Industry Circular

Number: 77-10

Date: June 10, 1977

Department of the Treasury

Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms

Washington, DC 20226

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BOTTLE STRIP STAMPS

Proprietors of Distilled Spirits Plants, Importers, and Others Concerned:

Purpose. The purpose of this circular is to advise you that replacement sheets will be used for sheets of standard size bottle strip stamps which are mutilated, or otherwise found to be defective, after manufacture.

Background. Sheets of bottle strip stamps sometimes become mutilated during the final stages of manufacture or during packaging for shipment. Also, some sheets are rejected during quality control checks because of incorrect serial numbers caused by defective numbering devices. The procedure at the Bureau of Engraving and Printing heretofore has been to print new sheets with the original serial numbers to replace the mutilated or otherwise rejected sheets so that consecutive serial numbering of the sheets was maintained. Reprinting of serial numbers is costly because of the labor involved and because of the press time required to set up and print only a few sheets. Also, reprinting of serial numbers results in occasional delays in filling orders for strip stamps.

Procedure. As of July 1, 1977, replacement sheets will be printed up in advance using a letter prefix (e.g., A000000000) to identify them as replacement sheets. The replacement sheets will be used to replace mutilated or otherwise rejected sheets instead of printing new sheets with the original serial numbers. The replacement sheets of strip stamps will be shipped and accounted for as if they were the original sheets. Shipping boxes and documents will indicate consecutive serial numbers of stamps issued. Proprietors will report receipt of the stamps by the serial numbers shown on the shipping boxes as in the past.

Shipping boxes containing replacement sheets will also be marked with the following or similar explanation:

"This box contains replacement sheets of strip stamps. The replacement sheets have been inserted to replace consecu- tively numbered sheets which were rejected during manufacture or packaging for shipment. Report receipt of the replacement sheets to ATF as if the replaced consecutively numbered sheets were received. If you have any questions please contact the ATF regional office or assigned officer."

Inquiries. Inquiries concerning this circular should refer to its number and be addressed to the office of your Regional Regulatory Administrator.

Rex D. Davis Director

GPO 917-548