Late overnight change in location for the first day ceremony. Details here.

Announced May 14th:

Four new designs in this booklet of 20 stamps tell the story of Santa’s visit on Christmas Eve.

In the first stamp, Santa stands on a snowy rooftop, sack slung across his back, with one leg inside the red-brick chimney; the second stamp shows Santa as he descends through the chimney, his legs dangling over the hearth; the third stamp is a close-up of a winking Santa; and the fourth stamp shows Santa in his sleigh, with four reindeer visible as they fly across the face of the full moon and into a starlit sky.

Art director Greg Breeding designed the stamps with original art by Brad Woodard.

These stamps will be issued October 7th in Santa Claus, Indiana.

Further details will be posted below the large illustration, with the most recent news at the top.

Updated December 6th:
The Scott catalogue numbers for this issue are:

• 5644 Santa Claus on Roof
• 5645 Santa Claus in Fireplace
• 5646 Head of Santa Claus
• 5647 Santa Claus, Sleigh and Reindeer in Flight
• a. Block of 4, #5644-5647
• b. Convertible booklet pane of 20, 5 each #5644-5647

Updated October 14th:
Here are the first-day postmarks for this issue: The Digital Color Postmark measures 2.99″ x 1.08″ The B&W pictorial postmark measures 2.36″ x 1.38″

Updated October 7th:
[press release]
Change of Venue
Visit From St. Nick Forever Stamp Dedication

Due to weather conditions, the event has moved to
The Celebration Room of Santa’s Lodge
91 W. Christmas Blvd.
Santa Claus, IN 47579

Updated September 8th:
[ceremony details]
New Stamps Celebrate the Holidays With a Visit From St. Nick

WHAT: Every Christmas, children all around the world dream of a visit from St. Nick. The U.S. Postal Service celebrates that highly anticipated event with four new stamps, sold in booklets of 20.

The first-day-of-issue event for A Visit From St. Nick Forever stamps is free and open to the public. News of the stamp is being shared with the hashtags #VisitfromStNickStamps and #USPSHolidayStamps.

WHO: Scott Bombaugh, vice president, chief technology officer, U.S. Postal Service, will serve as dedicating official.

WHEN: Thursday, Oct. 7, 2021, at 11 a.m. CDT

WHERE: United States Post Office
45 N. Kringle Place
Santa Claus, IN 47579

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

BACKGROUND: St. Nick — Santa Claus — is one of our most recognized and beloved cultural icons, his jolly laugh and smiling eyes a happy reminder that Christmas is near.
European immigrants brought to their new country folk characters that over the years became our present-day Santa Claus.

A Visit from St. Nick stamps feature four festive, vividly colored designs that evoke the story of Santa’s visit on Christmas Eve.

In the first stamp, Santa stands on a snowy rooftop against a star-filled, pink-hued sky, his sack slung across his back and one leg inside the red-brick chimney.

The next stamp shows Santa as he descends through the chimney, his legs dangling over the hearth, clad in black boots and his trademark fur-trimmed suit. A log sits in the grate of the red-brick fireplace, while three green stockings, with white toes and heels, hang on the mantel.

The third stamp is a close-up of a winking Santa set against a green background.

The fourth shows Santa in his sleigh, with four reindeer visible, as they fly across the face of the full moon in a dark, starlit sky.

Art director Greg Breeding designed the stamps with original art by Brad Woodard.

The A Visit from St. Nick stamps are being issued as Forever stamps. These Forever stamps are always equal in value to the current First-Class Mail 1-ounce price.

Updated August 28th from the Postal Bulletin:

On October 7, 2021, in Santa Claus, IN, the United States Postal Service® will issue A Visit from St. Nick stamps (Forever® priced at the First-Class Mail® rate) in four designs, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) booklet of 20 stamps (Item 683400). These stamps will go on sale nationwide October 7, 2021, and must not be sold or canceled before the first-day-of-issue.

Four new designs in this booklet of 20 stamps tell the story of Santa’s visit on Christmas Eve:

• Santa stands on a snowy rooftop, sack slung across his back, with one leg inside the red-brick chimney;
• Santa descends through the chimney, his legs dangling over the hearth;
• Close-up view of a winking Santa; and
• Santa in his sleigh, with four reindeer visible as they fly across the face of the full moon and into a starlit sky.

Art director Greg Breeding designed the stamps with original art by Brad Woodard.

No automatic distribution.

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

FDOI – A Visit from St. Nick 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 February 7, 2022.

Technical Specifications:

Issue: A Visit from St. Nick Stamps
Item Number: 683400
Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail Forever
Format: Double-sided Booklet of 20 (4 designs)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: October 7, 2021, Santa Claus, IN 47579
Art Director: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
Designer: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
Illustrator: Brad Woodard, Manchaca, TX
Modeler: Joseph Sheeran
Manufacturing Process: Offset
Printer: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
Press Type: Muller A76
Stamps per Booklet: 20
Print Quantity: 400,000,000 stamps
Paper Type: Nonphosphored Type III, Block Tag
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
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 Booklet Size (w x h): 5.76 x 2.38 in./146.304 x 60.452 mm
Colors: Black, Cyan, Magenta, Yellow
Plate Size: 880 stamps per revolution
Plate Numbers: “P” followed by four (4) single digits in four corners
Marginal Markings: Header: “A Visit From St. Nick” Twenty First-Class Forever Stamps • Plate number in peel strip area • ©2021 USPS in peel strip area • Barcode • Promotional text in peel strip area

This issue was announced May 14th:

This booklet of 20 stamps features four scenes of the alert and playful North American river otter reveling in winter’s white landscape.

The original illustrations were rendered in pen and ink, with watercolor in shades of brown for the otters, using black for facial features and crosshatching. The wintry background is white, with blue water, light blue and violet shadows, and black crosshatching.

Art director Derry Noyes designed the stamps with artwork from illustrator John Burgoyne.

These stamps will be issued October 12th with a first-day city of Otter, Montana, but no “headquarters” first-day ceremony is planned.

Further updates on this issue will be posted below the large illustration, with the most recent at the top.

Updated December 6th:
The Scott catalogue numbers for this issue are:

• • 5648 Otter in Water
  • 5649 Otter, Tail at Right
  • 5650 Otter, Tail at Left
  • 5651 Otter in Snow
  • a. Block of 4, #5648-5651
  • b. Convertible booklet pane of 20, 5 each #5648-5651

Updated October 14th:
Here is the Digital Color Postmark first-day cancel for this issue:It measures 2.75″ x 1.05″. The standard 4-bar FIRST DAY OF ISSUE postmark is the B&W option.

