1998 Non-Denominated, 32c & 8c Surtax Semipostal, Breast Cancer Awareness

US #B1
1998 Breast Cancer Research

• America’s first semi-postal stamp
• Issued as a result of Stamp Out Breast Cancer Act
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Stamp Category: Semi-postal
Value: 40¢, First Class Mail Rate + 8¢ surcharge
First Day of Issue: July 29, 1998
First Day City: Washington, DC
Quantity Issued: 280,000,000
Printed by: Avery Dennison security Printing Division
Printing Method: Photogravure
Format: Pane of 20
Perforations: 11 (die cut)

Why the stamp was issued: This stamp was issued to fund breast cancer research

About the stamp design: The design for the first US semi-postal is the work of Ethel Kessler, a graphic designer who became a USPS art director. She is also a breast cancer survivor. She wanted the stamp to comfort those who lost a family member to the disease, encourage those who beat cancer or were still fighting, and raise awareness to early detection. Kessler decided to portray the Greek goddess of the hunt, Artemis. She is reaching behind her for an arrow from her quiver.  The goddess was an image of strength. The final artwork by illustrator Whitney Sherman was done in pastels.

First Day City: The dedication ceremony took place in the East Room of the White House.  First Lady Hillary Clinton was the featured speaker.

Unusual fact about this stamp: This was the first semi-postal stamp issued in the US. Semi-postal stamps are issued to serve a double purpose. Priced higher than regular postage, they pay the current postal rate, but they also contribute a portion of their cost to a charitable cause.
On August 13, 1997, President Bill Clinton signed the Stamp Out Breast Cancer Act, which directed the Postal Service to create a special first-class postage stamp. This issue could be priced at 25 percent above regular first-class rates. As the first US semi-postal stamp, the Breast Cancer Research issue cost 40 cents while carrying a postage value of 32 cents. Of the extra eight cents, 70 percent went to the National Institute of Health, and 30 percent funded medical research by the Department of Defense.
Between its original issue date in 1998 and June 2014, the Breast Cancer Research stamp raised over $78.9 million. The stamp was reissued in 2014 with a postage value of 49¢ and a surcharge of 11¢.

History the stamp represents: Breast cancer claims the life of one woman every 13 minutes in the United States, and more than 4 million are living with the disease. One out of eight women are expected to develop breast cancer by the age of 80. In recognition of these statistics, the US Postal Service issued the first stamp in history to have its proceeds earmarked for research organizations.
The Stamp Out Breast Cancer Act, which was signed into law on August 13, 1997, by President Bill Clinton, directed the USPS to create a special first-class postage stamp. This issue could be priced at 25 percent above regular first-class rates. As the first semi-postal stamp, the Breast Cancer Research issue cost 40 cents while carrying a postage value of 32 cents. Of the extra eight cents, 70 percent went to the National Institute of Health, and 30 percent funded medical research by the Department of Defense.