FORMATS FOR 2013 ISSUES IN WHITE ACE COMMEMORATIVE
SUPPLEMENTS
This compilation is being published to assist in collecting currently available issues in advance of publication of the 2013 White Ace album supplements.
The Commemorative Singles SIMPLIFIED pages are
intended to simplify the collector's stamp purchasing
requirements, and are thus an ideal choice for a beginning
collector. Released for the first time by White Ace for the 1996
issues, they have been continued for each subsequent year's issues
and will continue to be published, in the same format, for the
2013 issues. These pages will generally seek to show each face
different stamp only once. For stamps issued in se-tenant format -
i.e. more than one stamp design in a pane - the smallest intact
unit will be shown that contains all designs. This will usually be
a strip, block or full booklet pane. All face different versions
of each commemorative issue will be included and will thus enable
the collector to assemble a complete commemorative collection.
The Commemorative Singles (complete) pages
will continue to be published in their original format for
collectors wishing to assemble a more detailed and comprehensive
collection. For se-tenant issues, these pages will show a set of
singles and a strip or block as in the past. Other stamp
formats will continue to be shown in a manner consistent with
prior printings of this album.
COMMEMORATIVE ALBUMS
EMANCIPATION PROCLAMATION (01/01/13)
-Singles – 1 single
-Singles SIMPLIFIED – 1 single
-Blocks – 1 block of 4
-Plate Blocks – 1 plate block of 4
-Plate Blocks SIMPLIFIED – 1 plate block
of 4
LUNAR NEW YEAR - YEAR OF THE SNAKE (01/14/13)
-Singles – 1 single
-Singles SIMPLIFIED – 1 single
-Blocks – 1 block of 4
-Plate Blocks – 1 full sheet of 12 (there
are no plate numbers)
-Plate Blocks SIMPLIFIED – 1 full sheet
of 12 (there are no plate numbers)
SEALED WITH LOVE (01/30/13)
-Singles – 1 single
-Singles SIMPLIFIED – 1 single
-Blocks – 1 block of 4
-Plate Blocks – 1 plate block of 4
-Plate Blocks SIMPLIFIED – 1 plate block
of 4
ROSA PARKS (02/04/13)
-Singles – 1 single
-Singles SIMPLIFIED – 1 single
-Blocks – 1 block of 4
-Plate Blocks – 1 plate block of 4
-Plate Blocks SIMPLIFIED – 1 plate block
of 4
MUSCLE CARS (02/22/13)
-Singles – 5 singles and 1 vertical strip
of 5
-Singles SIMPLIFIED – 1 vertical strip of
5
-Blocks – 1 vertical block of 6 (2 stamps
wide x 3 stamps high)
-Plate Blocks – 2 plate blocks of 6 from
bottom of sheet
-Plate Blocks SIMPLIFIED – 1 plate block
of 6
MODERN ART IN AMERICA (03/07/13)
-Singles – 12 singles & full sheet of
12
-Singles SIMPLIFIED – 1 full sheet of 12
-Blocks – 1 full sheet of 12
-Plate Blocks – 1 full sheet of 12 (there
are no plate numbers)
-Plate Blocks SIMPLIFIED – 1 full sheet
of 12 (there are no plate numbers)
LA FLORIDA (04/03/13)
-Singles – 4 singles and a block of 4
-Singles SIMPLIFIED – 1 block of 4
-Blocks – 1 block of 4
-Plate Blocks – 1 plate block of 4
-Plate Blocks SIMPLIFIED – 1 plate block
of 4
VINTAGE SEED PACKETS CONVERTIBLE BOOKLET OF 20
(04/05/13)
-Singles – 10 singles and 1 full pane of
20
-Singles SIMPLIFIED – 1 full pane of 20
-Blocks – 1 full pane of 20
-Plate Blocks – 1 full pane of 20
-Plate Blocks SIMPLIFIED – 1 full pane of
20
-Booklet Panes – 1 full booklet pane of
20
WHERE DREAMS BLOSSOM (04/05/13)
-Singles – 1 single
-Singles SIMPLIFIED – 1 single
-Blocks – 1 block of 4
-Plate Blocks – 1 plate block of 4
-Plate Blocks SIMPLIFIED – 1 plate block
of 4
LYDIA MENDOZA (05/15/13)
-Singles – 1 single
