), followed by ’50s Fins and Chrome (2008), were the work of artist Art Fitzpatrick of Carlsbad, CA. The Muscle Cars stamps are being issued as Forever stamps in self-adhesive sheets of 20 (four of each design). As a measure to guard against obsolescence, Forever stamps are always equal in value to the current First-Class Mail one-ounce price. LA Car readers can view the America on the Move: Muscle Cars Forever stamps, as well as this year’s other USPS stamps, on Facebook at facebook.com/USPSStamps, on Twitter@USPSstamps or on the website Beyond the Perf at beyondtheperf.com/2013-preview. Beyond the Perf is the Postal Service’s online site for information on upcoming stamp subjects, first-day-of-issue events and other philatelic news.
Philatelic Products In addition to the regular issuance, seven related philatelic products are available: • 470506 Muscle Cars uncut press sheet — a unique way to showcase an exciting era in American automotive history and perfect for framing, this 36.25-inch x 12.6-inch press sheet with die-cuts contains 10 sheets of 20 Muscle Cars Forever stamps positioned five across by two down. Maximum order 5. $92 • 470508 Muscle Cars uncut press sheet (without die cuts). Maximum order 5. $92 • 470510 Muscle Cars Digital Color Postmark Keepsake — Teeming with horsepower, this collectible package includes a sheet of 20 Muscle Cars Forever stamps and a set of five number 6 envelopes — each with a different, affixed Muscle Cars stamp and a First-Day-of-Issue color postmark. $17.95 • 470516 Muscle Cars First-Day Cover — Rev up your collection with this dynamic set of five first-day covers. Each number 6 envelope features a different affixed Muscle Cars Forever stamp and a First-Day-of-Issue black pictorial postmark. $4.50 • 470530 Muscle Cars Ceremony Program — Celebrate an exciting era in automotive history and the Muscle Cars Forever first day of issue with an official ceremony program and cover. The full-color, custom-designed program features the first-day ceremony agenda and participants on one side, with a narrative about these iconic cars and the stamp designs on the reverse. $6.95 • 470524 Muscle Cars Framed Stamp Art (silver matt w/stamps) — Roar down memory lane with this ready-to-hang artwork that displays a sheet of the 2013 limited edition Muscle Cars Forever stamps. The dynamic stamp designs depict five iconic muscle cars: the 1966 Pontiac GTO, the 1967 Shelby GT-100, the 1969 Dodge Charger Daytona, the 1970 Plymouth Hemi ’Cuda, and the 1970 Chevelle SS. The Muscle Cars Forever stamps are the third issuance in the America on the Move stamp series. The stamp artwork was created by Tom Fritz under the art direction of Carl T. Herrman. This 13” x 14” art features a silver mat, chrome-colored frame, non-breakable plexi-glass to protect the stamps, and a dust cover on the back. A saw tooth hanger is installed on the back for easy wall display. $39.95 • 470525 Muscle Cars Framed Stamp Art (car sketch collage mat w/stamps) — Roar down memory lane with this ready-to-hang artwork that features a sheet of the 2013 limited edition Muscle Cars Forever stamps. The dynamic stamp designs depict five iconic muscle cars: the 1966 Pontiac GTO, the 1967 Shelby GT-100, the 1969 Dodge Charger Daytona, the 1970 Plymouth Hemi ’Cuda, and the 1970 Chevelle SS. The Muscle Cars Forever stamps are the third issuance in the America on the Move stamp series. The stamp artwork was created by Tom Fritz under the art direction of Carl T. Herrman. The 13” x 14” art is comprised of a mat bearing a collage of muscle car sketches, chrome-colored frame, non-breakable plexi-glass to protect the stamps, and a dust cover on the back. A saw tooth hanger is installed on the back for easy wall display. $39.95 The Postmaster wants to remind us that the Postal Service receives no tax dollars for operating expenses and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations. A self-supporting government enterprise, the U.S. Postal Service is the only delivery service that reaches every address in the nation — 151 million residences, businesses and Post Office™ Boxes. The Postal Service™ receives no tax dollars for operating expenses, and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations. With 32,000 retail locations and the most frequently visited website in the federal government, usps.com®, the Postal Service has annual revenue of more than $65 billion and delivers nearly 40 percent of the world’s mail. If it were a private sector company, the U.S. Postal Service would rank 35th in the 2011 Fortune 500. In 2011, Oxford Strategic Consulting ranked the U.S. Postal Service number one in overall service performance of the posts in the top 20 wealthiest nations in the world. Black Enterprise and Hispanic Business magazines ranked the Postal Service as a leader in workforce diversity. The Postal Service has been named the Most Trusted Government Agency for seven years and the fourth Most Trusted Business in the nation by the Ponemon Institute. Follow the Postal Service on twitter.com/USPS and at facebook.com/USPS.