Next month, on Jan. 7, 2016, the Bureau of Engraving and Printing will open sales of its 2016 Intaglio Print Subscription Program, "Independence Collection."
The 2016 BEP program focuses on the Declaration of Independence with three prints titled Life, Liberty, and Pursuit of Happiness.
"The collection features an exquisite compilation of unique, engraved vignettes focusing on the age-old art of intaglio printing," describes the BEP.
By joining the subscription program, the collection of three prints may be purchased for $51.00, which is a savings of $16.50 off the cost of ordering them separately.
Each print will go on sale individually for $22.50, and launch at staggered intervals throughout 2016. The subscription not only offers a cheaper price per print, it guarantees subscribers will get all three. The subscription ordering deadline is Jan. 31, 2016.
Individual release dates for the "Independence Collection" Intaglio Prints are:
- Life will launch on Jan. 7, 2016 at the same time as the BEP participates at the Florida United Numismatists convention in Tampa, Florida
- Liberty will launch on Mar. 3, 2016
- Pursuit of Happiness will launch on Aug. 9, 2016
Beginning at 8:00 a.m. ET on the 7th, the BEP will accept subscription orders on its website, www.moneyfactorystore.gov/intaglioprints.aspx.
Measuring 8 1/2" x 11", each print will ship after its first day of sale. Larger BEP images of each print follow.
About the Bureau of Engraving and Printing
The Bureau of Engraving and Printing is the largest producer of security documents in the United States. The bureau prints billions of Federal Reserve Notes for delivery to the Federal Reserve System each year. These notes are produced at facilities in Washington, DC, and Fort Worth, Texas. It also produces products for collectors to include intaglio prints, vignettes, and presidential portraits.
Rhonda (Kay) Unser & CoinNews readers – Thanks for the enlarged photos of this beautiful & historically significant 2016 intaglio print series by the BEP Mrs. Unser. I received an e-mail from the BEP on December 18 about this new program & posted my comments under the article dated December 18 by CoinNews titled “BEP 2016 Year-End Holiday Closures” if you might be interested in my thoughts about this fantastic new series. I have collected BEP intaglio prints since the late 1980s & have even sold some extras at high prices due to their popularity over the years. They are… Read more »
So you’re saying that eventually these will increase in value over time? What time frame? There doesn’t seem to be a limit to the number of orders so rarity doesn’t come into play – everybody who wants one or a set can get one or as many as they want. I don’t discount their beauty and detail but it looks like the market for these might be limited. Is it ever published how many of any one print are actually printed?
jim – I am a collector of these items, not an investor per se. But they have a large following with the hard-core U.S. paper money collectors since they are printed using hand-engraved steel plates on the same presses as Federal Reserve Notes. Some are limited edition prints & some are based on the number of orders & production capacity of the BEP’s Eastern Currency Printing facility in Washington D.C. just one block from the White House in the original BEP federal building. They also print all official U.S. government raised ink (intaglio) printed cards such as Presidential Inauguration invitations,… Read more »
Thanks for the info. I’ll visit the SPMC website later. So one question unanswered – is it ever published how many of any one print are actually printed? Or is there a catalog on line of all these prints? (still thinking like a coin collector.)
jim – I haven’t been a member of SPMC for years, since i sold my small paper money collection to focus on coins & medallic art, but they used to catalog the prints each year back in the 1990s. The BEP might have archives offline in the pre-internet fornat, but not on their website. Like the Mint they have a historian/librarian on staff for their publications, research etc. Maybe they have a list. I will call after the new year & ask for sure. I forgot to tell you another factor that increases demand for these prints. The BEP has… Read more »