[press release] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions]
2026 Priority Mail and Priority Mail Express Stamps Announced
First-day-of-issue dates and locations through March 2026 also revealed

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Postal Service today announced the Priority Mail and Priority Mail Express stamps it will release in 2026. There will be additional stamp subjects to be announced in the coming weeks and months. These designs are preliminary and may change.

Crab Nebula (Priority Mail)
This new Priority Mail stamp celebrates America’s continued exploration of deep space with a breathtaking image captured by NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope. One of the most frequently observed celestial bodies, the Crab Nebula is one of the brightest remnants of an exploded star in the night sky. Located 6,500 light-years away in the constellation Taurus, Webb captured this new Crab Nebula image in vivid infrared detail revealing previously unseen features that contribute to our broader understanding of stellar life cycles. Greg Breeding, an art director for USPS, designed the stamp using a photo courtesy of NASA. Upon favorable review by the Postal Regulatory Commission, the stamp will be denominated at the new Priority Mail Flat Rate Envelope rate and an issue date will be announced. (VSC page is here)

Galaxy Pair (Priority Mail Express)
This new Priority Mail Express stamp features another astounding image captured by NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope. The stamp features a composite image from the Webb and Hubble Space Telescopes titled Galaxy Pair. It reveals a view of two interacting galaxies, IC 2163 and NGC 2207, located approximately 80 million light-years from Earth, offering a glimpse into the dynamic processes that shape our universe. Greg Breeding, an art director for USPS, designed the stamp, using a photo courtesy of NASA. Upon favorable review by the Postal Regulatory Commission, the stamp will be denominated at the new Priority Mail Express Flat Rate Envelope rate and an issue date will be announced. (VSC page is here)

Announced by the USPS on December 12, 2025:

This new Priority Mail Express stamp features another astounding image captured by NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope. The stamp features a composite image from the Webb and Hubble Space Telescopes titled Galaxy Pair. It reveals a view of two interacting galaxies, IC 2163 and NGC 2207, located approximately 80 million light-years from Earth, offering a glimpse into the dynamic processes that shape our universe. Greg Breeding, an art director for USPS, designed the stamp, using a photo courtesy of NASA. Upon favorable review by the Postal Regulatory Commission, the stamp will be denominated at the new Priority Mail Express Flat Rate Envelope rate and an issue date will be announced.

Further information will appear below the line, with the most recent information at the top.

Updated March 6^th:
Technical Specifications:

Issue: Galaxy Pair Stamp
Item Number: 129600
Denomination &
Type of Issue: $33.25 Priority Mail Express® Rate
Format: Pane of 4 (1 design)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: February 24, 2026, Kansas City, MO 64108
Art Director: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
Designer: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
Existing Image: Photo courtesy of NASA
Modeler: Sandra Lane / Michelle Finn
Manufacturing Process: Offset, Flexographic
Printer: Banknote Corporation of America
Press Type: Gallus RCS
Stamps per Pane: 4
Print Quantity: 400,000 stamps
Paper Type: Phosphor, Block Tag
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Colors: Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black
Stamp Orientation: Horizontal
Image Area (w x h): 1.4200 X 1.0850 in. / 36.0680 X 27.5590 mm.
Overall Size (w x h): 1.5600 X 1.2250 in. / 39.6240 X 31.1150 mm.
Full Pane Size (w x h): 4.1200 X 3.4500 in. / 104.6480 X 87.6300 mm.
Plate Size: 80 stamps per revolution
Plate Number: “B” followed by four (4) single digits
Marginal Markings:
Front: Plate number in two corners
Back: © 2025 USPS • USPS logo • Four barcodes (129600) • Plate position diagram (10) • Promotional text

Updated February 10^th:
Here are the first-day postmarks for this issue:The Digital Color Postmark measures 3.07″ x 1.39″

There is no Pictorial Postmark for this issue, just the FDOI “killer bars.”

Updated February 5^th:
This stamp will be issued February 24 without a ceremony.

