Updated August 3rd: The California Dogface Butterfly stamp will not be issued in 2017. Supplies of the previous nonmachineable-rate stamp, the Eastern-Tailed Blue Butterfly, issued in 2016, are sufficient at this time.

From the USPS, September 20, 2016:

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

VSC: Why would there be another non-denominated Butterfly stamp so soon after the issuance of this week’s [September 24, 2016] Eastern Tailed Blue butterfly stamp? Even if the non-machineable rate changes, the stamp design would not need to change.

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

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

• 5163 (34¢) Queen Conch shell, serpentine die cut 11¼x10¾
• 5164 (34¢) Pacific Calico Scallop shell, serpentine die cut 11¼x10¾
• 5165 (34¢) Alphabet Cone shell, serpentine die cut 11¼x10¾
• 5166 (34¢) Zebra Nerite shell, serpentine die cut 11¼x10¾
• a. Horiz. or vert. strip of 4, #5163-5166
• 5167 (34¢) Alphabet Cone shell coil stamp, serpentine die cut 9¾ vert.
• 5168 (34¢) Zebra Nerite shell coil stamp, serpentine die cut 9¾ vert.
• 5169 (34¢) Queen Conch shell coil stamp, serpentine die cut 9¾ vert.
• 5170 (34¢) Pacific Calico Scallop shell coil stamp, serpentine die cut 9¾ vert.
• a. Horiz. strip of 4, #5167-5170

Updated January 27th: Here is the pictorial first-day postmark for this issue: It measures 2.87″ x 1.14″.

Updated December 22nd: Postal Bulletin

On January 28, 2017, in San Diego, CA, the U.S. Postal Service® will issue the Seashells Postcard Rate stamps (Non-denominated, priced at 34 cents) in four designs, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 20 stamps (Item 119600) and a PSA coil of 100 stamps (Item 749900). The stamps will go on sale nationwide January 28, 2017.

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

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

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

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

After applying the first-day-of-issue postmark, the Postal Service™ will return the envelopes through the mail. There is no charge for the postmark up to a quantity of 50. There is a 5-cent charge for each additional postmark over 50. All orders must be postmarked by March 28, 2017.

There is one philatelic product for the booklet of 20:
•119616 First-Day Cover (set of 4), 2 stamps, $4.48.

There is one philatelic product for the coil of 100:
•749916 First-Day Cover (set of 4), 2 stamps, $4.48.

Technical Specifications:

Issue: Seashells Stamps
Item Number: 119600
Denomination & Type of Issue: Postcard Rate, Non-denominated, Mail-use
Format: Pane of 20 (4 designs)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: January 28, 2017, San Diego, CA 92199
Art Director: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
Designer: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
Typographer: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
Artist: Sergio Baradat, New York, NY
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, Block Tag
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Processed at: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
Colors: Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black, PMS7471c Turquoise, PMS Cool Gray 5c
Stamp Orientation: Vertical
Image Area (w x h): 0.73 x 0.84 in./18.54 x 21.34 mm
Overall Size (w x h): 0.87 x 0.98 in./22.10 x 24.89 mm
Full Pane Size (w x h): 5.35 x 4.93 in./135.89 x 125.22 mm
Plate Size: 400 stamps per revolution
Plate Numbers: “P” followed by six (6) digits
Marginal Markings: Front: Plate numbers in four corners of pane
Back: ©2016 USPS • USPS Logo • Two barcodes (119600) • Plate Position Diagram • Promotional Text

Technical Specifications:

Issue: Seashells Stamps
Item Number: 749900
Denomination & Type of Issue: Postcard Rate, Non-denominated, Mail-use
Format: Coil of 100 (4 designs)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: January 28, 2017, San Diego, CA 92199
Art Director: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
Designer: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
Typographer: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
Existing Photos: Sergio Baradat, New York, NY
Modeler: Joseph Sheeran
Manufacturing Process: Offset, Microprint
Printer: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
Printed at: Williamsville, NY
Press Type: Muller A76
Stamps per Coil: 100
Print Quantity: 500,000,000 stamps
Paper Type: Nonphosphored Type III, Block Tag
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Processed at: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
Colors: Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black, PMS7471c Turquoise, PMS Cool Gray 5c
Stamp Orientation: Vertical
Image Area (w x h): 0.7037 x 0.84 in./17.87 x 21.34 mm
Stamp Size (w x h): 0.8437 x 0.98 in./21.43 x 24.89 mm
Plate Size: 768 stamps per revolution
Plate Numbers: “P” followed by six (6) single digits
Coil Number Frequency: Plate numbers every 32nd stamp below stamp image

From the USPS, September 20, 2016:

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

Updated April 2nd: The Scott Catalogue number for this issue is 5174. The Scott editors calling this issue “People Wearing Uncle Sam’s Hats.”

Updated February 3rd: The Postal Bulletin says “Press sheets were not issued for Uncle Sam’s Hat; therefore, the dimensions were listed in error.” Accordingly, we have removed them from the VSC listing below.

