Updated March 11th: The Scott catalogue numbers for this issue are

• 5158 coil stamp (Banknote printing), serpentine die cut 11 vert.
• 5159 coil stamp (Ashton-Potter printing), serpentine die cut 9½ vert.
• 5160 booklet stamp (Banknote printing), microprinted “USPS” on right end of fourth red stripe, serpentine die cut 11¼x10¾ on 2 or 3 sides
• 5160a. Booklet pane of 10
• 5160b. Booklet pane of 20
• 5161 booklet stamp (Ashton-Potter printing), microprinted “USPS” on right end of second white stripe, serpentine die cut 11¼x10¾ on 2 or 3 sides
• 5161a. Booklet pane of 20
• 5162 ATM booklet stamp (Ashton-Potter printing), microprinted “USPS” on left end of second white stripe near blue field, serpentine die cut 11¼x10¾ on 2, 3 or 4sides
• 5162a. Booklet pane of 18

Updated January 27th: The unveiling of the stamp design at the first-day ceremony during Southeastern Stamp Expo: from left, Edwin L. Jackson, featured speaker; American Philatelic Society President Mick Zais; USPS Chief Human Resources Officer and Executive VP Jeffrey C. Williamson; and Pledge of Allegiance leader Beatrix Clark.

Updated January 27th: Here is the pictorial first day postmark for this issue: It measures 2” x 1.5”.

Updated January 18th:
Technical Specifications:

Issue: U.S. Flag Stamp
Item Number: 564400
Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail® Forever
Format: ATM Sheetlet of 18 stamps (1 design)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: January 27, 2017, Norcross, GA 30071
Designer: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
Typographer: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
Existing Photo: Tom Grill
Modeler: Joseph Sheeran
Manufacturing Process: Offset, Microprint
Printer: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
Printed at: Williamsvile, NY
Print Quantity: 109,080,000 stamps
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Processed at: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd.
Press Type: Muller Martini A76
Stamps per Sheetlet: 18
Paper Type: Nonphosphored Type III
Colors Stamp Side: Black, Cyan, Magenta, Yellow
Colors Cover Side: Black, Cyan, Magenta, Yellow
Stamp Orientation: Vertical
Image Area (w x h): 0.73 x 0.84 in/18.54 x 21.34 mm
Overall Size (w x h): 0.87 x 0.98 in/22.10 x 24.89 mm
Booklet Size (w x h): 2.61 x 6.125 in/66.29 x 155.58 mm
Plate Size: 720 stamps per revolution
Plate Numbers: “P” followed by four (4) single digits
Marginal Markings:
Cover Side: Header: “U.S. Flag”, “Eighteen First-Class Forever® stamps” • Barcode (564400) • USPS logo • Promotional text
Stamp Side: Plate block number in peel strip

Updated January 6th: The January 5th Postal Bulletin adds: Item 564400, $8.82 U.S. Flag ATM Sheetlet of 18 stamps, will not be available for ordering through SFS Web.

Updated December 22nd from the Postal Bulletin:

On January 27, 2017, in Norcross, GA, the U.S. Postal Service will issue the U.S. Flag First-Class Mail stamp (Forever priced at 49 cents), in one design. The formats available are a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) booklet of 10 stamps (Item 674700) produced by security printer Banknote Corporation of America (BCA), a PSA booklet of 20 stamps (Item 672000) produced by security printers BCA and Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU), a PSA coil of 100 stamps (Item 749800) produced by security printers BCA and APU, and a PSA Automated teller machine (ATM) sheetlet of 18 stamps (Item 564400).

The stamp will go on sale nationwide January 27, 2017.

With the new U.S. Flag stamp, the Postal Service™ continues its tradition of celebrating patriotism with one of the most recognizable symbols of our nation. The stamp, sold in booklets of 10 and 20, coils of 100, and an ATM sheetlet of 18, features a detail from a photograph of the billowing Stars and Stripes. Terrence W. McCaffrey was the art director of the project and Greg Breeding designed the stamp with an existing photograph of the flag taken by Tom Grill.

Stamp Fulfillment Services will not make an automatic push distribution to Post Offices™. Post Offices may begin ordering stamps prior to the FDOI through SFS Web.

How to Order the First-Day-of-Issue Postmark:
Customers have 60 days to obtain the first-day-of-issue postmark by mail. They may purchase new stamps at their local Post Office, at The Postal Store® website at http://www.usps.com/shop, or by calling 800-782-6724. They should affix the stamps to envelopes of their choice, address the envelopes (to themselves or others), and place them in a larger envelope addressed to:

FDOI-U.S. Flag
Stamp Fulfillment Services
8300 NE Underground Drive, Suite 300
Kansas City, MO 64144-9900

After applying the first-day-of-issue postmark, the Postal Service will return the envelopes through the mail. There is no charge for the postmark up to a quantity of 50. There is a 5-cent charge for each additional postmark over 50. All orders must be postmarked by March 27, 2017.

There are two philatelic products for the booklet of 20:
• 672016 First-Day Cover, $0.93.
• 672030 Ceremony Program, $6.95.

There is one philatelic product for the coil of 100:
• 749816 First-Day Cover, $0.93.

There are no philatelic products for the booklet of 10.

Technical Specifications:

Issue: U.S. Flag Stamp
Item Number: 672000
Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail Forever
Format: Double-Sided Booklet of 20 (1 design)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: January 27, 2017, Norcross, GA 30071
Art Director: Terrence W. McCaffrey,New Braunfels, TX
Designer: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
Typographer: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
Existing Photo: Tom Grill
Modeler: Sandra Lane/Michelle Finn
Manufacturing Process: Offset, Microprint
Printer: Banknote Corporation of America
Printed at: Browns Summit, NC
Press Type: Alprinta 74
Stamps per Booklet: 20
Print Quantity: 1,750,000,000
Paper Type: Phosphor Tagged Paper, Block
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Processed at: Banknote Corporation of America, Browns Summit, NC
Stamp Orientation: Vertical
Image Area (w x h): 0.73 x 0.84 in./18.54 x 21.34 mm
Stamp Size (w x h): 0.87 x 0.98 in./22.10 x 24.89 mm
Booklet Size (w x h): 5.52 x 1.96 in./140.21 x 49.78 mm
Colors: Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black
Plate Size: 960 stamps per revolution
Plate Numbers: “B” followed by four (4) single digits
Marginal Markings: • Plate number in peel strip area• © 2016 USPS in peel strip area • Promotional text • USPS Logo • Barcode

Technical Specifications:

Issue: U.S. Flag Stamp
Item Number: 672000
Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail Forever
Format: Booklet of 20 (1 design)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: January 27, 2017, Norcross, GA 30071
Art Director: Terrence W. McCaffrey,New Braunfels, TX
Designer: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
Typographer: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
Existing Photo: Tom Grill
Modeler: Joseph Sheeran
Manufacturing Process: Offset, Microprint
Printer: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
Printed at: Williamsville , NY
Press Type: Muller Martini A76
Stamps per Booklet: 20
Print Quantity: 1,750,000,000 stamps
Paper Type: Nonphosphored Type III, Block Tag
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Processed at: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
Stamp Orientation: Vertical
Image Area (w x h): 0.73 x 0.84 in./18.54 x 21.34 mm
Stamp Size (w x h): 0.87 x 0.98 in./22.10 x 24.89 mm
Full Booklet Size (w x h): 5.52 x 1.96 in./140.21 x 49.78 mm
Colors: Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black
Plate Size: 1040 stamps per revolution
Plate Numbers: “P” followed by four (4) single digits
Marginal Markings: Header. “U.S. Flag” Twenty First-Class Forever Stamps• Plate numbers in peel strip area • © 2016 USPS in peel strip area

