Last week, the Bureau of Engraving and Printing (BEP) opened sales of its 2017 Intaglio Print Subscription Program, "Constitution Series." It also started selling the first print from the program.
This year’s BEP series recognizes the U.S. Constitution with three prints titled Legislative, Executive, and Judicial.
"This collection features an exquisite compilation of unique engraved vignettes focusing on the age-old art of intaglio printing," describes the BEP.
Membership in the subscription program guarantees receipt of each print. Plus, it offers a combined savings of $16.50 from the cost of ordering them separately at $22.50 each. The BEP also has a volume discount option with 10 or more prints that makes them available for $17 each.
Individual release dates for the Constitution Series Intaglio Prints are:
- Legislative – released Tuesday, April 4, 2017
- Executive – on sale June 13, 2017
- Judicial – launching August 1, 2017 in conjunction with BEP’s participation at the ANA World’s Fair of Money convention in Denver, Colorado
Measuring 8 1/2" x 11", each print ships after its first day of sale.
Legislative Intaglio Print
BEP descriptions and a larger image of the first Legislative print follow:
Center Top – "Vignette, US Capitol." Engraved by Louis S. Schofield, 1926. Used for the $50 Uniform Currency Back, 1928.
Center Bottom – "Vignette, US Capitol." Engraved by Christian Rost, New York, 1888. Used for the Inaugural Ceremonies plate, 1889; and the Tint for the $20 Registered Bond, 3% Loan of 1898.
Border – Legislative seal printed within intaglio border
Faded Background – Introduction to the United States Constitution – Printed in Offset
Ordering
Orders for the subscription must be placed by April 30, 2017. Buy a subscription or just the single prints from the BEP’s website at: www.moneyfactorystore.gov/intaglioprints.aspx.
BEP money products may also be ordered by telephone at 1-800-456-3408; by fax 1-888-891-7585 [International fax 202-874-1788]; as well as in the Washington, DC and Fort Worth, Texas Visitor Center Gift Shops.
The BEP ships free and does not charge tax.
The subscription program and individual prints are available during this calendar year only or while supplies last.
Rhonda (Kay) Unser –
Thank you for this timely news (from April 4 – 10 days ago). A great intaglio print limited edition series for serious collectors.
-NumisDudeTX
Seth –
I’ve heard somewhere that it had a limited edition but I couldn’t find the limit anywhere. Is the limit based on how many prints were made during the month of Apr or is there a specific number?
jim –
The BEP is not consistent on this matter. Some past intaglio prints have a limit stated upfront before they are offered for sale. Other times they encourage a subscription to a series at a lower price than if ordered separately, & print to order till the end of the year in this case. In any case, subscriptions have gone down over the years since their height in the 1980s & early 1990s, so they sell a lot less these days. But the quality is tops & free S&H is always great on any collectible.
Happy collecting Jim!
-NumisDudeTX
Thanks for answering my questions. I had ordered from the BEP before but then got away from it. I understand an annual subscription and I love the no S&H (after all they print all of our stamps so what’s their cost?) but I wouldn’t mind if they’d adopt a multiyear subscription format, too. Of course if they don’t produce intaglio prints every year that kind of messes that up too.
– Jim