Updated January 30, 2017: Here is the pictorial first-day postmark for this issue: This postmark measures 2.84” x 1.33”. Keep in mind that, despite the illustration, you only need an additional 28¢ postage for first day covers of this issue.

Note that the above name, “Uncle Sam’s Hat,” is the official USPS name for this issue.

From the USPS:

On February 18, 2017, in Mesa, AZ, the U.S. Postal Service will issue the Uncle Sam’s Hat additional ounce rate stamp (Nondenominated priced at 21 cents), in one design, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 20 stamps (Item 119700).

The stamp will go on sale nationwide February 18, 2017.

With the release of Uncle Sam’s Hat in 2017, the U.S. Postal Service celebrates one of our country’s most popular patriotic characters. The stamp features eight graphic top hats in Uncle Sam’s signature style, with red and white vertical stripes above a blue band with a white star and a gray brim. Beneath each hat is an oval shape representing a face, each in a different shade, meant to suggest the ethnic and racial diversity of the United States. Art director Antonio Alcalá designed the stamp. The words “ADDITIONAL OUNCE” on this stamp indicate its usage value. Like a Forever stamp, this stamp will always be valid for the rate printed on it.

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. Each cover must have sufficient postage to meet First-Class Mail requirements. They may purchase new stamps at their local Post Office, at The Postal Store website at www.usps.com/shop, or by calling 800-782-6724. They should affix the stamps to envelopes of their choice, address the envelopes (to themselves or others), and place them in a larger envelope addressed to:

FDOI – Uncle Sam’s Hat Stamp
USPS Stamp Fulfillment Services
8300 NE Underground Drive, Suite 300
Kansas City, MO 64144-9900

After applying the first-day-of-issue postmark, the Postal Service will return the envelopes through the mail. There is no charge for the postmark up to a quantity of 50. There is a 5-cent charge for each additional postmark over 50. All orders must be postmarked by April 18, 2017.

There is one philatelic product for this stamp issue:

• 119716 First-Day Cover, $1.14

Technical Specifications:

Issue: Uncle Sam’s Hat Stamp
Item Number: 119700
Denomination & Type of Issue: Additional Ounce Rate Nondenominated, Mail Use
Format: Pane of 20 (1 design)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: February 18, 2017, Mesa, AZ 85201
Designer: Antonio Alcalá, Alexandria, VA
Art Director: Antonio Alcalá, Alexandria, VA
Typographer: Antonio Alcalá, Alexandria, 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: 100,000,000 stamps
Paper Type: Phosphor Tagged Paper, Block
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Processed at: Banknote Corporation of America, Browns Summit SC
Colors: Cool Gray 7/Gray, PMS 7687/Blue, PMS 7621/Red, Cyan,
Magenta, Yellow, Black
Stamp Orientation: Vertical
Image Area (w x h): 0.73 x 0.84 in/18.54 x 21.34 mm
Overall Size (w x h): 0.87 x 0.98 in/22.10 x 24.89 mm
Full Pane Size (w x h): 5.30 x 4.88 in/134.62 x 123.95 mm
Plate Size: 400 stamps per revolution
Plate Numbers: “B” followed by seven (7) single digits
Marginal Markings:
Front: Plate numbers in four corners of pane
Back: © 2016 USPS • USPS logo • Plate position diagram • Barcode (119700) in upper right and lower left corners of pane • Promotional text

Updated January 5th: The USPS confirms that the stamp will be issued in Mesa on February 18th, presumably with a first-day ceremony at Aripex.

Updated December 29th, 2016: There is a report that this stamp will be issued at the Aripex show in Mesa, Arizona, February 17-19. We do not yet have confirmation.

From the USPS, September 20, 2016:

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

Updated June 5th:The Scott catalogue numbers for this issue are:

5192 Tamales
5193 Flan
5194 Sancocho
5195 Empanadas
5196 Chile Relleno
5197 Ceviche
a. Block of 6, #5192-5197
b. Convertible booklet pane of 20, 4 each #5192-5193, 3 each #5194-5197

Updated March 28th: The Digital Color Postmark design for this issue is: It measures 2.97″x1.23″.

Updated March 27th: [USPS media advisory]
Postal Service Celebrating Latin American Cuisine With Issuance of New Delicioso Forever Stamps
Dedication Ceremony to be Held at National Hispanic Cultural Center

What:
With the issuance of the new Delicioso Forever stamps, the U.S. Postal Service celebrates the influence of Central and South American, Mexican and Caribbean foods and flavors on American cuisine.

When: Thursday, April 20, 2017, 5:45 p.m.