Technical Specifications:

Issue: U.S. Flag Stamp
Item Number: 749800
Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail Forever
Format: Coil of 100 (1 design)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: January 27, 2017, Norcross, GA 30071
Art Director: Terrence W. McCaffrey, New Braunfels, TX
Designer: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
Typographer: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
Existing Photo: Tom Grill
Modeler: Sandra Lane/Michelle Finn
Manufacturing Process: Offset, microprint
Printer: Banknote Corporation of America
Printed at: Browns Summit, NC
Press Type: Alprinta 74
Stamps per Coil: 100
Print Quantity: 2,000,000,000 stamps
Paper Type: Phosphor Tagged Paper, Overall
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Processed at: Banknote Corporation of America, Browns Summit, NC
Colors: Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black
Stamp Orientation: Vertical
Image Area (w x h): 0.73 x 0.84 in./18.54 x 21.34 mm
Stamp Size (w x h): 0.87 x 0.98 in./22.10 x 24.89 mm
Plate Size: 744 stamps per revolution
Plate Numbers: “B” followed by four (4) single digits
Coil Number Frequency: Plate numbers every 31st stamp below stamp image

Technical Specifications:

Issue: U.S. Flag Stamp
Item Number: 749800
Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail Forever
Format: Coil of 100 (1 design)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: January 27, 2017, Norcross, GA 30071
Art Director: Terrence W. McCaffrey, New Braunfels, TX
Designer: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
Typographer: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
Existing Photo: Tom Grill
Modeler: Joseph Sheeran
Manufacturing Process: Offset, Microprint
Printer: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
Printed at: Williamsville, NY
Press Type: Muller A76
Stamps per Coil: 100
Print Quantity: 2,000,000,000 stamps
Paper Type: Nonphosphored Type III, Block Tag
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Processed at: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
Colors: Black, Cyan, Magenta, Yellow
Stamp Orientation: Vertical
Image Area (w x h): 0.73 x 0.84 in./18.54 x 21.34 mm
Stamp Size (w x h): 0.8709 x 0.98 in./22.12 x 24.89 mm
Plate Size: 744 stamps per revolution
Plate Numbers: “P” followed by four (4) single digits
Coil Number Frequency: Plate numbers every 31st stamp below stamp image

Technical Specifications:

Issue: U.S. Flag Stamp
Item Number: 674700
Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail Forever
Format: Single-Sided Booklet of 10 (1 design)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: January 27, 2017, Norcross, GA 30071
Art Director: Terrence W. McCaffrey, New Braunfels, TX
Designer: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
Typographer: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
Existing Photo: Tom Grill
Modeler: Sandra Lane/Michelle Finn
Manufacturing Process: Offset, Microprint
Printer: Banknote Corporation of America
Printed at: Browns Summit, NC
Press Type: Alprinta 74
Stamps per Booklet: 10
Print Quantity: 100,000,000 stamps
Paper Type: Phosphor Tagged Paper, Block
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Processed at: Banknote Corporation of America, Browns Summit, NC
Stamp Orientation: Vertical
Image Area (w x h): 0.73 x 0.84 in./18.54 x 21.34 mm
Stamp Size (w x h): 0.87 x 0.98 in./22.10 x 24.89 mm
Booklet Size (w x h): 5.316 x 1.74 in./135.03 x 44.20 mm
Colors: Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black
Plate Size: 560 stamps per revolution
Plate Numbers: “B” followed by four (4) single digits
Marginal Markings: • Plate number in peel strip area • © 2016 USPS in peel strip area • Promotional text • USPS Logo • Barcode • Verso: U.S. Flag, 10 First-Class Forever Stamps

Technical details for the ATM Sheetlet of 18 stamps will appear in a future edition of the Postal Bulletin.

Updated December 21st, 2016: USPS press release:

WHAT:

WHO:

• USPS Chief Human Resources Officer and Executive Vice President Jeff Williamson
• American Philatelic Society President Mick Zais, Brigadier General, U.S. Army (ret.).
• USPS Director of Stamp Services Mary-Anne Penner

WHEN: Fri., Jan. 27 at 11 a.m.

WHERE:

Southeastern Stamp Expo, American Philatelic Society Stamp Show
Hilton Atlanta Northeast
5993 Peachtree Industrial Blvd.
Norcross, GA 30092

BACKGROUND: With the new U.S. Flag stamp, the Postal Service continues its tradition of celebrating patriotism with one of the most recognizable symbols of our nation. The stamp, sold in booklets of 10 and 20 and coils, features a detail from a photograph of the billowing Stars and Stripes. Terrence W. McCaffrey was the art director of the project and Greg Breeding of Charlottesville, VA, designed the stamp with an existing photograph of the flag taken by Tom Grill of New York. The credit line “© Tom Grill/Corbis” should appear in profile text associated with the stamp in accordance with standard practice.

From the USPS, September 20, 2016:

With the new U.S. Flag stamp, the Postal Service continues its tradition of celebrating patriotism with one of the most recognizable symbols of the nation. The stamp features a detail from a photograph of the billowing Stars and Stripes. Terrence W. McCaffrey was the art director and Greg Breeding designed the stamp with an existing photograph of the flag taken by Tom Grill.

Updated September 3rd, 2017: The Scott Catalogue numbers for this issue are

5223 (49¢) Sharks – Mako Shark
5224 (49¢) Sharks – Whale Shark
5225 (49¢) Sharks – Thresher Shark
5226 (49¢) Sharks – Hammerhead Shark
5227 (49¢) Sharks – Great White Shark
a. Vert. strip of 5, #5223-5227

Updated June 22, 2017:
Here is the Digital Color Postmark for this issue: It measures 2.99″ x 1.39″. The pictorial postmark is: It measures 2.63″ x 1.5″.

Updated June 22, 2017:
On July 26, 2017, in Newport, KY, the U.S. Postal Service® will issue the Sharks stamps (Forever® priced at 49 cents), in five designs, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 20 stamps (Item 474500). The Sharks $9.80 pane of 20 stamps may not be split, and the stamps may not be sold individually. The stamps will go on sale nationwide July 26, 2017.

This issuance celebrates the wonder of sharks with a pane of 20 stamps featuring realistic images of five species that inhabit American waters:

• The mako shark, represented here by a shortfin mako (Isurus oxyrinchus);
• The whale shark (Rhincodon typus);
• The thresher shark, here a pelagic thresher (Alopias pelagicus);
• The hammerhead shark, this one a scalloped hammerhead (Sphyrna lewini); and
• The great white shark (Carcharodon carcharias)

On the selvage, the stamp image of the great white shark is repeated at the top of the pane. The background blue color deepens in shade as one looks down the pane, evoking inky ocean waters barely penetrated by sunlight. Art director Derry Noyes designed the stamp pane with original artwork by Sam Weber.

