[5 rolls]

[1 roll]

February 1, 2014 The Star-Spangled Banner has been a treasured American icon ever since Francis Scott Key celebrated the sight of an American flag still flying over Fort McHenry during the War of 1812. This stamp commemorates the 200th anniversary of the Star-Spangled Banner with a photograph of the flag that flies over Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine in Baltimore. This flag is a replica of the one that inspired Key to write "The Star-Spangled Banner" after Fort McHenry withstood the British attack of September 13-14, 1814. Photographer Gary Clark took the picture of the flag against a backdrop of fireworks during an annual celebration of Defenders Day. Defenders Day, according to the National Park Service, is "Baltimores oldest holiday commemorating the bombardment of Fort McHenry and the writing of The Star-Spangled Banner." Art director Phil Jordan designed the stamp. The Star-Spangled Banner stamps are being issued as Forever stamps. Forever stamps are always equal in value to the current First-Class Mail one-ounce rate. Check to make sure you have genuine stamps, and not counterfeits. Mail sent with counterfeit stamps can be confiscated. Genuine stamps will have microprinted letters "USPS" inside the fireworks on every stamp. Counterfeit stamps have lower print quality on the fireworks, and the letters "USPS" are hard to discern. Genuine stamps have plate numbers such as "P1111" that appear 3 or 4 times along the bottom roll (usually every 25 stamps or so). With a shortwave UV light, genuine stamps will shine with a green phosphorescent glow, while counterfeit stamps just shine bright white. Under a magnifying glass the counterfeit stamps will exhibit lower print quality, with noticeable dots and lines, while the genuine stamps appear smooth.