Where:
National Hispanic Cultural Center
1701 4th Street, SW
Albuquerque, NM 87102

Background: The Delicioso stamp dedication ceremony is being held in conjunction with Salud y Sabor and the National Hispanic Cultural Center. The event is a free evening of food, art and entertainment aimed at providing families with an opportunity to connect around nutrition, cooking, healthy lifestyles and culture.
The Delicioso stamps feature bright and playful illustrations of tamales, flan, sancocho, empanadas, chile relleno, and ceviche. The booklets include four of the tamales and flan designs and three of each of the other designs. The names of the six dishes appear in a festive font above each mouthwatering image. Each illustration was created by applying multiple layers of acrylic paint to textured boards, using sandpaper to reveal the hidden layers and give the designs a worn, vintage look.

Artist John Parra designed the stamp artwork under the direction of Antonio Alcal´a;.

The Delicioso stamps are being issued as Forever stamps. Forever stamps are always equal in value to the current First-Class Mail one-ounce price.
Followers of the U.S. Postal Service’s Facebook page can view video of the event at facebook.com/USPS. The public is asked to share the news on Twitter and Instagram using the hashtag #DeliciosoForever.

Updated March 16th: from the Postal Bulletin
On April 20, 2017, in Albuquerque, NM, the U.S. Postal Service will issue the Delicioso stamps (Forever priced at 49 cents), in 6 designs, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) booklet of 20 stamps (Item 672700). The stamps will go on sale nationwide April 20, 2017.

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

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

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

FDOI – Delicioso
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 20, 2017.

Philatelic products for this stamp issue are as follows:

• 672706 Press Sheet with Die-cut, $78.40
• 672710, Digital Color Postmark Keepsake, $19.95
• 672716 First-Day Cover set of 6, $5.58
• 672721 Digital Color Postmark set of 6, $9.84
• 672730 Ceremony Program, $6.95

Technical Specifications:

Issue: Delicioso Stamps
Item Number: 672700
Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail, Forever
Format: Double-Sided Booklet of 20 (6 designs)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: April 20, 2017, Albuquerque, NM
Art Director: Antonio Alcalá, Alexandria, VA
Designer: John Parra, Jamaica, NY
Typographer: Antonio Alcalá, Alexandria, VA
Artist: John Parra, Jamaica, NY
Modeler: Sandra Lane/Michelle Finn
Manufacturing Process: Offset, Microprint
Printer: Banknote Corporation of America
Printed at: Browns Summit, NC
Press Type: Alprinta 74
Stamps per Booklet: 20
Print Quantity: 200,000,000 stamps
Paper Type: Phosphor Tagged Paper, Block
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Processed at: Banknote Corporation of America, Browns Summit, NC
Stamp Orientation: Horizontal
Image Area (w x h): 1.05 x .77 in./26.67 x 19.56 mm
Stamp Size (w x h): 1.19 x .91 in./30.23 x 23.11 mm
Full Booklet Size (w x h): 2.375 x 5.743 in/60.33 x 145.87 mm
Press Sheet Size (w x h): 9.5 x 11.486 in./ 241.30 x 291.74 mm
Colors: PMS Cool Gray 8/Gray, Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black
Plate Size: 800 stamps per revolution
Plate Numbers: “B” followed by five (5) single digits
Marginal Markings: Cover: “Delicioso” • Twenty First Class Forever Stamps • Barcode • Plate number in peel strip area • © 2016 • USPS in peel strip area • Promotional Text in peel strip area

Updated March 13th: The USPS says these stamps will be issued April 20 in Albuquerque, NM.

From the USPS, September 20, 2016:

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

Updated April 2nd: The Scott Catalogue number for this issue is 5175.

Updated February 7th: From the Spellman Philatelic Museum: “A dedication ceremony will be held at the JFK Library on Monday, February 20. This year marks the 100th anniversary of his birth. U.S. Senator Edward Markey will be the featured speaker.”

From the JFK Library: “The US Postal Service will commemorate the centennial of President John F. Kennedy’s birth by dedicating a Forever stamp in his honor. The 10 a.m. ceremony will launch the Forever stamp, making the First-Day-of-Issue Stamp exclusively available at the Presidents’ Day Family Festival on February 20 and available nationwide in Post Offices starting on February 21. The dedication ceremony is free and open tot he public. Registration is encouraged at usps.com/jfk.”

Updated January 18th:
On February 20, 2017, in Boston, MA, the U.S. Postal Service will issue the John Fitzgerald Kennedy First-Class Mail stamp (Forever priced at 49 cents), in one design, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 12 stamps (Item 474600).

The stamp will go on sale nationwide February 20, 2017.

This stamp commemorates the 100th anniversary of the birth of John Fitzgerald Kennedy (1917-1963), 35th president of the United States. Kennedy was the nation’s first Catholic president and, at age 43, the youngest person ever elected to the nation’s highest office. The stamp art features a photograph of Kennedy taken by Ted Spiegel in 1960. The selvage art, showing President Kennedy in a reflective pose, is a 1970 oil painting by Aaron Shikler (courtesy of the White House/White House Historical Association). Art director Derry Noyes designed the issuance.