Updated September 10th from the Postal Bulletin:
On October 12, 2021, in Otter, MT, the United States Postal Service® will issue the Otters in Snow stamps (Forever® priced at the First-Class Mail® rate) in four designs, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) double-sided booklet of 20 stamps (Item 683500). These stamps will go on sale nationwide October 12, 2021, and must not be sold or canceled before the first-day-of-issue.

Otters in Snow, a new booklet of 20 stamps from the Postal Service™, features four different scenes of the alert and playful North American river otter reveling in winter‘s white landscape. The original illustrations were rendered in pen and ink with watercolor, in a color palette consisting of shades of brown for the otters, with black facial features and crosshatching. The wintry background is white, with blue water, light blue and violet shadows, and black crosshatching. Art director Derry Noyes designed the stamps with artwork from illustrator John Burgoyne.

No automatic distribution.

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

FDOI – Otters in Snow 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 February 12, 2022.

Technical Specifications:

Issue: Otters in Snow Stamps
Item Number: 683500
Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail Forever
Format: Double-sided Booklet of 20 (4 designs)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: October 12, 2021, Otter, MT 59062
Art Director: Derry Noyes, Washington, DC
Designer: Derry Noyes, Washington, DC
Illustrator: John Burgoyne, West Barnstable, MA
Modeler: Sandra Lane/Michelle Finn
Manufacturing Process: Offset
Printer: Banknote Corporation of America
Press Type: Alprinta 74
Stamps per Booklet: 20
Print Quantity: 300,000,000 stamps
Paper Type: Phosphor Tagged Paper, Block Tag
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
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 Booklet Size (w x h): 5.743 x 2.375 in./145.872 x 60.325 mm
Colors: Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black, Pantone 4261
Plate Size: 800 stamps per revolution
Plate Number: “B” followed by five (5) single digits
Marginal Markings: Header: OTTERS in SNOW • Twenty First-Class Forever Stamps • USPS logo • Barcode • Plate number in peel strip area • ©2021 USPS in peel strip area • Promotional text in peel strip area

[press release]
Postal Service Announces Additions to the 2021 Stamp Program

WASHINGTON, DC — The U.S. Postal Service today announced two additions to its 2021 stamp program. The new stamps feature the North American river otter and St. Nick — Santa Claus, one of our most recognized and beloved cultural icons.

Otters in Snow
This booklet of 20 stamps features four scenes of the alert and playful North American river otter reveling in winter’s white landscape.

The original illustrations were rendered in pen and ink, with watercolor in shades of brown for the otters, using black for facial features and crosshatching. The wintry background is white, with blue water, light blue and violet shadows, and black crosshatching.

Art director Derry Noyes designed the stamps with artwork from illustrator John Burgoyne.

A Visit From St. Nick
Four new designs in this booklet of 20 stamps tell the story of Santa’s visit on Christmas Eve.

In the first stamp, Santa stands on a snowy rooftop, sack slung across his back, with one leg inside the red-brick chimney; the second stamp shows Santa as he descends through the chimney, his legs dangling over the hearth; the third stamp is a close-up of a winking Santa; and the fourth stamp shows Santa in his sleigh, with four reindeer visible as they fly across the face of the full moon and into a starlit sky.

Art director Greg Breeding designed the stamps with original art by Brad Woodard.

All stamp designs are preliminary and subject to change. Additional details, including issue dates, will be announced later.

Postal Products
Customers may purchase stamps and other philatelic products through the Postal Store at usps.com/shop, by calling (844) 737-7826, by mail through USA Philatelic, or at Post Office locations nationwide.

These stamps will be issued Tuesday, May 4th. 10 different Digital Color Postmarks!

[press release; announced January 26th]
New ‘Star Wars’ Stamps Are Coming This Spring
Collect All 10 Character-Inspired Stamps Featuring Beloved Droids

WASHINGTON, DC — The first characters fans meet in the first “Star Wars” film, “Star Wars: A New Hope,” are droids — namely C-3PO and R2-D2 — and droids have continued to play pivotal roles throughout the “Star Wars” galaxy. With 10 dazzling new character-inspired stamps, the Postal Service salutes beloved droids from the “Star Wars” galaxy and the imagination that brings these technological marvels to the screen.

Representing more than four decades of innovation and storytelling, the droids featured in this pane of 20 stamps are IG-11, R2-D2, K-2SO, D-O, L3-37, BB-8, C-3PO, a GNK (or Gonk) power droid, 2-1B surgical droid and C1-10P, commonly known as “Chopper.”

The characters are shown against backgrounds representing settings of memorable adventures. The selvage features a passageway from the floating Cloud City above the planet Bespin, introduced in “Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back.”

These set of droids are a nod to Lucasfilm’s, as well as its parent company, Disney’s, commitment to science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) learning and the continued collaboration between “Star Wars: Force for Change” and global pre-K-12 nonprofit organization “FIRST” (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology).

“Star Wars: Force for Change” and “FIRST” have joined forces to expand access to STEM learning to more young people around the world, and to help them envision a brighter, more inclusive future.

Lucasfilm, the studio that created the “Star Wars” franchise, is celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2021.

Greg Breeding was the designer of the stamps and pane. William Gicker was the art director.

Additional details about the new “Star Wars” droids-inspired stamp collection, including the issue date, will be announced later this year.Additional information about this issue will be posted below the line, with the most recent at the top. You can click on the 10- and 20-stamp pictures for bigger versions.

Updated April 5th

Here are the first-day postmarks for this issue:This DCP measures 2.89″ x 1.45″

This DCP measures 2.91″ x 1.29″This DCP measures 2.75″ x 1.48″This DCP measures 2.88″ x 1.40″This DCP measures 2.90″ x 1.41″This DCP measures 2.98″ x 1.33″This DCP measures 2.87″ x 1.30″

This DCP measures 2.85″ x 1.48″ This DCP measures 2.81″ x 1.40″ This DCP measures 2.94″ x 1.30″ The pictorial for this issue measures 2.75″ x 1.35″ The “special” postmark for cities other than Nicasio on days other than the first-day, measures 2.82″ x 1.06″

From Celia Rodriguez at USPS Cancellation Services: “There are is (1) B/W Rubber FDOI pictorial, (1) B/W Rubber FDOI bullseye, (1) Metal Killerbar FDOI, and (10) DCP FDOI pictorials available for this issue. You may request any combination of postmarks [except the “special”] for this issue to go with any of the 10 stamp designs.”