-Singles SIMPLIFIED – 1 single
-Blocks – 1 block of 4
-Plate Blocks – 1 full sheet (there are
no plate numbers)
-Plate Blocks SIMPLIFIED – 1 full sheet
(there are no plate numbers)
CIVIL WAR: 1863 (05/23/13)
-Singles – 2 singles, 1 pair & 1
souvenir sheet
-Singles SIMPLIFIED – 1 souvenir sheet
-Blocks – 1 block of 4 & 1 souvenir
sheet
-Plate Blocks – 1 souvenir sheet (there
are no plate numbers)
-Plate Blocks SIMPLIFIED – 1 souvenir
sheet (there are no plate numbers)
JOHNNY CASH (06/05/13)
-Singles – 1 single
-Singles SIMPLIFIED – 1 single
-Blocks – 1 block of 4
-Plate Blocks – 1 full sheet (there are
no plate numbers)
-Plate Blocks SIMPLIFIED – 1 full sheet
(there are no plate numbers)
WEST VIRGINIA STATEHOOD (06/20/13)
-Singles – 1 single
-Singles SIMPLIFIED – 1 single
-Blocks – 1 block of 4
-Plate Blocks – 1 plate block of 4
-Plate Blocks SIMPLIFIED – 1 plate block
of 4
NEW ENGLAND COASTAL LIGHTHOUSES (07/13/13)
-Singles – 5 singles & 1 strip of 5
-Singles SIMPLIFIED – 1 strip of 5
-Blocks – 1 horizontal block of 6 (3 wide
x 2 high)
-Plate Blocks – 2 plate blocks of 6 from
bottom of sheet (3 wide x 2 high)
-Plate Blocks SIMPLIFIED – 1 plate block
of 6
MADE IN AMERICA (08/08/13)
-Singles – 12 singles and 1 full sheet of
12 (with any of the 5 selvage designs)
-Singles SIMPLIFIED – 1 full sheet of 12
(with any of the 5 selvage designs)
-Blocks – 1 full sheet of 12 (with any of
the 5 selvage designs)
-Plate Blocks – 1 full sheet of 12 (with
any of the 5 selvage designs)
-Plate Blocks SIMPLIFIED – 1 full sheet
of 12 (with any of the 5 selvage designs)
EID (08/08/13)
-Singles – 1 single
-Singles SIMPLIFIED – 1 single
-Blocks – 1 block of 4
-Plate Blocks – 1 plate block of 4
-Plate Blocks SIMPLIFIED – 1 plate block
of 4
ALTHEA GIBSON (08/23/13)
-Singles – 1 single
-Singles SIMPLIFIED – 1 single
-Blocks – 1 block of 4
-Plate Blocks – 1 plate block of 4
-Plate Blocks SIMPLIFIED – 1 plate block
of 4
MARCH ON WASHINGTON (08/23/13)
-Singles – 1 single
-Singles SIMPLIFIED – 1 single
-Blocks – 1 block of 4
-Plate Blocks – 1 plate block of 4
-Plate Blocks SIMPLIFIED – 1 plate block
of 4
WAR OF 1812 - BATTLE OF LAKE ERIE (09/10/13)
-Singles – 1 single & full sheet
-Singles SIMPLIFIED – 1 single
-Blocks – 1 block of 4 & 1 full sheet
-Plate Blocks – 1 full souvenir sheet
(there are no plate numbers)
-Plate Blocks SIMPLIFIED – 1 full
souvenir sheet (there are no plate numbers)
JENNY INVERT (09/22/13)
-Singles – 1 single & 1 full souvenir
sheet of 6
-Singles SIMPLIFIED – 1 full souvenir sheet of 6
-Blocks – 1 full souvenir sheet of 6
-Plate Blocks – 1 full souvenir sheet of
6 (there are no plate numbers)
-Plate Blocks SIMPLIFIED – 1 full
souvenir sheet of 6 (there are no plate numbers)
RAY CHARLES (09/23/13)
-Singles – 1 single
-Singles SIMPLIFIED – 1 single
-Blocks – 1 block of 4
-Plate Blocks – 1 full sheet (there are
no plate numbers)
-Plate Blocks SIMPLIFIED – 1 full sheet
(there are no plate numbers)
CHRISTMAS POINSETTIA CONVERTIBLE BOOKLET OF 20
(10/10/13)
-Singles – 1 single
-Singles SIMPLIFIED – 1 single
-Blocks – 1 full pane of 20
-Plate Blocks – 1 full pane of 20
-Plate Blocks SIMPLIFIED – 1 full pane of
20
-Booklet panes – 1 full pane of 20
CHRISTMAS POINSETTIA ATM PANE OF 18 (10/10/13)
-Singles – 1 single
-Singles SIMPLIFIED – 1 single
-Blocks – 1 full ATM pane of 18
-Plate Blocks – 1 full ATM pane of 18
-Plate Blocks SIMPLIFIED – 1 full ATM
pane of 18
-Booklet panes – 1 full ATM pane of 18
CHRISTMAS HOLY FAMILY SHEET STAMP (10/11/13)
-Singles – not included
-Singles SIMPLIFIED – not included
