USPS '1969: First Moon Landing' 2019 stamps

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Author	Topic: USPS '1969: First Moon Landing' 2019 stamps
NAAmodel#240 Member Posts: 312 From: Boston, Mass. Registered: Jun 2005	posted 03-20-2019 09:34 PM United States Postal Service release U.S. Postal Service Unveils 1969: First Moon Landing Forever Stamps In celebration of the 50th anniversary of the first moon landing on July 20, 1969, the U.S. Postal Service is pleased to reveal two stamp designs commemorating that historic milestone. Additional details are coming about the date, time and location for the first-day-of issue ceremony. One stamp features a photograph of Apollo 11 astronaut Buzz Aldrin in his spacesuit on the surface of the moon. The image was taken by astronaut Neil Armstrong. The other stamp, a photograph of the moon taken in 2010 by Gregory H. Revera of Huntsville, AL, shows the landing site of the lunar module in the Sea of Tranquility. The site is indicated on the stamp by a dot. The selvage includes an image of the lunar module. Art director Antonio Alcalá designed the stamp art.
Robert Pearlman Editor Posts: 42985 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999	posted 03-20-2019 09:35 PM collectSPACE US Postal Service reveals stamps for moon landing 50th anniversary A new pair of United States postage stamps will mark the 50th anniversary of the first moon landing. The United States Postal Service (USPS) on Wednesday (March 20) debuted the art for its two new stamps commemorating the Apollo 11 lunar landing mission flown by astronauts Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins half a century ago.
Ken Havekotte Member Posts: 2913 From: Merritt Island, Florida, Brevard Registered: Mar 2001	posted 03-20-2019 09:35 PM I've got a bunch of original/vintage Apollo 11 mint cachet covers and cards that can be stamped up and used for the special anniversary postal cancels. This may the last time nor opportunity that I will attempt cancel applications for such an anniversary event, of any kind. Included will be several 1969-issued unused Apollo 11 VIP cards, Dow Unicovers (used as an Apollo 11 insurance cover by the prime crew), the MSCSC variety (used for Type 1 insurance covers), NASA-Exchange mission emblem cachet envelopes (a Type 3 insurance cover), a special #10 TWA-employee printed issue, a CKM-brand, several different varieties of unused Apollo 11 C76 first day covers, and about fifteen or so LM-5 cachet envelopes that had been printed by Apollo LM-builder Grumman Aerospace Corp. in the summer of 1969. Others of that epic time-frame will be used as well.
Cozmosis22 Member Posts: 968 From: Texas * Earth Registered: Apr 2011	posted 03-21-2019 09:09 AM Sincerely hope that they produce those two stamp designs on separate sheetlets. If they are released on July 20th then the First Day Ceremony should be somewhere near the Mission Control Center in Houston.
Robert Pearlman Editor Posts: 42985 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999	posted 03-21-2019 09:21 AM The USPS said in its release that the two stamps will share a common selvage image of the lunar module, and given recent similar releases (New Horizons, for example), I would expect a single sheet(let).
SkyMan1958 Member Posts: 867 From: CA. Registered: Jan 2011	posted 03-21-2019 07:08 PM One minor question, are the black lines through "Forever" there simply so that no one will counterfeit copy the stamps from these initial images and use them? Commonly a black cover over something official, such as over a police badge, would be a show of mourning. Second, given that it's the 50th anniversary, it's a pity that instead of using a yellow dot for the landing site the USPS didn't use a gold dot for the site.
thisismills Member Posts: 263 From: Michigan Registered: Mar 2012	posted 03-21-2019 08:54 PM Yes, this is typical and can been seen on the USPS website for all current and future stamp images. The color of the line is typically a similar shade to that of the stamp's denomination text color (in this case "Forever").
onesmallstep Member Posts: 1310 From: Staten Island, New York USA Registered: Nov 2007	posted 03-22-2019 08:40 AM I'm a little disappointed by the stamps; as a lifelong space philatelist I was hoping for more in honoring such an historic achievement — it is the 50th anniversary, and some of us won't be around for the 75th. Perhaps they could have made it a block of four stamp issue, with a photo of Eagle (taken by Collins) after separation from Columbia, and a photo of Armstrong (face showing) during suit up on launch day. That way, each of the astronauts is represented by a photo they appear in or took. The one with Armstrong can specifically honor him, similar to ones for Alan Shepard on the 50th anniversary of Freedom 7, and more recently Sally Ride. Just my two cents (or $0.55 ).