Stamp Fulfillment Services will make an automatic push distribution to Post Offices™ of a quantity to cover approximately 30 days of sales.

How to Order the First-Day-of-Issue Postmark:
Customers have 60 days to obtain the first-day-of-issue postmark by mail. They may purchase new stamps at their local Post Office, at The Postal Store® website at usps.com/shop, or by calling 800-782-6724. They should affix the stamps to envelopes of their choice, address the envelopes (to themselves or others), and place them in a larger envelope addressed to:

FDOI – Sharks Stamps
USPS Stamp Fulfillment Services
8300 NE Underground Drive, Suite 300
Kansas City, MO 64144-9900

After applying the first-day-of-issue postmark, the Postal Service™ will return the envelopes through the mail. There is no charge for the postmark up to a quantity of 50. There is a 5-cent charge for each additional postmark over 50. All orders must be postmarked by September 26, 2017.

Philatelic products for this stamp issue are as follows:

• 474506, Press Sheet with Die-cut, $88.20
• 474510 Digital Color Postmark Keepsake (set of 5), $18.95
• 474516 First-Day Cover (set of 5), $4.65
• 474521 Digital Color Postmark (set of 5), $8.20
• 474524 Framed Art, $29.95
• 474527 Folio, $18.95
• 474530 Ceremony Program, $6.95
• 474533 Panel, $10.95
• 474534 Stamp Ceremony Memento, $21.95

Technical Specifications:

Issue: Sharks Stamps
Item Number: 474500
Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail® Forever
Format: Pane of 20 (5 designs)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: July 26, 2017, Newport, KY 41071
Designer: Derry Noyes, Washington, DC
Art Director: Derry Noyes, Washington, DC
Typographer: Derry Noyes, Washington, DC
Artist: Sam Weber, Brooklyn, NY
Modeler: Sandra Lane/Michelle Finn
Manufacturing Process: Offset, Microprint
Printer: Banknote Corporation of America
Printed at: Browns Summit, NC
Press Type: Alprinta 74
Stamps per Pane: 20
Print Quantity: 40,000,000 stamps
Paper Type: Phosphor Tagged Paper, Block Tag
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Processed at: Banknote Corporation of America, Browns Summit NC
Colors: Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black
Stamp Orientation: Horizontal
Image Area (w x h): 1.42 x 0.84 in/36.07 x 21.34 mm
Overall Size (w x h): 1.56 x 0.98 in/39.62 x 24.89 mm
Full Pane Size (w x h): 7.24 x 8.00 in/183.90 x 203.20 mm
Press Sheets Size (w x h): 21.97 x 24.25 in/558.04 x 615.95 mm
Plate Size: 180 stamps per revolution
Plate Numbers: “B” followed by four (4) single digits
Marginal Markings:
Front: Plate numbers in two corners of pane
Back: © 2016 USPS • USPS logo • Plate position diagram • Barcode (474500) in lower right and lower left corners of pane • Promotional text

Updated June 2, 2017:
Why Newport, Kentucky? It’s home to the Newport Aquarium, which includes Shark Central. That exhibit allows visitors to pet many species of sharks! More on the sharks at the Aquarium here. The website’s calendar does not yet mention the stamp issuance, but does point out that the Aquarium is “two minutes from downtown Cincinnati.”

Updated June 1, 2017:
The USPS says these stamps will be issued July 26 in Newport, Kentucky.

From the USPS, September 20, 2016:

This issuance celebrates the wonder of sharks with a pane of 20 stamps featuring realistic images of five species that inhabit American waters: mako shark, represented here by a shortfin mako (Isurus oxyrinchus); thresher shark, here a pelagic thresher (Alopias pelagicus); great white shark (Carcharodon carcharias); whale shark (Rhincodon typus); and hammerhead shark, this one a scalloped hammerhead (Sphyrna lewini). Art director Derry Noyes designed the stamp pane with original artwork by Sam Weber.

Updated February 22nd: More details on the first day ceremony:

[USPS media advisory]
Postal Service Celebrates Posters of the Work Projects Administration
First-Day-of-Issue Ceremony at Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library, March 7

What:
The U.S. Postal Service celebrates these visually striking posters of the Workers Projects Administration (WPA) with stamps featuring 10 outstanding posters from the Library of Congress collection.
Each stamp features a vibrant example of the posters conceived and printed in workshops across the nation under the WPA, a broad-reaching program that provided millions of jobs during the Great Depression.

Who:

• Megan J. Brennan, Postmaster General and Chief Executive Officer, U.S. Postal Service
• Paul Sparrow, director, Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum
• Anthony Musso, author and historian
• David B. Roosevelt, grandson of Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt

When:
Tuesday, March 7, 2017, 11:00 a.m.

Where:
Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum
4079 Albany Post Road
Hyde Park, NY 12538

Background:
The WPA Posters stamps are being issued as Forever stamps in 10 designs, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive booklet of 20 stamps. Forever stamps are always equal in value to the current First-Class Mail 1-ounce price.

Antonio Alcalá served as the art director of the project and designed the stamps with Maribel O. Gray.

The booklet features designs originally created to support the civic-minded ideals of former president Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal Program.

Formed in 1935 as the Works Progress Administration, renamed the Work Projects Administration in 1939, the WPA lasted until 1943. By then, the function of its Federal Art Program Poster Division had been fully absorbed into the World War II effort.

During the Depression, the project employed 5,000 artists nationwide, who designed and printed some two million posters from approximately 35,000 designs. At the project’s height, cities in 18 states had Poster Project offices.

Most of their work was printed by silkscreen, an economical medium that saw significant innovation at the hands of Poster Division artists. The posters featured on these stamps are from the Prints & Photographs Division of the Library of Congress, which houses the largest collection of WPA posters.

Followers of the U.S. Postal Service’s Facebook page can view streaming video of the event at facebook.com/USPS<http://www.facebook.com/USPS>. The public is asked to share the news on Twitter and Instagram using the hashtag #WPAForever.

Updated February 20th: Some details on the first day ceremony:

Tuesday, March 7, 2017
11:00 a.m. EST
Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum
4079 Albany Post Road
Hyde Park, NY 12538

Updated February 17th: Here is the Digital Color Postmark for this issue: It measures 2.1” x 1.5”.

Updated February 3rd:
On March 7, 2017, in Hyde Park, NY, the U.S. Postal Service« will issue the WPA Posters stamps (Forever priced at 49 cents), in 10 designs, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) booklet of 20 stamps (Item 674600).

The stamps will go on sale nationwide March 7, 2017.

The U.S. Postal Service celebrates posters of the Work Projects Administration, striking and utilitarian artwork created during the Depression by the Poster Division of the WPA Federal Art Project. This booklet features 20 stamps of 10 different designs originally created to support the civic-minded ideals of Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal Program. Each stamp features a vibrant example of the posters conceived and printed in workshops across the nation under the WPA, a broad-reaching program that provided millions of jobs during the Great Depression. Poster images are from Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division, WPA Poster Collection. Antonio Alcalá served as the art director of the project and designed the stamps with Maribel O. Gray.

Stamp Fulfillment Services will not make an automatic push distribution to Post Offices.

