Let’s Celebrate! (U.S. 2020)

From the U.S. Postal Service announcement on October 22, 2019:

In 2020, the Postal Service issues Let’s Celebrate!, a new stamp that adds fun to celebratory greeting cards, invitations and gift-bearing envelopes and packages. No matter the occasion — birthday, anniversary, holiday, engagement, new job, retirement — Let’s Celebrate! helps send cheer along with well wishes. The stamp features an array of colorful circles in varying sizes arranged in a random pattern. The letters in the word “celebrate,” cast in a dark green hue, appear inside several brightly colored circles on a white background. Art director Antonio Alcalá designed the stamp.

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


This stamp will be issued Friday, February 14th, in Mesa, Arizona. That coincides with the ARIPEX stamp show in Mesa.

The Scott catalogue number is 5434.

January 21st: The “killerbar” postmark is also available for this issue, similar to this mock-up: The other two first-day postmarks are shown below.

Updated January 19:
[press release]
A New Stamp to Celebrate
U.S. Postal Service Says “Let’s Celebrate!” with Forever Stamp

What: In February 2020, the U.S. Postal Service will issue the Let’s Celebrate! stamp for any joyous occasion. Whether celebrating a birthday, an anniversary, a new job or retirement, this stamp will help mark the occasion.

News of the stamp is being shared with the hashtag #CelebrationStamp.

Who: Janice Walker, vice president, Corporate Communications, U.S. Postal Service

When: Friday, Feb. 14, 2020, 1 p.m. Mountain Time

Where: Aripex 2020 Stamp Show
Mesa Convention Center
263 North Center Street
Mesa, AZ 85201-6628

RSVP: Dedication ceremony attendees are encouraged to RSVP atusps.com/celebrationstamps

Background:.

Like a burst of confetti, Let’s Celebrate! adds an extra dash of color to celebratory greeting cards, invitations and gift-bearing envelopes and packages.

The Let’s Celebrate! stamp features colorful circles in varying sizes arranged in a random pattern. The letters in “celebrate,” cast in a dark green hue, appear inside several brightly colored circles. Art director Antonio Alcalá designed the stamp.

Let’s Celebrate! is being issued as a Forever stamp, which will always be equal in value to the current First-Class Mail 1-ounce price.

Updated January 2 from the Postal Bulletin:

On February 14, 2020, in Mesa, AZ, the United States Postal Service will issue the Let’s Celebrate! stamp (Forever priced at the First-Class Mail rate) in one design, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 20 stamps (Item 572500). The stamp will go on sale nationwide February 14, 2020, and must not be sold or canceled before the first-day-of-issue.

The Postal Service is pleased to issue Let’s Celebrate!, a new stamp that adds an extra dash of fun to celebratory greeting cards, invitations, and gift-bearing envelopes and packages. No matter the occasion — birthday, anniversary, holiday, engagement, new job, retirement — Let‘s Celebrate! will help send cheer to those deserving of well wishes. The stamp art features an array of colorful circles in varying sizes arranged in a random pattern. The letters in the word “celebrate,” cast in a dark green hue, appear inside several brightly colored circles on a white background. Art director Antonio Alcalá designed the stamp.

Item 572500, Let’s Celebrate! (Forever Priced at the First-Class Mail Rate) PSA Pane of 20 Stamps: Automatic Distribution

How to Order the First-Day-of-Issue Postmark:
Customers have 120 days to obtain the first-day-of-issue postmark by mail. They may purchase new stamps at their local Post Office or at The Postal Store website at usps.com/shop. They must affix the stamps to envelopes of their choice, address the envelopes (to themselves or others), and place them in a larger envelope addressed to:

FDOI – Let’s Celebrate! 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 June 14, 2020.

Technical Specifications:

Issue: Let’s Celebrate! Stamp
Item Number: 572500
Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail Forever
Format: Pane of 20 (1 design)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: February 14, 2020, Mesa, AZ 85201
Art Director: Antonio Alcalá, Alexandria, VA
Designer: Antonio Alcalá, Alexandria, VA
Typographer: Antonio Alcalá, Alexandria, VA
Modeler: Sandra Lane/Michelle Finn
Manufacturing Process: Foil Stamping, Offset, Flexographic, Microprint
Printer: Banknote Corporation of America
Press Type: Gallus RCS
Stamps per Pane: 20
Print Quantity: 300,000,000 stamps
Paper Type: Phosphor Tagged Paper, Block
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Processed at: Banknote Corporation of America
Colors: Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black, Pantone Cool Gray 7
Other: Magenta Foil Luxor 28612, Teal Foil Luxor 361, Orange Foil Luxor 404
Stamp Orientation: Horizontal
Image Area (w x h): 1.42 x 0.84 in./ 36.068 x 21.336 mm
Overall Size (w x h): 1.56 x 0.98 in./39.624 x 24.892 mm
Full Pane Size (w x h): 6 x 7.24 in./152.4 x 183.896 mm
Plate Size: 160 stamps per revolution
Plate Numbers: “B” followed by five (5) single digits
Marginal Markings:
Front: Plate number in four corners
Back: ©2019 USPS • USPS logo • 2 barcodes (572500) • Plate position diagram (8) • Promotional text

Here are the first-day cancels for this issue: The Digital Color Postmark measures 2.67″ x 1.26″ The B&W pictorial measures 2.62″ x 1.23″

Made of Hearts (U.S. 2020)

From the U.S. Postal Service announcement on October 22, 2019:

Made of Hearts is a continuation of the Postal Service tradition of creating stamps that celebrate love. The stamp features horizontal lines of red and pink hearts on a white background. Toward the center, red hearts in varying sizes replace pink hearts in a formation that creates one large red heart, the focal point of this graphic design. This stamp is just right for thank-you notes, get-well cards or any occasion when love is the perfect message. Art director Antonio Alcalá designed the stamp..

The Scott catalogue number for this issue is 5430

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


This stamp will be issued Thursday, January 23rd in Memphis, Tenn.

December 20th: Here are the first day cancels for this issue:

The DCP measures 2.63″ x 1.50″ The B&W pictorial measures 2.97″ x 1.48″

Also December 20th::

[press release]
Love Stamp is Made of Hearts

WHAT: Made of Hearts, the latest stamp in the U.S. Postal Service’s Love series, will be issued next month in time for Valentine’s Day. The Forever stamp features horizontal lines of red and pink hearts on a white background.

The first-day-of-issue event for the Made of Hearts Forever stamp is free and open to the public. News of the stamp is being shared with the hashtag #LoveStamps.

WHO: David E. Williams, chief operating officer and executive vice president, U.S. Postal Service

WHEN: Thursday, Jan. 23, 2020, at 11 a.m. CST

WHERE:
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
501 St Jude Pl
Memphis, TN 38105

RSVP: Dedication ceremony attendees are encouraged to RSVP at: usps.com/lovestamps.

Background: These new stamps from the U.S. Postal Service will deliver your message in style. Hearts are used to signify more than romantic or eternal love. Hearts are universally understood to symbolize devotion, affection and love.

While issued for use at Valentine’s Day, these stamps need no special holiday. This stamp is just right for thank-you notes, get well cards or any occasion when love is the perfect message.

December 19th: from the Postal Bulletin

On January 23, 2020, in Memphis, TN, the United States Postal Service will issue the Made of Hearts stamp (Forever priced at the First-Class Mail rate) in one design, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive pane of 20 stamps (Item 572400). The stamp will go on sale nationwide January 23, 2020, and must not be sold or canceled before the first-day-of-issue.

Made of Hearts is a continuation of the United States Postal Service tradition of creating stamps that celebrate love. The stamp art features horizontal lines of red and pink hearts on a white background. Toward the center, red hearts in varying sizes replace pink hearts in a formation that creates one large red heart, the focal point of this graphic design. This stamp is just right for thank you notes, get well cards, or any occasion when love is the perfect message. Antonio Alcalá designed the stamp and was art director for this project.

Availability to Post Offices: Item 572400, Made of Hearts (Forever Priced at the First-Class Mail Rate) 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.

How to Order the First-Day-of-Issue Postmark:
Customers have 120 days to obtain the first-day-of-issue postmark by mail. They may purchase new stamps at their local Post Office™ or at The Postal Store website at usps.com/shop. They must affix the stamps to envelopes of their choice, address the envelopes (to themselves or others), and place them in a larger envelope addressed to:

FDOI – Made of Hearts 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 May 23, 2020.

Technical Specifications:

Issue: Made of Hearts Stamp
Item Number: 572400
Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail Forever
Format: Pane of 20 (1 design)
Series: Love
Issue Date & City: January 23, 2020, Memphis, TN 38105
Art Director: Antonio Alcalá, Alexandria, VA
Designer: Antonio Alcalá, Alexandria, VA
Typographer: Antonio Alcalá, Alexandria, VA
Artist: Antonio Alcalá, Alexandria, VA
Modeler: Joseph Sheeran
Manufacturing Process: Offset, Microprint
Printer: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
Press Type: Muller A76
Stamps per Booklet: 20
Print Quantity: 200,000,000 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): 0.77 x 1.05 in./19.558 x 26.67 mm
Stamp Size (w x h): 0.91 x 1.19 in./23.114 x 30.226 mm
Full Pane Size (w x h): 5.55 x 5.76 in./140.97 x 146.304 mm
Press Sheet Size (w x h): 22.2 x 11.52 in./ 563.88 x 292.608 mm
Colors: PMS 2035 C Red, PMS 671 Pink C, PMS 670 Pink C, PMS Cool Gray 6 C
Plate Size: 320 stamps per revolution
Plate Numbers: “P” followed by four (4) single digits
Marginal Markings:
Front: Plate number in four corners
Back: ©2019 USPS • USPS Logo • Two barcodes (572400) • Plate position diagram (8) • Promotional text

Gwen Ifill (U.S. 2020)


From the U.S. Postal Service announcement on October 22, 2019:

The 43rd stamp in the Black Heritage series honors Gwen Ifill (1955–2016), one of America’s most esteemed journalists. The stamp features a photo of Ifill taken in 2008 by photographer Robert Severi. Among the first African Americans to hold prominent positions in both broadcast and print journalism, Ifill was a trailblazer in the profession. Art director Derry Noyes designed the stamp.

This stamp was issued Thursday, January 30th in Washington, DC.

The Scott catalogue number for this issue is 5432.

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


January 29th:

ESPER – the Ebony Society for Philatelic Events and Reflections – is organizing group photos of New Jersey ESPER members buying the Gwen Ifill stamp on its first day (Thursday, January 30th).

The times are 10:15 a.m. at the Scotch Plains post office (536 Park Avenue) and 1:15 p.m. at the Judge Shirley Tolentino/Bergen South Post Office in Jersey City (369 Dr. Martin Luther King Blvd.)

December 23rd:
[press release]
U.S. Postal Service Issuing Gwen Ifill Black Heritage Forever Stamp Jan. 30

What: The 43rd stamp in the Black Heritage series honors Gwen Ifill, one of the nation’s most esteemed journalists. The stamp art features a photo of Ifill taken in 2008 by photographer Robert Severi. Art director Derry Noyes designed the stamp.
The Gwen Ifill stamp will be issued in panes of 20.

The stamp dedication ceremony is free and open to the public. News of the stamp is being shared with the hashtags #GwenIfillForever and #BlackHeritageStamps.

Who: Ronald A. Stroman, Deputy Postmaster General, U.S. Postal Service and Dedicating Official

When: Thursday, Jan. 30, 2020, at 11 a.m. EST

Where:
Metropolitan African Methodist Episcopal Church
1518 M Street NW
Washington, DC 20005

RSVP: Dedication ceremony attendees are encouraged to RSVP at usps.com/gwenifillblackheritage

Background:
Gwen Ifill was among the first African Americans to hold prominent positions in both broadcast and print journalism.

After graduating from college in 1977, Ifill worked at The Boston Herald American, The Baltimore Evening Sun, The Washington Post and The New York Times. In 1994, she took a broadcast job at NBC, where she covered politics in the DC bureau. Five years later, she joined PBS; she became the senior political correspondent for “The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer” and moderator and managing editor of “Washington Week” — the first woman and first African American to moderate a major television news-analysis show.
In 2013, she became co-anchor of the “PBS NewsHour,” part of the first all-female team to anchor a national nightly news program. Ifill died in 2016.

Among Ifill’s honors were the Radio Television Digital News Foundation’s Leonard Zeidenberg First Amendment Award (2006), Harvard’s Joan Shorenstein Center’s Goldsmith Career Award for Excellence in Journalism (2009) and induction into the National Association of Black Journalists Hall of Fame (2012). In 2015, she was awarded the Fourth Estate Award by the National Press Club. She received numerous honorary degrees and served on the boards of the News Literacy Project and the Committee to Protect Journalists, which renamed its Press Freedom Award in her honor.

The 2016 John Chancellor Award was posthumously awarded to Ifill by the Columbia Journalism School. In 2017, the Washington Press Club Foundation and the “PBS NewsHour” created a journalism fellowship named for Ifill. Her alma mater, Simmons University, opened the Gwen Ifill College of Media, Arts, and Humanities in 2018.

December 20th: Here are the first day cancels for this issue: The Digital Color Postmark for this issue 2.49″x1.20″ The B&W pictorial for this issue measures 2.46″ x 1.08″ The “special” postmark measures 2.82″ x 1.15″

December 19th: From the Postal Bulletin

On January 30, 2020, in Washington, DC, the United States Postal Service will issue the Gwen Ifill stamp (Forever priced at the First-Class Mail rate) in one design, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive pane of 20 stamps (Item 475800). The stamp will go on sale nationwide January 30, 2020, and must not be sold or canceled before the first-day-of-issue.

The 43rd stamp in the Black Heritage series honors Gwen Ifill (1955–2016), one of America’s most esteemed journalists. The stamp art features a photo of Ifill taken in 2008 by photographer Robert Severi. Among the first African Americans to hold prominent positions in both broadcast and print journalism, Ifill was a trailblazer in the profession. Art director Derry Noyes designed the stamp.

Availability to Post Offices: Item 475800, Gwen Ifill (Forever Priced at the First-Class Mail Rate) Commemorative 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.

There is a Special Dedication Postmark for this issue.

How to Order the First-Day-of-Issue Postmark:
Customers have 120 days to obtain the first-day-of-issue postmark by mail. They may purchase new stamps at their local Post Office™ or at The Postal Store website at usps.com/shop. They must affix the stamps to envelopes of their choice, address the envelopes (to themselves or others), and place them in a larger envelope addressed to:

FDOI – Gwen Ifill 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 May 30, 2020.

Technical Specifications:

Issue: Gwen Ifill Stamp
Item Number: 475800
Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail Forever
Format: Pane of 20 (1 design)
Series: Black Heritage
Issue Date & City: January 30, 2020, Washington, DC 20066
Art Director: Derry Noyes, Washington, DC
Designer: Derry Noyes, Washington, DC
Typographer: Derry Noyes, Washington, DC
Existing Photo: Robert Severi
Modeler: Sandra Lane/Michelle Finn
Manufacturing Process: Offset, Microprint
Printer: Banknote Corporation of America
Press Type: Alprinta 74
Stamps per Pane: 20
Print Quantity: 40,000,000 stamps
Paper Type: Phosphor Tagged Paper Block
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Processed at: Banknote Corporation of America
Colors: Custom Gray, Pantone 2715, Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black
Stamp Orientation: Vertical
Image Area (w x h): 0.84 x 1.42 in/21.336 x 36.068 mm
Overall Size (w x h): 0.98 x 1.56 in/24.892 x 39.624 mm
Full Pane Size (w x h): 6 x 8.5 in/152.4 x 215.9 mm
Press Sheet Size (w x h): 12 x 25.75 in/304.8 x 654.05 mm
Plate Size: 240 stamps per revolution
Plate Numbers: “B” followed by six (6) single digits
Marginal Markings:
Front: Header: BLACK HERITAGE, Celebrating Gwen Ifill, 43RD IN A SERIES • Plate number in bottom two corners
Back: ©2019 USPS • USPS Logo • Two barcodes (475800) • Plate position diagram (6) • Promotional text

October 23rd: PBS has noted this stamp. The story is here.

Lunar New Year: Rat (U.S. 2020)

From the U.S. Postal Service announcement on October 22, 2019:

In 2020, the Postal Service is launching its third Lunar New Year series with the issuance of the Lunar New Year: Year of the Rat Forever stamp. The Year of the Rat stamp will be the first of 12 stamps in the series. The Year of the Rat observance begins Jan. 25, 2020, and ends Feb. 11, 2021. Calling to mind the elaborately decorated masks used in the dragon dance often performed in Lunar New Year parades, this three-dimensional mask depicting a rat is a contemporary take on the long tradition of paper-cut folk art crafts created during this time of year. Art director Antonio Alcalá designed the stamp with original artwork by Camille Chew.

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


This stamp will be issued Saturday, January 11, in Monterey Park, Calif.

January 22nd:

VSC member Mary here and “Israel Stamp Reviews” in The VSC’s Facebook Group correctly figured out that Camille Chew’s masks will comprise a series of 12 Lunar New Year Stamps. “The silhouettes of the masks are included on the selvage design,” USPS spokesman Roy Betts tells us. Here’s a look at the entire sheet… and here are just the 12 masks, taken from the selvage to make them easier to see.

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December 20th: Here are the first day cancels for this issue:

The DCP measures 2.29″ x 1.43″ The B&W pictorial measures 2.62″ x 1.22″

December 19th: From the Postal Bulletin

On January 11, 2020, in Monterey Park, CA, the United States Postal Service will issue the Lunar New Year: Year of the Rat stamp (Forever priced at the First-Class Mail rate) in one design, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive pane of 20 stamps (Item 475600). The stamp will go on sale nationwide January 11, 2020, and must not be sold or canceled before the first-day-of-issue. The Lunar New Year: Year of the Rat pane of 20 stamps may not be split and the stamps may not be sold individually.

In 2020, the United States Postal Service will issue the first of 12 stamps in its third Lunar New Year series. The Year of the Rat begins January 25, 2020, and ends on February 11, 2021. Calling to mind the elaborately decorated masks used in the dragon dance often performed in Lunar New Year parades, this three-dimensional mask depicting a rat is a contemporary take on the long tradition of paper-cut folk art crafts created during this auspicious time of year. Art director Antonio Alcalá designed the stamp with original artwork by Camille Chew.

Availability to Post Offices: Item 475600, Lunar New Year: Year of the Rat (Forever Priced at the First-Class Mail Rate) 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.

How to Order the First-Day-of-Issue Postmark:
Customers have 120 days to obtain the first-day-of-issue postmark by mail. They may purchase new stamps at their local Post Office™ or at The Postal Store website at usps.com/shop. They must affix the stamps to envelopes of their choice, address the envelopes (to themselves or others), and place them in a larger envelope addressed to:

FDOI – Lunar New Year: Year of the Rat 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 May 11, 2020.

Technical Specifications:

Issue: Lunar New Year: Year of the Rat Stamp
Item Number: 475600
Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail Forever
Format: Pane of 20 (1 design)
Series: Lunar New Year
Issue Date & City: January 11, 2020, Monterey Park, CA 91754
Art Director: Antonio Alcalá, Alexandria, VA
Designer: Antonio Alcalá, Alexandria, VA
Typographer: Antonio Alcalá, Alexandria, VA
Artist: Camille Chew, Providence, RI
Modeler: Sandra Lane/Michelle Finn
Manufacturing Process: Offset, Foil Stamping, Flexographic, Microprint
Printer: Banknote Corporation of America
Press Type: Gallus RCS
Stamps per Pane: 20
Print Quantity: 24,000,000 stamps
Paper Type: Phosphor, Block Tag
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Processed at: Banknote Corporation of America
Colors: Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black, Pantone 7579 Orange, Pantone 7563 Brown, Gold Foil Luxor MTS 413 Gold
Stamp Orientation: Vertical
Image Area (w x h): 0.84 x 1.42 in./ 21.336 x 36.068 mm
Overall Size (w x h): 0.98 x 1.56 in./24.892 x 39.624 mm
Full Pane Size (w x h): 7.25 x 8.5 in./184.15 x 215.9 mm
Press Sheets Size (w x h): 14.5 x 18.25 in./368.3 x 463.55 mm
Plate Size: 80 stamps per revolution
Plate Numbers: “B” followed by six (6) single digits
Marginal Markings:
Front: Header: Lunar New Year: Year of the Rat • Plate number in bottom two corners
Back: ©2019 USPS • USPS logo • 2 barcodes (475600) • Plate position diagram (4) • Promotional text

Updated December 11th:

[press release]
Stamp of New Beginnings
USPS to Issue Lunar New Year Forever Stamp Celebrating Year of the Rat

WHAT: The U.S. Postal Service celebrates the Lunar New Year with the release of the Year of the Rat Forever stamp. The Year of the Rat begins Jan. 25, 2020, and ends Feb. 11, 2021.

The stamp features a rat mask that calls to mind the elaborately decorated masks used in the dragon dance, a hallmark of Lunar New Year parades. The mask is mostly blue, which is said to be one of the lucky colors for individuals born during the Year of the Rat, and incorporates elements with symbolic meaning. Several of the patterns were created with the style of Asian textiles, and the circle in the center of the rat’s head represents the new moon on which the Lunar New Year begins. The yellow motif atop the rat’s head, similar to a crown, highlights the importance of the animal’s position as the first of the 12 zodiac animal signs associated with the lunar calendar. A pop of red, another lucky color, ties the design to other common celebratory decorations.

Art director Antonio Alcalá designed the stamp with original artwork by Camille Chew.

News of the stamp is being shared with the hashtag #LunarNewYear.

WHO: Luke Grossmann, senior vice president of finance and strategy, stamp ceremony’s dedicating official, U.S. Postal Service.

WHEN: Saturday, Jan. 11, 2020, 11 a.m. PST

WHERE: Lunar New Year Festival
Garvey Avenue, between Garfield and Alhambra avenues
Monterey Park, CA 91754

RSVP: The event is free and open to the public. Registration is not necessary.

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

Known as Tet in Vietnam and the Spring Festival in China and elsewhere, Lunar New Year begins on the second new moon after the winter solstice and historically marks the arrival of spring. In communities across the United States, people shop for food and other supplies, hang decorations and ceremonially clean their homes and streets to welcome the new year with a fresh start. Filled with symbolic meaning, the colors red and gold appear everywhere during this auspicious time of year. Red is considered very lucky, while gold is said to bring wealth.

Postal Products
Customers may purchase stamps and other philatelic products through The Postal Store at usps.com/shopstamps, by calling 800-STAMP24 (800-782-6724), by mail through USA Philatelic, or at Post Office locations nationwide. Forever stamps will always be equal in value to the current First-Class Mail 1-ounce price. Information on ordering first-day-of-issue postmarks and covers is at usps.com/shopstamps under “Collectors.”

Wild Orchids (U.S. 2020)

From the U.S. Postal Service announcement on October 22, 2019:

The Postal Service celebrates the exotic beauty of orchids with 10 new stamps in booklets of 20 and coils of 3,000 and 10,000. Each stamp features a photograph of one of nine species that grow wild in the United States: Cypripedium californicum, Hexalectris spicata, Cypripedium reginae, Spiranthes odorata, Triphora trianthophoros, Platanthera grandiflora, Cyrtopodium polyphyllum, Calopogon tuberosus and Platanthera leucophaea. Orchids also have common names, with some plants having several different names in popular use. Art director Ethel Kessler designed the stamps with existing photographs by Jim Fowler.

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


Updated April 4th:
The Scott catalogue numbers for this issue are:

Coil version:
5435 Platanthera grandiflora, serpentine die cut 10¾ vert.
5436 Cyrtopodium polyphyllum, serpentine die cut 10¾ vert.
5437 Calopogon tuberosus, serpentine die cut 10¾ vert.
5438 Spiranthes odorata, serpentine die cut 10¾ vert.
5439 Triphora trianthophorus (two flowers), serpentine die cut 10¾ vert.
5440 Cypripedium californicum, serpentine die cut 10¾ vert.
5441 Hexalectris spicata, serpentine die cut 10¾ vert.
5442 Cypripedium reginae, serpentine die cut 10¾ vert.
5443 Platanthera leucophaea, serpentine die cut 10¾ vert.
5444 Triphora trianthophorus (one flower), serpentine die cut 10¾ vert.
a. Horiz. strip of 10, #5435-5444

Booklet version:
5445 Triphora trianthophorus (two flowers), serpentine die cut 10¾x11 on 2 or 3 sides
5446 Cypripedium californiacum, serpentine die cut 10¾x11 on 2 or 3 sides
5447 Hexalectris spicata, serpentine die cut 10¾x11 on 2 or 3 sides
5448 Cypripedium reginae, serpentine die cut 10¾x11 on 2 or 3 sides
5449 Spiranthes odorata, serpentine die cut 10¾x11 on 2 or 3 sides
5450 Platanthera leucophaea, serpentine die cut 10¾x11 on 2 or 3 sides
5451 Triphora trianthophorus (one flower), serpentine die cut 10¾x11 on 2 or 3 sides
5452 Platanthera grandiflora, serpentine die cut 10¾x11 on 2 or 3 sides
5453 Cyrtopodium polyphyllum, serpentine die cut 10¾x11 on 2 or 3 sides
5454 Calopogon tuberosus, serpentine die cut 10¾x11 on 2 or 3 sides
a. Block of 10, #5445-5454
b. Convertible booklet pane of 20, 2 each #5445-5454

Updated March 2nd: VSC member Mike DePaz at the first day ceremony. A large cover created by DePaz containing all the stamps in both the booklet and coil formats, with autographs of ceremony participants, plus the first-day ceremony program. Jim Fowler, the photographer of the images used on the stamps, holds DePaz’s jumbo FDC.Someone canceling covers at the ceremony site. Photographs courtesy Mike DePaz.

Updated January 21st: Here are the first-day postmarks for this issue: The Digital Color Postmark measures 2.38″ x 1.46″ The B&W pictorial postmark measures 2.0″ x 1.23″

Updated January 16th:
Note that USPS is selling smaller quantities of the coil varieties of this stamp, through its mail/phone/internet sales:
Coil of 10,000:
760715 Strip of 500, $275.00
760703 Strip of 25 with plate no., $13.75
760716 First-Day Covers (set of 10, $9.90

Coil of 3,000:
750415 Strip of 500, $275.00
750403 Strip of 25 with plate no., $13.75

From the Postal Bulletin:

On February 21, 2020, in Coral Gables, FL, the U.S. Postal Service® will issue Wild Orchids stamps (Forever® priced at the First-Class Mail® rate) in 10 designs, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) booklet of 20 stamps (Item 682500), a PSA Coil of 3,000 stamps (Item 750400), and a PSA Coil of 10,000 stamps (Item 760700). The stamps will go on sale nationwide February 21, 2020, and must not be sold or canceled before the first-day-of-issue.

The Postal Service celebrates the exotic beauty of orchids with 10 new stamps in booklets of 20, and coils of 3,000 and 10,000. Each stamp features a photograph of one of these nine species that grows wild in the United States:

  • Cypripedium californicum,
  • Hexalectris spicata,
  • Cypripedium reginae,
  • Spiranthes odorata,
  • Triphora trianthophoros,
  • Platanthera grandiflora,
  • Cyrtopodium polyphyllum,
  • Calopogon tuberosus, and
  • Platanthera leucophaea.

Orchids also have common names, with some plants having several different names in popular use. Art director Ethel Kessler designed the stamps with existing photographs taken by Jim Fowler.

No automatic distribution to post offices of any of the three formats:

  • Item 682500, PSA Double-sided Booklet of 20 Stamps
  • Item 750400, PSA Coil of 3,000 Stamps
  • Item 760700, PSA Coil of 10,000 Stamps

How to Order the First-Day-of-Issue Postmark:
Customers have 120 days to obtain the first-day-of-issue postmark by mail. They may purchase new stamps at their local Post Office™ or at The Postal Store® website at usps.com/shop. They must affix the stamps to envelopes of their choice, address the envelopes (to themselves or others), and place them in a larger envelope addressed to:

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

After applying the first-day-of-issue postmark, the Postal Service™ will return the envelopes through the mail. There is no charge for the postmark up to a quantity of 50. There is a 5-cent charge for each additional postmark over 50. All orders must be postmarked by June 21, 2020.

Technical Specifications – booklet pane:

Issue: Wild Orchids Stamps
Item Number: 682500
Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail Forever
Format: Double-sided Booklet of 20 (10 designs)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: February 21, 2020, Coral Gables, FL 33134
Art Director: Ethel Kessler, Bethesda, MD
Designer: Ethel Kessler, Bethesda, MD
Typographer: Ethel Kessler, Bethesda, MD
Existing Photos: Jim Fowler, Greenville, SC
Modeler: Sandra Lane/Michelle Finn
Manufacturing Process: Offset
Printer: Banknote Corporation of America
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
Stamp Orientation: Vertical
Image Area (w x h): 1.05 x 0.77 in./26.67 x 19.558 mm
Stamp Size (w x h): 1.19 x 0.91 in./30.226 x 23.114 mm
Full Booklet Size (w x h): 2.375 x 5.743 in./60.325 x 145.872 mm
Colors: Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black
Plate Size: 800 stamps per revolution
Plate Numbers: “B” followed by four (4) single digits
Marginal Markings: Header: WILD ORCHIDS Twenty First-Class Forever Stamps • ©2019 USPS in peel strip area • Barcode • Promo-tional text in peel strip area • Plate number in peel strip area

Technical Specifications – coil of 3,000:

Issue: Wild Orchids Stamps
Item Number: 750400
Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail Forever
Format: Coil of 3,000 (10 designs)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: February 21, 2020, Coral Gables, FL 33134
Art Director: Ethel Kessler, Bethesda, MD
Designer: Ethel Kessler, Bethesda, MD
Typographer: Ethel Kessler, Bethesda, MD
Existing Photos: Jim Fowler, Greenville, SC
Modeler: Sandra Lane/Michelle Finn
Manufacturing Process: Offset
Printer: Banknote Corporation of America
Press Type: Alprinta 74
Stamps per Coil: 3,000
Print Quantity: 15,000,000 stamps
Paper Type: Nonphosphored Type III
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Processed at: Banknote Corporation of America
Stamp Orientation: Vertical
Image Area (w x h): 0.73 x 0.84 in/18.542 x 21.336 mm
Stamp Size (w x h): 0.87 x 0.98 in/22.098 x 24.892 mm
Colors: Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black
Plate Size: 540 stamps per revolution
Plate Numbers: “B” followed by four (4) single digits
Coil Number Frequency: Plate number every 27th stamp

Technical Specifications – coil of 10,000:

Issue: Wild Orchids Stamps
Item Number: 760700
Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail Forever
Format: Coil of 10,000 (10 designs)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: February 21, 2020, Coral Gables, FL 33134
Art Director: Ethel Kessler, Bethesda, MD
Designer: Ethel Kessler, Bethesda, MD
Typographer: Ethel Kessler, Bethesda, MD
Existing Photos: Jim Fowler, Greenville, SC
Modeler: Sandra Lane/Michelle Finn
Manufacturing Process: Offset
Printer: Banknote Corporation of America
Press Type: Alprinta 74
Stamps per Coil: 10,000
Print Quantity: 50,000,000 stamps
Paper Type: Nonphosphored Type III
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Processed at: Banknote Corporation of America
Stamp Orientation: Vertical
Image Area (w x h): 0.73 x 0.84 in/18.542 x 21.336 mm
Stamp Size (w x h): 0.87 x 0.98 in/22.098 x 24.892 mm
Colors: Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black
Plate Size: 540 stamps per revolution
Plate Numbers: “B” followed by four (4) single digits
Coil Number Frequency: Plate number every 27th stamp

Updated December 18th: Note that the American Orchid Society has its headquarters in the first-day city, Coral Gables, FL. Nothing about the ceremony, however, is on the group’s website yet.

Updated December 10th: “With 200 species of orchids, why did they choose to use one variety twice? Makes no sense!” asked VSC member Mary.

Replied the USPS, “This booklet was simply intended as a “pretty” booklet for mail use with stamps that represent a visually diverse array of just a few of the orchids native to North America. It was not intended to be comprehensive or inclusive of as many species as possible.”

Updated November 1st: “The image is correct. These are vertically oriented stamps with the Forever USA running vertically up the side of the image. If turned so that the Forever USA reads horizontally the flowers would be lying on their side,” a USPS spokesman tells The Virtual Stamp Club.

Updated October 30th: “The Triphora trianthophoros is shown in two different images on the Wild Orchids stamps,” a USPS spokesman tells The Virtual Stamp Club.

Updated October 30th: These stamps will be issued Friday, February 21st, in Coral Gables, Florida.

Also, regarding why one species was repeated, the USPS replies: “This booklet was simply intended as a “pretty” booklet for mail use with stamps that represent a visually diverse array of just a few of the orchids native to North America. It was not intended to be comprehensive or inclusive of as many species as possible.”

U.S. Announces Some 2020 Stamp Subjects

[press release]     Click on the issue name to go to that issue’s specific page; some dates added at the bottom, in the individual pages, and in our program grid.
2020 Forever Stamp Program Offers Something for Everyone
Love, Arnold Palmer, Hip Hop and Earth Day Among Subjects Featured

WASHINGTON — With 2020 rapidly approaching, the U.S. Postal Service today revealed several of the new Forever stamps and others to be issued next year.

Since 1847, the Postal Service stamp program has celebrated the people, events and cultural milestones unique to the history of the United States. The 2020 stamp subjects continue this rich tradition. The stamp designs being shown today are preliminary and subject to change.

“These miniature works of art offer something for everyone interested in American history and culture,” said U.S. Postal Service Stamp Services Acting Executive Director William Gicker [right]. “From notable figures such as golf legend Arnold Palmer to esteemed journalist Gwen Ifill to the cultural phenomenon of hip hop and a celebration of the great outdoors, this program is wide-ranging and adds to the history of our great nation as recorded through the U.S. stamp program.”

Here’s a sneak peek:

Lunar New Year: Year of the Rat
In 2020, the Postal Service is launching its third Lunar New Year series with the issuance of the Lunar New Year: Year of the Rat Forever stamp. The Year of the Rat stamp will be the first of 12 stamps in the series. The Year of the Rat observance begins Jan. 25, 2020, and ends Feb. 11, 2021. Calling to mind the elaborately decorated masks used in the dragon dance often performed in Lunar New Year parades, this three-dimensional mask depicting a rat is a contemporary take on the long tradition of paper-cut folk art crafts created during this time of year. Art director Antonio Alcalá designed the stamp with original artwork by Camille Chew.

Made of Hearts
Made of Hearts is a continuation of the Postal Service tradition of creating stamps that celebrate love. The stamp features horizontal lines of red and pink hearts on a white background. Toward the center, red hearts in varying sizes replace pink hearts in a formation that creates one large red heart, the focal point of this graphic design. This stamp is just right for thank-you notes, get-well cards or any occasion when love is the perfect message. Art director Antonio Alcalá designed the stamp.

 

Gwen Ifill
The 43rd stamp in the Black Heritage series honors Gwen Ifill (1955–2016), one of America’s most esteemed journalists. The stamp features a photo of Ifill taken in 2008 by photographer Robert Severi. Among the first African Americans to hold prominent positions in both broadcast and print journalism, Ifill was a trailblazer in the profession. Art director Derry Noyes designed the stamp.

 

 

 

Let’s Celebrate!
In 2020, the Postal Service issues Let’s Celebrate!, a new stamp that adds fun to celebratory greeting cards, invitations and gift-bearing envelopes and packages. No matter the occasion — birthday, anniversary, holiday, engagement, new job, retirement — Let’s Celebrate! helps send cheer along with well wishes. The stamp features an array of colorful circles in varying sizes arranged in a random pattern. The letters in the word “celebrate,” cast in a dark green hue, appear inside several brightly colored circles on a white background. Art director Antonio Alcalá designed the stamp.

Wild Orchids
The Postal Service celebrates the exotic beauty of orchids with 10 new stamps in booklets of 20 and coils of 3,000 and 10,000. Each stamp features a photograph of one of nine species that grow wild in the United States: Cypripedium californicum, Hexalectris spicata, Cypripedium reginae, Spiranthes odorata, Triphora trianthophoros, Platanthera grandiflora, Cyrtopodium polyphyllum, Calopogon tuberosus and Platanthera leucophaea. Orchids also have common names, with some plants having several different names in popular use. Art director Ethel Kessler designed the stamps with existing photographs by Jim Fowler.

Arnold Palmer
This stamp honors champion golfer Arnold Palmer (1929–2016). With drive and charisma, he helped transform a game once seen as a pastime for the elite into a sport enjoyed by the masses. The stamp features James Drake’s action photograph of Palmer at the 1964 United States Open at Congressional Country Club in Bethesda, MD. Art director Antonio Alcalá designed the stamp.

 

 

 

Maine Statehood
This stamp celebrates the 200th anniversary of Maine statehood. Nicknamed the Pine Tree State, Maine became the 23rd state in the Union on Mar. 15, 1820. American painter Edward Hopper (1882-1967) was among the many prominent artists who sought the tranquility of the state’s coastal towns during the summer. His painting “Sea at Ogunquit” (1914) captures the rugged beauty characteristic of Maine. Art director Derry Noyes designed the stamp.

Contemporary Boutonniere
Contemporary Boutonniere is a new Forever stamp similar in design to the new 2-ounce Garden Corsage stamp. It can be used for wedding RSVP cards and is also perfect for party invitations, thank-you notes, announcements, birthday cards, Father’s Day cards and other occasions when a beautiful stamp is fitting. The stamp features a photograph of an arrangement of a burgundy mini-cymbidium orchid bloom, a succulent and a touch of green hydrangea, accented with loops of variegated lily grass. These materials are on trend for today’s modern designs, as arranged by floral designer Carol Caggiano and photographed by Renée Comet. Art director Ethel Kessler designed the stamp.

Garden Corsage
The Postal Service introduces Garden Corsage, a new 2-ounce stamp. This stamp can accommodate the weight of heavy invitations for birthdays, weddings, anniversaries and other celebrations, oversize greeting cards for all occasions, and mailings such as small gifts that require extra postage. The stamp features a photograph of a corsage containing a spray of peach roses and a pink ranunculus, accented with deep-pink heather and seeded eucalyptus. A cream-colored lace ribbon entwines the flowers. Garden Corsage is similar in design to the Contemporary Boutonniere Forever stamp, and the two form a natural pair. The corsage was arranged by floral designer Carol Caggiano and photographed by Renée Comet. Art director Ethel Kessler designed the stamp.

Earth Day
Coinciding with the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, the Postal Service issues a stamp featuring a playful painting of the planet, with small green lines surrounding Earth and hand-lettered text. Art director Antonio Alcalá was the stamp artist and designer. Ricky Altizer was the typographer.

 

 

 

 

American Gardens
With these stamps the Postal Service celebrates the beauty of American gardens. This pane of 20 stamps features 10 different photographs of botanic, country estate and municipal gardens taken between 1996 and 2014. The gardens include: Biltmore Estate Gardens (North Carolina); Brooklyn Botanic Garden (New York); Chicago Botanic Garden (Illinois); Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens (Maine); Dumbarton Oaks Garden (District of Columbia); The Huntington Botanical Gardens (California); Alfred B. Maclay Gardens State Park (Florida); Norfolk Botanical Garden (Virginia); Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens (Ohio); and Winterthur Garden (Delaware). Art director Ethel Kessler designed the stamps with existing photographs by Allen Rokach.

Voices of the Harlem Renaissance
These stamps celebrate one of the great artistic and literary movements in American history, the Harlem Renaissance of the 1920s, which firmly established African Americans as a vital force in literature and the arts. Twenty stamps showcase four stylized pastel portraits of these literary figures: writer, philosopher, educator and arts advocate Alain Locke; novelist Nella Larsen; bibliophile and historian Arturo Alfonso Schomburg; and poet Anne Spencer. African-inspired motifs are used as background elements of each portrait. The pane header shows a cityscape in silhouette with a sun in its midst and the title “Voices of the Harlem Renaissance.” The artist for these stamps was Gary Kelley. Art director Greg Breeding designed the stamps.

 

 

Enjoy the Great Outdoors
With the release of the Enjoy the Great Outdoors Forever stamps, the Postal Service celebrates the many ways individuals experience America’s abundance of natural beauty. These hand-sketched and painted designs depict five different scenes of outdoor activities — building a sand castle, hiking, cross-country skiing, canoeing and biking. Art director Derry Noyes designed the stamps with original art by Gregory Manchess.

 

 

 

Hip Hop
The Postal Service celebrates hip hop with four new stamps in a pane of 20. Since its inception more than four decades ago, the electrifying music, dance and art movement has profoundly influenced American and global popular culture. The stamp art features photographs taken by Cade Martin that depict four elements of hip hop: MCing (rapping), b-boying (breakdancing), DJing and graffiti art. The bold, digitally tinted images are intended to appear in motion. The words “Forever” and “USA,” “Hip Hop,” and the name of the element featured appear across the top of each stamp. Art director Antonio Alcalá designed the stamps, which are highlighted with a vivid yellow, green, red and black color scheme. The title of the stamps, printed in red and black, is centered on the top of the pane.

 

Fruits & Vegetables
The Postal Service captures the classic beauty of still-life paintings in a booklet of 20 stamps featuring 10 different portraits of fruits and vegetables. Each stamp features a collection of one kind of fruit or vegetable: red and black plums, heirloom and cherry tomatoes, carrots, lemons, blueberries, red and green grapes, lettuces, strawberries, eggplants and figs. Art director Derry Noyes designed the stamps with existing art by Robert Papp.

Thank You
In 2020, the Postal Service issues four new stamps in a booklet of 20 available for notes, cards and letters of thanks sent to acknowledge a favor, an act of kindness, a job well done or gifts sent for any occasion. Highlighted in gold foil are the words “Thank you” in cursive script and an elegant floral design that swirls through and around the words. Each stamp features one of four background colors: blue gray, deep blue, muted green or soft maroon. Greg Breeding was the art director. Dana Tanamachi was the stamp designer and lettering artist.

 

19th Amendment: Women Vote
With this stamp, the Postal Service commemorates the centennial of the ratification of the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which guarantees women the right to vote. Inspired by historic photographs, the stamp features a stylized illustration of suffragists marching in a parade or other public demonstration. The clothes they wear and the banners they bear display the official colors of the National Woman’s Party — purple, white and gold. Art director Ethel Kessler designed the stamp with original art by Nancy Stahl.

 

Mayflower in Plymouth Harbor
With this commemorative stamp, the Postal Service marks the 400th anniversary of the arrival of the Mayflower in Plymouth Harbor. The stamp’s image is based on artwork of watercolor, acrylic and gouache, a method of painting that uses opaque pigments ground in water and thickened to a glue-like consistency. The painting was digitally refined to convey a scene of desolate beauty at the end of the Pilgrims’ long journey to an unfamiliar world. Art director Greg Breeding designed the stamp with original art by Greg Harlin.

The designs posted earlier for Kwanzaa and Hanukkah are not final and, as requested by the USPS, have been removed.


Updated December 10th:

Issue
Lunar New Year: Year of the Rat
Black Heritage: Gwen Ifill
Let’s Celebrate!
Wild Orchids
Maine Statehood
Boutonniere & Garden Corsage
Earth Day
American Gardens
Harlem Renaissance
Release/Ceremony Date
Saturday, Jan. 11
Thursday, Jan. 30
Friday, Feb. 14
Friday, Feb. 21
Saturday, March 14
Thursday, April 2
Saturday, April 18
Wednesday, May 13
Thursday, May 21
City
Monterey Park, CA
Washington, DC
Mesa, AZ
Coral Gables, FL
Augusta, ME
Crestwood, KY
Denver, CO
Winterthur, DE
New York, NY

Updated December 30th:
[press release]
U.S. Postal Service to Issue New Presorted Star and Global Stamps

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Postal Service today revealed two additions to the 2020 stamp program: Presorted Star, a convenient stamp for large-volume mailers, and Chrysanthemum (Global), an international rate stamp.

Presorted Star
In 2020, the Postal Service will offer the Presorted Star stamp, sold in self-adhesive coils of 3,000 and 10,000, intended for use by business mailers. This new stamp celebrates the beloved American Stars and Stripes by focusing on its vital components. The asymmetrical design includes one large white star, two white and three red stripes, and a brilliant blue background, as well as lettering and three small stars in gold. Greg Breeding was the art director and Matthew Pamer was the designer for the stamp. It will be issued Feb. 3. No dedication event is planned.

Chrysanthemum (Global)
Chrysanthemum is a new Global Forever international rate stamp that can be used to mail a 1-ounce letter to any country where First-Class Mail International service is available. The stamp is round and features a photograph of a pink chrysanthemum on a white background. Taken from above, the photograph highlights the intricate beauty of the bloom. The art director was William J. Gicker. Greg Breeding designed the stamp with an existing photograph by Hong Vo. This stamp will be issued April 24 in Burlingame, CA. Details about the dedication event will be announced at a later date.

Diplomatic Courier Service Chronicled

[press release]
National Postal Museum Presents U.S. Department of State Exhibition
History of the U.S. Diplomatic Courier Service Chronicled

“None Swifter Than These: 100 Years of Diplomatic Couriers” opens Sept. 14 at the Smithsonian’s National Postal Museum. Developed by the Diplomatic Security Service of the U.S. Department of State, the exhibition is on view through Jan. 26, 2020.

In wartime and peacetime, the U.S. Diplomatic Courier Service carries the sensitive materials, equipment and information that make diplomacy possible. The exhibition’s title derives from the Greek historian Herodotus, who coined the phrase ‘none swifter than these,’ paying tribute to the speed and reliability of ancient Persian messengers.

The U.S. Diplomatic Courier Service traces its origins to the U.S. Army courier detachment (known as the “Silver Greyhounds”), established at the U.S. Embassy in Paris in December 1918 to support the American Commission to Negotiate Peace at the end of World War I. A century later, the Department of State’s 100 badged diplomatic couriers travel the globe safeguarding the nation’s secrets. Today’s diplomatic couriers constantly troubleshoot and innovate to ensure secure logistic supply chains while supervising the delivery of classified equipment and documents, as well as secure construction materials to nearly every nation where U.S. diplomats work.

Through authentic objects on loan from the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Diplomacy Center, visitors can trace the evolution of shipping materials over the service’s 100 years of operation. The exhibition also presents Cold War-era surveillance devices (“bugs”) that were either used or discovered by U.S. security officers; the diary, passport and other personal effects of a 1918 diplomatic courier; and a 1936 diplomatic courier guide book, Course of the Silver Greyhound.

In support of the exhibition, the museum will host an after-hours lecture Wednesday, Sept. 18, from 6–8 p.m. John Brandt, a diplomatic courier since 1999 and chief of the Classified Pouch Branch at the U.S. Department of State, will discuss this fascinating branch of the department. Before joining the State Department, Brandt served as a U.S. Army Russian linguist in military intelligence and as a launch specialist on the Pershing II intermediate nuclear missile system. Lecture attendees can see the new exhibition before and after the lecture. Light refreshments will be served. This event is free and open to the public; advance registration is available through the museum’s website.

About the Smithsonian’s National Postal Museum
The National Postal Museum is devoted to presenting the colorful and engaging history of the nation’s mail service and showcasing one of the largest and most comprehensive collections of stamps and philatelic material in the world. It is located at 2 Massachusetts Ave. N.E., Washington, D.C., across from Union Station. The museum is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. (closed Dec. 25). For more information about the Smithsonian, call (202) 633-1000 or visit the museum website at www.postalmuseum.si.edu.

U.S. Flag Envelope (U.S. 2020)

Announced November 20, 2018. The most recent information will appear after the large illustration and the introductory description from the USPS. A familiar sight on public buildings and private homes alike, the American flag has been portrayed in myriad ways on U.S. postage. This stamped envelope features a graphic design of the flag that evokes a rich sense of history even as it presents a recognizable icon in a fresh, contemporary way. Kit Hinrichs created the artwork for this stamped envelope. Ethel Kessler served as art director.

The Scott catalogue number for this issue is U700.


Updated May 8, 2020 from the Postal Bulletin:

On June 15, 2020, in Liberty, MO, the United States Postal Service® will issue the U.S. Flag stamped envelope (Forever® priced at the First-Class Mail® rate).

A familiar sight on public buildings and private homes alike, the American flag has been portrayed in myriad ways on U.S. postage. This stamped envelope features a graphic design of the flag that evokes a rich sense of history even as it presents a recognizable icon in a fresh, contemporary way. Kit Hinrichs created the artwork for this stamped envelope. Ethel Kessler served as art director.

The water-activated gum (WAG) U.S. Flag stamped envelopes will be available in the following formats only through Stamp Fulfillment Services at usps.com/shop or by calling 800-782-6724:

  • #10 regular envelope (Item 292300).
  • #10 window envelope (Item 292400).
  • #9 regular envelope (Item 291900).
  • #6-¾ regular envelope (item 281300).

The pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) U.S. Flag stamped envelopes will be available in the following formats in the field and through Stamp Fulfillment Services:

  • #10 regular envelope (Item 292100).
  • #10 window envelope (Item 292200).
  • #9 regular envelope (Item 291700).
  • #9 window envelope (Item 291800).
  • #6-¾ regular envelope (Item 281100).
  • #6-¾ window envelope (Item 281200).

No automatic distribution.

How to Order the First-Day-of-Issue Postmark:
Customers have 120 days to obtain the first-day-of-issue postmark by mail. They may purchase new stamped envelopes at their local Post Office™ or at The Postal Store® website at usps.com/shop. They must address the envelopes (to themselves or others), and place them in a larger envelope addressed to:

FDOI – U.S. Flag Stamped Envelope
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 15, 2020.

Technical Specifications – All:

Issue: U.S. Flag Stamped Envelope
Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Forever Stamped Envelope
Issue Date & City: June 15, 2020, Liberty, MO 64068
Art Director: Ethel Kessler, Bethesda, MD
Designer: Kit Hinrichs, San Francisco, CA
Modeler: Joseph Sheeran
Manufacturing Process: Offset, Microprint
Print Quantity: Fulfillment
Envelope Orientation: Horizontal
Image Size (w x h): 1.505 x 1.103 in/38.227 x 20.016 mm
Colors: Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black, PMS 339 Green
Marginal Markings: FOREST STEWARDSHIP COUNCIL Logo • “THIS ENVELOPE IS RECYCLABLE AND MADE WITH 30% POST CONSUMER CONTENT” • Recycling logo • ©USPS 2019

Item Number: 292300
Format: #10 Regular Envelope
Printer: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
Press Type: Halm Jet EM4000
Folding Machine: W&D #527
Paper Type: 61# Postal Envelope, Block, Type III
Adhesive Type: Water-activated
Processed at: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
Envelope Size: (w x h): 9.5 x 4.125 in/241.3 x 104.775 mm

Item Number: 292400
Format: #10 Window Envelope
Printer: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
Press Type: Halm Jet EM4000
Folding Machine: W&D #527
Paper Type: 61# Postal Envelope, Block, Type III
Adhesive Type: Water-activated
Processed at: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
Envelope Size: (w x h): 9.5 x 4.125 in/241.3 x 104.775 mm

Item Number: 291900
Format: #9 Regular Envelope
Printer: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
Press Type: Halm Jet EM4000
Folding Machine: W&D #527
Paper Type: 61# Postal Envelope, Block, Type III
Adhesive Type: Water-activated
Processed at: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
Envelope Size: (w x h): 8.875 x 3.875 in/225.425 x 98.425 mm

Item Number: 281300
Format: #6-¾ Regular Envelope
Printer: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
Press Type: Halm Jet EM4000
Folding Machine: W&D #527
Paper Type: 61# Postal Envelope, Block, Type III
Adhesive Type: Water-activated
Processed at: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
Envelope Size: (w x h): 6.5 x 3.625 in/165.1 x 92.075 mm

Item Number: 292100
Format: #10 Regular Envelope
Printer: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
Press Type: Halm Jet EM4000
Folding Machine: W&D #527
Paper Type: 61# Postal Envelope, Block, Type III
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Processed at: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
Envelope Size: (w x h): 9.5 x 4.125 in/241.3 x 104.775 mm

Item Number: 292200
Format: #10 Window Envelope
Printer: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
Press Type: Halm Jet EM4000
Folding Machine: W&D #527
Paper Type: 61# Postal Envelope, Block, Type III
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Processed at: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
Envelope Size: (w x h): 9.5 x 4.125 in/241.3 x 104.775 mm

Item Number: 291700
Format: #9 Regular Envelope
Printer: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
Press Type: Halm Jet EM4000
Folding Machine: W&D #527
Paper Type: 61# Postal Envelope, Block, Type III
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Processed at: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
Envelope Size: (w x h): 8.875 x 3.875 in/225.425 x 98.425 mm

Item Number: 291800
Format: #9 Window Envelope
Printer: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
Press Type: Halm Jet EM4000
Folding Machine: W&D #527
Paper Type: 61# Postal Envelope, Block, Type III
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Processed at: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
Envelope Size: (w x h): 8.875 x 3.875 in/225.425 x 98.425 mm

Item Number: 281100
Format: #6-¾ Regular Envelope
Printer: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
Press Type: Halm Jet EM4000
Folding Machine: W&D #527
Paper Type: 61# Postal Envelope, Block, Type III
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Processed at: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
Envelope Size: (w x h): 6.5 x 3.625 in/165.1 x 92.075 mm

Item Number: 281200
Format: #6-¾ Window Envelope
Printer: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
Press Type: Halm Jet EM4000
Folding Machine: W&D #527
Paper Type: 61# Postal Envelope, Block, Type III
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Processed at: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
Envelope Size: (w x h): 6.5 x 3.625 in/165.1 x 92.075 mm

The only first-day postmark for this issue is the FIRST DAY OF ISSUE “killerbar.” No pictorial, no Digital Color Postmark.

Updated April 3, 2020: The USPS confirms this envelope will be issued in 2020, but did not give a day or first-day city.

Updated October 30th: “Due to existing inventory, the Flag envelope announced for 2019 was moved to the 2020 program,” a USPS spokesman tells The Virtual Stamp Club.