FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Media Contacts: Don Smeraldi (202) 268-6524 September 24, 2003 Deborah Yackley (301) 548-1465 Postal Service Web Site: www.usps.com Stamp News Release Number: 03-048 NATION’S CAPITAL CELEBRATED ON NEW COMMEMORATIVE POSTAGE STAMP WASHINGTON — A new commemorative postage stamp celebrating the District of Columbia — and Washington, the dynamic city within its boundaries – is now available at Post Offices across the country. The 37-cent, self-adhesive District of Columbia stamp was dedicated at a first day of issue ceremony held yesterday in Washington, D.C. “The District of Columbia stamp shows that beyond grand vistas, broad avenues and imposing public buildings, monuments and memorials, Washington, D.C., is a vibrant, diverse community of more than a million people,” said Delores J. Killette, postmaster, Washington, D.C., who dedicated the stamp. Joining Killette were Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D–D.C.) and Washington, D.C., Mayor Anthony Williams. During the first day of issue ceremony, Norton presented a framed version of the District of Columbia stamp to Vernon Dent, Sr., the father of D.C. National Guard Specialist Darryl Dent, who was killed in August serving in Iraq. “I wanted to honor Specialist Dent and his brave service and thank his family for their sacrifice and loss by giving Mr. Dent the historic stamp the first day it goes on sale,” said Norton. Shaped like a diamond, the District of Columbia stamp reflects the original 100-square-mile tract of land chosen to be the permanent site of the nation’s capital. At different times in early U.S. history, New York and Philadelphia served as the nation’s capital. Then, in 1790, the U.S. Congress authorized the establishment of a permanent capital on federal land. That land would become the District of Columbia, honoring Christopher Columbus. President George Washington selected the exact site in the District where the capital city — that would eventually bear his name — would be built. Maryland and Virginia ceded the land for the District to the United States; Virginia received about a third of the land back in the mid-1800s, and the diamond shape was gone. Today the District encompasses almost 69 square miles. Designed by Greg Berger, the District of Columbia stamp design features in its top quadrant a detail from a plan of Washington developed by Pierre Charles L’Enfant in 1791. President Washington asked this French-born engineer and architect, to design the plan for the city. Though L’Enfant was dismissed from his job the next year, much of his plan was eventually implemented and can be seen in the wide avenues radiating from the White House (“President’s House” on the plan) and the U.S. Capitol (“Congress House” on the plan). L’Enfant also envisioned the sweeping view from the Capitol westward along the National Mall — the long green area, near the center of the plan, as shown on the stamp. The right quadrant of the stamp shows row houses in the Shaw neighborhood, homes typical of Washington communities. Shaw was named an historic district in 1985. Cherry blossoms fill the bottom quadrant of the stamp. In 1912, Japan presented Washington with cherry trees as a symbol of international friendship, and today more than 3,700 trees grow around the Tidal Basin near the Jefferson Memorial, in East Potomac Park, and on the Washington Monument grounds. Each spring hundreds of thousands of residents and visitors celebrate Washington’s famous blooms at the annual Cherry Blossom Festival. The left quadrant of the stamp is a view along the National Mall featuring three of the most widely recognized structures in the country: the U.S. Capitol (background), the Washington Monument (center) and the Lincoln Memorial (foreground). The red towers of the Smithsonian Institution Building, or “Castle,” are also visible just to the right of the Washington Monument. To see the District of Columbia stamp, visit the Postal Service Web site and open the press release at www.usps.com/communications/news/stamps/ welcome.htm. Current U.S. stamps, as well as a free comprehensive catalog, are available by toll-free phone order at 1 800 STAMP-24. A selection of stamps and other philatelic items are available at the online Postal Store at www.usps.com/shop. In addition, custom-framed art prints of original stamp art are available at www.postalartgallery.com. Since 1775, the U.S. Postal Service has connected friends, families, neighbors and businesses by mail. It is an independent federal agency that visits more than 141 million homes and businesses every day and is the only service provider to deliver to every address in the nation. The Postal Service receives no taxpayer dollars for routine operations, but derives its operating revenues solely from the sale of postage, products and services. With annual revenues of more than $68.9 billion, it is the world’s leading provider of mailing and delivery services, offering some of the most affordable postage rates in the world. The U.S. Postal Service delivers more than 46 percent of the world’s mail volume — some 202 billion letters, advertisements, periodicals and packages a year — and serves seven million customers each day at its 40,000 retail locations nationwide. # # # TECHNICAL DETAILS Issue: District of Columbia Item Number: 455200 Denomination & Type of Issue: 37-cent commemorative Format: Pane of 16 special (1 design) Series: N/A Issue Date & City: September 23, 2003, Washington, DC 20066 Designer: Greg Berger, Bethesda, MD Art Director: Ethel Kessler, Bethesda, MD Typographer: Greg Berger, Bethesda, MD Engraver: Armotek Industries Modeler: Donald Woo Manufacturing Process: Gravure Printer: Sennett Security Products (SSP) Printed at: American Packaging Corporation, Columbus, WI Press Type: Rotomec 5, 3000 Stamps per Pane: 16 Print Quantity: 72 million stamps Paper Type: Prephosphored, Type II, Adhesive Type: Pressure sensitive Processed at: Unique Binders, Fredericksburg, VA Colors: PMS 155 (Buff), Magenta, Yellow, Cyan, Black, PMS 284 (Blue), PMS 1805 (Line Red), PMS 287 (Line Blue) Stamp Orientation: Square Image Area (w x h): 1.0 x 1.0 in./25.4 x 25.4 mm Overall Size (w x h): 1.25 x 1.25 in./31.75 x 31.75 mm Full Pane Size (w x h): 5.625 x 5.625 in./142.87 x 142.87 mm Plate Size: 128 stamps per revolution Plate Numbers: “S” followed by eight (8) single digits Marginal Markings: “Ó 2003 USPS” · Price · Plate position diagram Plate numbers · 4 Barcodes on back USPS, WASHINGTON, D.C. DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, THE NATION’S CAPITAL Catalog Item Number(s): 455220 Block of 4 — $1.48 455230 Block of 8 — $2.96 455240 Full Pane — $5.92 455261 First Day Cover — $0.75 455293 Full Pane w/FDC — $6.67 How to Order the First Day of Issue Postmark Customers have 30 days to obtain the first day of issue postmark by mail. They may purchase new stamps at their local Post Office, by telephone at 1 800 STAMP-24, and at the Postal Store Web site at www.usps.com/shop. They should affix the stamps to envelopes of their choice, address the envelopes (to themselves or others), and place them in a larger envelope addressed to: DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA COMMEMORATIVE STAMP POSTMASTER PO BOX 92282 WASHINGTON DC 20090-2282 After applying the first day of issue postmark, the Postal Service will return the envelopes through the mail. There is no charge for the postmark. All orders must be postmarked by Oct. 22, 2003.