On February 24, 2026, in Kansas City, MO, the United States Postal Service® will issue the $33.25 Galaxy Pair Priority Mail Express® stamp, in one design, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of four stamps (Item 129600). This stamp will go on sale nationwide February 24, 2026, and must not be sold or canceled before the first-day-of-issue.

This new Priority Mail Express® stamp celebrates America’s continued exploration of deep space with another breathtaking image captured by NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope. The stamp features a composite James Webb Space Telescope (Webb) and Hubble Space Telescope image titled Galaxy Pair. This image reveals a view of two interacting galaxies, IC 2163 and NGC 2207, located approximately 80 million light-years from Earth, offering a glimpse into the dynamic processes that shape our universe. Art director Greg Breeding designed the stamp, using a photo courtesy of NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration).

Item 129600, $33.25 Galaxy Pair Priority Mail Express Stamp

No automatic distribution.

How to Order the First-Day-of-Issue Postmark:
The first-day-of-issue postmark is a postmark notating the day a stamp is first authorized for use by the Postal Service™. Customers have 120 days to obtain the first-day-of-issue postmark by mail. All requests for first-day-of-issue postmarks (Traditional or Digital Color Postmark) should be sent to the following address with the choice of Traditional or DigitalColor Postmark identified. All orders must be postmarked by June 24, 2026.

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

Technical details are not yet available.

Announced by the USPS on December 12, 2025:

This new Priority Mail stamp celebrates America’s continued exploration of deep space with a breathtaking image captured by NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope. One of the most frequently observed celestial bodies, the Crab Nebula is one of the brightest remnants of an exploded star in the night sky. Located 6,500 light-years away in the constellation Taurus, Webb captured this new Crab Nebula image in vivid infrared detail revealing previously unseen features that contribute to our broader understanding of stellar life cycles. Greg Breeding, an art director for USPS, designed the stamp using a photo courtesy of NASA. Upon favorable review by the Postal Regulatory Commission, the stamp will be denominated at the new Priority Mail Flat Rate Envelope rate and an issue date will be announced.

Further information will appear below the line, with the most recent information at the top.

Updated March 6^th:
Technical Specifications:

Issue: Crab Nebula Stamp
Item Number: 129700
Denomination & Type of Issue: $11.95 Priority Mail® Rate
Format: Pane of 4 (1 design)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: February 24, 2026, Kansas City, MO 64108
Art Director: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
Designer: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
Existing Image: Photo courtesy of NASA
Modeler: Sandra Lane / Michelle Finn
Manufacturing Process: Offset, Flexographic
Printer: Banknote Corporation of America
Press Type: Gallus RCS
Stamps per Pane: 4
Print Quantity: 1,500,000 stamps
Paper Type: Phosphor, Block Tag
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Colors: Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black
Stamp Orientation: Horizontal
Image Area (w x h): 1.4200 X 1.0850 in. / 36.0680 X 27.5590 mm.
Overall Size (w x h): 1.5600 X 1.2250 in. / 39.6240 X 31.1150 mm.
Full Pane Size (w x h): 4.1200 X 3.4500 in. / 104.6480 X 87.6300 mm.
Plate Size: 80 stamps per revolution
Plate Number: “B” followed by four (4) single digits
Marginal Markings:
Front: Plate number in two corners
Back: © 2025 USPS • USPS logo • Four barcodes (129700) • Plate position diagram (10) • Promotional text

Updated February 10^th:
Here are the first-day postmarks for this issue:The Digital Color Postmark measures 3.12″ x 1.39″There is no Pictorial Postmark for this issue, just the FDOI “killer bars.”

Updated February 5^th:

This stamp will be issued February 24 without a ceremony.

On February 24, 2026, in Kansas City, MO, the United States Postal Service® will issue the $11.95 Crab Nebula Priority Mail® stamp, in one design, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of four stamps (Item 129700). This stamp will go on sale nationwide February 24, 2026, and must not be sold or canceled before the first-day-of-issue.

This new Priority Mail® stamp celebrates America’s continued exploration of deep space with another breathtaking image captured by NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope. One of the most frequently observed celestial bodies, the Crab Nebula is one of the brightest remnants of an exploded star in the night sky. Located 6,500 light-years away in the constellation Taurus, Webb captured this new Crab Nebula image in vivid infrared detail revealing previously unseen features that contribute to our broader understanding of stellar life cycles. Art director Greg Breeding designed the stamp using a photo courtesy of NASA (National Aeronautics Space Agency).