How to Order the First-Day-of-Issue Postmark:
Customers have 60 days to obtain the first-day-of-issue postmark by mail. They may purchase new stamps at their local Post Office, at The Postal Store« website at http://www.usps.com/shop, or by calling 800-782-6724. They should affix the stamps to envelopes of their choice, address the envelopes (to themselves or others), and place them in a larger envelope addressed to:

FDOI — WPA Posters Stamps
USPS Stamp Fulfillment Services
8300 NE Underground Drive, Suite 300
Kansas City, MO 64144-9900

After applying the first-day-of-issue postmark, the Postal Service” will return the envelopes through the mail. There is no charge for the postmark up to a quantity of 50. There is a 5-cent charge for each additional postmark over 50. All orders must be postmarked by May 7, 2017.

There are six philatelic products for this stamp issue:

• 674606 Press Sheet with Die-cut, $78.40
• 674610 Digital Color Postmark Keepsake (random DCP), $11.95
• 674616 First-Day Cover (set of 10), $9.30
• 674621 Digital Color Postmark (set of 10), $16.40
• 674624 Framed Art, $39.95
• 674630 Ceremony Program, $6.95

Technical Specifications:

Issue: WPA Posters Stamps
Item Number: 674600
Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail Forever
Format: Double-Sided Booklet of 20 (10 designs)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: March 7, 2017, Hyde Park, NY 12538
Art Director: Antonio Alcalá, Alexandria, VA
Designer: Antonio Alcalá, Alexandria, VA
Designer: Maribel O. Gray, Alexandria, VA
Typographer: Antonio Alcalá, Alexandria, VA
Modeler: Joseph Sheeran
Manufacturing Process: Offset
Printer: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
Printed at: Williamsville , NY
Press Type: Muller A76
Stamps per Booklet: 20
Print Quantity: 100,000,000 stamps
Paper Type: Nonphosphored Type III, Overall
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Processed at: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
Stamp Orientation: Vertical
Image Area (w x h): 0.84 x 1.42 in./21.34 x 36.07 mm
Stamp Size (w x h): 0.98 x 1.56 in./24.89 x 39.62 mm
Full Booklet Size (w x h): 6.18 x 3.12 in./156.97 x 79.25 mm
Press Sheet Size (w x h): 25.095 x 6.24 in./637.41 x 158.50 mm
Colors: Black, Cyan, Magenta, Yellow
Plate Size: 640 stamps per revolution
Plate Numbers: “P” followed by four (4) single digits
Marginal Markings: Cover: “WPA POSTERS” “DESIGNS FROM THE WORK PROJECTS ADMINISTRATION” • Twenty First-Class Forever Stamps • Plate number in peel strip area • ⌐ 2016 USPS • USPS Logo in peel strip area • Barcode

Updated January 5th: These stamps will be issued March 7th in Hyde Park, NY (home of Franklin Delano Roosevelt).

From the USPS, September 20, 2016:

The Postal Service celebrates posters of the Work Projects Administration (WPA), striking and utilitarian artworks created by the Poster Division of the WPA Federal Art Project. Each stamp features a vibrant example of the posters conceived and printed in workshops across the nation under the WPA, a broad-reaching program that provided millions of jobs during the Great Depression. Formed in 1935 as the Works Progress Administration and renamed the Work Projects Administration in 1939, the WPA lasted until 1943. Poster images are from Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, WPA Poster Collection. Antonio Alcalá served as the art director and designed the stamps with Maribel O. Gray.

Updated December 4th: The Scott catalogue number for this issue is 5251.

Updated September 26th: A new first-day date has been sent. From the USPS:

U.S. Postal Service Honors the National Museum of African American History and Culture
Forever Stamp On Sale Oct. 13

What:
First-Day-of-Issue dedication ceremony for the Celebrating African American History and Culture Forever stamp. This stamp will be on sale at the ceremony and available nationwide on Friday, Oct. 13.

Who:

• Ronald A. Stroman, Deputy Postmaster General and Chief Government Relations Officer, U.S. Postal Service
• Lonnie Bunch, Founding Director, National Museum of African American History and Culture, Smithsonian Institution

When: Friday, Oct. 13, 2017, 8:30 a.m.
(Note: RSVP is required to attend the ceremony. Please RSVP online at usps.com/nmaahc. Check your email for a confirmation from the Postal Service with additional instructions. This event is standing room only. Doors open at
7:30 a.m.

Where:
National Museum of African American History and Culture
1400 Constitution Ave., NW
Washington, DC 20560

(Note: Enter the museum through the 14th Street and Madison Drive entrance.)

The U.S. Postal Service will post a video of the event at facebook.com/USPS. Share the news on Twitter and Instagram using the hashtags #NMAAHC and #APeoplesJourney.

Background:
Black history is inseparable from American history, and the black experience represents a profound and unique strand of the American story. This stamp issuance recognizes the richness of that experience by celebrating the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, DC.

The stamp art is based on a photograph of the museum showing a view of the northwest corner of the building. Text in the upper-left corner of the stamp reads “National Museum of African American History and Culture.”

Opened on Sept. 24, 2016, the National Museum of African American History and Culture is the 19th Smithsonian museum and the only national museum devoted exclusively to African American life, art, history and culture. The museum’s collections, which include art, artifacts, photographs, films, documents, data, books, manuscripts and audio recordings, represent all regions of the United States and acknowledge the cultural links of African Americans to the black experience around the world as well. The museum provides opportunities for the public to explore and enjoy African American history while demonstrating the centrality of that history to our nation’s past, present and future.

Updated August 30th: This stamp has been postponed until later in the year. The new date has not yet been announced.

Updated August 7th: Here are the first-day postmarks for this issue:

The Digital Color Postmark measures 3.0″ x 1.45″. The B&W “rubber-composition” (hand) cancel measures 2.30″ x 1.49″.

Updated August 3rd: From the Postal Bulletin, at long last, an issue date and details.

On September 24, 2017, in Washington, DC, the U.S. Postal Service® will issue the Celebrating African American History and Culture stamp (Forever® priced at 49 cents) in one design, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 20 stamps (Item 474200). The stamp will go on sale nationwide September 24, 2017.

This issuance recognizes the richness of the black experience by celebrating the National Museum of African American History and Culture. Occupying a 5-acre site on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., the museum is the 19th Smithsonian museum and the only national museum devoted exclusively to African American life, art, history, and culture.

Text in the upper left corner of the stamp reads “National Museum of African American History and Culture.” Art director Antonio Alcalá designed the stamp.

Stamp Fulfillment Services will make an automatic push distribution to Post Offices™ of a quantity to cover approximately 30 days of sales.

How to Order the First-Day-of-Issue Postmark:
Customers have 60 days to obtain the first-day-of-issue postmark by mail. They may purchase new stamps at their local Post Office, at The Postal Store® website at usps.com/shop, or by calling 800-782-6724. They must affix the stamps to envelopes of their choice, address the envelopes (to themselves or others), and place them in a larger envelope addressed to:

FDOI – Celebrating African American History and Culture Stamp
USPS Stamp Fulfillment Services
8300 NE Underground Drive, Suite 300
Kansas City, MO 64144-9900

After applying the first-day-of-issue postmark, the Postal Service™ will return the envelopes through the mail. There is no charge for the postmark up to a quantity of 50. There is a 5-cent charge for each additional postmark over 50. All orders must be postmarked by November 24, 2017.

