United States, Scott #5721, used(o), 1922, Traditional Christmas, 16th century, Oil-on-Panel depiction of the Madonna and Child by the anonymous Florentine artist known as 'The Master of Scandicci Lamentation' presently at the Museum of Fine Art at Boston, the practice of using images of Mary and Jesus for the traditional Christmas stamp follows a practice that dates back to the first United States Christmas issue of the Madonna and Child in 1966, this stamp comes as a forever stamp with a counter selling price of (60 cents), offset lithography printed by Ashton Potter USA (APU), issued with non-water soluble adhesive on front and back booklet panes of twenty, serpentine die cut simulated perforations: 11 on two sides, stamp is one of the top row interior stamps (seven of the twenty in the booklet so configured), with imperforated top, and simulated perforations on right and left sides and the bottom, 'USPS' in embedded microprint at the lower left on the Virgin's knee, Scott 2025 catalog value: 25¢, nicely centered, large, very light, red-inked, double-rimmed, half circular, broken-up, socked-on-the-nose cancellation centered at the middle of the right edge, but extending well over the main images, however, the lightness of the cancel and its broken-up effect leave the main images remarkably clear, good perforations; stamp was removed from its mailing envelope using the Bestine solvent and placed first on a piece of white paper for color contrast, and then on a piece of black card stock for a uniform and attractive album appearance; centering, mounting, and image clear cancels warrants a selling price premium. This is not a 'bait-and-switch;' the stamp you see will be the one you receive.
Please review my terms of sale. If you are not ordering from the United States, there is a $US1.55 additional postage expense that needs to be added to the price of the stamp. If you are ordering from the United States, there is only a $US0.68 added postage expense. Also, if you make additional purchases from my offerings, they can all go in one mailing at no extra shipping expense for the added purchases. I will send the purchase by US first class mail, since the relatively low value of the stamp does not warrant signature or tracking mail. Hence the buyer assumes risk of loss or non-delivery. I will keep a scan of my mailing to verify that the correct mailing address was used. If not satisfied, return the stamp to me at your own expense, and I will refund the cost, but not my postage to you. If the stamp is not as described, I will refund the cost and reimburse you for postage both ways.
By way of reference, I am an American Philatelic Society member (195176) and an American Stamp Dealers Association (ASDA) member. Thank you for looking, and I hope this is the perfect stamp to fill that gap in your collection.
