On May 10 at Promontory Summit in Utah, the USPS is having their first-day-of-issue for the Transcontinental Railroad Stamps.
They are commemorating “… the 150th anniversary of the completion of the transcontinental railroad … with a magnificent set of Forever stamps.”
One can pre-order the new USPS Transcontinental Railroad stamps. The sheet of 18 stamps, three designs of six each, is $9.90.
Transcontinental Railroad Stamps
“Building the transcontinental railroad during the 1860s was one of the great achievements of the era. The completion was marked by the “Golden Spike Ceremony,” held on May 10, 1869, when rail lines built by the Central Pacific from the west and the Union Pacific from the east were joined.”
Reading the fine attention to detail in the descriptions bears including this excerpt from the Postal Bulletin 22516, 3-28-19.
“Three new stamps in a pane of 18 mark the 150th anniversary of the completion of the transcontinental railroad, a massive engineering feat that reduced travel time across the country from as much as 6 months to about 1 week and made the American West an integral part of the nation. Two different stamps feature the Jupiter and the No. 119 locomotives…
A third stamp portrays the famous golden spike that was a prominent part of the ceremony. Each of the stamps and the header feature gold-foiled highlights that produce a glimmering effect…”
Furthermore, over at the Golden Spike Sesquicentennial Celebration and Festival at Promontory Summit site, it has the event details for the May 10-12 weekend.
“150 years ago, a group of dignitaries gathered on a dusty rise not far from the shore of the Great Salt Lake to witness a spike made of solid gold be driven into a laurel-wood railroad tie with a silver hammer…”
I’m looking forward to seeing in the Postal Bulletin next week if there are any Pictorial Postmarks that will be available, with the customary 30-day window for requesting. Cachet ideas I’m thinking of include referencing old movies that have included scenes of the joining of the railroads.
Anchors Aweigh,
Helen
Transcontinental Railroad Stamps Attribution & Thank you to the following I’m referencing today
USPS #RailroadStamps Stamp Announcement 19-16: Transcontinental Railroad Stamps
Golden Spike Sesquicentennial Celebration and Festival at Promontory Summit