Item 129700, $11.95 Crab Nebula Priority Mail Pane of Four Stamps

No automatic distribution.

How to Order the First-Day-of-Issue Postmark:
The first-day-of-issue postmark is a postmark notating the day a stamp is first authorized for use by the Postal Service™. Customers have 120 days to obtain the first-day-of-issue postmark by mail. All requests for first-day-of-issue postmarks (Traditional or Digital Color Postmark) must be sent to the following address with the choice of Traditional or Digital Color Postmark identified. All orders must be postmarked by June 24, 2026.

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

Technical details are not yet available.

by VSC editor Lloyd A. de Vries

Here’s what we know:

• The show is May 23-30.
• The winner of the “Encore” vote will be announced and issued, at the same time, during the show.
• There will be 6 or 7 first-days during the show, and all but one will be se-tenant issues.
• The illustration of the full pane for the American Bison stamp says “Boston 2026 World Stamp Show.”
• There are rumors that Route 66 will be issued at the show.
• We’ve heard that the USPS does not want to release a new issue on the last day of the show, because at the 2016 U.S. international in New York, the cancelers were struggling to finish up all the cancellation requests before the end of the show, and ended up taking some of the covers back to Kansas City to complete them.
• Nothing says “stamp show souvenir” like a 25-stamp issue (Figures of the American Revolution).
• When the USPS issues press releases listing a bunch of new issues, they are roughly in chronological order.

Therefore, I will predict these announced issues will be released during the show:

• • Encore
  • A Day at the Beach
  • Route 66
  • Figures of the American Revolution
  • Bald Eagles
  • American Bison
  • International Peace (even though that would be a second single-design issue)

So what issues have not be announced yet? We know that 20 issues (I think someone said 71 stamps) isn’t the entire program, and that the USPS likes to announce attention-getting subjects separately.

Among “names” born in 1926, I won’t be surprised if there are stamps for Tony Bennett (and 2026 will be just 3 years since he died), Chuck Berry, and Ralph Abernathy (although his tell-all book angered other civil rights leaders). A dark horse candidate would be Jerry Lewis, whom the French considered a comic genius but here IMHO would more likely be honored for his philanthropic work on behalf of the fight against Muscular Dystrophy.

(This photo, from Wikipedia, is by John Mathew Smith & www.celebrity-photos.com)

Who or what do you think will be added to the program?

—Lloyd A. de Vries, VSC

From the USPS on October 29, 2025:

This booklet of 20 stamps features three of winter’s most spirited small mammals: two eastern chipmunks, an eastern gray squirrel, and an American red squirrel. The designs capture the resourcefulness and adaptability that help these animals thrive when temperatures drop. From busy foragers to cozy hibernators, they remind us that winter can be full of charm. “When you see the booklet as a whole, the animals’ faces popping up from the snow has a playful effect,” explains Derry Noyes, an art director for USPS who designed the issuance. “The stamps are fun and uplifting. I hope they make people smile, especially in the heart of winter.”

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

From the USPS on October 29, 2025:

The 35th stamp in the Literary Arts series honors Sarah Orne Jewett (1849-1909), a lifelong resident of Maine and a foundational figure in American literary regionalism. Her strong female characters have led to a renewed interest in her work, which includes hundreds of short stories as well as novels, poetry and essays. Ethel Kessler, an art director for USPS, designed the stamp using an original portrait of Jewett by Mark Summers, with the Maine coast as background, broken by a large ray of sunshine that evokes a scene from her best-known novel, “The Country of the Pointed Firs” (1896).

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

From the USPS on October 29, 2025:

As the nation marks the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, the Postal Service pays tribute to the document that gave voice to America’s founding ideals. Designed and created by Juan Carlos Pagan, the stamp art features a typographic treatment of “1776,” the year the declaration was adopted. Each numeral takes the shape of a feather quill pen, a nod to the instruments used to sign the nation’s founding document. Pagan worked under the direction of Greg Breeding, an art director for USPS.