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

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

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

After applying the first-day-of-issue postmark, the Postal Service will return the envelopes through the mail. There is no charge for the postmark up to a quantity of 50. There is a 5-cent charge for each additional postmark over 50. All orders must be postmarked by April 20, 2017.

There are six philatelic products for this stamp issue:

• 474606 Press Sheet with Die-cut, $47.04
• 474610 Digital Color Postmark Keepsake (2 panes), $13.95
• 474616 First-Day Cover, $0.93
• 474621 Digital Color Postmark, $1.64
• 474624 Framed Art, $39.95
• 474630 Ceremony Program, $6.95

Technical Specifications:

Issue: John Fitzgerald Kennedy Stamp
Item Number: 474600
Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail Forever
Format: Pane of 12 (1 design)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: February 20, 2017, Boston, MA 02205
Designer: Derry Noyes, Washington, DC
Art Director: Derry Noyes, Washington, DC
Typographer: Derry Noyes, Washington, DC
Existing Photo: Ted Spiegel, Fishkill, NY
Existing Art: Aaron Shikler
Modeler: Sandra Lane/Michelle Finn
Manufacturing Process: Offset, Microprint
Printer: Banknote Corporation of America
Printed at: Browns Summit, NC
Press Type: Alprinta 74
Stamps per Pane: 12
Print Quantity: 84,000,000 stamps
Paper Type: Phosphor Tagged Paper, Block
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Processed at: Banknote Corporation of America, Browns Summit SC
Colors: Custom/Light Brown, Custom/Dark Brown
Stamp Orientation: Vertical
Image Area (w x h): 1.09 x 1.42 in/27.69 x 36.07 mm
Overall Size (w x h): 1.23 x 1.56 in/31.24 x 39.62 mm
Full Pane Size (w x h): 9.35 x 6.47 in/237.49 x 164.34 mm
Press Sheets Size (w x h): 19.60 x 26.247 in/497.84 x 666.67 mm
Plate Size: 96 stamps per revolution
Plate Numbers: “B” followed by two (2) single digits
Marginal Markings:
Front: Header: “John Fitzgerald Kennedy 1917-1963” • Plate number in two corners
Back: © 2016 USPS • USPS logo • Plate position diagram •
Barcode (474600) in upper right and lower left corners of pane • Promotional text

Updated January 9th: additional details, illustration of pane
[press release]
JFK Forever Stamp to be Dedicated on Presidents Day
February 20 Ceremony at Presidential Library

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Postal Service will commemorate the centennial of President John F. Kennedy’s birth by dedicating a Forever stamp in his honor at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum in Boston.

The 10 a.m. February 20 Presidents Day ceremony, free and open to the public, will kick off the 6th Annual Presidents Day Family Festival. There is a fee to enter the library and museum to attend the festival. Children 17 years old and under are free.

The stamp features a 1960 photograph by Ted Spiegel of Kennedy campaigning for president in Seattle. The artwork accompanying the stamp, showing Kennedy in a reflective pose, is a 1970 oil painting by Aaron Shikler (courtesy of the White House / White House Historical Association). The Forever stamp, available only at the event on Presidents’ Day, will be available nationwide in Post Offices February 21. In late January, customers may pre-order the stamps for delivery after February 21 at usps.com/shop. The public is asked to share the news using the hashtag #JFKStamps.

“Our family is honored that the Postal Service is commemorating my grandfather with this stamp,” said Jack Schlossberg, grandson of John F. Kennedy. “As we mark the centennial of his birth, we hope that the stamp will be an enduring symbol of President Kennedy’s call for service, innovation, and inclusion, and his belief that we each have the power to make this world a better place.”

Kennedy’s Legacy
Born May 29, 1917, John Fitzgerald Kennedy was the 35th president of the United States. He remains for many a captivating and charismatic personality — one who appealed to the nation’s higher ideals and inspired young Americans to engage in public service.

On January 20, 1961, Kennedy, at age 43, became the nation’s first Catholic president and the youngest person elected to the presidency. In his Inaugural Address, he famously called upon Americans to “ask not what your country can do for you — ask what you can do for your country.”

In the early months of his administration, Kennedy announced his signature initiative, the Peace Corps, to aid people in developing nations. In May 1961, Kennedy announced the bold goal of landing a man on the Moon before the end of the decade, setting the nation on the path toward achieving the historic Moon landing in 1969.

During the height of the Cold War, Kennedy confronted the Soviet Union in a series of conflicts that could have escalated into a major war. During the summer of 1961, for example, he defended the status of West Berlin, a small pocket of freedom within Soviet-supported East Germany, when it came under threat from Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev.

Kennedy opposed Khrushchev again in the fall of 1962 after Soviet forces installed nuclear missiles in Cuba. Against the urging of his military advisers to bomb the missile sites, Kennedy decided on a naval quarantine to prevent further shipments of military equipment to Cuba. After suspenseful days in which war appeared imminent, Soviet ships heading to Cuba turned back, and Khrushchev agreed to remove the missiles.

