The Songbirds in Snow stamps were issued August 4, 2016, and from this stamp issue, the U.S. Postal Service produced the Northern Cardinal stamped envelope with an issue date of November 3, 2016. The Northern Cardinal stamped envelopes (Item 882105) were issued as a set of 12 pressure-sensitive adhesive #10 regular security stamped envelopes with seals (Forever First-Class Mail priced at $9.95 for each set).

There is one philatelic product for this issue:

• 882105, Northern Cardinal stamped envelope, packet of 12 with seals, (1 design), $9.95

Technical Specifications:

Issue: Northern Cardinal Stamped Envelope Set
Item Number: 882105
Denomination & Type of Issue: Forever First-Class Stamped Envelope
Format: #10 Regular Security Envelope, Packet of 12, 1 design
Issue Date November 3, 2016
Art Director: Derry Noyes, Washington, DC
Designer: Derry Noyes, Washington, DC
Typographer: Derry Noyes, Washington, DC
Artist: Robert Giusti, Bridgewater, CT
Modeler: Joseph Sheeran
Manufacturing Process: Offset
Printer: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
Printed at: Williamsville, NY
Press Type: Halm Jet EM4000
Folding Machine: W & D #527
Print Quantity: 240,000 envelopes
Paper Type: 61# Postal Envelope, Block, Type III
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Processed at: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
Envelope Orientation: Horizontal
Envelope Size (w x h): 9.5 x 4.125 in/241.30 x 104.77 mm
Image Size
(w x h): 1.60 x 1.174 in/40.64 x 29.82 mm
Colors: Black, Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, PMS 339 U Green
Marginal Markings: FOREST STEWARDSHIP COUNCIL Logo • “THIS ENVELOPE IS RECYCLABLE AND MADE WITH 30% POST CONSUMER CONTENT” • Recycling Logo • © USPS 2016

Here is a recap of the U.S. Christmas issues. Click on the issue name to visit the specific page with details of that issue:

Holiday Window ViewsFlorentine Madonna & Child

Nativity Other holiday-season issues:

Kwanzaa Hanukkah

Was there any doubt the Indian-American community wanted this stamp? If so, it was erased by the outpouring of emotion at the first-day ceremony for the Diwali stamp, held at the Indian Consulate in New York City on Wednesday, October 5, 2016. The upstairs room was packed; a downstairs room with video screens showing the ceremony upstairs was fairly full, too.

The Indian-American community campaigned for more than seven years for a Diwali stamp. “Diwali was the only major religion without a stamp,” said Rep. Carolyn Maloney, D-N.Y., after announcing during the ceremony that already 100,000 copies of the stamp had been sold. “I predict this will be the biggest seller in the history of the Post Office Department.”

The lack of the stamp was a glaring omission, said Hardeep Singh Puri, India’s former ambassador to the United Nations toward the end of the more-than-60-minute ceremony. “How can this be the only group that is left out?” he asked rhetorically.

Now Hindus are not.

Here are some photos: A postal sales truck and customer outside the Indian Consulate sold just the stamps, but without the lines at the sales table inside before the ceremony (below). The sales table sold “philatelic collectibles,” too. This photo was taken more than a full hour before the ceremony was scheduled to begin. Servicing also began early, with two field pictorials. Foster Miller is the collector obtaining the cancels on the left. This was in the secondary room for those who had not pre-registered for the ceremony. The autographing was also to be held in this room after the ceremony. I don’t know what this first-floor room (with the cancelers) was originally used for, but it had a convenient marble shelf in the back for affixing stamps to my Dragon Cards! Now if only I had picked the correct (more adept) canceler of the two. At the beginning of the ceremony, all the dignitaries — and there were far more of them than are listed in the ceremony program, and all of them spoke, too — were called forward for the lighting of diyas. There were several interludes of dancing by members of the Shaan Mutiyaaran Di Bhangra Club. (Photo above by VSC. Below, courtesy Daniel Alfala, U.S. Postal Service.)Stamp design photographer Sally Andersen-Bruce was not listed on the program, not introduced earlier and not brought up for the diya-lighting, but was introduced during the ceremony and called up for recognition for her photograph on which the stamp design is based. Watch for a Virtual Stamp Club radio interview this weekend. And, of course, the unveiling of the stamp design. From left, I believe, former Indian Ambassador to the U.N. Hardeep Singh Puri, U.S. Rep. Carolyn Maloney, Consul General Riva Ganguly Das, (the stamp design), USPS VP Pritha Mehra (partly hidden), Diwali Stamp Project chair Ranju Batra, U.S. Rep. Grace Chen, master of ceremonies and chair of the National Advisory Council for South Asian Affairs Ravi Batra. (Photo courtesy Daniel Alfala, U.S. Postal Service)Several speakers, but especially master of ceremonies Ravi Batra, expressed how pleased they were that the USPS had sent “one of our own” to be the “dedicating [postal] official” at ceremony: USPS VP, Mail Entry & Payment Technology, Pritha Mehra. (Photo courtesy Daniel Alfala, U.S. Postal Service)Ravi’s wife, Ranju Batra, spent seven years campaigning for this stamp, even speaking to the prime minister of India about it. She said at one point, a postal official advised her to forget the online petitions, because “e-mails don’t use stamps.” She got the message, and subsequent petitions and pleas were mailed in on paper. Ravi Batra is seated next to her. (Photo courtesy Daniel Alfala, U.S. Postal Service)Maloney is seen here purchasing some of the Diwali stamp products at the sales booth inside the consulate. (Photo courtesy Daniel Alfala, U.S. Postal Service) Consul General Riva Ganguly Das (Photo courtesy Daniel Alfala, U.S. Postal Service) former Indian Ambassador to the U.N. Hardeep Singh Puri (Photo courtesy Daniel Alfala, U.S. Postal Service)

