FORMATS FOR 2005 ISSUES IN
WHITE ACE REGULAR ISSUE SUPPLEMENTS

This compilation is published to assist collectors in obtaining currently available regular issue stamps in the formats in which they will be shown in the 2005 White Ace album supplements. A separate compilation deals with the 2005 commemorative stamp issues.

REGULAR ISSUE ALBUMS

NON-DENOMINATED (5¢) SEA COAST COIL OF 10,000 - ASHTON POTTER PRINTING (February 2005)

 -Singles Simplified – not included

 -Singles Complete – not included

 -Blocks – not included

 -Plate Blocks not included

 -Booklet panes – not included

 -Distinguished Americans Series Specialized – not included

AMERICAN FLAG SELF-ADHESIVE COIL OF 100 - AP PRINTING (June 2005)

 -Singles Simplified – not included

 -Singles Complete – 1 pair

 -Blocks – 1 pair

 -Plate Blocks – 1 plate number strip of 3

 -Booklet panes – not included

 -Distinguished Americans Series Specialized – not included

NONDENOMINATED (25¢) AMERICAN EAGLE SELF-ADHESIVE COIL (08/05/05)

 -Singles Simplified – not included

 -Singles Complete – 10 singles & 1 strip of 10

 -Blocks – 1 strip of 10

 -Plate Blocks – 1 plate number strip of 10

 -Booklet panes – not included

 -Distinguished Americans Series Specialized – not included

3¢ SILVER COFFEEPOT (09/16/05)

 -Singles Simplified – 1 single

 -Singles Complete – 1 pair

 -Blocks – 1 pair

 -Plate Blocks – 1 plate number strip of 3

 -Booklet panes – not included

 -Distinguished Americans Series Specialized – not included

2¢ NAVAJO NECKLACE - AP PRINTING (12/08/05)

 -Singles Simplified – not included

  -Singles Complete – 1 single

 -Blocks – 1 block of 4

 -Plate Blocks – 1 plate block of 4

 -Booklet panes – not included

 -Distinguished Americans Series Specialized – not included

2¢ NAVAJO NECKLACE - SSP PRINTING (12/08/05)

 -Singles Simplified – not included

 -Singles Complete – 1 single

 -Blocks – 1 block of 4

 -Plate Blocks – 1 plate block of 4

 -Booklet panes – not included

 -Distinguished Americans Series Specialized – not included

NON-DENOMINATED (39¢) LIBERTY & FLAG GUMMED SHEET STAMP (12/08/05)

 -Singles Simplified – 1 single (any of the 11 varieties is appropriate)

 -Singles Complete – 1 single

 -Blocks – 1 block of 4

 -Plate Blocks – 1 plate block of 4

 -Booklet panes – not included

 -Distinguished Americans Series Specialized – not included

NON-DENOMINATED (39¢) LIBERTY & FLAG SELF-ADHESIVE SHEET STAMP (12/08/05)

 -Singles Simplified – not included

 -Singles Complete – 1 single

 -Blocks – 1 block of 4

 -Plate Blocks – 1 plate block of 4

 -Booklet panes – not included

 -Distinguished Americans Series Specialized – not included

NON-DENOMINATED (39¢) LIBERTY & FLAG S.A. COIL OF 100 - AP PRINTING (12/08/05)

 -Singles Simplified – not included

 -Singles Complete – 1 pair

 -Blocks – 1 pair

 -Plate Blocks – 1 plate number strip of 3

 -Booklet panes – not included

 -Distinguished Americans Series Specialized – not included

NON-DENOMINATED (39¢) LIBERTY & FLAG S.A. COIL OF 100 - AV PRINTING (12/08/05)

 -Singles Simplified – not included

 -Singles Complete – 1 pair

 -Blocks – 1 pair

 -Plate Blocks – 1 plate number strip of 3

 -Booklet panes – not included

 -Distinguished Americans Series Specialized – not included

NON-DENOMINATED (39¢) LIBERTY & FLAG S.A. COIL OF 100 - SSP PRINTING (12/08/05)

 -Singles Simplified – not included

 -Singles Complete – 1 pair

 -Blocks – 1 pair

 -Plate Blocks – 1 plate number strip of 3

 -Booklet panes – not included

 -Distinguished Americans Series Specialized – not included

NON-DENOMINATED (39¢) LIBERTY & FLAG GUMMED COIL OF 3000 - SSP PRINTING (12/08/05)