Updated March 25th, from the Postal Bulletin:

On May 4, 2021, in Nicasio, CA, the United States Postal Service® will issue the Star Wars Droids stamps (Forever® priced at the First-Class Mail® rate) in 10 designs, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 20 stamps (Item 577600). These stamps will go on sale nationwide May 4, 2021, and must not be sold or canceled before the first-day-of-issue. The Star Wars Droids commemorative pane of 20 stamps may not be split and the stamps may not be sold individually.

With 10 dazzling new stamps, the Postal Service salutes Star Wars Droids and the imagination that brings these helpful, technological marvels to the screen. Representing more than four decades of innovation and storytelling, the droids featured are:

• IG-11,
• R2-D2,
• K-2SO,
• D-O,
• L3-37,
• BB-8,
• C-3PO,
• Gonk Droid,
• 2-1B Droid, and
• Chopper.

The characters are shown against backgrounds representing settings of memorable adventures. The selvage features a passageway in the floating Cloud City, introduced in Star Wars: Episode V—The Empire Strikes Back. Greg Breeding was the designer of the stamps and pane. William Gicker was the art director.

Item 577600, Star Wars Droids 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 – Star Wars Droids 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 4, 2021.

Technical Specifications:

Issue: Star Wars Droids Stamps
Item Number: 577600
Denomination &Type of Issue: First-Class Mail Forever
Format: Pane of 20 (10 designs)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: May 4, 2021, Nicasio, CA 94946
Art Director: William Gicker, Washington, DC
Designer: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
Modeler: Sandra Lane/Michelle Finn
Manufacturing Process: Offset, Flexographic
Printer: Banknote Corporation of America
Press Type: Gallus RCS
Stamps per Pane: 20
Print Quantity: 60,000,000 stamps
Paper Type: Phosphor, Block Tag
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Colors: Black, Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, PMS Cool Gray 7C
Stamp Orientation: Vertical
Image Area 1 (w x h): 0.84 x 1.7102 in./ 21.336 x 43.439 mm
Stamp Size 1 (w x h): 0.98 x 1.8502 in./ 24.892 x 46.995 mm
Image Area 2 (w x h): 0.84 x 1.2747 in./ 21.336 x 32.377 mm
Stamp Size 2 (w x h): 0.98 x 1.414 in./ 24.892 x 35.915 mm
Full Pane Size (w x h): 6.45 x 8.87 in./163.83 x 225.298 mm
Plate Size: 80 stamps per revolution
Plate Numbers: “B” followed by five (5) single digits in bottom two corners
Marginal Markings:
Front: Header: Star Wars™ Droids • Plate number in bottom two corners
Back: Star Wars elements: © & ™ Lucasfilm Ltd. • ©2021 USPS • USPS logo • 2 barcodes (577600) • Plate position diagram (4) • Promotional text

Updated March 4th:

[press release]
May the 4th Be With You
New Droids Stamps Celebrate STEM Education; Available May 4

WHAT: Technology plays a prominent role in the “Star Wars” films, most notably with the droids. The U.S. Postal Service will recognize the loveable machines from the “Star Wars” galaxy with 10 dazzling new character-inspired Forever stamps.

These droids are a nod to the commitment of Lucasfilm and its parent company, Disney, to science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) learning and the continued collaboration between the “Star Wars: Force for Change” philanthropic initiative and global pre-K-12 nonprofit organization FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology).

Greg Breeding was the designer of the stamps and pane. William Gicker was the art director.

News of the stamps is being shared with the hashtags #StarWarsDroidsStamps and #DroidsStamps

WHO: Isaac Cronkhite, Chief Logistics and Processing Operations Officer and Executive Vice President, U.S. Postal Service

Disney/Lucasfilm representative(s) to be determined

WHEN: Tuesday, May 4, 2021, at 11 a.m. Eastern Time/8 a.m. Pacific Time

WHERE: A virtual dedication ceremony will be posted on the Postal Service’s Facebook and Twitter pages.

Please visit usps.com/starwarsdroidsstamps for details.

A pictorial postmark of the designated first-day-of-issue city, Nicasio, CA, will be available at usps.com/shopstamps.

BACKGROUND: “Star Wars” droids — the beloved mechanical characters from a galaxy far, far away — are adored worldwide for their relatable, funny, quirky and sometimes emotional personalities. And they have entertained and inspired fans for more than four decades.

“Star Wars: Force for Change” and FIRST are working together to expand access to STEM learning to inspire more young people around the world, and to help them envision a brighter, more inclusive future.

Featured in a pane of 20 stamps, and arranged in staggered, horizontal rows, the stamps vary in size and depict 10 of the more well-known droids in the “Star Wars” universe — IG-11, R2-D2, K-2SO, D-O, L3-37, BB-8, a 2-1B surgical droid, a GNK (or Gonk) power droid, C-3P0 and C1-10P, otherwise known as Chopper.

Lucasfilm, the studio that created the “Star Wars” franchise, is celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2021.

The “Star Wars” droids-inspired stamps are being issued as Forever stamps, which will always be equal in value to the current First-Class Mail 1-ounce price.

Preorders for the Droids Forever stamps can be made online at usps.com/stamps and by phone at 800-STAMP24 (800-782-6724), beginning April 5.

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.

From The Virtual Stamp Club:
Nicasio, Calif., the first-day city, is located about an hour northwest of San Francisco, or 25 miles as the crow flies.

The town’s ZIP code is 94946.

Wikipedia does not list any Lucasfilm- or Star Wars-related films that were shot in Nicasio, and the only notable resident mentioned is the late Jerry Garcia, who would not have been likely to attend the first-day ceremony even if it weren’t going to be a virtual one. George Lucas does live somewhere in the same county, Marin County. Internet Movie Database (IMDB) says he lives in San Anselmo, about 10 miles away.

The design of the 2021-22 stamp will not be released until the date of issue. However, a version was in the USPS Postal Bulletin:Updated August 2nd:
Here are the Scott catalogue numbers for this issue:
RW88, and RW88A for the souvenir sheet of 1

Updated June 20th:
Here is the first-day cancel:It measures 3.3″ x 1.1″

Updated June 3 from the Postal Bulletin:
On June 25, 2021, in Spanish Fort, AL, the U.S. Department of the Interior will issue the $25 Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation stamp for the 2021–2022 waterfowl hunting season. The pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) stamp will go on sale nationwide June 25, 2021, and is valid through June 30, 2022.

No distribution at all of Item 336600, 2021–2022 $25.00 Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp, PSA Pane of 20. It will only be available through Stamp Fulfillment Services and Amplex Corporation.

Technical Specifications (pane of 1):

Issue: Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp
Item Number: 336500
Denomination &Type of Issue: $25.00, Special
Format: Pane of 1 (1 design)
Series: Federal Duck
Issue Date & City: June 25, 2021, Spanish Fort, AL 36527
Art Director: Suzanne Fellows, FWS
Artist: Richard Clifton
Modeler: Joseph Sheeran
Manufacturing Process: Flexographic, Offset, Microprint “FWS”
Printer: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
Press Type: Muller A76
Stamps per Pane: 1
Print Quantity: 2,406,000 stamps
Paper Type: Nonphosphored Type III
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Processed at: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
Colors: Black, Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Invisible Fluorescent
Stamp Orientation: Horizontal
Image Area (w x h): 1.762 x 1.289 in./44.755 x 32.741 mm
Overall Size (w x h): 1.89 x 1.417 in./48.006 x 35.992 mm
Full Pane Size (w x h): 6.125 x 2.625 in./155.575 x 66.675 mm
Plate Size: 36 stamps per revolution
Plate Numbers: N/A
Marginal Markings:
Front: Selvage Text: 2021–2022 Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp • U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service • Celebrate Our Waterfowl and Hunting Heritage • informative text • Artist: Richard Clifton, Lesser Scaup© • If applicable, sign your stamp.
Back: Verso-text • Ordering information • Barcode • U.S. Department of the Interior logo • U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service logo

Technical Specifications (pane of 20):

Issue: Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp
Item Number: 336600
Denomination & Type of Issue: $25.00, Special
Format: Pane of 20 (1 design)
Series: Federal Duck
Issue Date & City: June 25, 2021, Spanish Fort, AL 36527
Art Director: Suzanne Fellows, FWS
Artist: Richard Clifton
Modeler: Joseph Sheeran
Manufacturing Process: Flexographic, Offset, Microprint “FWS”
Printer: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
Press Type: Muller A76
Stamps per Pane: 20
Print Quantity: 60,000 stamps
Paper Type: Nonphosphored Type III
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Processed at: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
Colors: Black, Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Invisible Fluorescent
Stamp Orientation: Horizontal
Image Area (w x h): 1.762 x 1.289 in./44.755 x 32.741 mm
Overall Size (w x h): 1.89 x 1.417 in./48.006 x 35.992 mm
Full Pane Size (w x h): 8.25 x 8.25 in./209.55 x 209.55 mm
Plate Size: 180 stamps per revolution
Plate Numbers: “P” followed by five (5) single digits
Marginal Markings:
Front: Selvage Text: “Artist: Richard Clifton” (4 positions) • “Department of the Interior 20 x $25.00” (2 positions) • Silhouetted Image of duck printed in Black, Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Invisible Fluorescent (2 positions) • Plate number (4 positions)
Back: Verso-text behind each stamp • Barcodes (4 positions)Updated May 20th:
The Fish & Wildlife Service tells The Virtual Stamp Club the stamp will be issued Friday, June 25th, with a first-day city of Spanish Fort, Alabama. A first-day ceremony may or may not be held; plans are still “fluid.”

From earlier:

[press release; no picture available]
Delaware Artist Richard Clifton Wins 2020 Federal Duck Stamp Art Contest
Federal Duck Stamp Supports Wildlife Conservation

After two days of competition, Richard Clifton of Milford, Delaware, emerged as the winner of the 2020 Federal Duck Stamp Art Contest with his painting of a single lesser scaup drake. The announcement was made via live stream at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Headquarters in Falls Church, Virginia.

Clifton’s acrylic painting will be made into the 2021-2022 Federal Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp, or “Duck Stamp”, which will go on sale in late June 2021. The Service produces the Federal Duck Stamp, which sells for $25 and raises approximately $40 million in sales each year. These funds support critical conservation to protect wetland habitats in the National Wildlife Refuge System for the benefit of wildlife and the enjoyment of people.

This year, the Migratory Bird Conservation Commission, chaired by U.S. Secretary of the Interior David L. Bernhardt, approved the allocation of more than $48 million from the fund, made up partly of Duck Stamp dollars, to support the acquisition of lands from willing sellers for the Refuge System. The new areas provide additional access to the public to some of the most spectacular places available for hunting, fishing, birdwatching, hiking and other outdoor activities.

“Hunters and anglers are the backbone of American conservation, and the Duck Stamp is one of the many ways they contribute to conserving America’s waterfowl and wetlands throughout the country,” said Secretary Bernhardt. “I encourage everyone, including those who do not hunt, to buy a Duck Stamp as it makes a real impact in conserving wildlife species and wetlands habitat.”

Since it was first established in 1934, sales of the Duck Stamp to hunters, bird watchers, outdoor enthusiasts and collectors have raised more than $1 billion to conserve over six million acres of habitat for birds and other wildlife and provide countless opportunities for hunting and other wildlife-oriented recreation on our public lands.

“For more than 80 years, millions of waterfowl hunters have made a difference in protecting our nation’s birds and their habitats,” said Aurelia Skipwith, Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. “The Trump Administration has prioritized protecting our wildlife and their habitats and provided access to some of the most spectacular places available for hunting, fishing, birdwatching, hiking and other outdoor activities.”

Waterfowl hunters age 16 and older are required to purchase and carry the current Federal Duck Stamp. Many non-hunters, including birdwatchers, conservationists, stamp collectors and others also purchase the stamp in support of habitat conservation. Additionally, a current Federal Duck Stamp can be used for free admission to any national wildlife refuge that charges an entry fee.

This is Clifton’s second Federal Duck Stamp Contest win. His art previously appeared on the 2007-2008 Federal Duck Stamp.

In addition to Clifton, James Hautman of Chaska, Minnesota, placed second with his acrylic painting of a flock of lesser scaup, and Joseph Hautman of Plymouth, Minnesota, took third place with his acrylic painting of a flock of lesser scaup.

This 2020 contest now has a permanent theme of “celebrating our waterfowl hunting heritage” and it will be mandatory that each entry include an appropriate waterfowl hunting scene and/or accessory. Of 138 entries submitted to this year’s competition, seven entries made it to the final round of judging. Eligible species for this year’s Federal Duck Stamp Contest were the gadwall, brant, cinnamon teal, lesser scaup and red-breasted merganser. View the online gallery of the 2020 Federal Duck Stamp Art Contest entries.

The judges for this year’s Federal Duck Stamp Contest were: Donnie Satchell, conservation partner and artist; Jane Lawson, conservation partner and artist; Eric Morris, conservation partner; Scott Penegar, artist; and Paul Wait, conservation partner.

“The Duck Stamp is one of the most successful conservation programs ever created. I am so proud to be a part of this annual tradition that combines the best of talented artwork from around the country with habitat conservation,” said Jerome Ford, Assistant Director for the Service’s Migratory Bird Program. “As the only federally regulated and sponsored art contest, competing artists offer their time and talent to capture the beauty of waterfowl and the tradition of waterfowl hunting.”

You can contribute to conservation and America’s great outdoors tradition by buying Federal Duck Stamps at many national wildlife refuges, sporting goods stores and other retailers, through the U.S. Postal Service, or online at http://www.fws.gov/birds/get-involved/duck-stamp/buy-duck-stamp.php.

Announced on January 15th:

This new stamped card for 2021 features an illustration of a mallard drake (Anas platyrhynchos) from preexisting artwork by illustrator and designer Dugald Stermer (1936-2011). The full-body, left-facing profile was created in pencil and watercolor. Art director Ethel Kessler designed the stamped card.

Additional information will appear below the line, with the latest at the top

Updated July 5th:
Here are the Scott catalogue numbers for this issue:
UX648 36¢ postal card
UY55 (36¢+ 36¢) Mallard Duck paid reply postal card

Updated May 28th:
There is only one first-day postmark available for this issue, other than the Circular Date Stamp (CDS):No specific size is given by Cancellation Services, but the “Killer Bar” FDOI postmark usually measures about 3.25″ x by 1″. The CDS (the “dial” portion of this postmark) is about 1-inch in diameter.

Updated May 7th:
On June 1, 2021, in Fargo, ND, the United States Postal Service® will issue the Mallard Forever® stamped card priced at 40 cents (36-cent postage plus 4-cent surcharge) in one design. These stamped cards will go on sale nationwide June 1, 2021, and must not be sold or canceled before the first-day-of-issue.

The Postal Service™ issues a new stamped card for 2021 featuring an illustration of a mallard drake (Anas platyrhynchos) from pre-existing artwork by famed illustrator and designer Dugald Stermer (1936–2011). The full-body, left-facing profile was created in pencil and watercolor. Art director Ethel Kessler designed the stamped card.

The Mallard stamped card will be available in the following formats:

• Single-cut cards (Item 250600).
• Double-reply cards (Item 250700).
• Sheet of 40 cards (Item 250800).

No automatic distribution.

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

FDOI – Mallard Stamped Card
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 1, 2021.

Technical Specifications:

Issue: Mallard Stamped Card
Item Number: 250600
Denomination & Type of Issue: Forever Stamped Card Rate
Format: Single-cut Card
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: June 1, 2021, Fargo, ND 58102
Art Director: Ethel Kessler, Bethesda, MD
Designer: Ethel Kessler, Bethesda, MD
Existing Art: Dugald Stermer
Modeler: Joseph Sheeran
Manufacturing Process: Offset, Microprint
Printer: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
Press Type: Heidelberg Speedmaster
Print Quantity: 3,480,000 stamped cards
Paper Type: Nonphosphored Type III, Block Tag
Adhesive Type: N/A
Stamp Orientation: Horizontal
Card Size (w x h): 5.5 x 3.5 in./139.70 x 88.90 mm
Colors: Black, Cyan, Magenta, Yellow
Plate Size: 40 cards per revolution
Plate Number: N/A
Marginal Markings: ©2021 USPS, Recycling logo

Technical Specifications:

Issue: Mallard Stamped Card
Item Number: 250700
Denomination & Type of Issue: Forever Stamped Card Rate
Format: Double-reply Card
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: June 1, 2021, Fargo, ND 58102
Art Director: Ethel Kessler, Bethesda, MD
Designer: Ethel Kessler, Bethesda, MD
Existing Art: Dugald Stermer
Modeler: Joseph Sheeran
Manufacturing Process: Offset, Microprint
Printer: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
Press Type: Heidelberg Speedmaster
Print Quantity: 50,000 Double-cut Cards
Paper Type: Nonphosphored Type III, Block Tag
Adhesive Type: N/A
Stamp Orientation: Horizontal
Card Size (w x h): 5.5 x 7.0 in./139.70 x 177.80 mm
Colors: Black, Cyan, Magenta, Yellow
Plate Size: 20 cards per revolution
Plate Number: N/A
Marginal Markings: ©2021 USPS, Recycling logo

Technical Specifications:

Issue: Mallard Stamped Card
Item Number: 250800
Denomination & Type of Issue: Forever Stamped Card Rate
Format: Sheet of 40 Cards
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: June 1, 2021, Fargo, ND 58102
Art Director: Ethel Kessler, Bethesda, MD
Designer: Ethel Kessler, Bethesda, MD
Existing Art: Dugald Stermer
Modeler: Joseph Sheeran
Manufacturing Process: Offset, Microprint
Printer: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
Press Type: Heidelberg Speedmaster
Print Quantity: 1,000 sheets of 40 cards
Paper Type: Nonphosphored Type III, Block Tag
Adhesive Type: N/A
Stamp Orientation: Horizontal
Card Size (w x h): 5.5 x 3.5 in./139.70 x 88.90 mm
Colors: Black, Cyan, Magenta, Yellow
Plate Size: 40 cards per revolution
Plate Number: N/A
Marginal Markings: ©2021 USPS, Recycling logo

Updated April 30th:
In reply to an inquiry from The Virtual Stamp Club, the USPS says this will be issued as a single card, a double reply card, and in sheets of 40.

Updated March 17th:
This postcard will be issued June 1. The first day city is Fargo, ND, but no ceremony will be held.

Announced on January 15th:

Celebrating tap dancing as a uniquely American contribution to world dance, these five stamps feature photographs of different tap dancers performing against brightly colored backgrounds that highlight their form and movement. Art director Ethel Kessler designed the stamps with photographs by Matthew Murphy.

These stamps will be issued July 10th with a ceremony in New York City. The issue date had previously been reported as July 8th. 