Held at Anoka, Minnesota, “The Halloween Capital of the World,” because (according to Wikipedia) it hosted one of the first Halloween parades in 1920. Dignitaries at the ceremony included postal officials, local officials, U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar and the photographer for the stamp designs, Sally Andersen-Bruce.  This was not one of the dignitaries! Photo courtesy Todd Ronnei.All is in readiness for the ceremony. Photo courtesy Todd Ronnei. Photo courtesy USPS (video still). What’s a first-day ceremony without Chris Lazaroff (center)? The man in the hat is Pete McClure. Photo courtesy Todd Ronnei. Another frequent ceremony-goer, American Philatelist editor Jay Bigalke, was caught on USPS video. As Pete commented, if you want to get people to show up for a first day ceremony, hold a kids event, like a Halloween parade. FDC collectors say there were thousands at this ceremony. Photo courtesy Todd Ronnei. Photo courtesy USPS (video still).Look what was across the square! Photo courtesy Todd Ronnei. The payoff for collectors. Photo courtesy Todd Ronnei. Photo courtesy USPS (video still). Photo courtesy USPS (video still). Photo courtesy USPS (video still). Samantha Jenson, a student of St. Stephen’s Catholic School, who read a poem she wrote, and stamp photographer Sally Andersen-Bruce signing autographs. Photo courtesy USPS (video still). Andersen-Bruce having some fun with one of the faux bugs on the autograph table. Photo courtesy USPS (video still).

Scott Catalogue Number: 5136

Updated September 17th: Here is the DCP for this issue: It measures 2.98” x 1.416”. The B&W postmark is the standard 4-bar First Day Of Issue.

Updated September 15th: From the USPS:
On September 24, 2016, in Kansas City, MO, the U.S. Postal Service will issue the Eastern Tailed-Blue (Butterfly) Non-machineable Surcharge rate stamp, (Non-denominated priced at 68 cents), in one design, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 20 stamps (Item 119500).

The stamp will go on sale nationwide September 24, 2016.

The Eastern tailed-blue butterfly graces the sixth non-machineable butterfly stamp for use on irregularly sized envelopes, such as square greeting cards, invitations, or announcements. The stamp art was created on a computer, using images of preserved butterflies as a starting point. The result is a highly stylized, simplified image of an Eastern tailed-blue rather than an exact replica. The Eastern tailed-blue butterfly (Cupido comyntas) is named for the iridescent blue color of its upper wing surface, more vivid in the male, which is depicted in this illustration. Common east of the Rocky Mountains and in some parts of the West, the Eastern tailed-blue butterfly’s range also extends into Mexico, Central America, and southern Canada.

The square format of the stamp was developed in partnership with the greeting card industry specifically for oversized or square envelopes. These envelopes cannot pass through the automated postal processing system and have to be hand-cancelled. They are charged a non-machineable surcharge even if they weigh less than one ounce. Greeting card envelopes printed with a silhouette of a butterfly indicate the need for additional postage — or the use of a butterfly stamp. Any non-machineable envelope, like oddly-shaped or vertical envelopes, as well as lumpy envelopes, rigid envelopes, or mail with clasps, ribbons, or buttons, may use this stamp.

The Eastern Tailed-Blue (Butterfly) stamp is available in sheets of twenty. The words “NON-MACHINEABLE SURCHARGE” on the stamp indicate its usage value. Like a Forever stamp, this stamp will always be valid for the rate printed on it. Nationally known artist Tom Engeman created the stamp art. Art director Derry Noyes designed the stamp.

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:

Eastern Tailed-Blue (Butterfly) Stamp
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 November 24, 2016.

There are three philatelic products for this stamp issue:

• 119516 First-Day Cover, $1.12
• 119521 Digital Color Postmark, $1.83
• 119524 Framed Art, $19.95.

