Star Wars stamps unveiled in [USA]

BBC ^ | Thursday, March 29, 2007

[Jedi Master Pikachu]

			The stamps were launched by Star Wars characters

Darth Vader, Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia are among the characters featured on a set of US stamps marking 30 years of the Star Wars films.

A set of 15 stamps is being issued as a poster, and members of the public will be asked to vote for their favourite.

The set will go on sale on 25 May, shortly after the basic US postage rate is raised to 41 cents (21p).

Earlier this month, 400 postboxes were decorated to look like R2-D2, the robot from the landmark sci-fi saga.

The US Postal Service (USPS) launched the stamps at Grauman's Chinese Theater in Hollywood, where the first Star Wars movie was screened on 25 May 1977.

'Blockbuster status'

The winner of the public vote will be reissued later in the year on its own sheet.

USPS Stamp Services director David Failor said the stamps could be as popular as Elvis Presley stamps issued in 1993.

"We believe these stamps have the potential of reaching the blockbuster status of the Elvis stamp, a milestone only the 'Force' could attempt to surpass," he said.

More than a million people voted by mail to choose their favourite Elvis stamp 14 years ago.

According to the financial magazine Forbes, director George Lucas's Star Wars franchise has generated £20bn (£10.2bn) in sales around the world, including films, videos and spin-off merchandise.

[rabidralph]

There's also a sweepstakes to enter--grand prize, trip for four to L.A. to a Star Wars celebration.

[KarlInOhio]

No Jar Jar?

Initial tests showed that people were spitting on the wrong side.< /recycled Hillary (and others) joke>

[Kirkwood]

Have there been other instances where living people have been put onto USPS-issued stamps? Granted Harrison Ford and Carrie Fisher, et al are in costume as characters, but still I don't recall this happening before. I seem to recall an identifiable person had to be deceased to be pictured on a stamp, but I may be mistaken.

[Dixiekraut]

Weren't there stamps of NASA Lunar astronauts ?

[2Jedismom]

If you think the above comment is "dorky," keep your opinions to yourself--or at least be polite about it.

My jedis would love talking to you!

[Hoodlum91]

R2 gets entire mailboxes. They're popping up everywhere around here.

[Conan the Librarian]

I guess I have to get a sheet of stamps for my Darth Tater.

[killjoy]

He's not homosexual--sort of odd to consider for a robot.

Well... um.... he's not very anatomically correct either... except of course for that one 1970s Star Wars Card...

[Hegewisch Dupa]

Better to be with the babe

[ClearBlueSky]

I was about to post the same thing. I really didn't expect to see a Luke stamp. Figured only the 'icons' would be used- Vader, the droids, etc.I didn't think living,recognizable, people could be portrayed on US postage. Glad to see I'm wrong. A Luke stamp---THANK YOU USPO!!

Only thing is- if the 'new' films are on the sheet, I don't want them. I'll just buy the singles I like, if that's possible. Ep's 1-3 stink so bad even the stamps would smell.

[OB1kNOb]

Finally, some respect.

<

[qam1]

A 30th Anniversary Ouch!

Xer Ping

Ping list for the discussion of the politics and social (and sometimes nostalgic) aspects that directly effects Generation Reagan / Generation-X (Those born from 1965-1981) including all the spending previous generations are doing that Gen-X and Y will end up paying for.

Freep mail me to be added or dropped. See my home page for details and previous articles.

[RepoGirl]

Awesome, looks like Chewie gets a stamp. Too bad he has to share it with Solo, but I guess I can live with it. No truer friend than Chewbacca, yessirree. Best. Star Wars. Character. Ever!

[Kirkwood]

"Weren't there stamps of NASA Lunar astronauts ?"

But you couldn't see their faces - just the helmet. I'm not sure you could identify the astronaut(s) unless you knew something about the details. As I recall there are some photos of the lunar astronauts where even the astronauts themselves couldn't remember who was taking the picture and who was in it. Later, the suits were altered with markings to help identify them. I'm sure there are other examples of individuals on stamps who were living when the stamp was issued, but the person could not be readily identified. This seems very different with the face of Harrison Ford clearly shown.

[Kirkwood]

Here are the rules. I guess that because the people being honored with a stamp are fictious characters, living actors are allowed, but it seems to me to be bending the rules by a fair amount. Same for the rule about commercialism, although Star Wars was (is) a culture event and that is how you can get around that rule.

Stamp Subject Selection Criteria
The U.S. Postal Service and the members of the Citizens' Stamp Advisory Committee (CSAC) have set certain basic criteria used in determining the eligibility of subjects for commemoration on all U.S. stamps and stationery. These criteria first were formulated about the time of Postal Reorganization in the early 1970s, and have been refined and expanded gradually since then.

