Presorted Standard Green Bicycle Coil Stamps

On August 14, 1998, USPS issued the Presorted Standard Green Bicycle Coil Stamp. The stamps are inscribed "PRESORTED STD" (meaning "presorted standard"), the first time that particular service inscription appears on a U.S. postage stamp. It is part of the new Postal Service jargon arising from the mail classification reform implemented in 1996. Standard mail comprises the previous third- and fourth-class mail subclasses. Standard mail may be sent at presorted rates or automation rates. 

The nondenominated Green Bicycle stamps, intended for use on what was previously referred to as regular third-class bulk mail, carry a nominal value of 10¢.  That amount is always less than the actual charge for sending a piece of standard mail franked with such a stamp. The difference, depending on factors such as weight and degree of presorting, is paid by the user at the time of mailing. 

The Green Bicycle stamps likely will replace the various nondenominated (10¢) Automobile stamps and the various nondenominated (10¢) Eagle and Shield stamps, all inscribed with the now outdated "BULK RATE" classification. 

The Green Bicycle is the second design in a series dubbed American Transportation by the Postal Service. The first design in the series was the nondenominated (10¢) Automobile, a graphic rendition of the front of a pre-World War II automobile. 

Unlike the single-color, engraved and now defunct Transportation coil stamp series, the American Transportation series depicts, in multiple colors, stylized details of various means of transportation. 

Technical Information


Issue: 
Presorted Standard Green Bicycle
Denomination & Type
Non-denominated (10-cent value) 
Format: 
Self-adhesive Coil of 10,000 
Gummed Coil of 500
Gummed Coil of 10,000
Series:
American Transportation
Issue Date & City:
August 14, 1998, Washington, DC 20066
Illustrator:
Bob Brangwynne, Boston, MA
Designer: 
Richard Sheaff, Scottsdale, AZ
Engraver: 
N/A
Mackay/Gravure Systems
Art Director:
Richard Sheaff, Scoltsdale, AZ
Typographer:
Richard Sheaff, Scottsdale, AZ 
Modeler:
Bureau of Engraving and Printing (BEP) 
Donald Woo 
Manufacturing Process:
Gravure
Printer:
BEP
American Packaging Corp. (APC) 
Printed at: 
BEP, Washington, DC
APC, Columbus, WI
Press Type:
Andreotti
Champlain
Print Quantity: 
900 million stamps
50 million stamps
500 million stamps
Paper Type:
Untagged Type III
Gum Type:
Self-adhesive 
Water-activated 
Processed at: 
BEP, Washington, DC 
Unique Binders, Fredericksburg, VA
Colors (PMS Colors):
PMS-334C (green),PMS-527C (purple), Process Black
Stamp Orientation:
Vertical
Image Area
18.0 x 20.8 mm
18.28 x 20.57 mm 
Overall Size
22.1 x 24.4 mm 
22.09 x 24.38 mm 
Plate Size: 
480 stamps per revolution 
1092 stamps per revolution
Plate Numbers: 
 Three (3) single digits
"S" followed byt three (3) single digits 
Marginal Markings:
N/A

Original informtion from USPS and Linn's Stamp News