Technical Specifications:

Issue: Eastern Tailed-Blue (Butterfly) Stamp
Item Number: 119500
Denomination & Type of Issue: Non-machineable Surcharge Rate, Mail-Use
Format: Pane of 20 (1 design)
Series: N⁄A
Issue Date & City: September 24, 2016, Kansas City, MO 64108
Art Director: Derry Noyes, Washington, DC
Designer: Derry Noyes, Washington, DC
Typographer: Derry Noyes, Washington, DC
Artist: Tom Engeman, Frederick, MD
Modeler: Joseph Sheeran
Manufacturing Process: Offset, Microprint
Printer: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
Printed at: Williamsville, NY
Press Type: Muller A76
Stamps per Pane: 20
Print Quantity: 150,000,000 stamps
Paper Type: Nonphosphored Type III, Spot 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): 1.09 x 1.09 in.⁄27.56 x 27.56 mm
Overall Size (w x h): 1.23 x 1.23 in.⁄31.12 x 31.12 mm
Full Pane Size (w x h): 5.90 x 7.12 in.⁄149.86 x 180.85 mm
Plate Size: 240 stamps per revolution
Plate Numbers: “P” followed by four (4) digits
Marginal Markings:
Front: Header “EASTERN TAILED-BLUE” • Plate number in four corners of pane
Back: USPS Logo • Barcode (119500) upper right and lower left corners • Plate position diagram • ©USPS 2016 • Promotional text

[USPS press release]
Butterfly Stamp to Alight On Post Office Locations Across Nation

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Postal will issue the Eastern Tailed-Blue butterfly stamp as a 68-cent nonmachineable stamp. It will be for use on irregularly sized envelopes, such as square greeting cards, invitations and announcements. Details on the date of the stamp issue will be forthcoming.

Nationally acclaimed artist Tom Engeman created the stamp design on a computer using images of preserved butterflies as a starting point. The result is a highly stylized, simplified image of an Eastern Tailed-Blue rather than an exact replica.

The Eastern Tailed-Blue butterfly (Cupido comyntas) is named for the iridescent blue color of its upper wing surface, more vivid in the male, and for the short, thread-like tail on each hind wing. Females are often slate grey, sometimes with vivid blue coloration close to the body. This 2016 stamp depicts a first-generation male, which displays the species’ brightest coloration. Each year sees two or more generations, the latter being less colorful.

The square format of the stamp was developed in collaboration with the greeting card industry specifically for oversized or square envelopes. These envelopes cannot pass through the automated Postal Service processing system and have to be hand-cancelled. The envelopes are charged a non-machineable surcharge even if they weigh less than 1 ounce. Greeting card envelopes printed with a silhouette of a butterfly indicate the need for additional postage — or the use of a butterfly stamp. Any nonmachineable envelope, like oddly-shaped or vertical envelopes, as well as lumpy envelopes, rigid envelopes and mail with clasps, ribbons and buttons may use this stamp.

These nonmachineable surcharge stamps will be issued in panes of 20. The words “NON-MACHINEABLE SURCHARGE” on the stamp indicate its usage value. Like a Forever stamp, this stamp will always be valid for the rate printed on it.

Once released, customers may purchase the Eastern Tailed-Blue butterfly stamps at usps.com/stamps, at the Postal Store usps.com/shop, by calling 800-STAMP24 (800-782-6724) and at Post Office locations nationwide. A variety of stamps and collectibles also is available at ebay.com/stamps.

The Postal Service receives no tax dollars for operating expenses and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations.

Scott Catalogue Number: 5142

Updated October 5th: A report and photos from the first-day ceremony are here.

Updated September 17th: from the USPS
Diwali Forever Stamp
First-Day-of-Issue Ceremony
Oct. 5, 2016, at 1 p.m.
Consulate General of India
3 East 64th Street
(Between 5th and Madison Avenue)
New York, NY 10065

The Postal Service’s on-site stamp sales and retail operation opens at noon.

The event is free and open to the public. Seating is limited. The public is asked to RSVP at this link: www.usps.com/diwali

Updated September 17th: Here is the DCP for this issue: It measures 3” x 1.6”. The B&W postmark for this issue is the standard 4-bar First Day of Issue postmark.

Updated September 15th, from the USPS:
On October 5, 2016 in New York, NY, the U.S. Postal Service will issue the Diwali stamp (Forever priced at 47 cents) in one design, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 20 stamps (Item 588800).

The stamp will go on sale nationwide October 5, 2016.

In 2016, the U.S. Postal Service commemorates the joyous festival of Diwali, which is also known as Deepavali. One of the most important annual Hindu events, the holiday celebrates the triumph of good over evil. The stamp features a photograph of a traditional diya — a small flickering lamp made from a bowl filled with oil — and flower petals against a glimmering gold background. “Diwali” in white type is featured underneath the diya. During Diwali, diyas dot the homes of observers around the world. Diwali is an important festival in several religions, including Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism. Spanning five days each autumn, Diwali is considered by some to be the start of the new year. In 2016, Diwali will be celebrated on October 29 (for South Indians) and October 30 (for North Indians). Greg Breeding designed the stamp with a photograph by Sally Andersen-Bruce. William J. Gicker served as the project’s 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 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:

Diwali Stamp
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 December 5, 2016.