Philatelic products for this stamp issue are as follows:

• 474206 Press Sheet with Die-cut, $88.20
• 474210 Digital Color Postmark Keepsake, $11.95
• 474216 First-Day Cover, $0.93
• 474221 Digital Color Postmark, $1.64
• 474224 Framed Art, $29.95
• 474230 Ceremony Program, $6.95
• 474233 Panel, $10.95

Technical Specifications:

Issue: Celebrating African American History and Culture Stamp
Item Number: 474200
Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail® Forever
Format: Pane of 20 (1 design)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: September 24, 2017, Washington, DC 20066
Designer: Antonio Alcalà, Alexandria, VA
Art Director: Antonio Alcalà, Alexandria, VA
Typographer: Antonio Alcalà, Alexandria, VA
Existing Photo: Alan Karchmer
Modeler: Sandra Lane/Michelle Finn
Manufacturing Process: Offset, Microprint
Printer: Banknote Corporation of America
Printed at: Browns Summit, NC
Press Type: Alprinta 74
Stamps per Pane: 20
Print Quantity: 15,000,000 stamps
Paper Type: Phosphor Tagged Paper, Block Tag
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Processed at: Banknote Corporation of America, Browns Summit NC
Colors: Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black
Stamp Orientation: Horizontal
Image Area (w x h): 1.42 x 1.085 in/36.07 x 27.56 mm
Overall Size (w x h): 1.56 x 1.225 in/39.62 x 31.12 mm
Full Pane Size (w x h): 7.24 x 7.50 in/183.90 x 190.5 mm
Press Sheets Size (w x h): 21.72 x 22.50 in/551.69 x 571.5 mm
Plate Size: 180 stamps per revolution
Plate Numbers: “B” followed by four (4) single digits
Marginal Markings:
Front: Header: Celebrating African American History and Culture • Plate numbers in two corners of pane
Back: © 2016 USPS • USPS logo • Plate position diagram • Barcode (474200) in upper right and lower left corners of pane • Promotional text

From the USPS, September 20, 2016:

[Technically, “Celebrating African American History and Culture,”] this stamp celebrates the National Museum of African American History and Culture. Occupying a 5-acre site on the National Mall in Washington, DC. The museum is the 19th Smithsonian museum and the only national museum devoted exclusively to African-American life, art, history and culture. The stamp is based on a photograph of the museum by Alan Karchmer showing a view of the northwest corner of the building. Text in the upper left corner reads “National Museum of African American History and Culture.” Art director Antonio Alcalá designed the stamp.

Updated January 4th New FDC mail-in address for non-dealers:

FDOI-LNY: Rooster
Stamp Fulfillment Services
8300 NE Underground Drive, Suite 300
Kansas City, MO 64144-9900

Updated December 9th Here is the Digital Color Postmark for this issue: It measures 2.94″ x 1.31″. There is also a “special” postmark that local stations may use: It measures 2.98″ x 1.50″.

Updated December 9th From the Postal Bulletin:

On January 5, 2017, in Seattle, WA, the U.S. Postal Service will issue the Year of the Rooster First-Class Mail stamp (Forever priced at 47 cents), in one design, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 12 stamps (Item 552000). The Year of the Rooster $5.64 pane of 12 stamps may not be split, and the stamps may not be sold individually.

The stamp will go on sale nationwide January 5, 2017.

The Year of the Rooster stamp is the tenth of 12 stamps in the Celebrating Lunar New Year series. The Year of the Rooster begins on January 28, 2017, and ends on February 15, 2018. The stamp art depicts a rooster emblazoned on a red envelope (hongbao). Parents present red envelopes containing money to children and loved ones during Lunar New Year celebrations. The color red symbolizes luck in Chinese culture, while rooster imagery is often used to ward off evil spirits. The characters at the top of the envelope form a common Chinese greeting of celebration and wish for prosperity and good fortune, used most frequently during Lunar New Year. Artist Kam Mak created this original painting. Art director and stamp designer Ethel Kessler incorporated elements from the previous series of Lunar New Year stamps — Clarence Lee’s intricate cut-paper design of a rooster and the Chinese character for “rooster,” drawn in grass-style calligraphy by Lau Bun — to create continuity between the stamps in the series.

Stamp Fulfillment Services will make an automatic push distribution to Post Offices of a quantity to cover approximately 30 days of sales.

How to Order the First-Day-of-Issue Postmark:
Customers have 60 days to obtain the first-day-of-issue postmark by mail. They may purchase new stamps at their local Post Office, at The Postal Store website at www.usps.com/shop, or by calling 800-782-6724. They should affix the stamps to envelopes of their choice, address the envelopes (to themselves or others), and place them in a larger envelope addressed to:

Year of the Rooster
Stamp Fulfillment Services
Cancellation Services
8300 NE Underground Drive, Pillar 210
Kansas City, MO 64144-9998

After applying the first-day-of-issue postmark, the Postal Service will return the envelopes through the mail. There is no charge for the postmark up to a quantity of 50. There is a 5-cent charge for each additional postmark over 50. All orders must be postmarked by March 5, 2017. There will be a digital color postmark for this issue.

Only the pictorial postmark shown here is permitted for the Year of the Rooster stamp. The word “Station” or the abbreviation “STA” is required somewhere in the design, because it will be a temporary station.

There are eight philatelic products for this stamp issue:

• 552006, Press Sheet with Die-cut, $33.84
• 552010 Digital Color Postmark Keepsake (2 panes), $12.95
• 552016 First-Day Cover, $0.91
• 552018 First-Day Cover Full Pane, $8.14
• 552019 Cancelled Full Pane, $8.14
• 552021 Digital Color Postmark, $1.62
• 552024 Framed Art, $39.95
• 552030 Ceremony Program, $6.95

Technical Specifications:

Issue: Year of the Rooster Stamp
Item Number: 552000
Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail Forever
Format: Pane of 12 (1 design)
Series: Celebrating Lunar New Year
Issue Date & City: January 5, 2017, Seattle, WA 98134
Designer: Ethel Kessler, Bethesda, MD
Art Director: Ethel Kessler, Bethesda, MD
Typographer: Ethel Kessler, Bethesda, MD
Artist: Kam Mak, Brooklyn, NY
Modeler: Sandra Lane/Michelle Finn
Manufacturing Process: Offset, Microprint
Printer: Banknote Corporation of America
Printed at: Browns Summit, NC
Press Type: Alprinta 74
Stamps per Pane: 12
Print Quantity: 15 million stamps
Paper Type: Phosphor Tagged Paper, Block
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Processed at: Banknote Corporation of America, Browns Summit SC
Colors: Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black, PMS 872/Gold
Stamp Orientation: Horizontal
Image Area (w x h): 1.42 x 0.84 in./36.07 x 21.34 mm
Overall Size (w x h): 1.56 x 0.98 in./39.62 x 24.89 mm
Full Pane Size (w x h): 7.24 x 5.92 in./183.90 x 150.37 mm
Press Sheets Size (w x h): 21.97 x 11.97 in./ 558.04 x 303.91 mm
Plate Size: 144 stamps per revolution
Plate Numbers: N/A
Marginal Markings:
Back: © 2016 USPS • USPS logo • Barcode (552000) • Promotional text • Verso: Celebrating Lunar New Year text

Updated December 6th from the USPS: The stamp will be issued January 6th in Seattle. The USPS press release:

Postal Service to Celebrate 2017 Lunar New Year Issuing Year of the Rooster Forever Stamp

What:
The U.S. Postal Service rings in the Year of the Rooster by issuing the tenth of 12 stamps in the Celebrating Lunar New Year series. The Year of the Rooster begins on Jan. 28, 2017 and ends on Feb. 15, 2018.