Following are the 12 major criteria now guiding subject selection:

1. It is a general policy that U.S. postage stamps and stationery primarily will feature American or American-related subjects.

2. No living person shall be honored by portrayal on U.S. postage.

3. Commemorative stamps or postal stationery items honoring individuals usually will be issued on, or in conjunction with significant anniversaries of their birth, but no postal item will be issued sooner than five years after the individual's death. The Committee will not accept or consider proposals for a subject until at least three years after his/her death. The only exception to the five-year rule is the issuance of stamps honoring deceased U.S. presidents. They may be honored with a memorial stamp on the first birth anniversary following death.

4. Events of historical significance shall be considered for commemoration only on anniversaries in multiples of 50 years.

5. Only events, persons, and themes of widespread national appeal and significance will be considered for commemoration. Events, persons or themes of local or regional significance may be recognized by a philatelic or special postal cancellation, which may be arranged through the local postmaster.

6. Stamps or stationery items shall not be issued to honor fraternal, political, sectarian, or service/charitable organizations. Stamps or stationery shall not be issued to promote or advertise commercial enterprises or products. Commercial products or enterprises might be used to illustrate more general concepts related to American culture.

7. Stamps or stationery items shall not be issued to honor cities, towns, municipalities, counties, primary or secondary schools, hospitals, libraries, or similar institutions. Due to the limitations placed on annual postal programs and the vast number of such locales, organizations and institutions in existence, it would be difficult to single out any one for commemoration.

8. Requests for observance of statehood anniversaries will be considered for commemorative postage stamps only at intervals of 50 years from the date of the state's first entry into the Union. Requests for observance of other state-related or regional anniversaries will be considered only as subjects for postal stationery, and again only at intervals of 50 years from the date of the event.

9. Stamps or stationery items shall not be issued to honor religious institutions or individuals whose principal achievements are associated with religious undertakings or beliefs.

10. Semipostal stamps are designed to raise funds for causes determined to be in the national public interest and appropriate. Semipostal stamps are sold for a price above their postage value. The differential between the sales price and the postage value of semipostal stamps consists of an amount (less a deduction for the Postal Service's reasonable costs) to be given to other executive agencies in furtherance of specified causes. The Postal Service issues semipostals in accordance with the Stamp Out Breast Cancer Act and the Semipostal Authorization Act.

11. Requests for commemoration of universities and other institutions of higher education shall be considered only for stamped cards and only in connection with the 200th anniversaries of their founding.

12. No stamp shall be considered for issuance if one treating the same subject has been issued in the past 50 years. The only exceptions to this rule are traditional themes such as national symbols and holidays.

The selection of subjects for U.S. postage stamps and stationery is a difficult task, since only a limited number of new commemorative items can be issued annually. To help in this selection process, the Postmaster General established the Citizens' Stamp Advisory Committee (CSAC) 50 years ago. Members are appointed to the Committee by the Postmaster General. They reflect a wide range of educational, artistic, historical and professional expertise.

Stamp proposals are to be submitted in writing to the following address:

Citizens' Stamp Advisory Committee
c/o Stamp Development
U.S. Postal Service
1735 North Lynn St., Suite 5013
Arlington, VA 22209-6432.

Subjects should be submitted at least three years in advance of the proposed date of issue to allow sufficient time for consideration and for design and production, if the subject is approved. All eligible subjects are reviewed by the Citizens' Stamp Advisory Committee regardless of how they are submitted, i.e., stamped cards, letters or petitions.

After a proposed subject is determined to be consistent with the criteria set by CSAC, the subject is listed on the CSAC's agenda for its next meeting. The CSAC considers all new proposals and takes one of two actions: it may reject the new proposal or it may set it aside for consideration for future issuance. If the proposal is rejected, it may be resubmitted to the Committee again, no sooner than one year after the rejection date. Proponents are not advised if a subject has been approved for issuance until a general announcement is made to the public.

Once a subject is approved, the Postal Service relies on art directors under contract to the Postal Service for the selection of artists who will execute the designs. Stamp designing is an unusual art form requiring exacting skill in portraying a subject within very small dimensions. Due to the demands of stamp design and reproduction requirements, it is our policy not to review nor accept unsolicited artwork.

Professional artists who may wish to be considered for a design assignment should request a copy of the Creating U.S. Postage Stamps brochure from the following address:

US Postal Service
Stamp Development
ATTN: Stamp Design
1735 North Lynn Street, Suite 5013
Arlington, VA 22209-6432

[Tamar1973]

This is so cool. I'm certainly going to get some.. : )

[TheKidster]

Off subject, sorry.
Have you been able to come to a conclusion regarding the Acts passage in your tagline?

[Sacajaweau]

Well there's one Christmas present for my grandson.

[Textide]

[Jedi Master Pikachu]

Here also. It's interesting to see such ordinary objects turn into Artoo similitudes.