Bird lovers are expected to flock to their Post Offices now that the Postal Service is celebrating North America’s largest swallow by issuing the Purple Martin First-Class Mail Forever Stamped envelope Monday that sells for 56-cents (45-cents for postage and 11-cents for the envelope). The stamped envelope is now available at Post Offices nationwide, online at usps.com/shop and by phone at 800/782-6724.

“Bird lovers across America will be enamored with this stamped envelope,” said U.S. Postal Service Acting Manager of Post Office Operations John Rhoden in dedicating the stamps at the Mulberry Civic Center.

Joining Mr. Rhoden in dedicating the stamped envelope were Mulberry Mayor George Hatch, Mulberry City Manager Dr. Frank Satchel, Jr. and Mulberry Postmaster Carol Shirley.

The stamp art includes a large illustration of a purple martin perching and a smaller illustration showing the bird in flight. Art director William J. Gicker of Washington, DC, designed the stamped envelopes using illustrations by artist Matthew Frey of Annapolis, MD. The Purple Martin Stamped Envelope is being issued as a Forever stamped envelope. Its postage will always be equal to the value of the First-Class Mail one-ounce price in effect anytime in the future.

The pressure-sensitive adhesive Purple Martin (Forever) stamped envelopes are available in the following formats in Post Offices, by visiting www.usps.com/shop or by calling 800/782-6724:

#10 regular envelope (Item 231700).
#10 window envelope (Item 231800).
#9 regular envelope (Item 231900).
#9 window envelope (Item 232000).
#6¾ regular envelope (Item 270900).
#6¾ window envelope (Item 271000).

The Purple Martin (Forever) water activated gum (WAG) stamped envelopes are only available online at www.usps.com/shop or by calling 800-782-6724:

#10 regular envelope (Item 210500).
#10 window envelope (Item 210600).
#9 regular envelope (Item 210700).
#9 window envelope (Item 210800).
#6¾ regular envelope (Item 265800).
#6¾ window envelope (Item 265900).

Other 2012 Stamps

Customers may view the Purple Martin stamped envelope as well as many of this year’s other stamps on Facebook at facebook.com/USPSStamps, through Twitter @USPSstamps or on the website Beyond the Perf at beyondtheperf.com/2012-preview. Beyond the Perf is the Postal Service’s online site for background on upcoming stamp subjects, first-day-of-issue events and other philatelic news.

How to Order the First-Day-of-Issue Postmark

Customers have 60 days to obtain the first-day-of-issue postmark by mail. They may purchase the new cards at a local Post Office, at The Postal Store website at usps.com/shop or by calling 800-STAMP-24. They should address the cards to themselves or others and place them in larger envelopes addressed to:
Purple Martin Stamped Envelope
Postmaster
2000 Mulford Road
Mulberry, FL 33860-9998

After applying the first-day-of-issue postmark, the Postal Service will return the envelopes by mail. There is no charge for the postmark. All orders must be postmarked by March 23, 2012.

How to Order First-Day Covers

The Postal Service also offers first-day covers for new stamp issues and Postal Service stationery items postmarked with the official first-day-of-issue cancellation. Each item has an individual catalog number and is offered in the quarterly USA Philatelic catalog. First-Day covers are also available at www.usps.com/shop and at 800-STAMP-24. Customers may request a free catalog by calling 800-STAMP-24 or writing to:

Information Fulfillment
Dept. 6270
U.S. Postal Service
P.O. Box 219014
Kansas City, MO 64121-9014

Philatelic Product

There are 13 philatelic products available for this stamp issue:

210561, Purple Martin WAG (Forever) #10 Regular First-Day Cover, $0.68.
210661, Purple Martin WAG (Forever) #10 Window First-Day Cover, $0.68.
210761, Purple Martin WAG (Forever) #9 Regular First-Day Cover, $0.68.
210861, Purple Martin WAG (Forever) #9 Window First-Day Cover, $0.68.
265861, Purple Martin WAG (Forever) #6¾ Regular First-Day Cover, $0.68.
265961, Purple Martin WAG (Forever) #6¾ Window First-Day Cover, $0.68.
231761, Purple Martin PSA (Forever) #10 Regular First-Day Cover, $0.68.
231861, Purple Martin PSA (Forever) #10 Window First-Day Cover, $0.68.
231961, Purple Martin PSA (Forever) #9 Regular First-Day Cover, $0.68.
232061, Purple Martin PSA (Forever) #9 Window First-Day Cover, $0.68.
270961, Purple Martin PSA (Forever) #6¾ Regular First-Day Cover, $0.68.
271061, Purple Martin PSA (Forever) #6¾ Window First-Day Cover, $0.68.
231794, Purple Martin Stamped PSA Envelopes (10 pack) w/seals, $7.95.

The Postal Service receives no tax dollars for operating expenses and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations.