About This Stamp
The 12.5-cent Pushcart stamp features an image of a simple two-wheeled cart similar to that used by street vendors in the 1880s. It was issued without a ceremony at Oil Center, New Mexico, on April 18, 1985, along with the 10.1-cent Oil Wagon of the Transportation coil series. There were 319,953 first day covers that utilized one or both of the stamps.
The 12.5-cent stamp met the per-piece rate for three-digit presort that began on February 17, 1985, and ended on April 3, 1988. After that time, the 12.5-cent Pushcart was used for false franking until October 9, 1988. Plates 1 and 2 were used to print the block tagged collectors’ version and also for the untagged and precanceled with the words "Bulk Rate" between two parallel bars.
The 12.5-cent Pushcart was printed n the B press at the Bureau of Engraving and Printing. It was designed by James Schleyer of Burke, Virginia. Gary Chaconas engraved the vignette, and Robert G. Culin, Sr., engraved the lettering. Both worked for the Bureau of Engraving and Printing.