On June 11, 1963, Kennedy made an impassioned speech on civil rights that characterized the unequal status and treatment of blacks in America as a moral crisis. He then submitted a bill to end racial segregation, which in substance was passed after his death as the landmark Civil Rights Act of 1964.

Kennedy was assassinated on November 22, 1963, in Dallas, Texas. His death at age 46 left the nation grief-stricken, all the more so because of the unrealized potential of his presidency. Updated January 5th: The USPS confirms that this stamp will be issued February 20th, with Boston as the first-day city.

Updated December 19th, 2016: The JFK Library is reporting that this stamp will be issued on President’s Day, Monday, February 20th. The location was not specified. There is no confirmation yet from the USPS.

From the USPS, September 20, 2016:

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

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

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

Updated October 2, 2017: Here are the Scott catalogue numbers:

• 5233 (49¢) Flowers from the Garden coil stamp – Red Camellias and Yellow Forsythia in Yellow Pitcher, serpentine die cut 10¾ vert.
• 5234 (49¢) Flowers from the Garden coil stamp – White Peonies and Pink Tree Peonies in Clear Vase, serpentine die cut 10¾ vert.
• 5235 (49¢) Flowers from the Garden coil stamp – Blue Hydrangea in Blue Pot, serpentine die cut 10¾ vert.
• 5236 (49¢) Flowers from the Garden coil stamp – Assorted Flowers in White Vase, serpentine die cut 10¾ vert.
• a. Strip of 4, #5233-5236

• 5237 (49¢) Flowers from the Garden booklet stamp – Red Camellias and Yellow Forsythia in Yellow Pitcher, serpentine die cut 11 on 2 or 3 sides
• 5238 (49¢) Flowers from the Garden booklet stamp – Assorted Flowers in White Vase, serpentine die cut 11 on 2 or 3 sides
• 5239 (49¢) Flowers from the Garden booklet stamp – White Peonies and Pink Tree Peonies in Clear Vase, serpentine die cut 11 on 2 or 3 sides
• 5240 (49¢) Flowers from the Garden booklet stamp – Blue Hydrangea in Blue Pot, serpentine die cut 11 on 2 or 3 sides
• a. Block of 4, #5237-5240
• b. Booklet pane of 20, 5 each #5237-5240

Updated July 23, 2017:
Flowers from the Garden to Decorate Forever Stamps media advisory

WHAT: First-Day-of-Issue dedication ceremony for the Flowers from the Garden Forever stamps. The event is free and open to the public. The public is asked to RSVP at usps.com/flowers.

WHO:

• South Dakota Governor Dennis Daugaard
• Sioux Falls Mayor Mike Huether
• Sioux Falls City Council member Michelle Erpenbach
• U.S. Postal Service Employee Resource Management Vice President Simon Storey
• Stamp artist Elizabeth Brandon
• Plant Scientist Sarah Stowers

WHEN: Wed., Aug. 16 @ 4 p.m. CDT

WHERE:
Mary Jo Arboretum & East Sioux Falls Historic Site
1900 South Perry Place
Sioux Falls, SD 57110

Please share the news on social media using the hashtag #FlowerStamps.

BACKGROUND: The U.S. Postal Service celebrates the beauty of flowers from American gardens by issuing the Flowers from the Garden Forever stamps. The four stamps feature still-life paintings of bountiful floral bouquets. The stamps may be pre-ordered now at this link for delivery shortly after the Aug. 16 issuance.

Elizabeth Brandon’s paintings were inspired by floral still lifes created by Dutch and Flemish artists of the 17th and 18th centuries. Each stamp features one of four different paintings of flowers gathered from the garden and artfully arranged in a container. One stamp features red camellias and yellow forsythia in a yellow pitcher, while on another there are white peonies and pink tree peonies in a clear vase. An arrangement of white hydrangeas, white and pink roses, green hypericum berries, and purple lisianthus in a white vase graces another stamp, while blue hydrangeas in a blue pot appear on another.
The floral paintings of the Dutch and Flemish artists featured exuberant, massed arrangements, which gave the impression of wild abandon and impromptu creativity. However, the arrangements were in reality carefully thought out and many times purely imaginary—and frequently botanically impossible. Though they looked as if they had just been plucked from the garden, the bouquets might include flowers that did not bloom during the same season or sometimes even grow in the same country.

Digital Images and Paintings © Elizabeth Brandon

Updated July 7, 2017:
On August 16, 2017, in Sioux Falls, SD, the U.S. Postal Service® will issue the Flowers From the Garden First-Class Mail® stamps (Forever® priced at 49 cents), in four designs, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) booklet and coils. The stamps will go on sale nationwide August 16, 2017.

The Flowers From the Garden stamps will be available in the following formats:

• PSA Booklet of 20 (Item 672100)
• PSA Coil of 3,000 (Item 755000)
• PSA Coil of 10,000 (Item 760100)

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

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 usps.com/shop, or by calling 800-782-6724. They must affix the stamps to envelopes of their choice, address the envelopes (to themselves or others), and place them in a larger envelope addressed to:

FDOI – Flowers From the Garden 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 October 16, 2017.

Philatelic products for this stamp issue are as follows:
Booklet of 20

• 672106, Press Sheet with Die-cuts, $78.40
• 672110 Digital Color Postmark Keepsake (set of 4), $16.95
• 672116 First-Day Cover (set of 4), $3.72
• 672121 Digital Color Postmark (set of 4), $6.56
• 672124 Framed Art, $29.95
• 672130 Ceremony Program, $6.95

Coil of 10,000

• 760116 First-Day Cover (set of 4), $3.72
• 760121 Digital Color Postmark (set of 4), $6.56

Technical Specifications:

Issue: Flowers From the Garden Stamps
Item Number: 672100
Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail, Forever
Format: Double-sided Booklet of 20, (4 designs)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: August 16, 2017, Sioux Falls, SD 57104
Art Director: Derry Noyes, Washington, DC
Designer: Derry Noyes, Washington, DC
Typographer: Derry Noyes, Washington, DC
Existing Art: Elizabeth Brandon
Modeler: Sandra Lane/Michelle Finn
Manufacturing Process: Offset, Microprint
Printer: Banknote Corporation of America
Printed at: Browns Summit, NC
Press Type: Alprinta 74
Stamps per Booklet: 20
Print Quantity: 500,000,000 stamps
Paper Type: Phosphor Tagged Paper, Block
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Processed at: Banknote Corporation of America, Browns Summit, NC
Stamp Orientation: Vertical
Image Area (w x h): 0.77 x 1.05 in./19.56 x 26.67 mm
Stamp Size (w x h): 0.91 x 1.19 in./23.11 x 30.23 mm
Full Pane Size (w x h): 5.74 x 2.38 in./145.87 x 60.33 mm
Press Sheet Size (w x h): 11.49 x 9.5 in./ 291.74 x 241.30 mm
Colors: Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black
Plate Size: 800 stamps per revolution
Plate Numbers: “B” followed by four (4) single digits
Marginal Markings: • Plate numbers in peel strip area • © 2016 • USPS in peel strip area

Technical Specifications:

Issue: Flowers From the Garden Stamps
Item Number: 755000
Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail, Forever
Format: Coil of 3,000 (4 designs)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: August 16, 2017, Sioux Falls, SD 57104
Art Director: Derry Noyes, Washington, DC
Designer: Derry Noyes, Washington, DC
Typographer: Derry Noyes, Washington, DC
Existing Art: Elizabeth Brandon
Modeler: Sandra Lane/Michelle Finn
Manufacturing Process: Offset, Microprint
Printer: Banknote Corporation of America
Printed at: Browns Summit, NC
Press Type: Alprinta 74
Stamps per Coil: 3,000
Print Quantity: 45,000,000 stamps
Paper Type: Phosphor Tagged Paper, Overall
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Processed at: Banknote Corporation of America, Browns Summit, NC
Colors: Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black
Stamp Orientation: Vertical
Image Area (w x h): 0.73 x 0.84 in./18.54 x 21.34 mm
Stamp Size (w x h): 0.87 x 0.98 in./22.10 x 24.89 mm
Plate Size: 560 stamps per revolution
Plate Numbers: “B” followed by four (4) single digits
Coil Number Frequency: Plate numbers every 28th stamp below stamp image

Technical Specifications:

Issue: Flowers From the Garden Stamps
Item Number: 760100
Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail, Forever
Format: Coil of 10,000 (4 designs)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: August 16, 2017, Sioux Falls, SD 57104
Art Director: Derry Noyes, Washington, DC
Designer: Derry Noyes, Washington, DC
Typographer: Derry Noyes, Washington, DC
Existing Art: Elizabeth Brandon
Modeler: Sandra Lane/Michelle Finn
Manufacturing Process: Offset, Microprint
Printer: Banknote Corporation of America
Printed at: Browns Summit, NC
Press Type: Alprinta 74
Stamps per Coil: 10,000
Print Quantity: 100,000,000 stamps
Paper Type: Phosphor Tagged Paper, Overall
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Processed at: Banknote Corporation of America, Browns Summit, NC
Colors: Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black
Stamp Orientation: Vertical
Image Area (w x h): 0.73 x 0.84 in./18.54 x 21.34 mm
Stamp Size (w x h): 0.87 x 0.98 in./22.10 x 24.89 mm
Plate Size: 560 stamps per revolution
Plate Numbers: “B” followed by four (4) single digits
Coil Number Frequency: Plate numbers every 28th stamp below stamp image

Updated July 6, 2017: Here is the Digital Color Postmark for this show: It measures 2.94″ x 1.38″. The rubber postmark is the standard four-bar FDOI.

Updated June 14, 2017:
The event calendar for the Mary Jo Wegner Arboretum & East Sioux Falls Historic Site has “Event Pending” for August 16th. The Arboretum says its “mission is to nurture connections between plants and people, past and present, in an inspiring natural setting that invites discovery.”