There are six philatelic products for this stamp issue:

• 588806 Press Sheet with Die-cut, $75.20.
• 588810 Digital Color Postmark Keepsake, $11.95.
• 588816 First-Day Cover, $0.91.
• 588821 Digital Color Postmark, $1.62.
• 588824 Framed Art, $19.95.
• 588830 Ceremony Program, $6.95.

Technical Specifications:

Issue: Diwali Stamp
Item Number: 588800
Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail, Forever
Format: Pane of 20 (1 design)
Series: N⁄A
Issue Date & City: October 5, 2016, New York, NY 10199
Art Director: William Gicker, Washington, DC
Designer: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
Typographer: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
Photographer: Sally Anderson-Bruce, New Milford, CT
Modeler: Joseph Sheeran
Manufacturing Process: Offset, Microprint
Printer: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
Printed at: Williamsville, NY
Press Type: Muller A76
Stamps per Pane: 20
Print Quantity: 30,000,000 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): 0.77 x 1.05 in⁄19.56 x 26.67 mm
Overall Size (w x h): 0.91 x 1.19 in⁄23.11 x 30.23 mm
Full Pane Size (w x h): 5.55 x 5.76 in⁄140.97 x 146.30 mm
Press Sheet Size (w x h): 22.20 x 11.52 in⁄563.88 x 292.61 mm
Plate Size: 320 stamps per revolution
Plate Numbers: “P” followed by four (4) digits
Marginal Markings:
Front: Plate number (4 locations)
Back: USPS Logo • Two barcodes (588800) • Copyright date • Plate block • Promotional text

[USPS press release]
U.S. Postal Service Honors Festival of Diwali with a Forever Stamp
Hindu Holiday Celebrated in Late October

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Postal Service will commemorate the joyous Hindu festival of Diwali with a Forever stamp. The Wednesday, Oct 5, first-day-of-issue dedication ceremony will take place at the Consulate General of India in New York City.

The stamp design is a photograph featuring a traditional diya oil lamp beautifully lit, sitting on a sparkling gold background. Diya lamps are usually made from clay with cotton wicks dipped in a clarified butter known as “ghee” or in vegetable oils.

Also known as Deepavali, Diwali celebrates the triumph of good over evil. Spanning five days each autumn, it is considered by some to be the start of the new year.

On the Hindu calendar, Diwali falls on the eve of, or on, the new moon that occurs between mid-October and mid-November. In 2016, the main day of the festival will be celebrated Oct. 29 for South Indians and Oct 30 for North Indians.

Diwali is a shortened version of the Sanskrit word Deepavali, which roughly translates as “a necklace of lights.” During Diwali, the flickering oil-wick diyas sprinkle the homes of observers around the world.

Before the festival, many Hindus traditionally go shopping, clean their homes, open their doors and windows, create intricate rangoli — a vibrant floor pattern traditionally made from materials such as rice powder, colored sand and flower petals — and light diyas with hopes that Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth and prosperity, will visit. In some regions of India, people play games, just as Hindu lore says that the god Shiva did. On the festive main day of the holiday, families pray for Lakshmi, dress up in their best clothes, enjoy lavish feasts and sweets, exchange gifts and light fireworks. Diwali also marks the new year for people in Gujarat and a few other states of India.

Sally Andersen-Bruce of New Milford, CT, photographed the diya. Greg Breeding of Charlottesville, VA, designed the stamp and William J. Gicker of Washington, DC, service as the project’s art director.

The Diwali stamp is being issued as a Forever stamp. This Forever stamp will also be equal in value to the current First Class Mail 1-ounce price.

The Postal Service receives approximately 40,000 suggestions for stamp ideas annually from the public.  Stamp subjects are reviewed by the Citizens’ Stamp Advisory Committee. Of that, approximately 25 topic suggestions for commemorative stamps are selected by the Committee for the Postmater General’s approval.

Updated October 4th: Here are the Scott Catalogue numbers:

5130 (47¢) Patriotic Spiral coil stamp
5131 (47¢) Patriotic Spiral booklet stamp
a. Convertible booklet pane of 10

Updated September 11th: An illustration of a booklet single (taken from a Dragon Card first day cover), for Dennis Beaudry:

Updated September 1st:
Technical Specifications:

Issue: Patriotic Spiral Stamp
Item Number: 760000
Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail® Forever
Format: Coil of 10,000, 1 design
Series: N⁄A
Issue Date & City: August 19, 2016, Kansas City, MO 64108
Art Director: Antonio Alcalá, Alexandria, VA
Designer: Polygraph, Washington, DC
Typographer: Polygraph, Washington, DC
Modeler: Joseph Sheeran
Manufacturing Process: Offset, Microprint
Printer: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
Printed at: Williamsville, NY
Press Type: Muller A76
Stamps per Coil: 10,000
Print Quantity: 300,000,000 stamps
Paper Type: Nonphosphored Type III, Block Tag Applied
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Processed at: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
Colors: PMS 654 Blue C, PMS 485 Red C,
PMS 10127 Gold C, PMS Cool Grey 6 C
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: 594 stamps per revolution
Plate Numbers: “P” followed by four (4) single digits
Coil Number Frequency: Plate numbers every 27th stamp below stamp image

