August 2018 - Sneak Peek
The American Philatelist is the monthly journal of the American Philatelic Society, the world's largest organization for stamp collectors and enthusiasts. Members receive the printed magazine and can access the digital edition as a benefit of membership in the Society. Please enjoy this sneak peek. We're confident that once you see all that we offer, you'll want to join the APS today.
The American Philatelist is the monthly journal of the American Philatelic Society, the world's largest organization for stamp collectors and enthusiasts. Members receive the printed magazine and can access the digital edition as a benefit of membership in the Society. Please enjoy this sneak peek. We're confident that once you see all that we offer, you'll want to join the APS today.
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eclipse stamp in which an image of the Moon was hidden behind<br />
dark, thermochromic ink until it was warmed, such as<br />
by the heat of a thumb’s touch. In late 2017, the USPS issued<br />
its first tête-bêche stamps with its History of Hockey issue.<br />
The scratch-and-sniff feature on the Frozen Treats stamps<br />
utilizes encapsulated micro-fragrances where tiny droplets of<br />
scented oils are surrounded by a coating to create extremely<br />
small capsules,” said Mark Saunders, of the U.S. Postal Service.<br />
“These micro metric capsules will release the scent of<br />
the oil when ruptured by scratching the printed stamp surface.”<br />
The U.S. was a bit behind the world in scratch-and-sniff<br />
technology on postage stamps. Bhutan issued the world’s first<br />
such stamps in 1973 with stamps that smell like roses, according<br />
to an article published May 1, 2015 in Linn’s Stamp<br />
News. The American Topical Association lists 114 stamps on<br />
its check list of scented stamps. Roses remain a popular scent<br />
on the list along with such fragrances as chocolate, vanilla<br />
and coffee, according to the article in Linn’s. Other scents you<br />
can find on stamps include honey, cinnamon, pine, apple,<br />
lemon, sweet-and-sour pork and fire (burnt wood).<br />
Stamp artist Margaret Berg – or Magrikie Berg in her native<br />
Afrikaans – was born and raised in South Africa, according<br />
to the PI Creative Art website.<br />
In 2000 she left her beloved country to continue her studies<br />
at Otis College of Art and Design, Los Angeles. Today, she<br />
is fulfilling a lifelong dream of working in a creative industry<br />
as an illustrator and designer. She worked as art director and<br />
retoucher for an award-winning advertising agency before<br />
putting her artistic energy back into her childhood passion of<br />
decorating surfaces. Today, she has an array of independent<br />
illustration projects, creating art for any and all surfaces, including<br />
books, magazines, packaging, greeting cards, stationery,<br />
giftware, textiles and wall decor.<br />
Berg lives in Santa Monica, California. Her clients include:<br />
Godiva Chocolatier, Papyrus, Robert Kaufman Fabrics,<br />
American Greetings, International Greetings and Penguin<br />
Books.<br />
Questions and Answers<br />
with Antonio Alcalá, Art<br />
Director<br />
When did you start working on these stamps?<br />
July 2014<br />
Which came first - the stamp designs or designated<br />
aroma or aromas?<br />
The stamp designs came first and they inspired us to try<br />
scratch and sniff. There is only one scent.<br />
Is this the artist’s first postage stamp project?<br />
Yes<br />
Did the artist know ahead of time that the stamps<br />
would eventually be scratch-and-sniff?<br />
No.<br />
Was it always a 10-stamp issue from the start or did it<br />
start off with fewer stamps (a couple of recent food stamps<br />
had 5 ( ice cream) and 6 (Delicioso) designs.<br />
It was always a 10-stamp issue<br />
Did you consider any other configurations, such as one<br />
treat per stamp or several on fewer stamps?<br />
No<br />
I assume each treat has a specific flavor or flavors - can<br />
you share them with us? (Some of my guesses of the flavors<br />
within the treats - not necessarily the “aromas” - are watermelon,<br />
blueberry, chocolate, chocolate fudge, raspberry,<br />
orange, strawberry, kiwi. Others?<br />
The artist was tasked with creating visually inventive and<br />
appealing popsicles without a request for specific flavors.<br />
Were there any aromas or flavors considered but rejected?<br />
Other aromas were considered.<br />
FROZEN TREATS FOREVER STAMPS<br />
USPS Item Number: 681700<br />
Format: Double-sided Booklet of 20 (10 designs), 1,040<br />
stamps per revolution<br />
Issue Date and City: June 20, <strong>2018</strong>, Austin, Texas<br />
Art Director: Antonio Alcalá, Alexandria, Virginia<br />
Designers and Typographers: Leslie Badani, Alexandria,<br />
Virginia and Antonio Alcalá, Alexandria, Virginia<br />
Artist: Margaret Berg, Santa Monica, California<br />
Modeler: Joseph Sheeran<br />
Manufacturing Process: Offset, Flexographic<br />
Printer and Processor: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU),<br />
Williamsville, New York<br />
Press Type: Muller A76<br />
Print Quantity: 100 million stamps<br />
Paper Type: Nonphosphored Type III, Block Tag<br />
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive<br />
Stamp Sizes: 0.73 of an inch by 0.84 inch, 18.54 millimeters by<br />
21.34mm (image area); 0.87 inch by 0.98 inch, 22.10mm by<br />
24.89mm (overall size); 5.52 inch by 1.96 inch, 140.21mm by<br />
49.78mm (full booklet size)<br />
Colors: Black, Cyan, Magenta Yellow<br />
Plate Numbers: “P” followed by four (4) single digits<br />
Marginal Markings: Header, “FROZEN TREATS Scratch and<br />
Sniff,” Twenty First-Class Forever Stamps, Plate number in peel<br />
strip area, ©2017 USPS in peel strip area<br />
808 AMERICAN PHILATELIST / AUGUST <strong>2018</strong>
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