Updated June 1, 2017:
The USPS says these stamps will be issued August 16 in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

From the USPS, September 20, 2016:

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

Updated October 2nd: Here are the Scott catalogue numbers:

• 5241 (49¢) Father Ted Hesburgh, serpentine die cut 11
• 5242 (49¢) Father Ted Hesburgh coil stamp, serpentine die cut 9½ horiz.

Updated August 18th:
[USPS press release]
U.S. Postal Service Honoring Father Theodore Hesburgh
Champion of Civil Rights, Other Social Issues and Longtime President of the University of Notre Dame

What:
First-Day-of-Issue dedication ceremony for the Father Theodore Hesburgh Forever stamp. The event is free and open to the public. The U.S. Postal Service will post a video of the event at facebook.com/USPS. Share the news on Twitter and Instagram using the hashtag #FatherHesburgh.

When: Friday, Sept. 1, 2017, 1:00 p.m.

Where:
Purcell Pavilion at the Joyce Center
Notre Dame, IN

Who:
Megan J. Brennan
Postmaster General and Chief Executive Officer
United States Postal Service

The Honorable Condoleezza Rice
66th Secretary of State of the United States

Rev. John I. Jenkins, C.S.C.
President, University of Notre Dame

Rev. Austin I. Collins, C.S.C.
Religious Superior of Holy Cross Priests and Brothers
University of Notre Dame

Rev. Thomas J. O’Hara, C.S.C.
Provincial Superior
Congregation of Holy Cross

Richard “Digger” Phelps
Former Member, Citizens’ Stamp Advisory Committee

Background:
The Rev. Theodore M. Hesburgh, (1917–2015), longtime president of the University of Notre Dame, is considered one of the most important academic, religious and civic leaders of the 20th century.

Appointed to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights in 1957, Hesburgh helped to compile reports on racial discrimination and the denial of voting rights that resulted in the Omnibus Civil Rights Act of 1964. He was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom the same year, and later founded the Center for Civil and Human Rights at Notre Dame.

A champion of causes ranging from education to immigration reform to the plight of underdeveloped nations, Hesburgh worked with many organizations that reflected his beliefs, including the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, the National Science Board, the Overseas Development Council, and the Select Committee on Immigration and Refugee Policy. An advocate for limiting nuclear arms, he was the Vatican’s representative to the International Atomic Energy Agency from 1956-1970.

Ordained into the priesthood of the Congregation of Holy Cross in 1943, Hesburgh was appointed to the faculty at Notre Dame in 1945. He became Notre Dame’s 15th president in 1952, a position he held for 35 years, the longest presidential term in the university’s history. Hesburgh spearheaded successful efforts to strengthen the faculty and administration, improve academic standards and increase the university’s endowment.

In 1987, Hesburgh stepped down as Notre Dame’s president, devoting his time in retirement to supporting university initiatives, in particular the Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies and the Kellogg Institute for International Studies, and serving on various boards and presidential commissions.

Hesburgh was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal in 2000, one of many awards and honors received during his lifetime.

Updated August 3rd: Surprise! There will also be a coil version of this stamp! From the Postal Bulletin:

On September 1, 2017, in Notre Dame, IN, the U.S. Postal Service® will issue the Father Theodore Hesburgh stamp (Forever® priced at 49 cents), in one design, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 20 stamps (Item 474700) and a PSA coil of 50 stamps (Item 799400). The stamp will go on sale nationwide September 1, 2017.

The Reverend Father Theodore M. Hesburgh, C.S.C. (1917–2015) is considered one of the most important educational, religious, and civic leaders of the 20th century. The stamp art features an oil-on-panel painting (based on a 1980 photograph) of Father Hesburgh standing on the campus of the University of Notre Dame, where he served as president for 35 years. Father Hesburgh was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1964 and the Congressional Gold Medal in 2000. Art director Ethel Kessler designed the stamp with original art by Tim O’Brien.

Available to Post Offices: Item 474700, Father Theodore Hesburgh (Forever priced at 49 cents) Commemorative PSA Pane of 20 Stamps: Stamp Fulfillment Services will make an automatic push distribution to Post Offices™ of a quantity to cover approximately 30 days of sales.

Not Available to Post Offices: Item 799400, $24.50 Father Theodore Hesburgh (Forever priced at 49 cents) Commemorative PSA Coil of 50 Stamps: Stamp Fulfillment Services will not make an automatic push distribution to Post Offices. These stamp coils will only be available through The Postal Store® website at usps.com/shop or by calling our toll-free number at 800–782-6724.

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

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

After applying the first-day-of-issue postmark, the Postal Service will return the envelopes through the mail. There is no charge for the postmark up to a quantity of 50. There is a 5-cent charge for each additional postmark over 50. All orders must be postmarked by November 1, 2017.

