2024 First-Class Forever Stamp,Imperforate First Continental Congress

US #5939a
2024 First Continental Congress, 1774
Imperforate

• Honors the 250th anniversary of America’s First Continental Congress
  
  

Stamp Category:  Commemorative
Issuing Country:  United States
Value:  73¢ First Class Mail Rate (Forever)
First Day of Issue:  September 5, 2024
First Day City:  Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Quantity Issued:  18,000,000 (Includes die-cut AND imperforate stamps.  The exact quantity of imperforate stamps is unknown, but it is only a tiny fraction of the total print quantity, making the imperforates much scarcer than traditional die-cut stamps.)
Printed by:  Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd.
Printing Method:  Offset, Microprint
Format:  Panes of 20
Tagging:  Nonphosphored Type III, Block Tag Applied

Why the stamp was issued:  To commemorate the 250th anniversary of the First Continental Congress.

About the stamp design:  Pictures a quote from the First Continental Congress’s letter to King George III of England.  It includes a red border on the left side of the stamp with 12 white stars representing the 12 Colonies present at the first meeting (Georgia did not attend).  The text is white, and the background is blue with two a white stripe on the left and right sides.

First Day City:  The First Day of Issue Ceremony was held at Carpenters’ Hall at Independence National Historic Park in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  Carpenter’s Hall was the meeting location of the First Continental Congress.

History the stamp represents:  In the fall of 1774, delegates from 12 of the 13 colonies met in Philadelphia to discuss their response to Britain’s Intolerable Acts.
Also known as the Coercive Acts, this series of laws was put into place after the Boston Tea Party.  Meant to show Britain’s power over the colonies, the Acts closed Boston’s port and revoked the Massachusetts Charter.  The colonies showed support for Massachusetts and called for a Continental Congress.
Convening on September 5, 1774, delegates to the First Continental Congress found themselves in two factions.  One group wanted to adopt policies that would force Parliament to repeal the Intolerable Acts.  The other group wanted to issue a stronger statement announcing the rights and liberties of the Colonies.  After weeks of debate, a decision was reached.  They formed a Continental Association and created the Declaration and Resolves of the First Continental Congress.  The congress stated that if the Intolerable Acts were not revoked by December 1, the colonies would boycott British goods.  They also planned to embargo exports in September 1775.
Great Britain refused all of their requests.  By the time the Second Continental Congress convened in May 1775, the first shots of the war had been fired at Lexington and Concord.

Scarce Modern Imperforates
In 2012, modern imperforate stamps were one of the hottest stories around.  The US Postal Service released some issues as press sheets.  The sheets with die cut perforations were issued in limited quantities. 
To the surprise of many collectors, officials then issued a small number of press sheets without perforations.  The uncut sheets were only available in Kansas City, Missouri, and most sold out immediately.  In an instant, the imperforate stamp sheets became modern rarities.  For example, only 75,000 Baseball All-Star se-tenant sheets were issued compared to 118,000 Bugs Bunny sheets with the 10th stamp imperforate.
In a controversial move, the editors of Scott Catalogue announced they would not list or give numbers to these stamps because they did not fit Scott guidelines.  This decision was strongly debated since the imperforate stamps are valid for postage.  They eventually decided to give the stamps minor numbers.
Because they are issued in such limited quantities, these scarce modern imperforates can be difficult to find.  Luckily Mystic purchases a small number of each imperforate stamp issued so you can add these modern rarities to your collection.  Be one of the lucky few - order today.