New stamp from USPS..

 

 

200th anniversary of the Star-Spangled Banner

Date of Issue : 28 January 2014

The US Postal Service issued a new Forever stamp on 28th January in commemoration of 200th anniversary of the Star-Spangled Banner . This sparkling stamp features  Flag and  firework . The First Day postmark also features a cracker.

The Star-Spangled Banner Stamps feature a treasured American icon ever since Francis Scott Key celebrated the sight of an American flag still flying over Fort McHenry during the War of 1812.
This stamp commemorates the 200th anniversary of the Star-Spangled Banner with a photograph of the flag that flies over Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine in Baltimore. This flag is a replica of the one that inspired Key to write “The Star-Spangled Banner” after Fort McHenry withstood the British attack of September 13-14, 1814.

Commemorate the 200th anniversary of the Star-Spangled Banner with this The Star-Spangled Banner Digital Color Postmarks (#6 3/4 envelope) bearing an affixed The Star-Spangled Banner Forever® stamp. The color postmark shows celebratory red fireworks falling over the stamp title, which is printed in blue and gold type and resembles antique wood-block lettering. Also included are the date and location of stamp issuance.

Photographer Gary Clark took the picture of the flag against a backdrop of fireworks during an annual celebration of Defenders' Day. Defenders' Day, according to the National Park Service, is “Baltimore's oldest holiday commemorating the bombardment of Fort McHenry and the writing of 'The Star-Spangled Banner.'” Clark said it was a challenge to get the fireworks and the flag in the same shot and that “the wind picked up quite a bit that night.” Art director Phil Jordan designed the stamp.
The Star-Spangled Banner stamps are being issued as Forever® stamps in double-sided booklets of 20 stamps and in self-adhesive coils of 100 stamps. Forever stamps are always equal in value to the current First-Class Mail® one-ounce rate.