ChrisCalle Member Posts: 135 From: Ridgefield, CT USA Registered: Jan 2009	posted 03-29-2019 07:25 PM What could have been...
LM1 Member Posts: 667 From: New York, NY Registered: Oct 2010	posted 03-29-2019 07:30 PM I agree. The stamps are not impressive. They did more for Harry Potter.
Robert Pearlman Editor Posts: 42985 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999	posted 04-02-2019 08:28 AM The First Day of Issue ceremony for the "1969: First Moon Landing" stamps will be held on July 19, 2019 in Cape Canaveral, Florida. A specific location for the ceremony is still to be announced.
LM1 Member Posts: 667 From: New York, NY Registered: Oct 2010	posted 05-26-2019 08:10 AM Seriously, these stamps will honor a monumental achievement for mankind. Two small stamps will be issues by the USPS to honor this achievement? One of them just shows the moon. I don't understand. The USPS should lead the world in honoring this event. They could have at least issued a block of four stamps. Each stamp could have been designed by a different artist. To honor Harry Potter the USPS issued a limited edition booklet of 20 stamps and many of them featured individuals who are still living. The 1969 US "First Man on the Moon" stamp was larger than most stamps of the day and in full color. The subsequent US Apollo 11 anniversary stamps were equally impressive. Perhaps the USPS will issue more impressive stamps for the 50th anniversaries of Apollo 12, 14, 15, 16 and 17.
bobslittlebro Member Posts: 179 From: Douglasville, Ga U.S.A. Registered: Nov 2009	posted 05-26-2019 09:22 AM quote: Originally posted by ChrisCalle: What could have been... I agree Chris Calle!
Robert Pearlman Editor Posts: 42985 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999	posted 05-31-2019 10:00 PM quote: Originally posted by Robert Pearlman: A specific location for the ceremony is still to be announced. The dedication ceremony will be held at 11 a.m. EDT on July 19, 2019, at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. Taking part in the dedication will be: Thomas J. Marshall, General Counsel and Executive Vice President, United States Postal Service and Dedicating Official Steven W. Monteith, Vice President, Marketing, United States Postal Service Col. Robert D. Cabana, Director, John F. Kennedy Space Center, NASA Russell L. (Rusty) Schweickart, former NASA astronaut and scientist, NASA The U.S. Postal Service has a limited number of free tickets that will be issued on a first-come first-served basis. You must RSVP to obtain a free USPS First Day of Issue Ceremony ticket into Kennedy Space Center.
LM1 Member Posts: 667 From: New York, NY Registered: Oct 2010	posted 06-01-2019 05:31 AM Who designed these stamps?
Robert Pearlman Editor Posts: 42985 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999	posted 06-01-2019 08:33 AM As noted in the USPS press release: Art director Antonio Alcalá designed the stamp art.
bobslittlebro Member Posts: 179 From: Douglasville, Ga U.S.A. Registered: Nov 2009	posted 06-01-2019 08:41 AM Im not impressed with these stamps at all. USPS wasted their time.
ea757grrl Member Posts: 729 From: South Carolina Registered: Jul 2006	posted 06-01-2019 10:02 AM I'm apparently in the minority on this, but I like the stamps. They're maybe not the ideal design so far as my spaceflight enthusiast side goes, but the rest of me likes these stamps and their clean aesthetic.
Cozmosis22 Member Posts: 968 From: Texas * Earth Registered: Apr 2011	posted 06-01-2019 10:18 AM These appear to be photographs adapted to stamp form. There is no "art" involved, at least not in the traditional sense of the term. Back in 1994 during the 25th anniversary the USPS had a stamp reveal presentation of sorts at KSC. It was in a small auditorium inside the Visitor Complex and was lightly attended. It was not the official First Day of Issue Ceremony since that was being held in Washington DC. Was at the Cape covering the STS-65 mission and took a few snaps of Space Week celebrations.
Robert Pearlman Editor Posts: 42985 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999	posted 06-01-2019 10:41 AM The term "art" in this context refers to the stamps' overall design, in the same way as "cover art" for a book can be a photo, too. The stamp art includes how the photo is cropped and the placement of the stamp text (e.g. denomination and title).