Who:

• Greg G. Graves, vice president Area Operations – Western Area, United States Postal Service
• Yibo Lu, director, Chinese Radio Seattle’s CRS Office
• Beth Takekawa, executive director, The Wing Luke Museum
• Ron Chew, CEO, Chew Communications
• Assunta Ng, founder and publisher, Seattle Chinese Post and Northwest Asian Weekly

When:
Thursday, Jan. 5, 2017, 11:30 a.m.

Where:
Wing Luke Museum of the Asian Pacific American Experience
719 S. King Street
Seattle, WA 98104

Background:
The most important holiday of the year for many Asian communities around the world, the Lunar New Year is celebrated primarily by people of Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, Tibetan and Mongolian heritage.

In the United States and elsewhere, the occasion is marked in various ways across many cultures; parades featuring enormous and vibrantly painted papier-maacute;ché dragons, parties, and other special events are common. Vendors at outdoor markets sell flowers, toys, food, and other items for celebration. Musicians play drums to celebrate this time of renewed hope for the future.

Many families present red envelopes (hongbao), like the one depicted in the stamp art, containing money to children and loved ones.

Art director Ethel Kessler worked on the series with illustrator Kam Mak, a Hong Kong-born artist who grew up in New York City’s Chinatown and now lives in Brooklyn. The artwork focuses on some of the common ways the Lunar New Year holiday is celebrated. For the Year of the Rooster, the illustration -originally created using oil paints on panel – depicts a colorful rooster emblazoned on a red envelope (hongbao). Parents present red envelopes containing money to children and loved ones during Lunar New Year celebrations. The color red symbolizes luck in Chinese culture, while rooster imagery is often used to ward off evil spirits. The characters at the top of the envelope form a common Chinese greeting of celebration and wish for prosperity and good fortune, used most frequently during Lunar New Year.

From the USPS, September 20, 2016:

The Year of the Rooster stamp is the 10th of 12 stamps in the Celebrating Lunar New Year series. The Year of the Rooster begins Jan. 28, 2017, and ends Feb. 15, 2018. The stamp depicts a rooster emblazoned on a red envelope (hongbao). Parents present red envelopes containing money to children and loved ones during Lunar New Year celebrations. The color red symbolizes luck in Chinese culture, while rooster imagery is often used to ward off evil spirits. Artist Kam Mak created this original painting. Art director and stamp designer Ethel Kessler incorporated elements from the previous series of Lunar New Year stamps — Clarence Lee’s intricate cut-paper design of a rooster and the Chinese character for “rooster,” drawn in grass-style calligraphy by Lau Bun — to create continuity in the series.

Comment: This is the first of the Kam Mak-designed Lunar New Year stamps that shows the Zodiac animal.

Updated January 4th: New FDC mail-in address for non-dealers:

FDOI-Love Skywriting
Stamp Fulfillment Services
8300 NE Underground Drive, Suite 300
Kansas City, MO 64144-9900

Updated December 9th: Here is the Digital Color Postmark for this issue: It measures 3.0″ x 1.5″.

Updated December 9th:
[press release]
Love Skywriting Forever Stamp Dedication Includes Skywriting Demo at Chino, CA, Air Museum

WHAT: First Day of Issue ceremony for the Love Skywriting Forever Stamp that will include a skywriting demo to replicate the stamp image.

WHO: USPS Chief Operating Officer and Executive Vice President David Williams
Vice President and Chief Development Officer of Operation Gratitude Chris Clark
Skytypers President Stephen Stinis
Skytypers CEO and Squadron Commander Greg Stinis (skywriter pilot)
Planes of Fame Aviation Historian and Air Museum Moderator Kevin Thompson

WHEN: Sat., Jan. 7 at 10 a.m.  (Free admission to the first 300 attendees)

WHERE: Planes of Fame Air Museum
7000 Merrill Ave. #17
Chino, CA 91710

BACKGROUND:  The 10 a.m. program will begin with a discussion about a World War II Curtiss P-40 Warhawk and how it was used for mail delivery during the war followed by the skywriting demonstration at noon.

The Love Skywriting stamp will add a sweet, romantic touch to letters and cards, not only on Valentine’s Day, but all year round. The stamp art depicts the word “Love” written in white cursive script against a blue sky studded with wispy clouds. Underlining the word is a decorative swirl of smoke. A small, stylized plane, dwarfed by the giant letters, completes the end of the swirl, with smoke trailing from its tail. Louise Fili of New York City designed the stamp, illustrated by Jessica Hische of San Francisco. Derry Noyes of Washington, DC, was the art director.

Note: If the weather becomes an issue, the skywriting demo will take place the next day.

From the Postal Bulletin:

On January 7, 2017, in Chino, CA, the U.S. Postal Service will issue the Love Skywriting First-Class Mail stamp (Forever priced at 47 cents), in one design, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 20 stamps (Item 561600).

The stamp will go on sale nationwide January 7, 2017.

This new issuance is a continuation of the U.S. Postal Service tradition of creating stamps that celebrate love. The Love Skywriting stamp will add a sweet, romantic touch to your letters and cards, not only on Valentine’s Day, but all year round. The stamp art depicts the word “Love” written in white cursive script against a blue sky studded with wispy clouds. Underlining the word is a decorative swirl of smoke. A small, stylized plane, dwarfed by the giant letters, completes the end of the swirl, with smoke trailing from its tail. Louise Fili designed the stamp, illustrated by Jessica Hische. Derry Noyes was the art director.

Stamp Fulfillment Services will make an automatic push distribution to Post Offices of a quantity to cover approximately 30 days of sales.

How to Order the First-Day-of-Issue Postmark:
Customers have 60 days to obtain the first-day-of-issue postmark by mail. They may purchase new stamps at their local Post Office, at The Postal Store website at www.usps.com/shop, or by calling 800-782-6724. They should affix the stamps to envelopes of their choice, address the envelopes (to themselves or others), and place them in a larger envelope addressed to:

Love Skywriting
Stamp Fulfillment Services
Cancellation Services
8300 NE Underground Drive, Pillar 210
Kansas City, MO 64144-9998

After applying the first-day-of-issue postmark, the Postal Service will return the envelopes through the mail. There is no charge for the postmark up to a quantity of 50. There is a 5-cent charge for each additional postmark over 50. All orders must be postmarked by March 7, 2017.