-Blocks – 1 block of 4
-Plate Blocks – 1 plate block of 4
-Plate Blocks SIMPLIFIED – 1 plate block
of 4
CHRISTMAS MADONNA & CHILD CONVERTIBLE BOOKLET
OF 20 (10/11/13)
-Singles – 1 single
-Singles SIMPLIFIED – 1 single
-Blocks – 1 full pane of 20
-Plate Blocks – 1 full pane of 20
-Plate Blocks SIMPLIFIED – 1 full pane of
20
-Booklet panes – 1 full pane of 20
CHRISTMAS WREATH GLOBAL FOREVER STAMP (10/24/13)
-Singles – 1 single
-Singles SIMPLIFIED – 1 single
-Blocks – 1 block of 4
-Plate Blocks – 1 plate block of 4
-Plate Blocks SIMPLIFIED – 1 plate block
of 4
GINGERBREAD HOUSES CONVERTIBLE BOOKLET OF 20
(11/06/13)
-Singles – 4 singles and 1 full pane of
20
-Singles SIMPLIFIED – 1 full pane of 20
-Blocks – 1 full pane of 20
-Plate Blocks – 1 full pane of 20
-Plate Blocks SIMPLIFIED – 1 full pane of
20
-Booklet Panes – 1 full booklet pane of
20
MEDAL OF HONOR: WORLD WAR II (11/11/13)
-Singles – 2 singles, 1 pair & 1 full
pane souvenir sheet of 2 (with photos around the stamps)
-Singles SIMPLIFIED – 1 full pane
souvenir sheet of 2 (with photos around the stamps
-Blocks – 1 block of 4 & 1 full pane
souvenir sheet of 2 (with photos around the stamps)
-Plate Blocks – 1 plate block of 4 &
1 full pane souvenir sheet of 2 (with photos around the stamps)
-Plate Blocks SIMPLIFIED – 1 plate block
of 4
HARRY POTTER (11/19/13)
-Singles – 20 singles & 5 panes of 4
-Singles SIMPLIFIED – 5 panes of 4
-Blocks – 5 panes of 4
-Plate Blocks – 5 panes of 4 (there are
no plate numbers)
-Plate Blocks SIMPLIFIED – 5 panes of 4
(there are no plate numbers)
-Booklet Panes – 5 panes of 4
HANUKKAH (11/19/13 actually released
11/9/13)
-Singles – 1 single
-Singles SIMPLIFIED – 1 single
-Blocks – block of 4
-Plate Blocks – 1 plate block of 4
-Plate Blocks SIMPLIFIED – 1 plate block
of 4
KWANZAA (11/26/13)
-Singles – 1 single
-Singles SIMPLIFIED – 1 single
-Blocks – 1 block of 4
-Plate Blocks – 1 plate block of 4
-Plate Blocks SIMPLIFIED – 1 plate block
of 4
Many of the 2013 commemorative issues listed are
unexceptional and follow formats long established for each of the
albums listed. For those which are not common or do not fit
established patterns, we offer the following explanations.
The Civil War sheet has relatively unusual layout, but
is similar to Jamestown Settlement (2007). There is one stamp of
each of the sheet's two stamp designs on one side—which we
categorize as a souvenir sheet. The remaining ten stamps are in
se-tenant format on the other side. Accordingly, in our
Singles Complete pages we show two different singles, a se-tenant
pair and a full souvenir sheet—which is the same as we treated the
previous issues of this series in 2011 and 2012.
Similar reasoning applies to the Medal of Honor:
World War II issue. In this case we regard the side with the
pair surrounded by photos to be a souvenir sheet, which we show as
a full pane in all supplements except Plate Blocks
Simplified. In the Singles Complete pages we additionally
show each single and a se-tenant pair as we do for any such
souvenir sheet. As the other page of the folder consists of
16 stamps with plate numbers at the bottom left and right, we will
show additionally a conventional plate block of 4 in our plate
block pages.
As most users of White Ace Commemorative pages are
aware, we showed a full pane of the Legends of Hollywood series
issue―with a large illustrated area of
selvage on one side of the sheet―in all of
our Commemorative albums except for the Singles Simplified, Plate
Blocks Simplified, and Copyright Singles or Blocks.