Additional information will appear below the line, with the latest at the top

Updated August 2nd:
Here are the Scott catalogue numbers for this issue:

5609 Max Pollak (buff “TAP”)
a. Imperforate
5610 Michela Marino Lerman (rose “TAP”)
a. Imperforate
5611 Derick Grant (greenish blue “TAP”)
a. Imperforate
5612 Dormeshia Sumbry-Edwards (light blue “TAP”)
a. Imperforate
5613 Ayodele Casel (bister “TAP”)
a. Imperforate
b. Horiz. strip of 5, #5609-5613
c. Imperforate horiz. strip of 5, #5609a-5613a

Updated June 17th:
Here are the postmarks for this issue: The Digital Color Postmark measures 2.69″ x 1.25″ The B&W Pictorial Postmark measures 2.74″ x 1.31″

Updated June 3rd from the Postal Bulletin:
On July 10, 2021, in New York, NY, the United States Postal Service® will issue the Tap Dance stamps (Forever® priced at the First-Class Mail® rate) in five designs, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 20 stamps (Item 480900). These stamps will go on sale nationwide July 10, 2021, and must not be sold or canceled before the first-day-of-issue. The Tap Dance commemorative pane of 20 stamps may not be split and the stamps may not be sold individually.

With these stamps, the Postal Service™ celebrates tap dancing as a uniquely American contribution to world dance. The five stamps each feature a photograph of a different tap dancer performing his or her craft against a brightly colored background that highlights the dancer’s form and movement. Art director Ethel Kessler designed the stamps with photographs by Matthew Murphy.

No automatic distribution.

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

FDOI – Tap Dance 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 November 10, 2021.

Technical Specifications:

Issue: Tap Dance Stamps
Item Number: 480900
Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail Forever
Format: Pane of 20 (5 designs)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: July 10, 2021, New York, NY 10199
Art Director: Ethel Kessler, Bethesda, MD
Designer: Ethel Kessler, Bethesda, MD
Photographer: Matthew Murphy, New York, NY
Modeler: Joseph Sheeran
Manufacturing Process: Offset
Printer: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd (APU)
Press Type: Muller A76
Stamps per Pane: 20
Print Quantity: 18,000,000 stamps
Paper Type: Nonphosphored Type III, Block Tag
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Colors: Black, Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Custom Spot Grey
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): 5.92 x 8.35 in. / 150.368 x 212.09 mm
Press Sheets Size (w x h): 11.84 x 25.30 in. / 300.736 x 642.62 mm
Plate Size: 240 stamps per revolution
Plate Number: “P” followed by four (4) single digits in two corners
Marginal Markings:
Front: Header: TAP • Plate number in bottom two corners
©2021 USPS • USPS logo • 2 barcodes (480900) • Plate position diagram (6) • Promotional text

Updated February 20th:
As reported below by VSC member Arthur von Reyn, “An article by Lisa Traiger in the February 18, 2021 issue of Dance Magazine indicates these stamps will be issued July 8, 2021, during the New York City Tap Festival.” You can read the article here.

Late Change

The first-day ceremony has been moved. See the June 17th entry below.

Announced on January 15th:

These 10 new stamps in a pane of 20 highlight stunning images of the sun that celebrate the science behind the ongoing exploration of our nearest star. The striking colors do not represent the actual colors of the sun as perceived by human eyesight. Instead, each image is colorized by NASA according to different wavelengths that reveal or highlight specific features of the sun’s activity. Art director Antonio Alcalá designed the stamps with digital images from NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory, a spacecraft launched in February 2010 to keep constant watch on the sun from geosynchronous orbit over the craft’s ground station in New Mexico.

Additional information will appear below the line, with the latest at the top

Updated August 2nd:
Here are the Scott catalogue numbers for this issue:

5598 Coronal Hole
a. Imperforate
5599 Coronal Loops
a. Imperforate
5600 Solar Flare
a. Imperforate
5601 Active Sun
a. Imperforate
5602 Plasma Blast
a. Imperforate
5603 Coronal Loops, diff.
a. Imperforate
5604 Sunspots
a. Imperforate
5605 Plasma Blast, diff.
a. Imperforate
5606 Solar Flare, diff.
a. Imperforate
5607 Coronal Hole, diff.
a. Imperforate
b. Block of 10, #5598-5607
c. Imperforate block of 10, #5598a-5607a

Updated June 17th:
The Sun Science stamps dedication ceremony planned for June 18, 2021 at 11:00 a.m., at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center 8800 Greenbelt Rd, Greenbelt, MD 20771 has been moved due to observance of the Juneteenth Federal Holiday and the NASA facility being closed. The new location and time are:

Greenbelt Main Post Office parking lot
7600 Ora Glen Dr.
Greenbelt, MD 20770
June 18, 2021 at 11:15 a.m.

Updated May 20th from the Postal Bulletin:
On June 18, 2021 in Greenbelt, MD, the United States Postal Service® will issue the Sun Science stamps (Forever® priced at the First-Class Mail® rate) in 10 designs, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 20 stamps (Item 480800). The stamps will go on sale nationwide June 18, 2021, and must not be sold or canceled before the first-day-of-issue.

The Sun Science stamps highlight stunning images of the Sun that celebrate the science behind the ongoing exploration of our nearest star. The striking colors do not represent the actual colors of the Sun as perceived by human eyesight. Instead, each image is colorized by NASA according to different wavelengths that reveal or highlight specific features of the Sun’s activity. Art director Antonio Alcalá designed the stamps with digital images from NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory, a spacecraft launched in February 2010 to keep a constant watch on the Sun from geosynchronous orbit over its ground station in New Mexico.

No automatic distribution.

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

FDOI – Sun Science 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 18, 2021.