 -Singles Simplified – not included

 -Singles Complete – 1 pair

 -Blocks – 1 pair

 -Plate Blocks – 1 plate number strip of 3

 -Booklet panes – not included

 -Distinguished Americans Series Specialized – not included

NON-DENOMINATED (39¢) LIBERTY & FLAG S.A. 2-SIDED CONVERTIBLE BOOKLET OF 20 - AP  PRINTING (12/08/05)

 -Singles Simplified – not included

 -Singles Complete – not included

 -Blocks – 1 full pane of 20

 -Plate Blocks – 1 full pane of 20 with plate number

 -Booklet panes – 1 full pane of 20

 -Distinguished Americans Series Specialized – not included

NON-DENOMINATED (39¢) LIBERTY & FLAG S.A. 2-SIDED CONVERTIBLE BOOKLET OF 20 - AV  PRINTING (12/08/05)

 -Singles Simplified – not included

 -Singles Complete – not included

 -Blocks – 1 full pane of 20

 -Plate Blocks – 1 full pane of 20 with plate number

 -Booklet panes – 1 full pane of 20

 -Distinguished Americans Series Specialized – not included

NON-DENOMINATED (39¢) LIBERTY & FLAG S.A. 2-SIDED CONVERTIBLE BOOKLET OF 20 - SSP  PRINTING (12/08/05)

 -Singles Simplified – not included

 -Singles Complete – not included

 -Blocks – 1 full pane of 20

 -Plate Blocks – 1 full pane of 20 with plate number

 -Booklet panes – 1 full pane of 20

 -Distinguished Americans Series Specialized – not included

NON-DENOMINATED (39¢) LIBERTY & FLAG S.A. VENDING BOOKLET OF 20 (12/08/05)

 -Singles Simplified – not included

 -Singles Complete – not included

 -Blocks – 1 full pane of 20

 -Plate Blocks – 1 full pane of 20 with plate number (on back of pane)

 -Booklet panes – 1 full pane of 20

 -Distinguished Americans Series Specialized – not included

NON-DENOMINATED (39¢) LIBERTY & FLAG S.A. ATM PANE OF 18 (12/08/05)

 -Singles Simplified – not included

 -Singles Complete – not included

 -Blocks – 1 full pane of 18

 -Plate Blocks – 1 full pane of 18 with plate number

 -Booklet panes – 1 full pane of 18

 -Distinguished Americans Series Specialized – not included

AIR MAIL ALBUMS

60¢ ACADIA NATIONAL PARK (January 2005)

 -Airmail Singles – not included

 -Airmail Blocks – not included

 -Airmail Plate Blocks not included

Each of the 2005 definitive stamps listed above belong to one of the following categories:  a reprint produced to restock a design for which the USPS inventory has been depleted; a new design in an existing series; or a new design created to launch a new postal rate. Our decisions on which stamps in each category to include in our regular issue albums follow those made in 2004 and in prior years.

In our Regular Singles Simplified pages we attempt to show each face different stamp issue only once. Thus perforation, booklet format, coil format, and other varieties having the same face design, are considered equivalent and space is provided for only one example. Thus we have included only the Silver Coffepot and the Lady Liberty & American Flag issues.

The Regular Singles Complete album is intended to show all major stamp varieties issued in sheet and coil formats. To maintain a measure of completeness, booklet stamps are included when they don't exist in sheet or coil form. However, we have a strong conviction that booklet stamps should be collected as unbroken panes. Thus, for the collector who wishes to properly collect booklet stamps, a separate White Ace album is available for full booklet panes. Accordingly, we have not included in the 2005 supplement: the Sea Coast (2005) coil, Liberty & Flag double-sided booklet stamps, Liberty & Flag vending booklet stamps, or Liberty & Flag ATM stamps.            .      
            .
What to do with the non-denominated American Eagle self-adhesive coil issued August 5, 2005, was not easily decided. The 2005 issue is identical in every respect to the original 2003 issue except for the "2005" date on the bottom left of each stamp. Had these reprints been quietly placed on sale, we would most certainly ignore them, as we did the 2005 Sea Coast reprint. Yet the postal service designated August 5, 2005 as their issue date and accorded the reprinted stamps a first day cancellation at Grand Rapids, MI. Furthermore, because of the date on each stamp, anyone can easily determine which version they are looking at. For this reason, (with significant reservations) we will suspend our usual logic and include them in all regular issues supplements except Regular Singles Simplified.