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

Updated May 28^th from the Postal Bulletin:
On July 4, 2026, in Philadelphia, PA, the United States Postal Service® will issue the Declaration of Independence stamp (Forever® priced at the First-Class Mail® rate), in one design, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 20 stamps (Item 489000). This stamp will go on sale nationwide July 4, 2026, and must not be sold or canceled before the first-day-of-issue.

With this stamp, the U.S. Postal Service celebrates the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. The bold stamp design in red, white, and blue features the year “1776” arranged vertically against a deeper blue background. Each numeral takes the shape of a feather quill pen, a nod to the instruments used to sign the nation’s founding document. Juan Carlos Pagan created the stamp design and typography. Greg Breeding art – directed the project.

Automatic distribution.

How to Order the First-Day-of-Issue Postmark:
The first-day-of-issue postmark is a postmark notating the day a stamp is first authorized for use by the Postal Service™. Customers have 120 days to obtain the first-day-of-issue postmark by mail. All requests for first-day-of-issue postmarks (Traditional or Digital Color Postmark) should be sent to the following address with the choice of Traditional or Digital Color Postmark identified. All orders must be postmarked by November 4, 2026.

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

Technical Specifications:

Issue: Declaration of Independence Stamp
Item Number: 489000
Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail Forever®
Format: Pane of 20 (1 design)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: July 4, 2026, Philadelphia, PA 19104
Art Director: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
Designer: Juan Carlos Pagan, New York, NY
Typographer: Juan Carlos Pagan, New York, NY
Modeler: Sandra Lane / Michelle Finn
Manufacturing Process: Offset/Flexographic
Printer: Banknote Corporation of America
Press Type: Gallus RCS
Stamps per Pane: 20
Print Quantity: 15,000,000 stamps
Paper Type: Phosphor, Block Tag
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Colors: PMS 199 C, PMS 2170 C, PMS 4144 C
Stamp Orientation (1): 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): 5.9200 x 7.6500 in. / 150.3680 x 194.3100 mm.
Press Sheet Size (w x h): 11.8400 x 23.2000 in. / 300.7360 x 589.2800 mm.
Plate Size: 120 stamps per revolution
Plate Number: “B” followed by three (3) single digits
Marginal Markings:
Front: Header: The Declaration of Independence • Plate number in bottom two corners of pane
Back: © 2025 USPS • USPS logo • Two barcodes (489000) • Plate position diagram (6) • Promotional text

Updated February 17^th:
This stamp will be issued July 4 in Philadelphia.

From the USPS on October 29, 2025:

Celebrating the goal of international peace, this stamp features a photograph of an origami crane — a global symbol of hope, peace and healing. The crane was folded by artist and Peace Crane Project founder Sue DiCicco and photographed by Sally Andersen-Bruce. Antonio Alcalá, an art director for USPS, designed the stamp.

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

Updated April 20^th:
Here are the first-day postmarks for this issue:The Digital Color Postmark for this issue measures 2.98″ x 1.44″The Pictorial Postmark measures 2.69″ x 1.22″

Updated April 15^th, 2026:
On May 27, 2026, in Boston, MA, the United States Postal Service® will issue the International Peace stamp (Forever® priced at the First-Class Mail® rate), in one design, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 20 stamps (Item 488700). This stamp will go on sale nationwide May 27, 2026, and must not be sold or canceled before the first-day-of-issue.

This new stamp celebrates the goal of world peace. The stamp art features a photograph of an origami crane — a symbol of peace. The crane was folded by artist and founder of the Peace Crane Project, Sue DiCicco, then photographed by Sally Andersen-Bruce. Art director Antonio Alcalá designed the stamp.

Automatic distribution.

How to Order the First-Day-of-Issue Postmark:
The first-day-of-issue postmark is a postmark notating the day a stamp is first authorized for use by the Postal Service™. Customers have 120 days to obtain the first-day-of-issue postmark by mail. All requests for first-day-of-issue postmarks (Traditional or Digital Color Postmark) should be sent to the following address with the choice of Traditional or Digital Color Postmark identified. All orders must be postmarked by September 27, 2026.

