Pacific Coast Lighthouse Stamps

I received this order form in the mail from the U.S Postal Service for anyone interested in purchasing these stamps:

http://www.lighthousekeepers.com/uploads/files/borigsbee@bellsouth.net/LHSTAMPS.pdf

No phone number was provided on the form. The contact info I have on another form is:

1-800-STAMP24 (1-800-782-6724) nominal fee charged for purchases or usps.com

The Postal Service will officially dedicate the Pacific Coast lighthouse stamps collection with a First Day of Issue ceremony at 11 a.m. June 21 at Gray's Harbor in Westport, Washington.

On Thursday’s program will be Mayor Michael Bruce; the U.S. Coast Guard Station Grays Harbor Color Guard; Christopher Kerr, the music director for the Ocosta School District, performing the National Anthem; Vicki Wolfe, president of the Westport-South Beach Historical Society; Elinor DeWire, president of the Washington State Lightkeepers Association in Seabeck, and Guy Towers, president of the St. George Reef Lighthouse Preservation Society.

First Day of Issue Ceremony

Judy

Seeing as I am a stamp collector as well as a lighthouse enthusiast, and since I live about 2-3 hours away, my wife and I plan on attending the ceremony on Thursday. It will be very interesting I'm sure.

Larry

Larry, please take photos!

I had the good fortune to participate in the 2003 unveiling of the southeastern stamps at Tybee Island, and attended the following ceremonies at Cape Lookout and at Cape Henry.

Attending will be well worth your time, and I'm sure you will enjoy. I hope Howard Koslow will be in attendance and you will get to meet him. He's the artist who did all the renderings for all the lighthouse stamp series and is an exceptionally nice gentleman.

Come back and tell us all about the event!

Judy

I went to the post office today and bought 2 sheets of stamps and they also had a packet of 5 stamps with a booklet and a print of each. Does any one know if they are doing a first day cover packet like the last set of stamps?

This information is from Lighthouse Digest..

Thanks if the post office dosent get them in tomorrow I will order from them

You were lucky to get those stamps today. I have checked with a couple of Post Offices and was told they were not allowed to sell the stamps until tomorrow (6/22), the day after the introduction ceremony.

That was also the case with the 2003 southeastern stamp release...available at other post offices the day after the First Day ceremony.

Judy

I bought a few at my post office today- 25 sheets of 20.

That should last me for a bit.

They look very nice- and I've actually seen 4 of them if you count the distant view of St George's Reef.

Dennis

I bought two sheets online on Wednesday. I guess they thought by the time they send them out it'll be the right day.

Looking forward to getting them. Could not find a First Day cover on the USPS website. Didn't they do an OFFICIAL FDC?

Walked in Thursday morning and bought mine. I got a sheet for each of the kids that we store away to one day so we can give them a large wad of stuff when they leave home and a sheet that I'll frame for my "man cave," "The Shrine to All Lighthouse Things."

I was able to order the FDC envelopes (at least that is what I asked for) by calling the 800 number provided by Wolfdevil in his post (1-800-STAMP24 (1-800-782-6724)). The PO offered 2 varieties of marks, a plain black @ $3.95 for the set of 5 stamps, and a fancier red mark @ $6.00 for a set of 5. Additional $1.00 for postage.

I didn't go to the PO until Friday, and they had plenty of the LH sheets.

If you're looking for First Day Covers and would like to purchase them through a lighthouse group:

I received this from Elinor DeWire, president of the Washington Lightkeepers Assoc.,

Judy

I have found First Day covers from The Lighthouse People
Bob and Sandra Shanklin published these covers. I think there are a few left!

One of the reasons we went for these is that we wanted one cover per lighthouse - not all five on the same cover.

Two of the stamps (Diamond Head and Five Finger) were painted after photographs of Bob and Sandra's. So that makes a nice connection too. And I really like the covers.

On this page are the five covers we bought for this issue.

We love them! What do you think?

These are great looking stamps! I hope to pick up some on Monday.

The stamps look great and I love the first day covers. I'll have to order a set.

I've got mine! They are too pretty to use by mail. I think I'll just frame mine or place it in my curio cabinet along with my HL collections.

Just what the Post Office is counting on, Diamond!

With the southeastern stamps they ran out fairly quickly. Wonder if these would do the same? As popular as the lighthouse stamps have been you would think the Post Office would either produce more of each set and/or come up with more frequent lighthouse related releases. Some of the stamps they offer make me wonder how much recreational drug use was taking place during the pick-a-stamp planning sessions. I don't want to say that some are ugly, but I wouldn't even use some of them to mail a bill payment......