As with the American Eagle coil of 2003 and 2004, the 2005 American Eagle self-adhesive coil will not fit on our regular issue album page if shown as two complete sequences of se-tenant stamps with a plate number as the last stamp of the first sequence. As we did in 2003 and 2004, we will show the 2005 Eagle Coil as a plate strip of 10.  (While the plate number could reasonably be positioned anywhere on the strip, we will extract our strip with the plate number on the fifth stamp from the left).

Singles the Navajo Necklace and sheet singles and coil pairs of the Liberty & Flag issues released on December 8  are  included in the Regular Singles Complete pages. Because of the similarity of the booklet stamps to the sheet and coil varieties, these are not included in these pages.

In the Regular Block and Plate Block pages, all varieties of the December 8th issues are included.

Three of the stamps listed above, Seacoast, American Flag and Acadia National Park, will likely be unfamiliar to many collectors, particularly because they were not accorded first day cancellations, were not announced in advance of their issue and have not even been identified by a "for the record" announcement in the Postal Bulletin. Because of their similarity to previous versions of these stamps, we have provided additional information below which will enable the collector to identify them.

As most collectors know, it is common for the USPS to reprint definitives, like these three, when necessary to keep them available for sale. Usually these reprintings are identical to the first printing and are not considered by collectors to be new issues or collectible varieties. However, when changes are made in production of such a reprint, these may make the reprints worthy of including in our pages.

In modern printing, press plates are made by the printer using electronic files usually created from conventional artwork. While alteration of the image files may occur in preparing the job for press, the printer would only have to do this the first time the stamp is printed. If subsequent printings require new plates, or even if the same printer moves the job to a different size press, the same files would likely be used and usually no change in the image would occur.

If production of a stamp is moved to a new printing firm, the process almost certainly involves starting over from the conventional art, or re-composing electronic art and typography. The preparation of electronic files for output will likely differ from the process used in the prior printing and will result in an image that is slightly different. Additionally, it may be printed on different paper or have changes in perforation or die cut measurements. Because of these differences, the USPS usually changes the date printed at the bottom edge of the stamp, so the origin of the stamp is less ambiguous.

The numerous varieties of the Sea Coast coil over the last few years have challenged collector's abilities to categorize and list them: As best we can tell, there are 2 gummed varieties; 2 self-adhesive varieties with die cuts on all four sides; and 4 self-adhesive varieties with vertical die cuts only. All of these are un-tagged. A tagged version of one of the coils die cut on four sides and a tagged variety of one of the self-adhesive coils with die cuts on two sides brings the total number of sea-coast coil varieties to 10. (We do not include tagging varieties in any White Ace albums, so we have not listed these in this or prior Format Guides).

The 2005 variety listed above, which first appeared in February 2005, is distinguished by its small black "2003" date. This was printed by Ashton Potter USA, as was a similar variety placed on sale in August 2004. As we know of no other differences, we will not be including it in any of our 2005 White Ace Supplements.

Since the publication of our last airmail supplement, in 2000, only three airmails have been released: 70¢ Nine Mile Prairie (C136), 80¢ Mt. Mckinley (C137) and 60¢ Acadia National Park (C138). The 60¢ Acadia National Park stamp has been reprinted several times, and this latest version bears a date of "2005" which distinguishes it from the prior printing. In spite of the date change, no other significant differences exist from prior versions, and we will not show this in any of our airmail supplements. While we have been unable to release an airmail supplement since 2000, because of the insufficient number of stamps to fill a page, this obstacle appears to be close to resolution with the planned issuance of several new airmails in 2006.

In any case, all of the 2005 varieties in which the printer changed are considered new issues, and will be shown in all White Ace Regular Issue albums except in the Regular Singles Simplified pages. Details of these issues, sufficient for identification, are provided below.

Singles the Navajo Necklace and sheet singles and coil pairs of the Liberty & Flag issues released on December 8  are  included in the Regular Singles Complete pages. Because of the similarity of the booklet stamps to the sheet and coil varieties, these are not included in these pages.

In the Regular Block and Plate Block pages, all varieties of the December 8th issues are included.

Descriptions of the December 8 rate change issues sufficient to differentiate them, and USPS order numbers are provided below to assist in ordering them from the Philatelic Bureau should this be necessary.



American Flag SA Coil of 100 AP Printing (June 2005) - New stamp, printed by Ashton Potter USA is dated "2005," is on a carrier the same width as the stamps, has no gaps between the stamps, plate numbers every 31 stamps, Scott #3633B, die cut 9.5, USPS order #780143 (coil of 100) .

The 2005 printing replaces a "2003" dated flag stamp, released in April 2003, printed by Banknote Corporation of America in rolls of 100, die cut 8.5, Scott # 3633A, USPS order #780141(coil of 100).