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

Technical Specifications:

Issue: International Peace Stamp
Item Number: 488700
Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail Forever
Format: Pane of 20 (1 design)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: May 27, 2026, Boston, MA 02205
Art Director: Antonio Alcalá, Alexandria, VA
Designer: Antonio Alcalá, Alexandria, VA
Photographer: Sally Andersen-Bruce, New Milford, CT
Modeler: Daryl DeMont
Manufacturing Process: Offset, Microprint
Printer: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
Press Type: Muller A76
Stamps per Pane: 20
Print Quantity: 22,000,000 stamps
Paper Type: Nonphosphored Type III, Block Tag Applied
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Colors: Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black
Stamp Orientation: Horizontal
Image Area (w x h): 1.4200 x 1.0850 in. / 36.0680 x 27.5590 mm.
Overall Size (w x h): 1.5600 x 1.2250 in. / 39.6240 x 31.1150 mm.
Full Pane Size (w x h): 8.2600 x 8.2600 in. / 209.8040 x209.8040 mm.
Press Sheets Size (w x h): 24.7800 x 25.2800 in. / 629.4120 x 642.1120 mm.

Plate Size: 180 stamps per revolution
Plate Number: “P” followed by four (4) single digits
Marginal Markings:
Front: Header: INTERNATIONAL PEACE • Plate number in bottom two corners of pane
Back: © 2025 USPS • USPS logo • Two barcodes (488700) • Plate position diagram (9) • Promotional text

Updated March 31^st, 2026:
This stamp will be issued on May 27^th at Boston 2026:

11 a.m., Wednesday May 27, Show Floor Stage: Exhibit Hall A

From the USPS on October 29, 2025:

The buffalo’s epic story has played an enduring role in shaping America’s identity. Honoring our national mammal while saluting historic philately, this unique stamp features a contemporary photograph of a bison, inset with artwork evoking a 1923 stamp issued when the species was beginning to rebound from near extinction. Greg Breeding, an art director for USPS, designed the stamp using Tom Murphy’s existing photograph and artwork from the century-old stamp, now printed in intaglio.

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

Updated April 20^th:
Here are the first-day postmarks for this issue:The Digital Color Postmark for this issue measures 2.81″ x 1.50″The Pictorial Postmark measures 2.41″ x 1.27″

Updated April 15^th:
On May 25, 2026, in Boston, MA, the United States Postal Service® will issue the American Bison stamp (Forever® priced at the First-Class Mail® rate), in one design, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 16 stamps (Item 488800). This stamp will go on sale nationwide May 25, 2026, and must not be sold or canceled before the first-day-of-issue.

This stamp celebrates our national mammal, the American bison, commonly known as the buffalo. Overlaying a contemporary photograph of the animal is artwork recalling a buffalo stamp issued in 1923. The photograph, taken by Tom Murphy, shows a wild buffalo in profile, seen grazing within Yellowstone National Park. The issuance title, “AMERICAN BISON,” appears on the selvage and under it, “BOSTON 2026 WORLD STAMP SHOW,” where the stamp will be issued in May 2026. Art director Greg Breeding designed the stamp.

Automatic distribution.

How to Order the First-Day-of-Issue Postmark:
The first-day-of-issue postmark is a postmark notating the day a stamp is first authorized for use by the Postal Service™. Customers have 120 days to obtain the first-day-of-issue postmark by mail. All requests for first-day-of-issue postmarks (Traditional or Digital Color Postmark) should be sent to the following address with the choice of Traditional or Digital Color Postmark identified. All orders must be postmarked by September 25, 2026.

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

The Technical Specifications are not yet available.

Updated November 10^th:
The stamp on which this design is based in Scott 569:Brookman lists a price for a fair copy at $25, although I see much lower prices on eBay.

Updated November 9^th:
As pointed out by Lefty Dundee, here is what the full pane will look like.That does seem to indicate that it will be a Forever stamp, or at least not a high value, as I had thought. Note also that the pane’s selvage indicates this will be issued at Boston 2026, May 23-30.