There are six philatelic products for this stamp issue:

• 561606 Press Sheet with Die-cut, $75.20
• 561610 Digital Color Postmark Keepsake, $11.95
• 561616 First-Day Cover, $0.91
• 561621 Digital Color Postmark, $1.62
• 561624 Framed Art, $39.95
• 561630 Ceremony Program, $6.95

Technical Specifications:

Issue: Love Skywriting Stamp
Item Number: 561600
Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail Forever
Format: Pane of 20 (1 design)
Series: Love
Issue Date & City: January 7, 2017, Chino, CA 91710
Designer: Louise Fili, New York, NY
Art Director: Derry Noyes, Washington, DC
Typographer: Louise Fili, New York, NY
Illustrator: Jessica Hische, San Francisco, CA
Modeler: Sandra Lane/Michelle Finn
Manufacturing Process: Offset, Microprint
Printer: Banknote Corporation of America
Printed at: Browns Summit, NC
Press Type: Alprinta 74
Stamps per Pane: 20
Print Quantity: 250 million stamps
Paper Type: Phosphor Tagged Paper, Overall
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Processed at: Banknote Corporation of America, Browns Summit SC
Colors: Spot Blue
Stamp Orientation: Horizontal
Image Area (w x h): 1.05 x 0.77 in./26.67 x 19.56 mm
Overall Size (w x h): 1.19 x 0.91 in./30.23 x 23.11 mm
Full Pane Size (w x h): 5.635 x 5.425 in./143.13 x 137.80 mm
Press Sheets Size (w x h): 22.54 x 10.85 in./572.52 x 275.59 mm
Plate Size: 320 stamps per revolution
Plate Numbers: “B” followed by one (1) single digits
Marginal Markings:
Front: Plate numbers in four corners of pane
Back: © 2016 USPS • USPS logo • Plate position diagram • Barcode (561600) in upper right and lower left corners of pane • Promotional text

Updated December 7th:

This stamp will be issued Saturday, January 7th, at the Planes of Fame Air Museum at the Chino Airport in California. More details should be released shortly.

From the USPS, September 20, 2016:

This stamp is a continuation of the Postal Service tradition of creating stamps that celebrate love. The Love Skywriting stamp will add a sweet, romantic touch to your letters and cards, not only on Valentine’s Day, but year-round. The stamp depicts the word “Love” written in white cursive script against a blue sky studded with wispy clouds. Underlining the word is a decorative swirl of smoke. A small, stylized plane, dwarfed by the giant letters, completes the end of the swirl, with smoke trailing from its tail. Louise Fili designed the stamp, which was illustrated by Jessica Hische. Derry Noyes was the art director.

The first announcement regarding the 2017 U.S. stamp program only contains 13 stamp issues and one stamped envelope. Experienced collectors of U.S. new issues know this can’t be the entire program. Heck, at the rate the U.S. Postal Service issues stamps, it’s only enough for a couple of months.

All but two of the issues appear to be what the USPS calls (or has called) “mail-use:” Issues for specific rates (Uncle Sam’s Hat, additional ounces; California Dogface Butterfly, nonmachineable surcharge rate) or will be issued as booklets for the non-collecting mailing public: sharks, flowers, flag, and so on. The John F. Kennedy stamp design is in the definitive format (height/width ratio). [In response to an e-mailed question, the USPS said that the JFK stamp is “a semi-jumbo stamp” with “a similar aspect ratio to our “special” sized stamps, but is proportionally larger.”] The exceptions are Fr. Theodore Hesburgh, although that may be a two-ounce stamp, and the museum.

There is no stamp for the Black Heritage Series, which hasn’t missed a year since it began in 1978. Each of the stamps in the series has had a vertical format and honored a person. The National Museum of African American History and Culture stamp is neither.

There are no entries for Legends of Hollywood or Literary Arts. Academy Award winner Ernest Borgnine was born in 1917. Not only was he a stamp collector, he was a member of the Citizen Stamp Advisory Committee. (See the 1978 USPS video, below.)

The United States entered “the War to End All Wars” — World War I — in 1917. Some historians feel this was the point at which the U.S. became a major world power, because the Americans turned the tide in the war. It would be shocking if the USPS does not issue at least one stamp for this historical event, and surprising if not several. (Israel’s 2016 stamp is shown on the left.)

There were several outstanding college football teams that year, despite the U.S. entry into the war, chief among them the Georgia Tech Golden Hornets. Might we see a stamp or stamps for college football?

For other events in 1917 that might be commemorated, check out Wikipedia.

Obviously the list of 2017 stamps is not complete. Stay tuned!

[USPS press release; click on issue names to go to that issue’s page]
[Additional material added at the end, in response to VSC’s inquiry]

Postal Service Previews Select 2017 Stamps
Lineup includes National Museum of African American History and Culture and 100th Birthday of President John Fitzgerald Kennedy

WASHINGTON — What do Love, skywriting, Year of the Rooster, and the National Museum of African American History and Culture all have in common? They are among the subjects of the U.S. Postal Service’s 2017 Stamp program announced today.

For more than 130 years, the Postal Service stamp program has celebrated the people, events and cultural milestones that are unique to United States history. The 2017 stamp subjects are in keeping with this rich tradition.

“The Postal Service is thrilled to provide this sneak preview of a few subjects of our 2017 program as we continue offering exciting new topics on stamps that will have wide appeal to stamp enthusiasts in America and abroad,” said U.S. Postal Service Stamp Services Executive Director Mary-Anne Penner. “Stamps are miniature works of art that tell America’s story; this is only the beginning as we will announce more subjects going forward.”

Here’s a glimpse of the 2017 stamp program:

Love Skywriting (Love series)
This stamp is a continuation of the Postal Service tradition of creating stamps that celebrate love. The Love Skywriting stamp will add a sweet, romantic touch to your letters and cards, not only on Valentine’s Day, but year-round. The stamp depicts the word “Love” written in white cursive script against a blue sky studded with wispy clouds. Underlining the word is a decorative swirl of smoke. A small, stylized plane, dwarfed by the giant letters, completes the end of the swirl, with smoke trailing from its tail. Louise Fili designed the stamp, which was illustrated by Jessica Hische. Derry Noyes was the art director.

Year of the Rooster (Celebrating Lunar New Year series)
The Year of the Rooster stamp is the 10th of 12 stamps in the Celebrating Lunar New Year series. The Year of the Rooster begins Jan. 28, 2017, and ends Feb. 15, 2018. The stamp depicts a rooster emblazoned on a red envelope (hongbao). Parents present red envelopes containing money to children and loved ones during Lunar New Year celebrations. The color red symbolizes luck in Chinese culture, while rooster imagery is often used to ward off evil spirits. Artist Kam Mak created this original painting. Art director and stamp designer Ethel Kessler incorporated elements from the previous series of Lunar New Year stamps — Clarence Lee’s intricate cut-paper design of a rooster and the Chinese character for “rooster,” drawn in grass-style calligraphy by Lau Bun — to create continuity in the series.

Celebrating African American History and Culture
This stamp celebrates the National Museum of African American History and Culture. Occupying a 5-acre site on the National Mall in Washington, DC. The museum is the 19th Smithsonian museum and the only national museum devoted exclusively to African-American life, art, history and culture. The stamp is based on a photograph of the museum by Alan Karchmer showing a view of the northwest corner of the building. Text in the upper left corner reads “National Museum of African American History and Culture.” Art director Antonio Alcalá designed the stamp.

WPA Posters
The Postal Service celebrates posters of the Work Projects Administration (WPA), striking and utilitarian artworks created by the Poster Division of the WPA Federal Art Project. Each stamp features a vibrant example of the posters conceived and printed in workshops across the nation under the WPA, a broad-reaching program that provided millions of jobs during the Great Depression. Formed in 1935 as the Works Progress Administration and renamed the Work Projects Administration in 1939, the WPA lasted until 1943. Poster images are from Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, WPA Poster Collection. Antonio Alcalá served as the art director and designed the stamps with Maribel O. Gray.

Sharks
This issuance celebrates the wonder of sharks with a pane of 20 stamps featuring realistic images of five species that inhabit American waters: mako shark, represented here by a shortfin mako (Isurus oxyrinchus); thresher shark, here a pelagic thresher (Alopias pelagicus); great white shark (Carcharodon carcharias); whale shark (Rhincodon typus); and hammerhead shark, this one a scalloped hammerhead (Sphyrna lewini). Art director Derry Noyes designed the stamp pane with original artwork by Sam Weber.

U.S. Flag
With the new U.S. Flag stamp, the Postal Service continues its tradition of celebrating patriotism with one of the most recognizable symbols of the nation. The stamp features a detail from a photograph of the billowing Stars and Stripes. Terrence W. McCaffrey was the art director and Greg Breeding designed the stamp with an existing photograph of the flag taken by Tom Grill.

Father Theodore Hesburgh
The Rev. Theodore M. Hesburgh (1917-2015) was an important mid-20th century educational, religious and civic leader. The stamp features an oil-on-panel painting of Father Hesburgh standing on the University of Notre Dame campus, where he served as president for 35 years. Appointed to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights in 1957, Father Hesburgh helped compile reports on racial discrimination and the denial of voting rights that resulted in the Omnibus Civil Rights Act of 1964. A champion of causes ranging from education to immigration reform to the plight of underdeveloped nations, Father Hesburgh worked with many important organizations that reflected his beliefs. Art director Ethel Kessler designed the stamp with original art by Tim O’Brien.

Flowers from the Garden
Flowers from the Garden features new stamps with four different paintings of flowers that come from typical American gardens, each bunch artfully arranged. One stamp features red camellias and yellow forsythia in a yellow pitcher, while on another there are white peonies and pink tree peonies in a clear vase. An arrangement of white hydrangeas, white and pink roses, green hypericum berries, and purple lisianthus in a white vase graces another stamp, while blue hydrangeas in a blue pot appear on another. Art director Derry Noyes designed the stamps with existing art by Elizabeth Brandon.

John F. Kennedy
This stamp commemorates the 100th anniversary of the birth of John Fitzgerald Kennedy (1917-1963), 35th president of the United States. Kennedy was the nation’s first Catholic president and, at age 43, the youngest person ever elected to the nation’s highest office. The stamp art features a photograph of Kennedy taken by Ted Spiegel in 1960. Kennedy remains for many a captivating and charismatic personality — one who appealed to the nation’s higher ideals and inspired young Americans to engage in public service. Art director Derry Noyes designed the stamp.

Delicioso
With the release of the new Delicioso Forever stamps, the Postal Service celebrates the influence of Central and South American, Mexican and Caribbean foods on American cuisine. This booklet of 20 stamps features six dishes from an array of Latin American culinary traditions that have found new life and variations in the United States. Each stamp showcases a bright and playful illustration of one of the following dishes: tamales, flan, sancocho, empanadas, chile relleno and ceviche. The names of the six dishes appear in a festive font above each image. Artist John Parra designed the stamps under the direction of Antonio Alcalá.

Uncle Sam’s Hat
With the release of Uncle Sam’s Hat in 2017, the Postal Service celebrates one of the country’s most popular patriotic characters. Known especially for his large top hat decorated in varying patterns of stars and stripes, Uncle Sam has represented the bravery and fortitude of the American spirit for more than 150 years. The stamp features eight graphic top hats in Uncle Sam’s signature style. Red and white vertical stripes extend above a blue band with a white star and a gray brim. Beneath each hat is an oval shape representing a face, each in a different shade, meant to suggest the ethnic and racial diversity of the United States. Art director Antonio Alcalá designed the stamp. The words “ADDITIONAL OUNCE” on this stamp indicate its usage value. Like a Forever stamp, this stamp will always be valid for the rate printed on it.

Seashells
Four new postcard stamps celebrate the wonder of seashells. Each stamp depicts an iconic shell found in North American waters: the alphabet cone, the Pacific calico scallop, the zebra nerite, and the Queen conch, commonly known as the pink conch. The highly stylized stamp art expresses a lighthearted artistic view of shells. Horizontal swaths of white and blue in the background suggest waves washing the shells onto a beach. Art director Greg Breeding designed the stamps. Sergio Baradat created the stamp art.

California Dogface Butterfly
The California dogface graces the seventh non-machineable butterfly stamp for use on irregularly sized envelopes, such as square greeting cards, invitations or announcements. The stamp is a highly stylized, simplified image of a California dogface (Zerene eurydice) Ñ named for the forewing markings of the male butterfly, which bear a pattern that resembles a poodle head in profile. Greeting card envelopes printed with a silhouette of a butterfly indicate the need for additional postage or the use of a butterfly stamp. Tom Engeman created the stamp andÊ art director Derry Noyes designed it.

Barn Swallow envelope
The Postal Service celebrates a favorite backyard bird on this Barn Swallow stamped envelope. It features a large illustration of a barn swallow perching and a smaller illustration above it, showing the bird in flight. The barn swallow (Hirundo rustica) originally nested in caves. As man-made structures began to dot the North American landscape, barn swallows adapted by building their mud nests under the eaves of barns, houses and bridges. Barn swallows are acrobatic flyers, and a single bird can catch and consume thousands of insects in one day. Art director William J. Gicker designed the stamp with original art by Matthew Frey.

What’s missing? Read our VSC essay here.

Questions submitted to the USPS via e-mail, and the USPS’ answers:

VSC: Since all previous Black Heritage stamps have been of people and vertical format, will there be another stamp that will be part of the Black Heritage series in 2017?

USPS: Keep in mind that our news release indicated that we were only previewing a portion of our 2017 program. We have nothing to announce on other 2017 stamp subjects at this time. Our black heritage series continues to be an active series. We don’t support any rumors to the contrary.

VSC: The JFK stamp design appears to be a definitive or “special” stamp, rather than a commemorative. Is that correct?

USPS: JFK is actually a semi-jumbo stamp. Semi-jumbo has a similar aspect ratio to our “special” sized stamps, but is proportionally larger.

VSC: Why would there be another non-denominated Butterfly stamp so soon after the issuance of this week’s Eastern Tailed Blue butterfly stamp? Even if the non-machineable rate changes, the stamp design would not need to change.

USPS: The California Dogface Butterfly has been announced as a 2017 issuance. It could be issued whenever need demands during the calendar year, even if that need is much later in the year.

VSC: Will there be a Statehood Bicentennial stamp for Mississippi or a Sesquicentennial for Nebraska?

USPS: Again, our news release indicated that we will announce other 2017 stamps moving forward. We have nothing to announce at this time.