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Smithsonian sunburst Smithsonian National Postal Museum
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  • 6c Tricycle single
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6c Tricycle single

Object Details

Description
The 6-cent Tricycle issue features an image of a three-wheeled vehicle popular during the 1880s. The tricycle was intended for adults wishing to avoid the hazards of the high rider bicycle of the 1870s that appears on the 5.9-cent value of the Transportation Coil Series. The 6-cent Tricycle was issued on May 6, 1985, at Childs, Maryland, without a formal ceremony. There were 151,594 first day covers. All were the block-tagged unprecanceled collectors' version issued in coils of five hundred stamps, all with plate 1.
The stamp was issued to pay the basic third-class bulk per-piece rate that had gone into effect on February 19, 1985. The untagged version was overprinted with the words “Nonprofit Org.” between parallel bars using plates 1 and 2. It was issued in coils of five hundred and 3,000 stamps. When the six-cent non-profit rate ended on December 31, 1985, the precancelled stamp was authorized for false franking until March 1, 1987.
The Bureau of Engraving and Printing printed the stamp on the intaglio B with plate numbers and intervals of fifty-two stamps. It was designed by James Schleyer of Burke, Virginia. The vignette was engraved by Kenneth Kipperman. Thomas J. Bakos engraved the lettering. Both the engravers worked for the Bureau of Engraving and Printing.
mint
Credit line
Copyright United States Postal Service. All rights reserved.
Data Source
National Postal Museum
Date
May 6, 1985
Object number
1999.2004.409
Type
Postage Stamps
Medium
paper; ink (red brown); adhesive / engraving
Place
United States of America
See more items in
National Postal Museum Collection
Title
Scott Catalogue USA 2126
Topic
The Cold War (1945-1990)
Cars & Trucks
U.S. Stamps
Record ID
npm_1999.2004.409
Usage
Usage conditions apply
GUID
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/hm8a3e60faf-4e64-4f79-b8d5-b495f2f28d86
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HomeSmithsonian National Postal Museum

Plan a Visit

Open daily 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Admission is always free!

2 Massachusetts Ave., N.E.
Washington, DC 20002

The museum's main entrance is located on the corner of First Street and Massachusetts Avenue NE. Other entrances have variable hours.

street map of Postal museum

Learn more
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