S5 - My Visit to the United Nations (Student Sheet)

The next United Nations personalized stamp sheet was placed on sale on 3 March 2005. Its purpose was to provide an inexpensive souvenir for the thousands of school children that visit the United Nations every year. The sheet could be purchased for $4.95 at the time. Only 1,600 sheets were produced. There is one caveat for the low price, it was only available in canceled condition. The sheet sold out on 31 May 2007, after being added to the UNPA Bulletin and web site.

This sheet is not Scott listed, even though the stamps are different from the Scott 853-857 stamps. Each has the year 2005 below the 37c, as opposed to the year 2003 on Scott 853-857. As can be seen in the detail below, the UN Security Council image shows the ceiling in the photograph, the UN Emblem is a different blue, UN General Assembly is completely reversed, the UN Nations Flags and UN NY Headquarters also have significant color differences. Other printing characteristics, such as print method, perforations, stamps size, and printer are the same as Scott 853-857.

The reason these stamps are not Scott listed is that they do not conform to all of the listing criteria established by Scott. Among other things, the stamps must be available in uncanceled condition to be postally used on outgoing mail. Since the Student sheet was only available with a printed cancel, they could never be used to send cards, letters or packages from the United Nations headquarters in New York City.


On 11 June 2007 Linn's reported approximately 1 or 2 of these sheets were sold imperforated. For the United Nations personalized stamp sheet listings, these sheets are designated S5.1.