LM1 Member Posts: 667 From: New York, NY Registered: Oct 2010	posted 06-01-2019 05:33 PM Sounds like a lot of double talk to me when we need a definition of the word art to explain why these two very important stamps are so dull and "done that." The USPS should have hired and paid an experienced space stamp designer for this important event, unless it was not important to them. Any computer person could have photoshopped these two stamps. The USPS has had many very beautiful and creative and impressive stamps in the past. They dropped the ball (or Moon) on this one. I particularly do not like the dot on the Moon photo. The "designer" reduced the efforts of thousands of NASA employees and millions of dollars and many years of exceptional work to a dot. I guess that we can expect to see more dots for Apollo 12, 14, 15, 16 and 17 on future stamps.
Bob M Member Posts: 1744 From: Atlanta-area, GA USA Registered: Aug 2000	posted 06-02-2019 06:18 AM quote: Originally posted by ChrisCalle: What could have been... Yes, what could have been. "Our" Chris Calle would have done this right and the way it deserved to have been done.
Robert Pearlman Editor Posts: 42985 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999	posted 06-05-2019 10:22 PM U.S. Postal Service release 1969: First Moon Landing Stamps Special Dedication Postmarks Only the following pictorial postmark is permitted for "1969: First Moon Landing" stamps. The word "Station" or the abbreviation "STA" is required somewhere in the design, because it will be a temporary station. Use of any image other than the following special pictorial image is prohibited. How to Order the First-Day-of-Issue Postmark Customers have 120 days to obtain the first-day-of-issue postmark by mail. They may purchase new stamps at their local Post Office or at The Postal Store website. They must affix the stamps to envelopes of their choice, address the envelopes (to themselves or others), and place them in a larger envelope addressed to: FDOI – 1969: First Moon Landing Stamps USPS Stamp Fulfillment Services 8300 NE Underground Drive, Suite 300 Kansas City, Missouri 64144-9900 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 up to a quantity of 50. There is a 5-cent charge for each additional postmark over 50. All orders must be postmarked by November 19, 2019.
Robert Pearlman Editor Posts: 42985 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999	posted 06-05-2019 10:30 PM The USPS will also offer two special postmarks — a digital color pictorial and a black and white pictorial — for the first day of issue at Cape Canaveral:
Robert Pearlman Editor Posts: 42985 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999	posted 06-19-2019 11:11 PM The U.S. Postal Service has begun taking pre-orders for the 1969: First Moon Landing stamps and related products: Sheet of 24 stamps First Day Cover Digital Color Postmark Keepsake (pane and two digital postmarks)
DChudwin Member Posts: 1096 From: Lincolnshire IL USA Registered: Aug 2000	posted 06-20-2019 09:38 PM The digital color postmark is especially ugly. The USPS could have done a lot better, both with the stamps and the postmarks.
Ken Havekotte Member Posts: 2913 From: Merritt Island, Florida, Brevard Registered: Mar 2001	posted 06-21-2019 04:13 AM Agreed, am a bit disappointed myself, and the color cancellation looks more like an automobile license plate to me. The new Aldrin postage stamp is okay, but the full lunar view stamp is a bit odd in my opinion.
Cozmosis22 Member Posts: 968 From: Texas * Earth Registered: Apr 2011	posted 06-21-2019 07:23 AM Have to wonder if there is some particularly good reason why these Moon Landing Commemorative stamps are being released on Friday the 19th instead of the proper day, July 20th? Many US Post Offices are open on Saturdays, at least for half a day. Though not a superb stamp pair, will buy a number of sheets nonetheless to use exclusively in the future. That is, the generic moon stamps for general mailings and the astronaut stamps for correspondence with family, friends, and fellow space cadets.
LM1 Member Posts: 667 From: New York, NY Registered: Oct 2010	posted 06-21-2019 07:27 AM The stamps were designed by USPS art director Antonio Alcala, as Robert mentioned above. He is an award winning artist and he worked on several other stamps while he has been with the USPS. I can not determine if he is actually credited with designing any other issues. I agree with both Dave and Ken. Not to belabor a point, I could have photoshopped the two Apollo XI issues. But you have to work with what you have.
Robert Pearlman Editor Posts: 42985 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999	posted 07-19-2019 07:00 AM collectSPACE USPS '1969: First Moon Landing' stamps pinpoint Tranquility Base You can now use your U.S. mail to pinpoint where humans first landed on the moon. New postage stamps issued by the United States Postal Service (USPS) on Friday (July 19) include a photo of the moon with Tranquility Base highlighted by a metallic silver dot, commemorating the 50th anniversary of the first moon landing.
thisismills Member Posts: 263 From: Michigan Registered: Mar 2012	posted 07-19-2019 01:01 PM Here is a photo showing the metallic silver dot on the moon stamp. The yellow dot originally shown at the top of this discussion certainly stood out more.