Technical Specifications:

Issue: Patriotic Spiral Stamp
Item Number: 671300
Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail® Forever
Format: Booklet of 10, 1 design
Series: N⁄A
Issue Date & City: August 19, 2016, Falls Church, VA 22046
Art Director: Antonio Alcalá, Alexandria, VA
Designer: Polygraph, Washington, DC
Typographer: Polygraph, Washington, DC
Modeler: Joseph Sheeran
Manufacturing Process: Offset, Microprint
Printer: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
Printed at: Williamsville, NY
Press Type: Muller A76
Stamps per Booklet: 10
Print Quantity: 100,000,000 stamps
Paper Type: Nonphosphored Type III, Block Tag applied
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): 1.74 x 5.32 in.⁄44.20 x 135.03 mm
Colors: PMS 654 Blue C, PMS 485 Red C,
PMS 10127 Gold C, PMS Cool Grey 6 C
Plate Size: 700 stamps per revolution
Plate Numbers: “P” followed by four (4) single digits
Marginal Markings: • Plate numbers in peel strip area
• © 2016 • USPS in peel strip area
• Cover – Ten First-Class Forever Stamps, Promotional Text

[USPS press release]
Patriotic Spiral Forever Stamp Features Festive, Energetic Design

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Postal Service will issue the Patriotic Spiral First-Class Forever stamp in booklets of 10 for consumers and self-adhesive coils of 10,000 for businesses. Both formats will be available on August 19 nationwide, and will be issued formally that day in Falls Church, VA, in booklet format, and in Kansas City, MO, in large coil format.

This festive and energetic stamp design features 50 blue and red stars spiraling around a central gold star on a white background. The idea for the design was to illustrate a community of stars protectively orbiting a central star that in an abstract sense stands for our nation’s steadfast idealism and hope for a more perfect union. Antonio Alcalá of Alexandria, VA, served as art director for the project with art and typography by Polygraph, a Washington, DC, design firm.

The Patriotic Spiral Forever stamp will always be equal in value to the current First-Class Mail 1-ounce price.

Customers may purchase the Patriotic Spiral Forever stamp at usps.com/stamps, at the Postal Store usps.com/shop, by calling 800-STAMP24 (800-782-6724) and at Post Office locations nationwide. A variety of stamps and collectibles also is available at ebay.com/stamps.

Ordering First-Day-of-Issue Postmark:
Customers have 60 days to obtain first-day-of-issue postmarks by mail. They may purchase new stamps at local Post Office locations, at the Postal Store 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 envelopes addressed to:

Patriotic Spiral Stamp (Booklet of 10)
Attention: Terri Davenport
800 West Broad St
Falls Church, VA 22046–9998

or

Patriotic Spiral Stamp (Coil of 10,000)
Cancellation Services
8300 NE Underground Drive, Pillar 210
Kansas City, MO  64144-0001

After applying the first-day-of-issue postmark, the Postal Service will return the envelopes through the mail. There is no charge for postmarks up to a quantity of 50. For more than 50, customers are charged 5 cents each. All orders must be postmarked by October 19, 2016.

Updated December 3rd: The following Scott catalogue numbers have been assigned:

5149-5152 (47¢) Wonder Woman
5149 (47¢) Modern Age Wonder Woman
5150 (47¢) Bronze Age Wonder Woman
5151 (47¢) Silver Age Wonder Woman
5152 (47¢) Golden Age Wonder Woman
5152a vertical strip of 4

Updated September 22nd: from the USPS
The U.S. Postal Service will dedicate the Wonder Woman Forever Stamps Fri., Oct. 7 at 9 a.m. in New York City’s Jacob K. Javits Convention Center. The first-day-of-issue ceremony launch takes place prior to the opening of New York Comic Con.

Wonder Woman Forever Stamps
First Day of Issue Ceremony
Friday Oct. 7 at 9 a.m.
Javits Convention Center
655 West 34th Street
New York, NY 10001

There are a limited number of free tickets available for the ceremony. The tickets are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Please RSVP to:

https://uspsonlinesolutions.wufoo.com/forms/wonder-woman/

Ticket requests are limited to one per individual.

The tickets will provide you with access to the stamp dedication ceremony only and not include free admittance to Comic-Con.

Updated September 17th: Here are the postmarks for this issue: The DCP measures 2.72” x 1.47”. The pictorial measures 2.14 ” x 1.33”. The “special” postmark for local post offices to use measures 2.88” x 1.37”.