Philatelic products for this stamp issue are as follows:
Pane of 20

• 474706, Press Sheet with Die-cut, $58.80
• 474710 Digital Color Postmark Keepsake, $11.95
• 474716 First-Day Cover, $0.93
• 474721 Digital Color Postmark, $1.64
• 474724 Framed Art, $39.95
• 474730 Ceremony Program, $6.95
• 474733 Panel, $10.95

Coil of 50

• 799416 First-Day Cover, $0.93
• 799421 Digital Color Postmark, $1.64

Technical Specifications:

Issue: Father Theodore Hesburgh Stamp
Item Number: 474700
Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail® Forever
Format: Pane of 20 (1 design)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: September 1, 2017, Notre Dame, IN 46556
Art Director: Ethel Kessler, Bethesda, MD
Designer: Ethel Kessler, Bethesda, MD
Typographer: Ethel Kessler, Bethesda, MD
Artist: Tim O’Brien, Brooklyn, NY
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: 15,000,000 stamps
Paper Type: Nonphosphored Type III, Block Tag applied
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Processed at: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
Colors: Black, Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, PMS 7557c Brown
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): 5.92 x 7.50 in/150.37 x 190.50 mm
Press Sheet Size (w x h): 11.84 x 22.75 in/300.74 x 577.85 mm
Plate Size: 240 stamps per revolution
Plate Numbers: “P” followed by five (5) digits
Marginal Markings:
Front: Header: FATHER THEODORE HESBURGH • Plate numbers in two corners of pane
Back: ©2016 USPS • USPS Logo • two barcodes (474700) • Plate Position Diagram • Promotional Text

Technical Specifications:

Issue: Father Theodore Hesburgh Stamp
Item Number: 799400
Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail Forever
Format: Coil of 50 (1 design)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: September 1, 2017, Notre Dame, IN 46556
Art Director: Ethel Kessler, Bethesda, MD
Designer: Ethel Kessler, Bethesda, MD
Typographer: Ethel Kessler, Bethesda, MD
Artist: Tim O’Brien, Brooklyn, NY
Modeler: Joseph Sheeran
Manufacturing Process: Offset, Microprint
Printer: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
Printed at: Williamsville, NY
Press Type: Muller A76
Stamps per Coil: 50
Print Quantity: 2,000,000 stamps
Paper Type: Nonphosphored Type III, Block Tag Applied
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Processed at: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
Colors: Black, Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, PMS 7557c Brown
Stamp Orientation: Vertical
Image Area (w x h): 0.84 x 1.4482 in/21.34 X 36.78 mm
Stamp Size (w x h): 0.98 x 1.5882 in/24.89 x 40.34 mm
Plate Size: 408 stamps per revolution
Plate Numbers: “P” followed by five (5) single digits
Coil Number Frequency: Plate numbers every 17th stamp below stamp image

Updated March 13th: The USPS confirms this stamp will be issued Friday, September 1st in South Bend, IN.

Updated August 7th: Here are the first-day postmarks: This measures 2.86″ x 1.33″. So does the B&W “hand” (rubber) cancel: There is also a “special” postmark that any post office may use: It measures 2.95″ x 1.44″.

From the USPS, September 20, 2016:

The Rev. Theodore M. Hesburgh (1917Ð2015) was an important mid-20th century educational, religious and civic leader. The stamp features an oil-on-panel painting of Father Hesburgh standing on the University of Notre Dame campus, where he served as president for 35 years. Appointed to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights in 1957, Father Hesburgh helped compile reports on racial discrimination and the denial of voting rights that resulted in the Omnibus Civil Rights Act of 1964. A champion of causes ranging from education to immigration reform to the plight of underdeveloped nations, Father Hesburgh worked with many important organizations that reflected his beliefs. Art director Ethel Kessler designed the stamp with original art by Tim O’Brien.

The University of Notre Dame’s Facebook Page the day after the USPS announcement said the stamp would be issued “September 1” (a Friday) but the press release to which it linked only says “next fall.” Friday, September 1 is the start of Labor Day Weekend, which might discourage getting a top USPS official for the first-day ceremony. On the other hand, The Fighting Irish football team hosts the Temple Owls the following day, which might make a trip from Washington more attractive.

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

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

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

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

Updated January 18th:
Technical Specifications:

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

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

Updated December 22nd from the Postal Bulletin:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

There are no philatelic products for the booklet of 10.

Technical Specifications:

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

Technical Specifications:

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

Technical Specifications:

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

Technical Specifications:

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

Technical Specifications:

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

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

Updated December 21st, 2016: USPS press release:

WHAT:

WHO:

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

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

WHERE:

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

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

From the USPS, September 20, 2016:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Philatelic products for this stamp issue are as follows:

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

Technical Specifications:

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

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

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

From the USPS, September 20, 2016:

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

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

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

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

Who:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

There are six philatelic products for this stamp issue:

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

Technical Specifications:

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

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

From the USPS, September 20, 2016:

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