Announced on January 15th:

Honoring Yogi Berra (1925-2015), this stamp salutes one of the best and most celebrated baseball players of his era, winning a record 10 World Series with the New York Yankees. The stamp art is an original digital portrait of Berra dressed in his Yankees cap, pinstripes and catcher’s chest protector. Considered the best catcher in the American League in the 1950s, he was also a feared hitter, and in 1972 was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Antonio Alcalá was the art director and stamp designer. Charles Chaisson was the artist. The “Yogi Berra” lettering was created by Michael Doret.

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:
5608 for the regular stamp and 5608a for the imperforate variety.

Updated June 17th:
Here are the postmarks for this issue:

The Digital Color Postmark for this issue measures 2.99″ x 1.32″ The pictorial postmark for this issue measures 2.73″ x 1.26″ The “special” postmark, which other cities may use, but not on the first day, measures 2.84″ x 1.17″

Updated June 17th from the Postal Bulletin:
On June 24, 2021, in Little Falls, NJ, the United States Postal Service® will issue the Yogi Berra stamp (Forever® priced at the First-Class Mail® rate) in one design, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 20 stamps (Item 480300). This stamp will go on sale nationwide June 24, 2021, and must not be sold or canceled before the first-day-of-issue.
This stamp honors Yogi Berra (1925-2015), one of the best and most celebrated Major League Baseball™ players of his era, winning a record 10 World Series™ with the New York Yankees™. The stamp art is an original digital portrait of Berra dressed in his Yankees cap, pinstripes, and catcher’s chest protector.
Considered the best catcher in the American League™ in the 1950s, he was also a feared hitter, and in 1972 was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Antonio Alcalá was the project art director and stamp designer. Charles Chaisson was the artist. The lettering for “Yogi Berra” was designed and created by Michael Doret.

No automatic distribution.

Special Dedication Postmarks

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 – Yogi Berra 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 October 24, 2021.

Technical Specifications:

Issue: Yogi Berra Stamp
Item Number: 480300
Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail Forever
Format: Pane of 20 (1 design)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: June 24, 2021, Little Falls, NJ 07424
Art Director: Antonio Alcalá, Alexandria, VA
Designer: Antonio Alcalá, Alexandria, VA
Artist: Charles Chaisson, New York, NY
Modeler: Sandra Lane / Michelle Finn
Manufacturing Process: Flexographic, Offset, Microprint
Printer: Banknote Corporation of America
Press Type: Gallus RCS
Stamps per Pane: 20
Print Quantity: 25,000,000 stamps
Paper Type: Phosphor, Block Tag
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Colors: Black, Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Blue PMS 2135, Blue PMS 2767, Blue PMS 7681
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 7.75 in. / 150.368 x 196.85 mm
Press Sheets Size (w x h): 23.25 x 11.84 in. / 590.55 X 300.736 mm
Plate Size: 120 stamps per revolution
Plate Number: “B” followed by seven (7) single digits in bottom two corners
Marginal Markings:
Front: Header: Major League Baseball™ All-Star • Plate number in bottom two corners
Back: ©2021 USPS • USPS logo • 2 barcodes (480300) • Plate position diagram (6) • Promotional text • MLB info

Updated May 12th:
[ceremony details]
All-Star Baseball Player Yogi Berra Celebrated on Forever Stamp

WHAT: The U.S. Postal Service will honor Hall of Famer Yogi Berra with a commemorative Forever stamp.

News of the stamp is being shared with hashtags #YogiBerraStamp and #BaseballStamps.

WHO: The Honorable Ron A. Bloom, Chairman, U.S. Postal Service Board of Governors

Louis DeJoy, Postmaster General and CEO, U.S. Postal Service

Bob Costas, Emmy Award-winning sportscaster

WHEN: Thursday, June 24, 2021, at 9:30 a.m. EDT

WHERE: The First Day of Issue stamp event will be held at the Yogi Berra Museum & Learning Center, 8 Yogi Berra Drive, Little Falls, NJ 07424.

For more information, visit usps.com/yogiberra. [This page includes registration for the first-day ceremony.]

A pictorial postmark of the First Day of Issue location in Little Falls, NJ, is available at usps.com/stamps.