Updated September 15th, from the USPS:
On October 7, 2016, in New York, NY, the U.S. Postal Service will issue the Wonder Woman stamps (Forever priced at 47 cents), in four designs, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 20 stamps (Item 474100). The $9.40 Wonder Woman pane of 20 stamps may not be split, and the stamps may not be sold individually.

The stamps will go on sale nationwide October 7, 2016.

Showcasing four unique designs in a pane of 20 stamps, this new issuance from the U.S. Postal Service celebrates the 75th anniversary of Wonder Woman. This iconic DC Comics super hero — the world’s best known and most enduring female super hero — is depicted from four eras of comic book history. The background is a comic book-style power burst superimposed with the current Wonder Woman logo. Art director Greg Breeding designed the stamp pane.

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 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:

Wonder Woman Stamps
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 December 7, 2016.

There are seven philatelic products for this stamp issue:

• 474106 Press Sheet with Die-cut, $84.60.
• 474110 Digital Color Postmark Keepsake
  (set of 4), $15.95.
• 474116 First-Day Cover (set of 4), $3.64.
• 474121 Digital Color Postmark (set of 4), $6.48.
• 474124 Framed Art, $29.95.
• 474130 Ceremony Program (random single), $6.95.
• 474133 Panel, $10.95.

Technical Specifications:

Issue: Wonder Woman Stamps
Item Number: 474100
Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail Forever
Format: Pane of 20 (4 designs)
Series: N⁄A
Issue Date & City: October 7, 2016, New York, NY 10199
Art Director: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
Designer: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
Typographer: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
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: 60 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
Stamp Orientation: Vertical
Image Area (w x h): 0.84 x 1.42 in.⁄21.34 x 36.07 mm
Overall Size (w x h): 0.98 x 1.56 in.⁄24.89 x 39.62 mm
Full Pane Size (w x h): 6.25 x 8.75 in.⁄158.75 x 222.25 mm
Press Sheets Size (w x h): 19.00 x 26.50 in.⁄ 482.60 x 673.10 mm
Plate Size: 180 stamps per revolution
Plate Numbers: “B” followed by four (4) single digits
Marginal Markings:
Front: Plate numbers in four corners of pane
Back: © 2016 USPS • USPS logo • Plate position diagram • Barcode (474100 in two places) • Promotional Text • Verso Text • DC Wonder Woman Logo • Legal Disclaimer

[USPS Press Release]
Wonder Woman’s 75th Anniversary to be Celebrated on Forever Stamps
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Postal Service, in partnership with Warner Bros. Consumer Products and DC Entertainment, previewed four Forever stamps today that commemorate the 75th anniversary of one of the most iconic Super Heroes of all time — Wonder Woman. The stamp pane will be among other Wonder Woman related items revealed at 3 p.m., Sat., July 23 at Comic-Con International: San Diego. The first-day-of-issue dedication ceremony will take place Oct. 7 at New York Comic-Con, Fri., Oct. 7.

Fans are encouraged to share the news on social media using the hashtags #WonderWomanForever and #WonderWoman75.

First seen in October 1941 in a back-up story for All Star Comics #8, meant to test her appeal at a time when female superheroes were rare, Wonder Woman quickly broke out and headlined her own title by the next year. Subsequent generations came to know the star-spangled heroine with metal bracelets on her wrists and a magic lasso by her waist via her hit 1975-79 television series and roles in animated shows and movies, as well as her historic appearance on the cover Ms. Magazine #1 in 1972. This past March, Wonder Woman was seen for the first time in a live action motion picture with her introduction in the movie “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.”

The U.S. Postal Service celebrates her diamond anniversary by chronicling her evolution on Forever stamps from her World War II origins to today. This new issuance showcases four different stamp designs on a sheet of 20 stamps depicting Wonder Woman during four eras of comic book history:  Golden Age (1941–55), Silver Age (1956–72), Bronze Age (1973–86) and Modern Age (1987–present). The selvage, or text outside of the stamp images, features the current block-letter Wonder Woman logo in white against a comic book style power burst rendered in shades of blue.

On the first row of stamps Wonder Woman of the Modern Age wields a hammer with a power and determination befitting her roots in the heroic world of Greek mythology.

The Bronze Age Wonder Woman’s bold stance empowers the second row of stamps. With her fist held high and bulletproof bracelets gleaming, the Amazon princess leads the charge against injustice.

The third row of stamps depicts Wonder Woman during the Silver Age. Although she possesses great strength and speed, the world’s favorite superheroine prefers compassion to the use of brute force. With her golden lasso of truth close at hand, she compels honesty from her foes.

In the last row of stamps, Wonder Woman from the Golden Age bursts onto the scene as originally envisioned by creator William Moulton Marston.
Art director Greg Breeding of Charlottesville, VA, designed the stamp pane. The Wonder Woman stamps will be issued as Forever stamps and always be equal in value to the current First-Class Mail one-ounce price.