Technical Specifications:

Issue: Sun Science Stamps
Item Number: 480800
Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail Forever
Format: Pane of 20 (10 designs)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: June 18, 2021, Greenbelt MD 20770
Art Director: Antonio Alcalá, Alexandria VA
Designer: Antonio Alcalá, Alexandria VA
Existing Art: NASA/Solar Dynamic Observatory
Modeler: Sandra Lane / Michelle Finn
Manufacturing Process: Flexographic, Foil Stamping
Printer: Banknote Corporation of America
Press Type: Gallus RCS
Stamps per Pane: 20
Print Quantity: 30,000,000 stamps
Paper Type: Phosphor, Block Tag
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Colors: Black, Cyan, Magenta, Yellow
Stamp Orientation: Vertical
Image Area (w x h): 1.085 x 1.085 in. / 27.559 x 27.559 mm
Overall Size (w x h): 1.225 x 1.225 in. / 31.115 x 31.115 mm
Full Pane Size (w x h): 7.12 x 6.25 in. / 180.848 x 158.750 mm
Press Sheets Size (w x h): 21.360 x 12.500 in. / 542.544 x 317.500 mm
Plate Size: 120 stamps per revolution
Plate Numbers: “B” followed by four (4) single digits in bottom two corners
Marginal Markings:
Front: Header: Sun Science • Plate number in bottom two corners
Back: ©2021 USPS • USPS logo • 2 barcodes (480800) • Plate position diagram (6) • Promotional text

Also updated May 20th:
Here are the first-day postmarks for this issue: The Digital Color Postmark measures 2.98″ x 1.47″ The pictorial postmark measures 2.75″ x 1.14″

Updated March 17th:
These stamps will be issued June 18th, rain or shine, with a first-day city of Greenbelt, MD.

Announced on January 15th:

The art of Emilio Sanchez (1921-1999) is celebrated with four new stamps featuring his colorful architectural lithographs and paintings: “Los Toldos”(1973), “Ty’s Place” (1976), “En el Souk” (1972) and Untitled (Ventanita entreabierta) (1981). Sanchez explored the effects of light and shadow to emphasize the abstract geometry of his subjects. His artwork encompasses his Cuban heritage as well as his long life in New York City. Antonio Alcalá served as art director and designer for this pane of 20 stamps.

Additional information will appear below the line, with the latest at the top. The full-pane design is at the bottom of this page.

Updated July 5th:
Here are the Scott catalogue numbers for this issue:
5594 Los Toldos
a. Imperforate
5595 Ty’s Place
a. Imperforate
5596 En el Souk
a. Imperforate
5597 Untitled (Ventanita Entreabierta)
a. Imperforate
b. Horiz. or vert. strip of 4, #5594-5597
c. Imperforate horiz. or vert. strip of 4, #5594a-5597a

Updated May 20th from the Postal Bulletin:
On June 10, 2021, in Miami, FL, the United States Postal Service® will issue the Emilio Sanchez stamps (Forever® priced at the First-Class Mail® rate) in four designs, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 20 stamps (Item 480600). The stamps will go on sale nationwide June 10, 2021, and must not be sold or canceled before the first-day-of-issue. The Emilio Sanchez commemorative pane of 20 stamps may not be split and the stamps may not be sold individually.The Postal Service™ celebrates artist Emilio Sanchez (1921–1999) with four new stamps featuring four of his colorful architectural lithographs and paintings:

• Los Toldos (1973),
• Ty‘s Place (1976),
• En el Souk (1972), and
• Untitled (Ventanita entreabierta) (1981).

The selvage features a photograph of Sanchez taken by Alexis Rodriguez-Duarte in June 1993. In the photograph, Sanchez sketches at the drawing table in his New York City loft studio. Sanchez explored the effects of light and shadow to emphasize the abstract geometry of his subjects. His artwork encompasses his Cuban heritage as well as his long life in New York City. Antonio Alcalá served as art director and designer for this pane of 20 stamps.

No automatic distribution.

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

FDOI – Emilio Sanchez 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 10, 2021.

Technical Specifications:

Issue: Emilio Sanchez Stamps
Item Number: 480600
Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail Forever
Format: Pane of 20 (4 designs)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: June 10, 2021, Miami, FL 33152
Art Director: Antonio Alcalá, Alexandria VA
Designer: Antonio Alcalá, Alexandria VA
Artist: Emilio Sanchez
Modeler: Joseph Sheeran
Manufacturing Process: Offset
Printer: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd (APU)
Press Type: Muller A76
Stamps per Pane: 20
Print Quantity: 18,000,000 stamps
Paper Type: Nonphosphored Type III, Block Tag
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Colors: Black, Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, PMS Cool Grey 6C
Stamp Orientation: Horizontal
Image Area (w x h): 1.42 x 1.085 in. / 36.068 x 27.559 mm
Overall Size (w x h): 1.56 x 1.225 in. / 39.624 x 31.115 mm
Full Pane Size (w x h): 8.625 x 7.12 in. / 219.075 x 180.848 mm
Press Sheets Size (w x h): 26.125 x 21.610 in. / 663.575 x 548.894 mm
Plate Size: 180 stamps per revolution
Plate Number: “P” followed by five (5) single digits in two corners
Marginal Markings:
Front: Header: EMILIO SANCHEZ 1921-1999 • Plate number in bottom two corners
Back: ©2021 USPS • USPS logo • 2 barcodes (480600) • Plate position diagram (9) • Promotional text

Also updated May 20th:
Here are the first-day postmarks for this issue: The Digital Color Postmark measures 2.81″ x 1.42″

There is no pictorial postmark for this issue. The 4-bar FIRST DAY OF ISSUE postmark will be available.

Updated May 18th:
[press release]
Legacy of Acclaimed International Artist Emilio Sanchez Celebrated on U.S. Postal Service Commemorative Forever Stamp

What: The U.S. Postal Service will honor Emilio Sanchez on the anniversary of his 100th birthday with four commemorative Forever stamps featuring his colorful architectural lithographs and paintings.

News of the Emilio Sanchez Forever stamps is being shared with the hashtag #ArtistEmilioSanchezStamps.

Who: The Honorable Roman Martinez IV, vice chairman, U.S. Postal Service Board of Governors

Erik Stapper, trustee, Emilio Sanchez Foundation

Elizabeth Goizueta, author and lecturer, Romance languages and literature, adjunct curator, McMullen Museum of Art, Boston College

Victor Deupi, senior lecturer, University of Miami, School of Architecture

Jeffrey Duerk, executive vice president for academic affairs and provost, University of Miami

Richard Blanco, 2013 presidential inaugural poet for President Barack Obama, memoirist and associate professor, Florida International University

When: Thursday, June 10, 2021, at 11 a.m. EDT

Where: LnS Gallery
2610 SW 28th Lane
Miami, FL 33133

Background: With these stamps, the U.S. Postal Service celebrates the art of Emilio Sanchez (1921-1999). Best known for his architectural paintings and lithographs, Sanchez explored the effects of light and shadow to emphasize the abstract geometry of his subjects. His artwork encompasses his Cuban heritage as well as his long life in New York City.