Including a full sheet when it has this layout, began with the
Elvis Presley and Marilyn Monroe issues in the early 1990s,
and has continued for issues having similar format ever
since. For example, refer to Frida Kahlo (2001), Daffy Duck
(1999), Andy Warhol (2002), etc. In our 2013 pages, we will
follow this pattern by including a full sheet of the War of 1812
in all but the Singles Simplified pages.
In the White Ace Plate Block Albums, a plate block is
considered the smallest block (of 4 or more stamps) that can be
taken from the margin of the sheet, that contains all stamp
designs, and has attached selvage bearing a plate number. If more
than one such block can be removed from a sheet and the plate
number is adjacent to a different stamp design in any of these,
then each such example is shown in our Plate Blocks Complete
pages. In our Plate Blocks Simplified pages, any such plate
position can be collected. In most cases, there will be two rows
or columns of stamps opposite the plate number. (This definition
may vary somewhat where there is a particularly attractive header
or illustrated selvage or where there is more than one plate
number along the same margin of the sheet).
Muscle Cars and New England Coastal Lighthouses are
explained as follows: By our definition above, a plate block
from either of these sheets is 6 stamps: 2 wide by 3 high for
Muscle Cars and 3 wide by 2 high for Lighthouses . Because there
are two plate numbers on the sheet adjacent to different stamps,
left and right plate blocks of 6 are required, which for
Lighthouses will have to be taken from two different sheets. Prior
issues with this configuration are Latin Music Legends (2011),
Gulf Coast Lighthouses (2009), and Pacific Lighthouses (2007) and
others cited in the 2009 and 2007 commemorative format guides.
Sometimes, issues having souvenir sheet or booklet
format have either no plate number, or have plate numbers on the
back of the pane. Our practice has been, and continues to be, to
include examples of such issues in our plate block pages as
souvenir sheets. Issues of this sort for 2013 are Lunar New Year,
Modern Art in America, Lydia Mendoza, Civil War, Johnny Cash, War
of 1812, Jenny Invert and Ray Charles all of which will be treated
accordingly.
The Christmas Holy Family stamp was first released in
2012 as a convertible booklet pane of 20, and was re-issued in
2013 in sheet of 20 format. As the images on these two
stamps are identical (as would be expected since they have the
same printer), we do not include the latest printing in either of
our singles pages. This has often been the case with holiday
stamps issued in several varieties. The last time this
occurred, in 2005, we noted: "
For our Commemorative Singles pages and Commemorative Singles
Simplified pages, our standard has always been to include all
"face different" commemoratives and to omit additional varieties
of die-cut, perforation or production format which have the same
image."
In recent years it has become increasingly difficult
to distinguish between commemoratives and definitives.
Sometimes the USPS makes the designation in the Postal Bulletin
and sometimes not. The Wikipedia entries for Definitive
Stamp and Commemorative Stamp are instructive.
Commemoratives are issued to celebrate some event, person or
cultural feature and are usually not reprinted when sold
out. Definitives are intended to satisfy a particular postal
rate or be used in conjunction with other stamps to pay postage
for a period of time and are reprinted when inventory is
depleted. In addition to these categories, the USPS issues
"special" stamps such as love and greeting stamps, which we
include in our commemorative pages. The difficulty with
these definitions is that definitives can often be regarded as
"commemorating" the image they bear, commemoratives are not
restricted to the first class one ounce rate and at the time of
the first printing even the USPS may not know if it will reprint
an issue when it is depleted.
In 2012, the USPS advised that its 65¢ Wedding Cake
stamp was a definitive. In the Postal Bulletin announcements
for the 2013 66¢ Wedding Cake and 66¢ Yes I Do stamps the USPS
indicates that these are definitives. While our instinct is
to regard these as "special" stamps, we will never-the-less accept
the USPS's judgment and place these in our Regular Issue pages.
Global Forever stamps are a new category, and the
first of these issued in February, is clearly a definitive which
will be reprinted as necessary until it is replaced by a new
design. However, the Christmas Wreath Global Forever stamp
would seem to be a one time holiday design and the USPS will
likely replace it with a new design in the next holiday
season. For this reason we are guessing this is a
commemorative and including it in all of our commemorative
supplements.
What the USPS began in 2010 and has continued since,
is that copyright markings are either absent or on the back of the
sheet for every issue. Because there are no copyright markings on
the face of any pane, there will be no Copyright Singles or
Copyright Blocks album pages for 2012.
For other issues for which our format may be puzzling,
we direct the interested collector examine our format guides
posted on-line for prior issues of similar configuration which may
be a precedent.