Updated October 4th: Here are the Scott Catalogue numbers:

5126 Golden-crowned kinglets
5127 Cedar waxwing
5128 Northern cardinal
5129 Red-breasted nuthatches
a. Block of 4, #5126-5129
b. Convertible booklet pane of 20

Updated August 4th: The first day ceremony is at 1 p.m., not 11 a.m. as stated earlier.

Here is the Digital Color Postmark for this issue: It measures 2.94” x 1.31”. The B&W postmark is the standard four-bar First Day of Issue.

Updated July 27th: The first day ceremony will be held at 1 pm in Rooms C123-124.

Updated July 22nd: On August 4, 2016, in Portland, OR, the U.S. Postal Service will issue the Songbirds in Snow stamps (Forever® priced at 47 cents) in four designs, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) double-sided booklet of 20 stamps (Item 681100).

The stamps will go on sale nationwide August 4, 2016.

Each of these four new stamps celebrates a different songbird that brightens cold winter days. The birds featured in the stamp art are the golden-crowned kinglet, the cedar waxwing, the northern cardinal, and the red-breasted nuthatch. The illustrations, painted in acrylic on canvas boards, depict each bird perched on a snow-covered branch. The artist was Robert Giusti. Art director Derry Noyes designed the stamps.

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:

Songbirds in Snow Stamps
United States Postal Service
Attn: Ruth Traynor
PO Box 2089
Portland, OR 97208-2089

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 October 4, 2016.

There are ten philatelic products for this stamp issue:

• 681106, Press Sheet with Die-cut, $75.20.
• 681110 Digital Color Postmark Keepsake (Set of 4), $15.95.
• 681116 First-Day Cover (Set of 4), $3.64.
• 681121 Digital Color Postmark (Set of 4), $6.48.
• 681124 Framed Art (Set of 4), $40.00.
• 681125 Framed Art (Golden-crowned Kinglet), $10.00.
• 681126 Framed Art (Northern Cardinal), $10.00.
• 681127 Framed Art (Cedar Waxuling), $10.00.
• 681128 Framed Art (Red-breasted Nuthatch), $10.00.
• 681130 Ceremony Program (random single), $6.95.

Technical Specifications:

Issue: Songbirds in Snow Stamps
Item Number: 681100
Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail Forever
Format: Double-Sided Booklet of 20
Series: N⁄A
Issue Date & City: August 4, 2016, Portland, OR 97208
Art Director: Derry Noyes, Washington, DC
Designer: Derry Noyes, Washington, DC
Typographer: Derry Noyes, Washington, DC
Artist: Robert Giusti, Bridgewater, CT
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: 600,000,000 stamps
Paper Type: Nonphosphored Type III, Block Tag applied
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Processed at: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
Stamp Orientation: Horizontal
Image Area (w x h): 1.05 x 0.77 in.⁄26.67 x 19.56 mm
Stamp Size (w x h): 1.19 x 0.91 in.⁄30.23 x 23.11 mm
Full Booklet Size (w x h): 2.38 x 5.76 in.⁄60.45 x 146.30 mm
Press Sheet Size (w x h): 4.76 x 23.29 in.⁄120.90 x 591.57 mm
Colors: Black, Cyan, Magenta, Yellow
Plate Size: 880 stamps per revolution
Plate Numbers: “P” followed by four (4) single digits
Marginal Markings: Header. “Songbirds in Snow” • Twenty First-Class Forever Stamps • Plate numbers in peel strip area • USPS LOGO • © 2016 USPS in peel strip area • Golden-crowned Kinglet • Cedar Waxwing • Northern Cardinal • Red-breasted Nuthatch • Promotional text in peel strip area

From the USPS, June 29th:

Commemorative Forever  Stamps
First-Day-of-Issue Dedication Ceremony
Thursday, August 4, 2016
1:00 p.m.
American Philatelic Society: APS Stampshow 2016
Oregon Convention Center
Rooms C123-124
777 NE Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard
Portland, OR 97232

Songbirds in Snow Forever Stamps
With Songbirds in Snow, the U.S. Postal Service celebrates four birds that brighten cold winter days.

The sight of birds sitting on a snowy tree branch and the sound of their songs and calls bring joy in the depth of winter. Though many birds migrate to warmer climes before the snow falls, some hardy birds have ways to cope with the cold and to find food year-round. The booklets of 20 stamps will available on usps.com/shop in early July for pre-order and will be delivered shortly after Aug. 4.

In winter, much of their day is spent looking for food; they consume large quantities to supply the energy to keep warm at night when temperatures plummet. Fluffing their feathers creates an insulating layer of air, and their winter plumage can contain up to 30 percent more feathers than in summer. Many birds are able to slow their metabolism, lower their body temperatures, or even reduce their heart rate to help them conserve energy. Some species gather in groups to search for food and to snuggle together at night to maintain body heat.

Winter birds will search for roosting places that provide protection from precipitation, wind, and predators. They generally choose the same kinds of habitats that they use for nesting, including cavities in trees, thickets, birdhouses, shrubs, or evergreen trees.