Combining naturalism and abstraction, Sanchez’s architectural paintings and lithographs are not precise renderings but rather subjective interpretations of reality. Each work often depicts a single building. All extraneous details have been stripped away, although sometimes he highlights a specific feature, such as a balustrade, arched doorway or balcony. Strong light and deep shadows play across each building’s facade, delineating and emphasizing its abstract geometry without ever obscuring its true character.

Today, Sanchez’s work can be found in permanent collections around the world, where it inspires new generations of artists to look anew at the endless variation of shapes and shadows created by architectural forms.

Antonio Alcalá served as art director and designer for the Emilio Sanchez Forever stamps, which are always equal in value to the current First-Class Mail 1-ounce price.

Postal Products: Customers may purchase stamps and other philatelic products through the Postal Store at usps.com/shopstamps, by calling (844) 737-7826, by mail through USA Philatelic, or at Post Office locations nationwide.

Updated March 17th:
These stamps will be issued June 10th with a first-day city of Miami.

Announced on January 15th:

The 33rd stamp in the Literary Arts series honors Ursula K. Le Guin (1929-2018), who expanded the scope of literature through novels and short stories that increased critical and popular appreciation of science fiction and fantasy. The stamp features a portrait of Le Guin based on a 2006 photograph. The background shows a scene from her landmark 1969 novel “The Left Hand of Darkness,” in which an envoy from Earth named Genly Ai escapes from a prison camp across the wintry planet of Gethen with Estraven, a disgraced Gethenian politician. The artist for this stamp was Donato Giancola. The art director was Antonio Alcalá. The words “three ounce” on this stamp indicate its usage value. Like a Forever stamp, this stamp will always be valid for the value printed on it.

This stamp will be issued July 27th with a ceremony in Portland, Oregon. The Scott catalogue number is 5619.

Additional information will appear below the line, with the latest at the top

Updated June 28th: Ceremony Details
[press release]
New Stamp Highlights Acclaimed Author Ursula K. Le Guin
U.S. Postal Service’s Literary Arts Series Celebrates Author for Writings ‘Ahead of Their Time’

WHAT: The U.S. Postal Service honors the cross-genre writings of Ursula K. Le Guin, the acclaimed science fiction and fantasy author, with the 33rd stamp in its literary series.

News of the stamps is being shared with the hashtag #UrsulaKLeGuinstamp.

WHO: Joseph Corbett, chief financial officer and executive vice president, U.S. Postal Service

India Downes-Le Guin, granddaughter of Ursula K. Le Guin

WHEN: Tuesday, July 27, 2021, at 11 a.m. PT

WHERE:
Evan H. Roberts Sculpture Mall
Portland Art Museum
1119 SW Park Avenue
Portland, OR 97205

[Interestingly, no mention of the first day ceremony is on the Museum’s website yet. —VSC]

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

BACKGROUND: Born on Oct. 21, 1929, in Berkeley, CA, Ursula Kroeber Le Guin began exploring the potential of science fiction and fantasy through writing in the early 1960s. In 1966, she published her first novel, “Rocannon’s World,” which intertwined elements of fantasy and science fiction. It inspired two sequels that established a setting for many later novels and stories.

Educated at Radcliffe College, and after receiving a master’s degree from Columbia University, Le Guin also explored gender identity through “The Left Hand of Darkness.” This ground-breaking novel follows a human ambassador to an icebound planet — where the inhabitants had no fixed gender. The book, which won the Hugo and Nebula awards in science fiction and fantasy, is often praised as the novel that permanently raised the literary expectations for science fiction.

Updated June 17th from the Postal Bulletin:
Here are the postmarks for this issue:The Digital Color Postmark measures 2.54″ x 1.45″The “special” postmark for other post offices to use after the first-day measures 2.74″ x 1.15″

Updated June 17th from the Postal Bulletin:
On July 27, 2021, in Portland, OR, the United States Postal Service® will issue the Ursula K. Le Guin stamp (Non-denominated priced at the 3-ounce rate) in one design, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 20 stamps (Item 121400). This stamp will go on sale nationwide July 27, 2021, and must not be sold or canceled before the first-day-of-issue.

The 33rd stamp in the Literary Arts series honors Ursula K. Le Guin (1929–2018), who expanded the scope of literature through novels and short stories that increased critical and popular appreciation of science fiction and fantasy. The stamp features a portrait of Le Guin based on a 2006 photograph. The background shows a scene from her landmark 1969 novel The Left Hand of Darkness, in which an envoy from Earth named Genly Ai escapes from a prison camp across the wintry planet of Gethen with Estraven, a disgraced Gethenian politician. The artist for this stamp was Donato Giancola. The art director was Antonio Alcalá. The words “THREE OUNCE” on this stamp indicate its usage value. Like a Forever® stamp, this stamp will always be valid for the rate printed on it.

No automatic distribution.

Special postmark

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 – Ursula K. Le Guin 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 27, 2021.

Technical Specifications:

Issue: Ursula K. Le Guin Stamp
Item Number: 121400
Denomination & Type of Issue: 3-ounce rate, Non-denominated, Mail use
Format: Pane of 20 (1 design)
Series: Literary Arts (33rd in a series)
Issue Date & City: July 27, 2021, Portland, OR 97208
Art Director: Antonio Alcalá, Alexandria, VA
Designer: Antonio Alcalá, Alexandria, VA
Artist: Donato Giancola, Brooklyn, NY
Modeler: Joseph Sheeran
Manufacturing Process: Offset, Microprint “USPS”
Printer: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd (APU)
Press Type: Muller A76
Stamps per Pane: 20
Print Quantity: 10,000,000 stamps
Paper Type: Nonphosphored Type III, Block Tag
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Colors: Black, Cyan, Magenta, Yellow
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): 7.24 x 5.92 in. / 183.896 x 150.368 mm
Plate Size: 240 stamps per revolution
Plate Number: “P” followed by four (4) single digits in two corners
Marginal Markings:
Front: Header: Literary Arts – 33rd in a series • Plate number in bottom two corners
Back: ©2021 USPS • USPS logo • 2 barcodes (121400) • Plate position diagram (6) • Promotional text

Updated January 17th:
The official Ursula K. Le Guin Twitter account announced the stamp, garnering much reaction from her fans. You can follow the discussion here. The message was retweeted by DisCon III, the 79th World Science Fiction convention, which will be held in Washington, DC, August 25-29.