Third Assistant PostMaster General
Washington, April 2, 1936

    Postmasters and employees of the Postal Service are hereby notified of the issuance of a special postage stamp in commemoration of the tercentenary anniversary of Rhode Island
    The stamp is the same size as the special-delivery stamp ^34/100 by 1 ^44/100 inches in dimensions, arranged vertically. It is enclosed in a double-line border and will be printed in purple. The stamp will be in the 3-cent denomination. The words "U.S. Postage" appear in dark gothic lettering in a horizontal line at the top of the stamp, underneath which are the dates "1636" at the left and "1936" at the right in dark gothic, between ornamental lines.
    The central design is a likeness of Roger Williams modeled from a photograph of the statue in Roger Williams Park at Providence, R.I. The title "Roger Williams" appears on the base of the statue in dark gothic. Between the base of the statue and the right side of the stamp in a circular panel with white ground enclosing the denomination designation "3C" in dark lettering. In a corresponding position at the left is a reproduction of the central design of the State seal of Rhode Island. In a horizontal panel with white edges and dark ground at the base of the stamp arranged in two lines, are the words "Rhode Island" above and "Tercentenary" below in white roman lettering. The stamp is being printed by the rotary process without straight edges and will be issued in sheets containing 50 stamps.
    The new stamp will be first offered for sale at the post office in Providence, R.I., on May 4, 1936. It will be available for sale at other post offices beginning May 5 or as soon thereafter as production will permit.
    Stamp collectors desiring first-day cancellations on May 4 may send a limited number of addressed covers, not to exceed a total of 10, with cash or postal money order remittance payable to the postmaster, Providence, R.I., covering the value of the stamps required for affixing. Personal checks or other postage stamps will positively not be accepted in payment. To receive the May 4 postmark, covers must reach the postmaster, Providence, before the close of business on that date. Covers will be accepted from individual subscribers only and shall be legibly addressed by typewriter or pen. Compliance cannot be made with unusual requests, such as for the affixing of stamps bearing plate numbers or the irregular placing of the stamps on the covers, etc. To facilitate handling and to prevent damage in transit, covers should be of the ordinary letter size.
    Requests for a supply of uncanceled Rhode Island tercentenary commemorative stamps must not be included with orders for first-day covers to the postmaster, Providence. Stamps desired for postage purposes should be purchased at the local post offices as soon as available.
    For the benefit of collectors desiring selected stamps for philatelic use, the Rhode Island Tercentenary stamp will be placed on sale at the Philatelic Agency, Post Office Department, May 5, but the Agency will not prepare covers for mailing on that date. To insure prompt shipment, separate mail orders must be submitted for the Rhode Island Tercentenary stamp, excluding all other varieties of stamp stock.
    Postmasters at the direct- and central-accounting post offices may obtain a limited supply only of the new stamp on separate requisition to the Department on form 3201-A, endorsed "Rhode Island Tercentenary." Postmasters at district-accounting post offices may obtain small quantities of these stamps by requisition on the central-accounting postmaster.
    In order that the Rhode Island Tercentenary stamp may be placed on sale at post offices as widely as possible on May 5, shipments may be made in advance. Postmasters who receive a supply of this stamp before the close of business on May 4 are hereby directed to positively not allow any of the stamps to be placed on sale before May 5.

C. B. Eilenberger,
Third Assistant Postmaster General 

^{U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE, 1936}