The Bureau of Engraving and Printing will no longer offer souvenir cards beginning in 2003.
Instead, the BEP will offer 8-by-10-inch commemorative intaglio prints marking four numismatic shows. The prints will be priced at $30 each, nearly five times the cost of the souvenir cards offered in 2002.
The shows and release dates for the BEP commemorative intaglio prints are: the Florida United Numismatist convention, Jan. 9; Georgia Numismatic Association show, June 5; American Numismatic Association convention in Baltimore, July 30; and the St. Louis National and World Paper Money Show, Nov. 20.
Each print can be ordered directly from the BEP after the first date of the show at which it is released.
The theme of the 2003 program is "Engraved American Heritage Collection." The prints will feature red and blue inks and allegorical images of Freedom and Liberty (FUN show), the Wright brothers (GNA show), the American flag (ANA convention) and Patriotism (St. Louis show).
Each print will be featured on the BEP's Web site (www.moneyfactory.com) four weeks before its release date, although orders will not be accepted until the first date of the show. The FUN print is expected to be displayed on the Web site in early December.
The 2003 subscription plan will offer collectors the four commemorative intaglio prints for $120. Subscribers are guaranteed to receive every commemorative intaglio print included in the subscription series. The BEP will mail each print after its first day of sale. Jan. 7 is the deadline to guarantee receipt of all four prints on the subscription plan.
Previously, both souvenir cards and intaglio prints were offered to collectors. At shows, souvenir cards were priced at $6.50 and $6.85 (uncanceled and canceled by the U.S. Postal Service) and the intaglio print was priced at $20.
The BEP had produced souvenir cards for coin and paper money shows or other special events since 1969. Most of the souvenir cards were printed on an 8-by-10-inch sheet of heavy paper. In recent years, each year's series of numismatic souvenir cards had a different theme. All feature reproductions of various United States paper currency issues. Special anniversaries are often the focus of the designs for souvenir cards.
This is not the first time the BEP has decided to make changes to the souvenir card program. It experimented with a folded souvenir card in 1995 but returned to the traditional style in 1996.
In 2000, the BEP issued 12 souvenir cards in its "Highlights of the Century" theme. The cards feature selected engravings of events or individuals that had a significant effect on the United States of America during the 20th century. A new souvenir card was issued the first day of each month during the year 2000, unlike previous souvenir card issues, which commemorated coin and stamp shows the BEP attended during the year.
The 6-by-9-inch cards were printed in a single color and included a 5-by-8-inch narrative explaining the idea behind the engraving.
In 2001, the BEP issued special untitled souvenir cards that looked exactly like the regular souvenir cards that were issued that year, but without the titles designating the show the cards honored. All the 2001 cards featured the face side images of a Series 1890 or 1891 Treasury coin notes depicting Union Civil War military heroes and politicians. BEP officials planned to market the untitled cards to collectors of Civil War memorabilia and students of the war's history.
BEP officials say customers using credit cards may place orders via a toll-free ordering line (800) 456-3408; by toll-free FAX (888) 891-7585; or on the BEP's Web site at www.moneyfactory.com. Telephone orders can be made between 7:30 a.m. and 7:20 p.m. Eastern Time.