Robert Pearlman Editor Posts: 42985 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999	posted 07-19-2019 01:31 PM Interestingly, a gold metallic dot is present on the lapel pin version of the stamp as offered in the USPS pin set. The metallic ink was a detail the USPS did not disclose in advance.
Cozmosis22 Member Posts: 968 From: Texas * Earth Registered: Apr 2011	posted 07-19-2019 02:43 PM To be clear there is no actual white on these nice stamps. What appears to be a white spacesuit online is actually the aforementioned reflective silver. There is no mission descriptive printing on the back. Sheets I picked up are coded series B1111.
Ken Havekotte Member Posts: 2913 From: Merritt Island, Florida, Brevard Registered: Mar 2001	posted 07-27-2019 11:29 PM The first day ceremony, which included two astronaut speakers, was held on the space center at the Apollo/Saturn V Center. The new stamps, along with the cancel devices and other space-related postal products, were also available at the set-up tables. What was different about this FDI event in comparison to other space-related first day issue functions that I have attended and been involved with was mainly three-fold. First, the general public had to purchase an admittance ticket if they wanted to attend the ceremony and purchase the new stamps while being bused over to the ASVC from the visitor tourist complex. Secondly, which I felt was rather odd, the official pictorial cancel strike for the FDI was "Cape Canaveral" and not "Kennedy Space Center" on July 19. Lastly, July 20th had not been used for the official first day stamp release. That was the day when the LM Eagle pilots had separated from their command ship Columbia and landed on the moon with Armstrong and Aldrin exploring the surface — all on the same day! The only real significant event that occurred on July 19 would be the Lunar Orbit Insertion (LOI) engine firing while the crew was behind the moon in slowing the spacecraft so that it could be captured by the moon's gravity. The overall jurisdiction or control of the new stamp issue activities was the responsibility of USPS's Cape Canaveral postal unit, near Port Canaveral, that is off-base from Kennedy, with zip code 32920 and not 32815.
Cozmosis22 Member Posts: 968 From: Texas * Earth Registered: Apr 2011	posted 08-06-2019 09:05 AM Would have preferred that these stamps had been released something like this.
EdDietz Member Posts: 10 From: Fresno, CA, USA Registered: May 2006	posted 08-06-2019 06:59 PM Only the following pictorial postmark is permitted for "1969: First Moon Landing" stamps. The word "Station" or the abbreviation "STA" is required somewhere in the design, because it will be a temporary station. July 20, 2019 United States Postal Service Higley, AZ Station Postmaster 3324 East Ray Road Higley, AZ 85236-9998 The following pictorial postmarks are not extended, but grouped together since the artwork and date are the same. United States Postal Service Mesa, AZ Station Postmaster 135 North Center Street Mesa, AZ 85201-9998 United States Postal Service Tucson, AZ Station Postmaster 1501 South Cherrybell Strav, Room 217 Tucson, AZ 85726-9998 United States Postal Service Raton, NM Station Postmaster 245 Park Avenue Raton, NM 87740-9998 United States Postal Service Sun City West, AZ Station Postmaster 19437 North New Tradition Road Sun City West, AZ 85735-9998 Minnesota Stamp Expo Crystal, MN Station Postmaster 100 1st Street South Minneapolis, MN 55401-9998 United States Postal Service Truth or Consequences, NM Sierra Station Postmaster 1507 North Date Street Truth or Consequences, NM 87901-9998
thisismills Member Posts: 263 From: Michigan Registered: Mar 2012	posted 08-24-2019 01:12 PM From the September issue of the American Philatelist.
yeknom-ecaps Member Posts: 660 From: Northville MI USA Registered: Aug 2005	posted 09-15-2019 10:50 AM Has anyone purchased the "1969: First Moon Landing Stamp Ceremony Memento" through the USPS? From the images the "regular" black and white FDI envelope is a different size than the color FDI envelopes. Was wondering if it is truly a different size FDC envelope or just edited to show in the image that way?
Robert Pearlman Editor Posts: 42985 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999	posted 09-15-2019 11:13 AM Yes, the envelope with the black and white postmark is larger; it is sized to hold the first ceremony program (shown in the USPS graphic emerging from the envelope).