Non-denominated (5¢) Seacoast SA Coil of 10000 diecut on 2 sides (February 2005) - AP Printing - like AP printed coil of August 2004, but with small black "2003" date, probably die cut 10, Scott # 3874a, USPS order number not yet assigned. (As of yet, we have not been able to obtain a sample of this issue to confirm this description).

Replaces non-denominated (5¢) Seacoast SA Coil of 10000 diecut on 2 sides (August 2004) - AP Printing - Reprinted as coil of 10000 with black "2003" date, plate numbers every 27th stamp, die cut 10, Scott #3874, USPS order # 781434 (plate strip of 25).


Non-denominated (5¢) Seacoast SA Coil of 10000 diecut on 2 sides (Late August 2004) - SSP Printing - Reprinted as coil of 10000 with "2004" date, plate numbers every 20th stamp, die cut 11.7, Scott #3875, USPS order #781433 (plate strip of 25).

Originally issued 10/21/02 as coil of 10000, printed by Banknote Corporation of America, dated with a blue "2002," plate numbers every 20?? or 21?? stamps, die cut 8.5, Scott 3693, USPS order #781430 (plate strip of 25).

All four of the sea coast coils above are understood to be un-tagged, although a tagged version of the Late August 2004 SSP Printing also has been identified.


60¢ Acadia National park self-adhesive airmail sheet stamp (January 2005) - SSP printing - like 2003 printing, except with "2005" date, Scott #C138b, USPS Order #560040.

Replaces 60¢ Acadia National park varieties produced by SSP in 2003 (Scott C138a) and 2001 (Scott C138).


2¢ Navajo Necklace sheet stamps - 2 new varieties of this stamp were released in December 8, 2005: Ashton Potter Printing, dated with small "2006," die cut 11.3 x 10.9, Scott #3749B , USPS Order #180340; and Sennett Security Printers Printing, dated with large "2006," die cut 11.3 x 11.7, Scott #3749A, USPS Order #180240.

These two replace the same stamp released August 20, 2004, printed by Avery Dennison, dated "2004," die cut  11 x 11, Scott #3749, USPS Order #107240.


Non-denominated (39¢) Lady Liberty & American Flag Gummed Sheet of 100 - New design released December 8, 2005:  printed by Ashton Potter, dated "2006," perforated 11.3 x 11.2, Scott #3965, USPS Order #108540 (full pane of 100).

Non-denominated (39¢) Lady Liberty & American Flag Self-adhesive Sheet of 20 - Printed by Ashton Potter, dated "2006," die cut 11.3 x 10.9, Scott #3966, USPS Order #567740 (full pane of 20).

Non-denominated (39¢) Lady Liberty & American Flag S.A. Coil of 100 - 3 varieties released December 8, 2005: 
Ashton-Potter printing, dated with small "2006," die cut 9.5 vertically, Scott #3970, USPS Order #783040 (coil of 100);
Avery Dennison Printing, dated with small "2006," die cut 8.4 vertically, Scott #3968, USPS Order #783041 (coil of 100); and
Sennett Security Printers printing, dated with large "2006," die cut 10.25 vertically, Scott #3969, USPS Order #783042 (coil of 100).

Non-denominated (39¢) Lady Liberty & American Flag Gummed Coil of 3000 - Printed by Sennett Security Printers, dated "2006," perforated 9.9 vertically, Scott #3967, USPS Order #783430 (strip of 25).

Non-denominated (39¢) Lady Liberty & American Flag S.A. Double-sided Convertible Booklet - 3 varieties released December 8, 2005:
Ashton-Potter printing, dated with small "2006," die cut 11.3 x 10.8, area to right of torch is dark blue, Scott #3971, USPS Order #674440;
Avery Dennison Printing, dated with small "2006," die cut 11.3 x 10.8, white ray extends upward from star at left of torch, left side of statue is outlined in white & area to right of torch is light blue, Scott #3972, USPS Order #674441; and
Sennett Security Printers printing, dated large "2006," die cut 10.8 x 10.4, Scott #3973 ???, USPS Order #674442.

Non-denominated (39¢) Lady Liberty & American Flag Vending Booklet of 20 - Printed by Sennett Security Printers, dated "2006," perforated 11.3 x 10.8, Scott #3974, USPS Order #674340.

Non-denominated (39¢) Lady Liberty & American Flag ATM Pane of 18 - Printed by Avery Dennison, dated "2006," perforated 7.9 x 7.9, Scott #3975, USPS Order #567640.