BACKGROUND: Beloved by fans across the country, Yogi Berra (1925-2015) was one of the best Major League Baseball players of his era. Berra won a record 10 World Series with the New York Yankees and was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

During his career, Berra won three AL MVP awards and was an 18-time MLB All- Star. Considered the best catcher in the American League in the 1950s, he was also a feared hitter, averaging better than .300 four times — finishing with a .285 lifetime average — knocking in 100 runs five times and hitting 358 home runs.

Art director Antonio Alcalá designed the stamp with original art by Charles Chaisson. The artist first sketched the image with graphite and pastel oil pencils. He then scanned the image and finished the portrait digitally by applying layers of color to add highlights and detail. Michael Doret designed and created the lettering for “Yogi Berra” in blue script under the image of the player.

The Yogi Berra stamp is being issued as a Forever stamp in panes of 20. These Forever stamps will always be equal in value to the current First-Class Mail 1 ounce price.

Updated March 17th:
This stamp will be issued June 24th, with a first-day city of Little Falls, NJ, where the Yogi Berra Museum is located. Berra was a longtime resident of neighboring Montclair.

[press release]
Postal Service Announces 44th Black Heritage Stamp,
Honoring Legendary Playwright August Wilson

WASHINGTON, DC — Award-winning playwright August Wilson is receiving one of the nation’s highest honors when he takes center stage on a Forever stamp.

The stamp will be dedicated Jan. 28 on the Postal Service Facebook and Twitter pages. For more information, visit usps.com/blackheritage-augustwilson.

One of America’s greatest playwrights, Wilson is hailed as a trailblazer for helping to bring nonmusical African American drama to the forefront of American theater.

Wilson collected innumerable accolades for his work, including seven New York Drama Critics’ Circle Awards; a Tony Award, for 1987’s “Fences”; and two Pulitzer Prizes, for “Fences” and 1990’s “The Piano Lesson.”

The Wikipedia entry on him is here. A Broadway theater in New York is also named after him. Only 41 theaters are designated as “Broadway theaters.”

Wilson was born in Pittsburgh, Pa., which will be the stamp’s first-day city.

[More information will be added to this page below the line, as we get it, with the most-recent first.]

Updated January 25th:
The USPS is selling two versions of the press sheet for this issue, with die cuts (480006) and without (480008). Both are $66.

Updated January 13th:
[press release]
Playwright August Wilson Takes Center Stage on U.S. Postal Service Commemorative Forever Stamp

WHAT: The U.S. Postal Service will honor August Wilson with a commemorative Forever stamp in the Black Heritage series.

News of the stamp is being shared with hashtags #AugustWilsonForever and #BlackHeritageStamps.

WHO: Dr. Joshua D. Colin, vice president, Delivery Operations, U.S. Postal Service
Constanza Romero, trustee of the August Wilson Trust and widow of August Wilson
Sakina Ansari, daughter of August Wilson

WHEN: Thursday, Jan. 28, 2021, at 11:30 a.m. EST

WHERE: The virtual stamp event will be hosted on the U.S. Postal Service Facebook and Twitter pages. For more information, visit usps.com/blackheritage-augustwilson.

BACKGROUND: The 44th stamp in the Black Heritage series honors playwright August Wilson (1945-2005), who brought fresh perspectives and previously unheard voices to the American stage.

Between 1982 and 2005, Wilson wrote his acclaimed American Century Cycle. This series of 10 plays includes nine set in Pittsburgh’s Hill District, the neighborhood where Wilson grew up. With one play for each decade of the 20th century, including such well-known works as “Fences,” “The Piano Lesson” and “Joe Turner’s Come and Gone,” the American Century Cycle plays have been praised for being emotionally powerful but not sentimental, and for demonstrating Wilson’s ear for African American storytelling traditions.

The only play in the cycle not set in Pittsburgh, “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom,” chronicles a tense 1927 recording session in Chicago that reveals truths about the exploitation of African American musicians and the tenuous nature of African American success. The film adaptation of the play was released on Netflix last month.

Wilson was one of only a handful of American playwrights to receive the Pulitzer Prize more than once. Today, he is hailed as a trailblazer for helping to bring nonmusical African American drama to the forefront of American theater.

The new Forever stamp features an oil painting of Wilson based on a 2005 photograph. Behind him, a picket fence alludes to the title “Fences.”

Art director Ethel Kessler designed this stamp with art by Tim O’Brien.

It 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 6th:
Here are the first-day postmarks for this issue:The Digital Color Postmark measures 2.70″ x 1.19″The B&W pictorial postmark measures 2.62″ x .63″ The special postmark, for use by other post offices, measures 2.71″ x .94″

Updated December 31st from the Postal Bulletin:

On January 28, 2021, in Pittsburgh, PA, the United States Postal Service® will issue the August Wilson stamp (Forever® priced at the First-Class Mail® rate) in one design, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 20 stamps (Item 480000). This stamp will go on sale nationwide January 28, 2021, and must not be sold or canceled before the first-day-of-issue.

The 44th stamp in the Black Heritage® series honors playwright August Wilson (1945–2005), who brought fresh perspectives and previously unheard voices to the American stage. This stamp features an oil painting of Wilson based on a 2005 photograph. Behind Wilson, a picket fence alludes to the title of Fences, one of his best-known plays. Art director Ethel Kessler designed the stamp with art by Tim O’Brien.

There will be an automatic distribution for Item 480000, August Wilson

A special dedication postmark is available for local post offices.

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 – August Wilson 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 28, 2021.

Technical Specifications:

Issue: August Wilson Stamp
Item Number: 480000
Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail Forever
Format: Pane of 20 (1 design)
Series: Black Heritage
Issue Date & City: January 28, 2021, Pittsburgh, PA 15290
Art Director: Ethel Kessler, Bethesda, MD
Designer: Ethel Kessler, Bethesda, MD
Artist: Tim O’Brien, Brooklyn, NY
Modeler: Joseph Sheeran
Manufacturing Process: Offset, Microprint
Printer: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
Press Type: Muller A76
Stamps per Pane: 20
Print Quantity: 45,000,000 stamps
Paper Type: Nonphosphored Type III, Block Tag
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Colors: Black, Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, PMS 4029 C Beige
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): 6.00 x 8.50 in./152.40 x 215.90 mm
Press Sheet Size (w x h): 12.00 x 25.75 in./ 304.80 x 654.05 mm
Plate Size: 240 stamps per revolution
Plate Number: “P” followed by five (5) single digits in two corners
Marginal Markings:
Front: Header: BLACK HERITAGE, Celebrating August Wilson, 44TH IN A SERIES
Plate number in two (2) corners
Back: ©2020 USPS • USPS Logo • Two barcodes (480000) • Plate position diagram (6) • Promotional text

Nothing has been announced, but if past practice holds, a stamped flat-rate envelopes featuring the same design as the new Priority Mail stamp will be issued for this rate on Sunday, January 24, 2021, the date the rate goes into effect. There will not be a first day ceremony and in-person cancellations will be hard to obtain.

Updated January 6th:
The Virtual Stamp Club has confirmed this issue. The item numbers are:

• 233205 Packet of 5
• 233210 Packet of 10
• 233225 Packet of 25
• 233216 First Day Cover Cancelled envelope

Nothing has been announced, but if past practice holds, a new  large-format stamp featuring a National Park or natural wonder will be issued for this rate on Sunday, January 24, 2021, the date the rate goes into effect. There will not be a first day ceremony and in-person cancellations will be hard to obtain.

Updated December 26th:

Since the Express Mail flat rate charge is not changing, Linn’s Stamp News does not expect a new stamp to be issued. This listing has been removed from the VSC’s 2021 U.S. Stamp Program.

Nothing has been announced, but if past practice holds, a new  large-format Priority Mail stamp will be issued for this rate on Sunday, January 24, 2021, the date the rate goes into effect. There will not be a first day ceremony and in-person cancellations will be hard to obtain.

Updated December 26th:

Linn’s Stamp News reports in its January 11th edition (online December 26th) that this $7.95 stamp will feature the Castillo de San Marcos, located in St. Augustine, FL. It will be the 25th in the “American Landmark” series of “shipping rate” stamps.

From its official website, “Built by the Spanish in St. Augustine to defend Florida and the Atlantic trade route, Castillo de San Marcos National Monument preserves the oldest masonry fortification in the continental United States and interprets more than 450 years of cultural intersections.”

Wikipedia link

From this point on, the most recent entries are at the top.

Updated January 29th:
Technical Specifications:

Issue: Castillo de San Marcos Stamp
Item Number: 121300
Denomination & Type of Issue: $7.95 Priority Mail® Rate
Format: Pane of 4 (1 design)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: January 24, 2021, St. Augustine, FL 32084
Art Director: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
Designer: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
Artist: Dan Cosgrove. Chicago, IL
Modeler: Joseph Sheeran
Manufacturing Process: Offset, Microprint
Printer: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
Press Type: Muller A76
Stamps per Pane: 4
Print Quantity: 5,500,000 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 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): 4.12 x 3.45 in/104.648 x 87.63 mm
Plate Size: 168 stamps per revolution
Plate Number: “P” followed by four (4) single digits
Marginal Markings:
Front: Plate number in two corners of pane
Back: ©2020 USPS • USPS Logo • Barcode (121300) printed behind each stamp • Plate position diagram (7) • Promotional text

Updated January 6th:
Here is the Digital Color first-day Postmark for this issue:It measures 2.68″ x 1.61″. The “standard killerbar” (“FIRST DAY OF ISSUE”) postmark will also be offered.

Note: Because of the high denomination, there is no minimum number requirement for cancellations submitted to Cancellation Services.

Updated December 31st from the Postal Bulletin:

On January 24, 2021, in St. Augustine, FL, the United States Postal Service® will issue the Castillo de San Marcos Priority Mail® stamp in one design, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of four stamps (Item 121300). This stamp will go on sale nationwide January 24, 2021, and must not be sold or canceled before the first-day-of-issue.

The latest Priority Mail stamp celebrates the oldest masonry fortification in the United States, the Castillo de San Marcos, in St. Augustine, Florida. The stamp art features a digital illustration of the fortress based on a contemporary photograph. With a view toward the northeast corner of the fortress, the artwork captures it in the golden glow of sunrise over Matanzas Bay. Art director Greg Breeding designed the stamp with art created by Dan Cosgrove.

No automatic distribution for tem 121300, $7.95 Castillo de San Marcos Priority Mail PSA Pane of Four

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 – Castillo de San Marcos 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 24, 2021.

Technical Specifications are not yet available.

From the U.S. Postal Service announcement on November 17, 2020:From the USPS: This Happy Birthday stamp conveys exuberant greetings by calling to mind the childhood excitement of a birthday party. Each of the five letters in the word “HAPPY” is inspired by a different party decoration in the midst of a flurry of multicolored ribbons and confetti. This stamp was designed by Lisa Catalone Castro and Rodolfo Castro, featuring a digital illustration by the latter. Ethel Kessler served as art director.

This stamp will be issued September 9th in Toast, N.C., but without a first-day ceremony.

The Scott catalogue number for this issue is 5635.

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

Updated August 25th:
Here are the first-day postmarks for this issue:The Digital Color Postmark measures 2.54″ x 1.45″ The pictorial postmark measures 2.39″ x 1.15″

Updated July 30th from the Postal Bulletin:

On September 9, 2021, in Toast, NC, the United States Postal Service® will issue the Happy Birthday stamp (Forever® priced at the First-Class Mail® rate) in one design, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 20 stamps (Item 577700). This stamp will go on sale nationwide September 9, 2021, and must not be sold or canceled before the first-day-of-issue.

This Happy Birthday stamp conveys exuberant greetings by calling to mind the childhood excitement of a birthday party. Each of the five letters in the word “HAPPY” is inspired by a different party decoration in the midst of a flurry of multicolored ribbons and confetti. Featuring a digital illustration by Rodolfo Castro, this stamp was designed by Lisa Catalone Castro and Rodolfo Castro. Ethel Kessler served as art director.

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 – Happy Birthday 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 January 9, 2022.

Technical Specifications:

Issue: Happy Birthday Stamp
Item Number: 577700
Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail Forever
Format: Pane of 20 (1 design)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: September 9, 2021, Toast, NC 27049
Art Director: Ethel Kessler, Bethesda, MD
Designer: Lisa Catalone Castro, Bethesda, MD
Designer: Rodolfo Castro, Bethesda, MD
Illustrator: Rodolfo Castro, Bethesda, MD
Modeler: Joseph Sheeran
Manufacturing Process: Offset, Microprint
Printer: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
Press Type: Muller A76
Stamps per Pane: 20
Print Quantity: 50,000,000 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): 1.05 x 0.77 in. / 26.67 x 19.558 mm
Overall Size (w x h): 1.19 x 0.91 in. / 30.226 x 23.114 mm
Full Pane Size (w x h): 5.76 x 5.55 in. / 146.304 x 140.97 mm
Plate Size: 320 stamps per revolution
Plate Number: “P” followed by four (4) single digits in four corners
Marginal Markings:
Front: Plate number in four corners
Back: ©2020 USPS • USPS logo • Two barcodes (577700) • Plate position diagram (8) • Promotional text

From the U.S. Postal Service announcement on November 17, 2020:From the USPS: America’s love of coffee is celebrated with four new stamps in a booklet of 20. Four digital illustrations feature cups of four different drinks: caffe latte, espresso, caffe mocha and cappuccino. The names of the espresso drinks appear in art-deco-inspired lettering above or below each cup. Art director Greg Breeding designed the stamps with original artwork by Terry Allen.

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

Updated MaY 3rd:
Here are the Scott Catalog numbers for this issue:
5569 Caffe Latte
5570 Espresso
5571 Caffe Mocha
5572 Cappuccino
a. Block of 4, #5569-5572
b. Convertible booklet pane of 20, 5 each #5569-5572

Updated March 3rd:
Here is the Digital Color Postmark first-day cancel for this issue:It measures 2.53″ x 1.47″. There is no pictorial postmark for this issue, just the FIRST DAY OF ISSUE “killerbar.”

Updated February 25th: [Click on the pictures for larger versions]
On April 9, 2021, in Seattle, WA, the United States Postal Service will issue the Espresso Drinks 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 683200). These stamps will go on sale nationwide April 9, 2021, and must not be sold or canceled before the first-day-of-issue.

The Postal Service celebrates America’s love of coffee with four new stamps in a booklet of 20. Digital illustrations feature cups of four different drinks:

• Caffe latte,
• Espresso,
• Caffe mocha, and
• Cappuccino.

The names of the espresso drinks appear in art deco-inspired lettering above or below each cup. Art director Greg Breeding designed the stamps with original artwork by Terry Allen.

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 – Espresso Drinks 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 August 9, 2021.

Technical Specifications:

Issue: Espresso Drinks Stamps
Item Number: 683200
Denomination & Type of Issue:First-Class Mail Forever
Format: Double-sided Booklet of 20 (4 designs)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: April 9, 2021, Seattle, WA 98134
Art Director: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
Designer: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
Artist: Terry Allen, Wappingers Falls, NY
Modeler: Joseph Sheeran
Manufacturing Process: Offset
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
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 .98 in./22.098 x 24.892 mm
Full Booklet Size (w x h): 5.52 x 1.96 in./140.208 x 49.784 mm
Colors: Black, Cyan, Magenta, Yellow
Plate Size: 1040 stamps per revolution
Plate Number: “P” followed by four (4) single digits
Marginal Markings: Header: “Espresso Drinks” Twenty First-Class Forever Stamps • USPS logo • Plate number in peel strip area • ©2020 USPS in peel strip area • Barcode • Promotional text in peel strip area

Updated January 7th:
A mat in a suburban Washington, DC, post office indicates a issue date of April 9th. USPS headquarters does not confirm. 2021 is the 50th anniversary of Starbucks, which is based in Seattle, WA.

From the U.S. Postal Service announcement on November 17, 2020:From the USPS: The four fun designs on this new pane of 20 stamps invite interactivity with dozens of self-adhesive accessories that personalize your cards, letters and envelopes for delighted recipients. Decorations include hearts, hats, voice balloons, flowers and thought bubbles. Art director Antonio Alcalá designed the pane with new illustrations by Elise Gravel.

Here are the Scott catalogue numbers for this issue:
5636 Pink and Red Monster
a. Imperforate
5637 Four-armed Monster
a. Imperforate
5638 Tentacled Monster
a. Imperforate
5639 Red-headed Monster
a. Imperforate
b. Horiz. or vert. strip of 4, #5636-5639
c. Imperforate strip of 4, #5636a-5639a

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

Updated August 25th:
Here is the first-day postmark for this issue:The Digital Color Postmark measures 3.0″ x 1.48″. There is no pictorial postmark for this issue.

[ceremony advisory]
Message Monsters Ready to Bring a Smile to Your Mail

WHAT: The U.S. Postal Service will celebrate Message Monsters with the most playful, customizable Forever stamp design ever. The four monster illustrations on this pane of 20 stamps invite interactivity with dozens of self-adhesive accessories on the selvage. The monster-ific accoutrements include cartoony voice balloons and thought bubbles with exclamations and salutations, hats and crowns, hearts, stars, crazy daisies and other fun flair.

Art director Antonio Alcalá designed the pane with original artwork by Elise Gravel, author and illustrator of popular children’s books.

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

WHO: Jeffery A. Adams, vice president, corporate communications, U.S. Postal Service

Angie Grau, owner, Paper June Books

Tom Underwood, executive director, NOTO Arts & Entertainment District

WHEN: Friday, Sept. 24, 2021, at 11 a.m. CDT

WHERE: Redbud Park
924 N Kansas Ave
Topeka, KS 66608

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

BACKGROUND: The U.S. Postal Service unleashes the most playful, participatory postage stamps ever — stamps that welcome you to customize a collection of cute and crazy critters. They’ll ride through the mail, adapted by you, adding mirth to your messages.

The 20 Message Monsters on the pane, in four different designs, invite you to enhance your mail with the included adhesive accessories. These little monsters are totally adorn-able. Make them yours and they’re even more delightful!

The stamp designs start with the playful illustrations of Elise Gravel, whose characters are frisky, fresh and full of fun. Colorful characters populating the pane include a roundish, rosy rascal with a sunny tummy; a silly, striped imp waving a four-armed howdy; a squiggly, squid-ly yellow critter with enough eyes to go around; and a reddish rapscallion in short shorts. Whimsical, wacky and inviting your inventiveness, these creatures appeal across generations.

The Message Monster stamp dedication event falls during “Thinking of You Week,” which runs Sept. 20–26. It was first launched in the United Kingdom in 2014 and brought to the United States in 2018 by the Greeting Card Association. What better way to let someone know you’re thinking of them than to send a funny, friendly monster through the mail?

Preorders for the Message Monsters Forever stamps can be made online at usps.com/stamps beginning Aug. 30.

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.

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

From the Postal Bulletin:
On September 24, 2021, in Topeka, KS, the United States Postal Service® will issue the Message Monsters stamps (Forever® priced at the First-Class Mail® rate) in four designs, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 20 stamps (Item 481300). These stamps will go on sale nationwide September 24, 2021, and must not be sold or canceled before the first-day-of-issue. The Message Monsters pane of 20 stamps may not be split and the stamps may not be sold individually.

The four designs on this new pane of 20 stamps invite interactivity with dozens of self-adhesive accessories that personalize these comical characters for delighted recipients. Decorations include hearts, hats, voice balloons, flowers, and thought bubbles. Art director Antonio Alcalá designed the pane with new illustrations by Elise Gravel.

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 – Message Monsters 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 January 24, 2022.

Technical Specifications:

Issue: Message Monsters Stamps
Item Number: 481300
Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail Forever
Format: Pane of 20 (4 designs)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: September 24, 2021, Topeka, KS 66603
Art Director: Antonio Alcalá, Alexandria, VA
Designer: Antonio Alcalá, Alexandria, VA
Artist: Elise Gravel, Montreal, Quebec
Modeler: Sandra Lane/Michelle Finn
Manufacturing Process: Offset
Printer: Banknote Corporation of America
Press Type: Gallus RCS
Stamps per Pane: 20
Print Quantity: 18,000,000 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 1.42 in./ 27.559 x 36.068 mm
Overall Size (w x h): 1.225 x 1.56 in./31.115 x 39.624 mm
Full Pane Size (w x h): 7.75 x 8.19 in./196.85 x 208.026 mm
Press Sheets Size (w x h): 14.5 x 18.25 in./368.3 x 463.55 mm
Plate Size: 60 stamps per revolution
Plate Number: “B” followed by four (4) single digits in two corners
Marginal Markings:
Front: Header: Message Monsters • Plate number in bottom two corners
Back: ©2020 USPS • USPS logo • 2 barcodes (481300) • Plate position diagram (3) • Promotional text

The full pane:

From the U.S. Postal Service announcement on November 17, 2020:From the USPS: This stamp celebrates the bicentennial of Missouri statehood. Missouri became the 24th state in the Union on Aug. 10, 1821. The stamp art is an existing photograph of Bollinger Mill State Historic Site by noted landscape photographer Charles Gurche. Art director Greg Breeding designed the stamp.

Official site

Wikipedia

This stamp will be issued August 10th with a ceremony in Jefferson City, Mo.

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

Updated October 4th:
The Scott catalogue number for this issue is 5626.

Updated July 7th:
Here are the first-day postmarks for this issue: The Digital Color Postmark for this issue measures 2.60″ x 1.46″. The pictorial postmark measures 2.28″ x 1.24″

Updated July 1st from the Postal Bulletin:
On August 10, 2021, in Jefferson City, MO, the United States Postal Service® will issue the Missouri Statehood stamp (Forever® priced at the First-Class Mail® rate) in one design, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 20 stamps (Item 481100). This stamp will go on sale nationwide August 10, 2021, and must not be sold or canceled before the first-day-of-issue.

This stamp celebrates the bicentennial of Missouri statehood. Missouri became the 24th state in the Union on August 10, 1821. The stamp art is a photograph taken of Bollinger Mill State Historic Site. The photo shows the multi-story mill, which dates to the Civil War period, as well as the Burfordville Covered Bridge, Missouri’s oldest covered bridge and one of only four that remain in the state. Noted landscape photographer Charles Gurche, who took this shot, began his photography career in Missouri. Art director Greg Breeding designed the stamp with an existing photograph by Gurche.

Automatic distribution only in Missouri.

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 – Missouri Statehood 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 December 10, 2021.

Technical Specifications:

Issue: Missouri Statehood Stamp
Item Number: 481100
Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail Forever
Format: Pane of 20 (1 design)
Series: Statehood
Issue Date & City: August 10, 2021, Jefferson City, MO 65101
Art Director: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
Designer: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
Existing Photo: Charles Gurche
Modeler: Sandra Lane / Michelle Finn
Manufacturing Process: Offset, Microprint
Printer: Banknote Corporation of America
Press Type: Gallus RCS
Stamps per Pane: 20
Print Quantity: 18,000,000 stamps
Paper Type: Phosphor, 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
Press Sheets Size (w x h): 11.84 x 21.72 in. / 300.736 X 551.688 mm
Plate Size: 120 stamps per revolution
Plate Number: “B” followed by four (4) single digits in all corners
Marginal Markings:
Front: Plate number in all corners
Back: ©2020 USPS • USPS logo • 2 barcodes (481100) • Plate position diagram (6) • Promotional text

Updated June 26th:

[press release]
Missouri Stamp to Honor State Bicentennial

WHAT: On Aug. 10, 1821, Missouri was admitted as the 24th state in the Union. In 2021, the U.S. Postal Service celebrates the state’s bicentennial with a new stamp.

The first-day-of-issue event for the Missouri Statehood Forever stamp is free and open to the public. News of the stamp is being shared with the hashtags #MissouriStatehood, #MissouriStatehoodStamp and #Statehoodstamps.

WHO: Peter Pastre, vice president, Government Relations and Public Policy, U.S. Postal Service, will serve as dedicating official.

WHEN: Tuesday, Aug. 10, 2021, at 9 a.m. CDT

WHERE: Missouri State Capitol
201 W Capitol Ave.
Jefferson City, MO 65101

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

BACKGROUND: The westernmost state when it entered the Union in 1821, Missouri was a natural resting place for settlers before continuing their journey to claim lands acquired in the Louisiana Purchase of 1803.

With 91 state parks and historical sites and hundreds of conservation areas, Missouri has an abundance of places to enjoy hiking, camping, fishing and other activities. It boasts world-renowned public gardens, world-class museums, several National Historic Trails, and professional sports teams including baseball, football, soccer and ice hockey.

Missouri is home to great food and great music. Some of the country’s best blues music is performed in concerts and clubs across the state. Whether it is Kansas City or St. Louis-style, Missouri is famous for its barbecue.

The people of Missouri are said to be stalwart and noncredulous, unswayed by eloquent speeches and unconvinced without adequate evidence, hence the state nickname: The Show-Me State.

From the U.S. Postal Service announcement on November 17, 2020:From the USPS: The long-running series celebrating American lighthouses continues with five new stamps. The mid-Atlantic lighthouses featured in this issuance are: Thomas Point Shoal, MD; Montauk Point, NY; Harbor of Refuge, DE; Navesink, NJ; and Erie Harbor Pierhead, PA. The late Howard Koslow [Wikipedia entry] was the artist for these stamps as well as previous issuances in the Lighthouse series. Mid-Atlantic Lighthouses were the last stamps he illustrated for the Postal Service. The art director was Greg Breeding. [Koslow died in January 2016, so these designs have been “on the shelf” for a while.]

These stamps will be issued August 6th with a ceremony in Highlands, NJ.

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

Updated October 4th:
The Scott catalogue numbers for this issue are:
5621 Montauk Point Lighthouse
a. Imperforate
5622 Navesink Twin Lighthouses
a. Imperforate
5623 Erie Harbor Lighthouse
a. Imperforate
5624 Harbor of Refuge Lighthouse
a. Imperforate
5625 Thomas Point Shoal Lighthouse
a. Imperforate
b. Horiz. strip of 5, #5621-5625
c. Imperforate strip of 5, #5621a-5625a

Updated July 7th:
Here are the first-day postmarks for this issue:

The Digital Color Postmark for this issue measures 1.98″ x 1.46″ The pictorial postmark measures 1.83″ x 1.26″

Updated July 7th:
[ceremony information]
New Stamps Shine Light on Mid-Atlantic Lighthouses

WHAT: Lighthouses — with their beauty, mystery and aura of romance — have fascinated and enchanted people for centuries. The Postal Service continues to share in that tradition with Mid-Atlantic Lighthouses Forever stamps, the latest in its continuing series of popular lighthouse stamps.

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

WHO: Linda Malone, vice president of engineering systems, U.S. Postal Service

WHEN: Friday, Aug. 6, 2021, at noon ET

WHERE:
Twin Lights State Historic Site
2 Light House Road
Highlands, NJ 07732

RSVP: Dedication ceremony attendees are encouraged to RSVP at
usps.com/mid-atlanticlighthouses.

BACKGROUND: For three centuries, the beacons of America’s lighthouses have been guiding mariners through treacherous waters. Though the five mid-Atlantic lighthouses being recognized have a common purpose, each has its own unique story — and its own mysterious, eternal appeal.

Authorized by George Washington and completed in 1796, Montauk Point Lighthouse (New York) is one of the oldest lights in continuous operation in the United States.

Navesink (New Jersey) is one of only seven stations in the country to feature two lighthouse towers.

The tower of the Eric Harbor Pierhead Light (Pennsylvania) tapers from its base to its midsection, then rises straight from there to the top, the only lighthouse tower with this shape in the United States.

Harbor of Refuge Lighthouse (Delaware) has stood within the breakwater since 1926 and is still an active aid to navigation.

And located in the Chesapeake Bay (Maryland), the Thomas Point Shoal Lighthouse has withstood the elements since 1875.

The Mid-Atlantic Lighthouses 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 July 1st from the Postal Bulletin:
On August 6, 2021, in Highlands, NJ, the United States Postal Service® will issue the Mid-Atlantic Lighthouses stamps (Forever® priced at the First-Class Mail® rate) in five designs, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 20 stamps (Item 481000). These stamps will go on sale nationwide August 6, 2021, and must not be sold or canceled before the first-day-of-issue. The Mid-Atlantic Lighthouses pane of 20 stamps may not be split and the stamps may not be sold individually.

The Postal Service™ concludes its long-running series celebrating American lighthouses with five new stamps honoring mid-Atlantic lighthouses. Each stamp features an original acrylic painting of one of the following lighthouses:

• Thomas Point Shoal, Maryland;
• Montauk Point, New York;
• Harbor of Refuge, Delaware;
• Navesink, New Jersey; and
• Erie Harbor, