American Vistas (Presorted Standard) (US 2025)

Posted on November 16, 2024 by VSC

From the USPS press release November 15, 2024:

These two stamps depicting stylized, minimalist scenes of mountains and a beach are for use on business mail. The stamps feature screen prints by DKNG Studios made from vector illustrations, and were designed by Greg Breeding, an art director for USPS.

New information will be posted below the line, with the most recent at the top.

Updated January 9^th:

The stamps will be issued on the first day of San Diego Stamp Expo.

From the Postal Bulletin:

On February 21, 2025, in San Diego, CA, the United States Postal Service® will issue the American Vistas stamps (Non-denominated priced at the Presorted Standard Rate of 10 cents) in two designs, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) coil of 3,000 stamps (Item 751900) and coil of 10,000 stamps (Item 762100). These stamps will go on sale nationwide February 21, 2025, and must not be sold or cancelled before the first-day-of-issue.

Two new Presorted Standard stamps will be issued for use by bulk mailers and sold in self-adhesive coils of 3,000 and 10,000. American Vistas features illustrations of two iconic American landscapes: mountains and beach. The stylized and minimalist scenes were created as vector illustrations, which were then turned into screen prints, using just three colors: yellow, blue, and navy. Art director Greg Breeding designed the stamps using existing artwork by DKNG Studios.

No automatic distribution.

How to Order the First-Day-of-Issue Postmark:
Customers have 120 days to obtain the first-day-of-issue postmark by mail. Each cover must have sufficient postage to meet First-Class Mail® requirements. They may purchase new stamps at their local Post Office® or at The Postal Store® website at usps.com/shop. 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 – American Vistas 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 June 21, 2025.

Technical Specifications (Coil of 3,000):

Issue: American Vistas Stamps
Item Number: 751900
Denomination & Type of Issue: 10-cent Presorted Standard, Mail-use
Format: Coil of 3,000 (2 designs)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: February 21, 2025, San Diego, CA 92199
Art Director: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
Designer: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
Existing Art: DKNG Studios, Los Angeles, CA
Modeler: Joseph Sheeran
Manufacturing Process: Offset
Printer: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
Press Type: Muller A76
Stamps per Coil: 3,000
Print Quantity: 21,000,000 stamps
Paper Type: Nonphosphored Type III
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Colors: Black, PMS 564 C, PMS 2006 C, PMS 541 C
Stamp Orientation: Vertical
Image Area (w x h): 0.7300 x 0.8400 in. / 18.5420 x
21.3360 mm
Stamp Size (w x h): 0.8700 x 0.9800 in. / 22.0980 x
24.8920 mm
Plate Size: 594 stamps per revolution
Plate Number: “P” followed by four (4) single digits
Coil Number Frequency: Plate number every 27th stamp below stamp image

Technical Specifications (Coil of 10,000):

Issue: American Vistas Stamps
Item Number: 762100
Denomination &Type of Issue: 10-cent Presorted Standard, Mail-use
Format: Coil of 10,000 (2 designs)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: February 21, 2025, San Diego, CA 92199
Art Director: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
Designer: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
Existing Art: DKNG Studios, Los Angeles, CA
Modeler: Joseph Sheeran
Manufacturing Process: Offset
Printer: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
Press Type: Muller A76
Stamps per Coil: 10,000
Print Quantity: 1,000,000,000 stamps
Paper Type: Nonphosphored Type III
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Colors: Black, PMS 564 C, PMS 2006 C, PMS 541 C
Stamp Orientation: Vertical
Image Area (w x h): 0.7300 x 0.8400 in. / 18.5420 x 21.3360 mm
Stamp Size (w x h): 0.8700 x 0.9800 in. / 22.0980 x 24.8920 mm
Plate Size: 594 stamps per revolution
Plate Number: “P” followed by four (4) single digits
Coil Number Frequency: Plate number every 27th stamp below stamp image

Allen Toussaint (Black Heritage Series) (US 2025)

Posted on November 16, 2024 by VSC

From the USPS press release November 15, 2024:

In recent years, the Black Heritage series has celebrated a man one year and a woman the next. Next year, the 48th stamp in the series will honor Allen Toussaint (1938–2015), the virtuoso pianist, singer, songwriter, composer, arranger and producer responsible for scores of hits across multiple genres. Designed by Ethel Kessler, an art director for USPS, the stamp features a photograph taken by Bill Tompkins in New York City in 2007.

Additional information will be posted below the line, with the most recent information at the top.

Updated January 3^rd:
Here are the first-day postmarks for this issue: The Digital Color Postmark measures 2.95″x1.41″ The Pictorial Postmark measures 2.73″x1.08″

The Special Postmark, which may be used by other post offices, measures 2.74″x1.08″

Updated December 30^th:
[press release] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions]
USPS Stamps Its Approval on Allen Toussaint’s Musical Legacy with 48th Black Heritage Stamp

What The 48th stamp in the Black Heritage series honors the legendary musician and songwriter Allen Toussaint (1938-2015). An icon of New Orleans music, Toussaint’s contributions to rhythm and blues (R&B), jazz, and rock ‘n’ roll have left an enduring mark on American music.

The first-day-of-issue event for the Allen Toussaint Black Heritage stamp is free and open to the public. News of the stamp is being shared with the hashtags #AllenToussaintStamp and #BlackHeritageStamp.

Who Gary Barksdale, chief postal inspector, U.S. Postal Inspection Service

Quint Davis, chief executive officer, Festival Productions Inc.

When Thursday, Jan. 30, 2025, at 11 a.m. CST

Where:
George and Joyce Wein Jazz & Heritage Center
1225 N. Rampart St
New Orleans, LA 70116

RSVP Attendees are encouraged to register at usps.com/blackheritagestamp

Background Music icon Allen Toussaint’s legacy continues to inspire. A prolific pianist, singer, songwriter, composer, arranger and producer, Toussaint left an indelible mark on New Orleans music and beyond.

His legendary career spanned decades, producing countless hits and collaborations with a wide array of artists. From classic songs such as “Fortune Teller” and “Southern Nights” to his behind-the-scenes work, Toussaint’s influence continues to resonate globally.

President Barack Obama recognized Toussaint with the National Medal of Arts in 2013. His previous honors include induction into the Blues Hall of Fame in 2012, the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2011, the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame in 2009, and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1998. In 2022, the New Orleans City Council renamed Robert E. Lee Boulevard for Toussaint, who lived on the four-mile-long thoroughfare during the last years of his life.

Ethel Kessler, an art director for USPS, designed the stamp using a photograph by Bill Thompkins.

The Allen Toussaint stamp will be issued in panes of 20. Forever stamps will always be equal in value to the current First-Class Mail 1-ounce price.

Updated December 26^th:
On January 30, 2025, in New Orleans, LA, the United States Postal Service® will issue the Allen Toussaint stamp (Forever® priced at the First-Class Mail® rate), in one design, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 20 stamps (Item 486000). This stamp will go on sale nationwide January 30, 2025, and must not be sold or canceled before the first-day-of-issue.

New Orleanian Allen Toussaint (1938-2015) may have done more than anyone else to shape the special blend of rhythm and blues for which the city is beloved, and to put it out to the wider world. The 48th stamp in the Black Heritage series celebrates this virtuoso pianist, singer, songwriter, composer, arranger, and producer responsible for scores of hits across multiple genres. The stamp artwork is a photograph of Toussaint at the piano, taken in New York City in 2007, by Bill Tompkins. Art director Ethel Kessler designed the stamp.

Automatic Distribution. A special dedication postmark will be available.

How to Order the First-Day-of-Issue Postmark:
Customers have 120 days to obtain the first-day-of-issue postmark by mail. They may purchase new stamps at their local Post Office® or at The Postal Store® website at store.usps.com/store/home. 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 – Allen Toussaint Stamp
USPS Stamp Fulfillment Services
8300 NE Underground Drive, Suite 300
Kansas City, MO 64144-9900

Technical Specifications:

Issue: Allen Toussaint Stamp
Item Number: 486000
Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail Forever
Format: Pane of 20 (1 design)
Series: Black Heritage
Issue Date & City: January 30, 2025, New Orleans, LA 70113
Art Director: Ethel Kessler, Bethesda, MD
Designer: Ethel Kessler, Bethesda, MD
Existing Photo: Bill Tompkins / Getty Images
Modeler: Sandra Lane / Michelle Finn
Manufacturing Process: Offset, Flexographic, Microprint
Printer: Banknote Corporation of America
Press Type: Gallus RCS
Stamps per Pane: 20
Print Quantity: 30,000,000 stamps
Paper Type: Phosphor, Block Tag
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Colors: PMS 7580 C, Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black
Stamp Orientation: Vertical
Image Area (w x h): 0.8400 x 1.4200 in. / 21.3360 x 36.0680 mm.
Overall Size (w x h): 0.9800 x 1.5600 in. / 24.8920 x 39.6240 mm.
Full Pane Size (w x h): 6.0000 x 8.5000 in. / 152.4000 x 215.9000 mm.
Press Sheets Size (w x h): 12.0000 x 17.1250 in. / 304.8000 x434.9750 mm.
Plate Size: 80 stamps per revolution
Plate Number: “B” followed by five (5) single digits
Marginal Markings:
Front: Header: BLACK HERITAGE, Celebrating Allen Toussaint, 48th in a Series • Plate number in bottom two corners
Back: © 2024 USPS • USPS Logo • Two barcodes (486000) • Plate position diagram (4) • Promotional text

Updated December 16^th:
This stamp will be issued January 30 in New Orleans.

Love (2025) (US 2025)

Posted on November 16, 2024 by VSC

From the USPS press release November 15, 2024:

This new Love stamp celebrates the universal experience of love with a work by artist Keith Haring (1958–1990). With a deceptively simple and now-iconic style, Haring’s work is instantly recognizable. This stamp features Haring’s 1985 Untitled drawing. Antonio Alcalá, an art director for USPS, believes that this drawing makes for an ideal new stamp in this popular series. “The non-specificity of the figures allows a variety of people to see themselves in this stamp,” Alcalá says. “Partners getting married, celebrating an anniversary, siblings sending each other a heartfelt greeting, or even party planners setting a positive tone for their event.”

Updates will be added below line, with the most recent at the top.

Updated December 26^th:
Here are the first-day postmarks available for this issue:The Digital Color Postmark measures 1.54″x0.98″The Pictorial Postmark measures 1.52″x0.97″There is a “special” postmark which post offices other than Kutztown may use in connection with the stamp, including on the “first day of sale” (that is again being allowed). It measures 2.42″x0.95″

Updated December 12^th:

On January 17, 2025, in Kutztown, PA, the United States Postal Service® will issue the Love stamp (Forever® priced at the First-Class Mail® rate), in one design, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 20 stamps (Item 581800). This stamp will go on sale nationwide January 17, 2025, and must not be sold or canceled before the first-day-of-issue.

This new Love stamp celebrates the universal experience of love with a work by artist Keith Haring (1958–1990). The stamp features Haring’s 1985 Untitled drawing. Two moving figures reach toward a red heart, a theme he returned to throughout his career. Antonio Alcalá, an art director for USPS, selected the Haring artwork for the stamp design.

Automatic distribution.

A Special Dedication Postmark is available.

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

Technical Specifications:

Issue: Love Stamp
Item Number: 581800
Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail Forever
Format: Pane of 20 (1 design)
Series: Love
Issue Date & City: January 17, 2025, Kutztown, PA 19530
Art Director: Antonio Alcalá, Alexandria, VA
Designer: Antonio Alcalá, Alexandria, VA
Existing Art: Keith Haring
Modeler: Sandra Lane / Michelle Finn
Manufacturing Process: Offset, Microprint
Printer: Banknote Corporation of America
Press Type: Alprinta 74
Stamps per Pane: 20
Print Quantity: 175,000,000 stamps
Paper Type: Phosphor, Block Tag
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Colors: PMS 185 C, PMS Black 6 C
Stamp Orientation: Vertical
Image Area (w x h): 0.7700 x 1.0500 in. / 19.5580 x 26.6700 mm.
Overall Size (w x h): 0.9100 x 1.1900 in. / 23.1140 x 30.2260 mm.
Full Pane Size (w x h): 5.5500 x 5.7600 in. / 140.9700 x 146.3040 mm.
Press Sheets Size (w x h): 22.2000 x 11.5200 in. / 563.8800 x 292.6080 mm.
Plate Size: 320 stamps per revolution
Plate Number: “B” followed by two (2) single digits
Marginal Markings:
Front: Plate number in four corners
Back: © Keith Haring Foundation. Licensed by Artestar, New York • © 2024 USPS • USPS Logo • Two barcodes (581800) • Plate position diagram (8) • Promotional text

APS Executive Announces Plans To Leave

Posted on November 15, 2024 by VSC

Below is an excerpt from American Philatelic Society executive director Scott English’s column in the December 2024 issue of the APS journal, The American Philatelist and distributed as an email to members.

Is he going to return to mainstream real-world politics? “Right now, my focus is on assisting the Search Committee and the APS Board in launching the search for the next Executive Director and working with our staff to do everything we can to help the next Executive Director succeed,” he told The Virtual Stamp Club in email. “I will eventually have to consider my next position and share that news with our fellow members when the time is right.

“No matter where I go, I will always remain a member of the APS and APRL and will enjoy visiting clubs and shows as a friend and collector for years to come.”

More comments from others are included in the text below.

After nearly 10 years with the American Philatelic Society and the American Philatelic Research Library, I’ve made the difficult decision to move on to the next chapter in life. As many of you may know, I concluded in 2023 that it was time to move on, but after discussions with the APS Board, I agreed to stay on to complete some much-needed work through 2026. I appreciate the Board’s faith in me to stay for two more years. As we complete those projects in the months ahead, it is time for me to step aside for new leadership prepared to lead the organization, growing our community of collectors for the next decade.

It’s not the end, but the beginning of the end of my time with the APS. I plan to stay with the APS while the Board searches for the next Executive Director. This can be a challenging process that should be carefully conducted, so it could take a year to successfully transition from one Executive Director to another. In the meantime, I will work with the APS Board and our team in Bellefonte to ensure this can be concluded with a smooth handoff.

Over the months ahead, I’ll connect with and share with the APS members about my time as the Executive Director. For now, I want to share a few thoughts with you.

With Gratitude
The APS is for members by members. From my first day on the job, I’ve met enthusiastic collectors who believe in this great hobby and the APS. The selflessness of your time to contribute your thoughts, actions, and passion is beyond words. The stamp-collecting community is warm and welcoming. Every interaction has been a learning experience, and I’m grateful for your kindness and hospitality.

Wherever you serve the hobby, please know you’re making a difference in the lives of others. Members have shared thousands of stories with me over the years, and the thing they remember most is who helped them along the way and why they gave their time in return.

With Pride
In my time here, we’ve celebrated some great wins:

Construction of a state-of-the-art research library
Recovering and sale of Position 76 of the McCoy Block of the Inverted Jenny
Thrived during the pandemic, adapting to the changing circumstances
Retiring the $5.4 million mortgage debt on the Match Factory
Replacing the Tiffany Dinner with the Stamp Soiree, which annually raises more than $100,000 for important APS and APRL missions
Recovering from the COVID-era tenant loss, going from 40 percent occupancy at the end of 2021 to more than 90 percent this year
Partnering with the American Topical Association and the American First Day Cover Society to form the Great American Stamp Show, North America’s largest annual stamp show
Launching Stamp Chats and StampEd, which are accessible online resources for collectors to learn about stamps and their hobby

These are just a few examples of how we’ve transformed the APS and the hobby. Each one took the hard work of many people in the hobby, including you. Thank you for your support, enthusiasm, and faith.

“My background of teaching and public education gave me the big picture understanding that the APS had to change with the times in order to be relevant in future decades,” APS president Cheryl R. Ganz told The VSC. “Scott has been a transformative executive director for nearly a decade.

“Scott has led us into the twenty-first century with a positive vision for the future.”

With Optimism
The APS and APRL are in better financial shape than in decades. We are debt-free and generate income from our third-party tenants to support the library. Our investments are paying great dividends, and we are building our cash reserves to prepare for future needs.

Thanks to the kindness of Al and Dottie Kugel, we’ve secured more than $2.2 million to date for a website replacement and replacing the roof on a portion of the Match Factory. There will be more news on the Kugel Estate sale in the coming months, and we’ll share those updates with you. I’ve been working with Dottie to find the proper way to honor Al, and we will do so before I leave.

Thanks to Karen Campbell, who pledged $100,000 to start the Stephen Campbell Home of Online Learning (Stamp SCHOOL). Her pledge launched a campaign to raise $250,000 to build an education program for collectors of all levels. I pledge to complete this campaign in the months ahead to offer members a full menu of options worldwide.

Thanks to Bob Mason, whose estate helped us complete the mortgage debt payments in 2020, we launched the current digital library project, now known as the Robert A. Mason Digital Library (RAMDL). We’ve hired a grant writer to help boost the mission even more, allowing us to improve the user experience, increase the number of objects available to search, and begin to develop preservation policies for orphaned digital projects. We’ll have more exciting news to share soon on additional content housed in the RAMDL.

Thanks to the APS and APRL boards for providing vigilant and thoughtful leadership over the years. Members only occasionally see the work involved in developing our strategies, managing the finances, and looking toward the future. Still, our boards have worked effectively to resolve some of our time’s greatest challenges and opportunities. They are all volunteers who give their time, so the reward for hard work is often more hard work.

Thanks to the dedicated APS and APRL staff and volunteers. Our staff and volunteers in Bellefonte work enthusiastically daily to serve the members and our community. They are more than just staff; they’ve become like family to me. My routine joke is, “If something goes well, good job! If something goes wrong, it’s my fault.” I would like to single out Leonard and Darlene Bloom, our extraordinary volunteers, who show up every day to manage donations, sell through the Stamp and Cover shop, and help in more ways than I can count.

Thanks to my wife, Kendra. She’s supported the long hours, the travel, and the time spent with me at stamp shows and stamp clubs around the country. While I would meet with members, she picked up an interest in collecting stamps, covers, and postcards, recruiting new members for the APS, and meeting and talking with collectors at any hour of the day or night. I could not have possibly done any of this without her support. We’ve made friendships that will last beyond my time as Executive Director.

This is not goodbye since I will still be around, at least through the Great American Stamp Show. In the meantime, I will continue to work on your behalf and for the hobby I’ve come to love. Thank you for all you do for the APS, APRL, and the hobby!

Children’s Welfare (Netherlands 2024)

Posted on November 15, 2024 by VSC

[press release] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions]
Children’s Welfare Stamps 2024

Release date: 7 October 2024
Appearance: Sheet of 5 special stamps in 5 different designs, each with a value of 1 for mail weighing up to 20 grams with a destination within the Netherlands, including a surcharge of €0.54 per stamp
Item Number: 441160
Design: Hallmark, Capelle aan den IJssel

On 7 October 2024, PostNL released a new sheet of Children’s Welfare Stamps. This year’s design features 5 stamps, 1 large and 4 smaller ones, celebrating 100 years of Children’s Welfare Stamps and the theme of resilience. The large stamp includes a QR code that allows the sender of a letter or card to send a personal video message to the recipient.

Since 1924, PostNL has issued Children’s Welfare Stamps to raise money for projects focused on the well-being of vulnerable children. This is done through a surcharge, currently set at €0.54 per stamp. The proceeds from all surcharges go to projects supported by the Children’s Welfare Stamps Foundation. This independent foundation works to provide equal development opportunities for children in the Netherlands and other countries. To support these efforts, the foundation organises the annual Children’s Welfare Stamp campaign, which has been part of the Netherlands’ Inventory of Intangible Cultural Heritage since 2017. The price for a sheet of 5 stamps is €8.40, including surcharges.

From 25 September to 2 October 2024, over 125,000 pupils from years 7 and 8 will sell the Children’s Welfare Stamps door-to-door. From 3 October, PostNL will begin delivering the orders. In 2023, the Children’s Welfare Stamp campaign raised €9.6 million, nearly €0.6 million more than in 2022. The 2024 campaign theme is resilience. Hundreds of thousands of children in the Netherlands face poverty, loneliness, or problems at home, lacking the strong foundation needed to build resilience.

The Children’s Welfare Stamps Foundation is committed to supporting these children, offering them a safe foundation, support, and attention. According to the foundation, resilience is a superpower that can help in difficult situations. A safe base and loving attention contribute to making children more resilient. The foundation works with project partners to provide structural support to enhance the resilience of children facing difficulties. Schools are also provided with tools to incorporate this theme into the classroom during the school year.

During the centennial year, there will be various additional activities focusing on resilience, including a special TV commercial, a Superpower Day in collaboration with the KPN Mooiste Contact Fonds, a special campaign song with Kinderen voor Kinderen, and other activities.

In 1924, a royal decree established that the state could issue stamps with a surcharge “for disadvantaged children.” The Children’s Welfare Stamps were born. Over the past 100 years, the stamps have evolved with societal changes, and their designs reflect the spirit of the times, from the stylised child’s head between angel figures in the first design in 1924 to the cheerful typographic and symbolic stamps of 2024. Initially, only volunteer committees sold the stamps.

In 1948, a teacher’s idea led to a trial where primary school students sold the stamps, which was so successful that it became a nationwide practice in 1949. Thus, the Children’s Welfare Stamp campaign began, as it is still known today. From 1948, the campaign was organised by the Stichting voor het Kind, and the proceeds were distributed by the Nationaal Comité voor de Kinderpostzegels. In 1989, these two organisations merged into the current Children’s Welfare Stamps Foundation. Many generations of Dutch people have fond memories of selling the stamps door-to-door with their classmates. Every year, over 3,000 schools and 125,000 children participate. Over the years, special Children’s Welfare Stamps have been created, such as the 1972 issue featuring photos of Prince Claus’s three sons and the 2012 issue with photos of Prince Willem-Alexander’s three daughters. Other issues have featured illustrations by renowned Dutch illustrators such as Dick Bruna (1969 and 2005), Max Velthuijs (1998), and Fiep Westendorp (2016).

Sofie Vriends, Director of the Children’s Welfare Stamps Foundation: “We are celebrating 100 years, and that calls for a special jubilee stamp. This year, it was important to find the right balance between a campaign that emphasises the strength of children and the severity of the problems some children face. Currently, more than 230,000 children in the Netherlands live below the poverty line. Together with everyone in the Netherlands, we want to strengthen children’s resilience. Resilience is a superpower in your mind and heart that helps you cope with difficult situations. Together with PostNL, we have worked to translate this into special stamps that focus on ‘giving superpower’.”

The 2024 Children’s Welfare Stamps were designed by Hallmark. “Our designer was guided by the theme cards we created for the Children’s Welfare Stamp campaign, which starts at the end of September,” says Jan Willem Koch, Managing Director of Hallmark Europe. “Elements from the theme cards are reflected in the stamp design.”

The price for a sheet of 5 stamps is €8.40, including a surcharge of €0.54 per stamp.

Technical Data:
Stamp size: 4 stamps of 36 x 25 mm and 1 stamp of 36 x 50 mm
Sheet size: 144 x 75 mm
Paper: Normal with phosphor print
Gumming: Synthetic
Printing technique: Offset
Printing colours: Cyan, magenta, yellow, and black
Circulation: 1,350,000 sheets
Appearance: Sheet of 5 stamps in 5 different designs
Design/illustrations: Hallmark Cards Netherlands, Capelle aan den Ijssel
Printing by: Royal Joh. Enschedé B.V., Haarlem
Item Number: 441160

Note: PostNL does not sell directly to collectors in North America. Its website refers to a company called Nordfirm, which says it sells Dutch new issues at face value. The Virtual Stamp Club has no connection to this company.

Collectors may also wish to contact the U.S. firm Bombay Stamps, which can also obtain first day covers upon request, with lower shipping fees. The email is sales@bombaystamps.com Again, The Virtual Stamp Club has no connection to this company.

Christmas (UK 2024)

Posted on November 15, 2024 by VSC

[press release] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions]
Royal Mail Reveals Christmas 2024 Special Stamps

Issue date: 5 November
Royal Mail celebrates Christmas 2024 with a series of five Special Stamps, featuring original illustrations of cathedrals from across the UK
Featured on the stamps are cathedrals in Edinburgh, Liverpool, Armagh, Bangor and Westminster
The stamps and a range of collectible products are available to buy now

Royal Mail has revealed images of five stamps being issued to celebrate Christmas 2024. The stamps feature some of the many spectacular cathedrals in the UK: in Edinburgh, Liverpool, Armagh, Bangor and Westminster.

The stamps were illustrated by Penzance-based, British artist, Judy Joel, whose popular paintings have been sold worldwide over the last 50 years. [On the right, the five-stamp souvenir sheet.]

Royal Mail worked with Canon Janet Gough, OBE, one of the UK’s foremost experts on cathedrals and church buildings on the stamp issue.

Canon Janet Gough, OBE, said: “These special stamps are a reminder that for centuries past, cathedrals have provided sanctuary, community, joy and wonder at the birth of Christ. And they continue to do so today, standing at the very heart of our cities. All the UK’s cathedrals will be open over Christmas, ready to welcome people of all faiths and none. For services, prayer and celebration, to find peace, or to enjoy the splendour of their music, architecture and treasures, visit a cathedral this Christmas!” [On the left, the 20-stamp plus labels “collectors sheet.”]

David Gold, Director of External Affairs and Policy said: “Cathedrals are a hugely significant part of our cultural heritage and play an important role in local communities. They also offer space for peaceful reflection and a bit of an escape from the challenges of daily life, which can be especially important at Christmas.” [On the right, one of the official first day covers available from Royal Mail.]

Christmas is a time of celebration in the midst of winter darkness at all of the United Kingdom’s cathedrals. A cathedral is the seat of a bishop (cathedra in Latin) and the principal church of the diocese, or church administrative area. From St Patrick’s Cathedral in Armagh, founded by the great Irish saint (originally from Roman Britain) as a monastic community on a hilltop, to Liverpool Cathedral, consecrated a century ago, cathedrals bear witness to history and play a key role in the nation’s spiritual, cultural and social life. With candlelight, festive decorations, magnificent architecture, awe-inspiring art and treasures and sublime music and liturgy, cathedrals are wonderful and welcoming places to visit at Christmas.

Stamp-by-stamp:
St Mary’s Episcopal Cathedral, Edinburgh
St Mary’s Episcopal Cathedral, designed by Victorian architect George Gilbert Scott, boldly harks back to upwardly soaring medieval Gothic cathedrals, with its three spires dominating Edinburgh. Consecrated in 1879, St Mary’s is the largest cathedral in Scotland today and maintains the tradition of regular choral worship, never more elaborate than at Christmas.

St Patrick’s Cathedral, Armagh (Church of Ireland)
The Church of Ireland Cathedral of St Patrick in Armagh traces its origins to a hilltop sanctuary founded by St Patrick, and worship has taken place on this site since the 5th century. At Christmas, the cathedral’s hallowed walls echo with the sound of carols and all find a warm welcome within.

Liverpool Cathedral
Liverpool acquired an immense new cathedral for the 20th century, designed by the young architect Giles Gilbert Scott. Consecrated in 1924, the cathedral was not completed until 1978. In what is often called the ‘people’s cathedral’, breathtaking heights and a sense of space combine with beautiful craftsmanship.

St Deiniol’s Cathedral, Bangor / Cadeirlan Deiniol Sant ym Mangor
Bangor Cathedral stands where St Deiniol established his Celtic monastery in the 6th century. Battered by medieval wars between the princes of Gwynedd and the English kings, the cathedral now celebrates the languages, cultures and landscapes of Wales. Every Sunday and on Christmas Day, Welsh and English coexist in worship and prayer.

Westminster Cathedral, London
Westminster Cathedral is the largest Roman Catholic church in England and Wales and the seat of the Cardinal Archbishop of Westminster. It was designed by John Francis Bentley in a neo-Byzantine style and built between 1895 and 1903. Candlelit Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve ushers in the celebration of the birth of Christ.

The stamps, and a range of collectible products, are available to buy now at www.royalmail.com/christmas2024, by telephone on 03457 641 641 and 7,000 Post Offices across the UK. A Presentation Pack including all five stamps is priced at £10.35.

1794 Compass Rose (Global) (US 2025)

Posted on November 15, 2024 by VSC

From the USPS press release November 15, 2024:

Useful for mailing a 1-ounce letter to any country in which First-Class Mail International service is available, this stamp carries with it a bit of history. The colorful compass rose was drawn in a school geography notebook by Lucia Wadsworth, the aunt of poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, when she was 10 years old. Greg Breeding, an art director for USPS, designed the stamp.

Updates will be added below line, with the most recent at the top.

Updated December 26^th:
Here are the first-day postmarks for this issue:The Digital Color Postmark measures 2.76″x1.25″There is no pictorial postmark for this issue (although a show cancel is likely).

Updated December 12^th:

On January 24, 2025, in Peachtree Corners, GA, the United States Postal Service® will issue the 1794 Compass Rose Global Forever® International rate stamp, in one design, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 10 stamps (Item 581700). This stamp will go on sale nationwide January 24, 2025, and must not be sold or canceled before the first-day-of-issue.

[This is the location and first day of the Southeastern Stamp Expo.]

1794 Compass Rose is a new Global stamp that can be used to mail a one-ounce letter to any country in which First-Class Mail International® service is available. A compass rose is a round figure on a map that helps users of the map orient themselves by showing the direction of north and other points of the compass. The stamp is round and features a colorful compass rose from the Collections of Maine Historical Society, drawn by Lucia Wadsworth, the aunt of poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, in her school geography notebook when she was 10 years old. Art director Greg Breeding designed the stamp.

No automatic distribution.

How to Order the First-Day-of-Issue Postmark:
Customers have 120 days to obtain the first-day-of-issue postmark by mail. They may purchase new stamps at their local Post Office® or at The Postal Store® website at usps.com/shop. 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 – 1794 Compass Rose Stamp
USPS Stamp Fulfillment Services
8300 NE Underground Drive, Suite 300
Kansas City, MO 64144-9900

Technical Specifications:

Issue: 1794 Compass Rose Stamp
Item Number: 581700
Denomination & Type of Issue: Global Forever International Rate
Format: Pane of 10 (1 design)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: January 24, 2025, Peachtree Corners, GA 30092
Art Director: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
Designer: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
Existing Art: Lucia Wadsworth
Modeler: Joseph Sheeran
Manufacturing Process: Offset, Microprint
Printer: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
Press Type: Muller A76
Stamps per Pane: 10
Print Quantity: 40,000,000
Paper Type: Nonphosphored Type III, Block Tag
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Stamp Orientation: Round
Image Area (w x h): 1.2000 x 1.2000 in. / 30.4800 x
30.4800 mm.
Stamp Size (w x h): 1.4100 x 1.4100 in. / 35.8140 x
35.8140 mm.
Full Pane Size (w x h): 8.5000 x 4.0900 in. / 215.9000 x 103.8860 mm.
Colors: Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black, PMS 3546 C, PMS 575 C
Plate Size: 180 stamps per revolution
Plate Number: “P” followed by six (6) single digits
Marginal Markings:
Front: Plate number in four corners of pane
Back: © 2024 USPS • USPS logo • Barcode (581700) behind each stamp • Plate position diagram (9) • Promotional text

Lunar New Year: Year of the Snake (US 2025)

Posted on November 15, 2024 by VSC

From the USPS press release November 15, 2024:

This is the sixth stamp in the current Lunar New Year series, where each entry features a mask, calling to mind the decorated masks used in the dragon or lion dances often performed during Lunar New Year parades. For Year of the Snake, designer Camille Chew constructed a three-dimensional snake mask out of hand- printed paper, then cut, scored and folded it into shape. After the front was embellished with acrylic paint and additional paper elements, the back was covered with a layer of papier-mâché. Antonio Alcalá, an art director for USPS, designed the stamp from a photograph of the mask by Sally Andersen-Bruce.

Updates will be added below line, with the most recent at the top.

Updated December 19^th:
The USPS has released updated dimensions for the postmarks: 3.0″x1.45″ for the DCP and 2.45″x1.22″ for the Pictorial. The dimensions beneath the illustrations have been updated.

Updated December 14^th:
I believe the dimensions for the two first-day postmarks are incorrect, possibly reversed. I have asked the USPS for clarification. (The DCP is obviously taller than the Pictorial.)

Updated December 11^th:
On January 14, 2025, in Boston, MA, the United States Postal Service® will issue the Lunar New Year • Year of the Snake stamp (Forever® priced at the First-Class Mail® rate), in one design, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 20 stamps (Item 485900). This stamp will go on sale nationwide January 14, 2025, and must not be sold or canceled before the first-day-of-issue. The Lunar New Year • Year of the Snake commemorative pane of 20 stamps must not be split and the stamps must not be sold individually.

In 2025, the Postal Service™ will issue the sixth of 12 stamps in its latest Lunar New Year series. The Year of the Snake begins January 29, 2025, and concludes on February 16, 2026. Calling to mind the elaborately decorated masks used in the dragon or lion dances often performed in Lunar New Year parades, this three-dimensional mask depicting a snake is a contemporary take on the long tradition of paper-cut folk-art crafts created during this time of year. Art director Antonio Alcalá designed this stamp issuance with original artwork by Camille Chew and photography by Sally Andersen-Bruce.

Automatic distribution.

FDOI – Lunar New Year • Year of the Snake Stamp
USPS Stamp Fulfillment Services
8300 NE Underground Drive, Suite 300
Kansas City, MO 64144-9900

Technical Specifications:

Issue: Lunar New Year • Year of the Snake Stamp
Item Number: 485900
Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail Forever
Format: Pane of 20 (1 design)
Series: Lunar New Year
Issue Date & City: January 14, 2025, Boston, MA 02205
Art Director: Antonio Alcalá, Alexandria, VA
Designer: Antonio Alcalá, Alexandria, VA
Artist: Camille Chew, Providence, RI
Modeler: Sandra Lane / Michelle Finn
Manufacturing Process: Offset, Foil Stamping, Flexographic, Microprint
Printer: Banknote Corporation of America
Press Type: Gallus RCS
Stamps per Pane: 20
Print Quantity: 21,000,000 stamps
Paper Type: Phosphor, Block Tag
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Colors: Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black, PMS 7579 C, PMS 7563 C, Red Luxor Foil MTS 392, Gold Luxor Foil MTS 413
Stamp Orientation: Vertical
Image Area (w x h): 0.8400 x 1.4200 in. / 21.3360 x 36.0680 mm.
Overall Size (w x h): 0.9800 x 1.5600 in. / 24.8920 x 39.6240 mm.
Full Pane Size (w x h): 7.2500 x 8.5000 in. / 184.1500 x 215.9000 mm.
Press Sheets Size (w x h): 14.5000 x 19.5000 in. / 368.3000 x 495.3000 mm.
Plate Size: 80 stamps per revolution
Plate Number: “B” followed by six (6) single digits
Marginal Markings:
Front: Header: LUNAR NEW YEAR • YEAR OF THE SNAKE • Plate number in bottom two corners
Back: © 2024 USPS • USPS Logo • Two barcodes (485900) • Plate position diagram (4) • Promotional text

Here are the first-day postmarks for this issue:The Digital Color Postmark measures 3.0″x1.45″
The Pictorial Postmark measures 2.45″ x 1.22″

Updated December 11^th:

[press release] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions]
USPS Announces Ceremony For Lunar New Year Stamp

What: The U.S. Postal Service celebrates the Lunar New Year with the release of the Year of the Snake stamp. The Year of the Snake begins Jan. 29, 2025, and ends Feb. 16, 2026.

This first-day-of-issue event for the Forever stamp will be held in Boston and is free and open to the public. News of the stamp is being shared online with the hashtags #LunarNewYearSnake and #LunarNewYearStamp.

Who: Luke Grossmann, chief financial officer and executive vice president, U.S. Postal Service

Isabel Kim, chief financial officer, The Asian American Foundation (TAAF)

When: Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025, at 11 a.m. EST

Where:
Boch Center — Wang Theatre
270 Tremont St.
Boston, MA 02116

RSVP: Attendees are encouraged to register at usps.com/lunarnewyearsnake.

Background: The Postal Service will celebrate the 2025 Lunar New Year with a colorful Year of the Snake stamp.

To mark this festive occasion, millions of people around the world will host parades and parties, decorate with red and gold lanterns, set off firecrackers to ward off evil spirits, and invite family and friends to share traditional foods to welcome the new year. People will write couplets, give gifts and clean their houses to celebrate a time of renewal.

Those born in the Year of the Snake, the sixth sign in the Chinese zodiac, are said to be quiet, wise and deep-thinking, making them proficient musicians, philosophers, writers and teachers. A snake year is sometimes referred to as a “little dragon year” because it follows the dragon on the zodiac. 2025 marks the year of the wood snake. Artist Camille Chew designed the stamp.

Quick List: Announced 2025 U.S. Issues

Posted on November 15, 2024 by VSC

Announced on November 15^th:

Lunar New Year: Year of the Snake
1794 Compass Rose (Global)
Love (2025)
Black Heritage: Allen Toussaint
American Vistas (Presorted Standard)
The Appalachian Trail
Vibrant Leaves (Postcard Rate)
Dahlias
U.S. Flag
Schooner (Stamped Card)
Luna Moth (Nonmachineable Surcharge)
Baby Wild Animals
Betty White
Winter Landscapes

U.S. Advance Look at 2025 Issues

Posted on November 15, 2024 by VSC

This can’t possibly be the entire U.S. 2025 stamp program, nor does the press release claim that it is. For example, there will be at least one stamp for Boston 2026, the decennial international stamp show being held in the U.S. It is likely that stamp or stamps will be issued at Great American Stamp Show, August 17-20, n Schaumburg, Illinois.

Nothing is mentioned here about the “semiquincentennial” of 1775, which included the battles of Lexington, Concord, Bunker Hill and Fort Ticonderoga, the second Continental Congress (we had a stamp for the First); and the ride of Paul Revere. 2025 is also the centennial of one of the great American novels, The Great Gatsby. Also in 1925, Mount Rushmore was dedicated and the “Grand Ole Opry” program premiered.

Here’s the November 15^th press release from the USPS:

[press release] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions]
U.S. Postal Service Provides Sneak Peek at 2025 Stamps
History, Natural Beauty and Pop Culture Icons Are Featured

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Postal Service today announced many of the stamps it will release in 2025.

“This early glimpse into our 2025 stamp program demonstrates our commitment to providing a diverse range of subjects and designs for both philatelists and stamp enthusiasts,” said Lisa Bobb-Semple, Stamp Services director for USPS. “This year, we are continuing several of our popular series and commemorative anniversaries, while introducing some exciting new stamps. Additionally, several of our mail-use stamps, which are printed based on demand, will be updated this year. Stay tuned for more announcements in the coming months.”

This is a partial list, with additional stamps to be announced in the coming weeks and months. These designs are preliminary and may change.

Lunar New Year: Year of the Snake
This is the sixth stamp in the current Lunar New Year series, where each entry features a mask, calling to mind the decorated masks used in the dragon or lion dances often performed during Lunar New Year parades. For Year of the Snake, designer Camille Chew constructed a three-dimensional snake mask out of hand- printed paper, then cut, scored and folded it into shape. After the front was embellished with acrylic paint and additional paper elements, the back was covered with a layer of papier-mâché. Antonio Alcalá, an art director for USPS, designed the stamp from a photograph of the mask by Sally Andersen-Bruce.

1794 Compass Rose (Global)
Useful for mailing a 1-ounce letter to any country in which First-Class Mail International service is available, this stamp carries with it a bit of history. The colorful compass rose was drawn in a school geography notebook by Lucia Wadsworth, the aunt of poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, when she was 10 years old. Greg Breeding, an art director for USPS, designed the stamp.

Love (2025)
This new Love stamp celebrates the universal experience of love with a work by artist Keith Haring (1958–1990). With a deceptively simple and now-iconic style, Haring’s work is instantly recognizable. This stamp features Haring’s 1985 Untitled drawing. Antonio Alcalá, an art director for USPS, believes that this drawing makes for an ideal new stamp in this popular series. “The non-specificity of the figures allows a variety of people to see themselves in this stamp,” Alcalá says. “Partners getting married, celebrating an anniversary, siblings sending each other a heartfelt greeting, or even party planners setting a positive tone for their event.”

Black Heritage: Allen Toussaint
In recent years, the Black Heritage series has celebrated a man one year and a woman the next. Next year, the 48th stamp in the series will honor Allen Toussaint (1938–2015), the virtuoso pianist, singer, songwriter, composer, arranger and producer responsible for scores of hits across multiple genres. Designed by Ethel Kessler, an art director for USPS, the stamp features a photograph taken by Bill Tompkins in New York City in 2007.

American Vistas (Presorted Standard)
These two stamps depicting stylized, minimalist scenes of mountains and a beach are for use on business mail. The stamps feature screen prints by DKNG Studios made from vector illustrations, and were designed by Greg Breeding, an art director for USPS.

The Appalachian Trail
Covering almost 2,200 miles of footpath along one of Earth’s most ancient mountain ranges, the century- old Appalachian National Scenic Trail is within easy reach of large metropolitan areas of the East Coast. The Appalachian Trail is maintained by a network of volunteer clubs, led by the nonprofit Appalachian Trail Conservancy. This pane of 15 stamps includes a photographic view from each of the 14 states along the Maine-to-Georgia trail with an additional stamp showing stretches of trail through dense forest. Antonio Alcalá, an art director for USPS, designed the stamps with images from various photographers.

Vibrant Leaves (Postcard Rate)
Evoking the colorful sights of a seasonal walk in the woods, the photographs on five new postcard stamps depict leaves on trees found in the United States. Antonio Alcalá, an art director for USPS, designed the stamps.

Dahlias
Radiating warmth, vitality and cheer, dahlias are beloved additions to backyard gardens and formal venues alike. This issuance includes 10 close-up photographs of dahlia blossoms available in booklets of 20 stamps and coils of 3K and 10K stamps. Greg Breeding, an art director for USPS, designed the stamps using photographs by Denise Ippolito.

U.S. Flag
Conveniently available in many formats, this stamp continues a long tradition of honoring the Stars and Stripes. Antonio Alcalá, an art director for USPS, designed the stamp with a photograph by Doug Haight.

Schooner (Stamped Card)
New stamped-card designs are issued every few years for customers who want to send postcards with postage already included. The latest features an illustration of a two-masted sea vessel based on a photo of a 2014 replica of the 1923 schooner Columbia. Libby VanderPloeg was the artist and Antonio Alcalá provided art direction.

Luna Moth (Nonmachineable Surcharge)
This new stamp for irregularly sized envelopes features a luna moth (Actias luna), considered one of the most beautiful moths in the United States. Artist Joseph Scheer created this composite image by using a high-resolution scanner with extended focus to capture multiple layers of a preservedmoth. Derry Noyes, an art director for USPS, designed the stamp.

Baby Wild Animals
Offering whimsical, eye-catching designs for letters and cards, these 10 stamps show baby wild animals from across the United States, with visual elements suggesting the habitat or behavior of each one. Tracy Walker designed and created the artwork by digitally layering colored shapes on solid backgrounds. Greg Breeding provided art direction.

Betty White
An icon of American television, Betty White (1922–2021) shared her wit and warmth with viewers for seven decades — including roles on “The Golden Girls” and “The Mary Tyler Moore Show.” The comedic actor, who gained younger generations of fans as she entered her 90s, was also revered as a compassionate advocate for animals. Dale Stephanos created the digital illustration based on a 2010 photograph by Kwaku Alston. Greg Breeding, an art director for USPS, designed the stamp.

Winter Landscapes
Offered in booklets of 20, these five stamps feature photographs of iconic winter landscapes from around the country. Ethel Kessler, an art director for USPS, designed the stamps using images from various photographers.