Four winter birds are celebrated here: the golden-crowned kinglet, the cedar waxwing, the northern cardinal, and the red-breasted nuthatch.

Even the smallest birds will thrive in the winter cold if they can find food. The golden-crowned kinglet (Regulus satrapa) is only a little larger than a hummingbird, yet it can survive nighttime temperatures of 40 degrees below zero. The tiny birds roost in evergreen forests and huddle together in small flocks high up in the branches to help them stay warm. Wary of taking food from a birdfeeder, its winter diet is made up mainly of dormant insects and their eggs as well as overwintering caterpillars.

The cedar waxwing (Bombycilla cedrorum) gets its name from its favorite winter food, cedar berries, and the red, waxy tips of some of its wing feathers. One of the few North American birds that thrives on a diet of mostly fruits, the cedar waxwing also consumes the winter fruits of the juniper, mistletoe, crabapple, and other plants. It generally inhabits open woodlands and hedgerows, but in winter it will join a flock around fruiting plants, including those in backyards and gardens, to feed.

A spot of bright red against the white of a snowy tree branch signals the presence of a northern cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis), one of winter’s most colorful and beautiful birds. Found in thickets along the edge of forests or in shrubby, overgrown fields and hedgerows, as well as in backyards, cardinals usually appear in pairs but can gather in small flocks during the winter to forage for food. Their diet is mainly seeds and fruit, but they also eat insects. During the winter, cardinals are frequent visitors to birdfeeders; sunflower seeds are a favorite food.

The red-breasted nuthatch (Sitta canadensis), with its distinctive call like a tiny toy horn, prepares well for the season by caching conifer seeds, its preferred winter food. Stashed in cracks and openings in tree bark, the seeds are collected by the bird as it walks headfirst down the trunk. It lives mainly in coniferous forests, but the inquisitive little bird is attracted to birdfeeders, drawn particularly to sunflower seeds, peanuts, and suet.

Design Brief:
The Songbirds in Snow stamps feature four species: the golden-crowned kinglet (Regulus satrapa), the cedar waxwing (Bombycilla cedrorum), the northern cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis), and the red-breasted nuthatch (Sitta canadensis). Illustrator Robert Giusti painted the original designs in acrylic on canvas board, depicting each bird perched on a snow-covered branch.

Booklet layout:

American Philatelic Society press release June 28th:

Four new Songbirds in Snow commemorative stamps will be issued August 4 during a stamp dedication ceremony at the American Philatelic Society’s annual summer StampShow in Portland, Oregon.

The four new stamps will be issued during a ceremony at 1 p.m. Thursday, August 4 in room C123-124 of the Oregon Convention Center, 777 N.E. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Portland, Oregon.

“With the StampShow set among the natural wonders of Portland, the U.S. Postal Service will be issuing a great set of stamps,” said Scott English, Executive Director of the American Philatelic Society, “Not only are the stamps a fine addition to any collection, but they will make a wonderful gift to start a collection for someone new to the hobby.”

The stamps feature four birds in snowy scenes: the golden-crowned kinglet, the cedar waxwing, the northern cardinal, and the red-breasted nuthatch. The stamps feature acrylic-on-canvas board paintings by artist Robert Giusti.

The APS StampShow, the nation’s largest annual postage stamp show and exhibition, will take place August 4-7 in the Oregon Convention Center. Public hours are 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday. Admission is free and open to the public. Complete details are available on the show website: stamps.org/stampshow.

The American Philatelic Society and American Philatelic Research Library are located at the American Philatelic Center in Bellefonte, Centre County, Pennsylvania. The nonprofit organizations are dedicated to the hobby of stamp collecting and have a worldwide membership of about 30,000 members.

Here’s a rundown of which stamps are being issued when at World Stamp Show, with links to the individual VSC pages about them:

May 28 – World Stamp Show-NY 2016, folio of 24 stamps, 2 designs. Only available at the show or by mail.

May 29 – Repeal of the Stamp Act, souvenir sheet of 10 stamps, one design. No automatic distribution to post offices, which may request the stamps.

May 30 – Honoring Extraordinary Heroism: The Service Cross Medals, souvenir sheet of 12 stamps, 4 designs. No automatic distribution to post offices, which may request the stamps.

May 31 – Pluto – Explored! souvenir sheet of 4 stamps, 2 designs. No automatic distribution to post offices, which may request the stamps.

May 31 – Views of Our Planets, pane of 16 stamps, 8 designs. Automatic distribution to post offices.

June 1 – Classics Forever, souvenir sheet of 6 stamps, 6 designs. Only available at the show or by mail.

June 2 – National Parks, pane of 16 stamps, 16 designs. Automatic distribution to post offices.

June 3 – Colorful Celebrations, booklet of 20 stamps, 10 designs. No automatic distribution to post offices, which may request the stamps.

To order by mail, go to the USPS website or call 1-800-STAMP24.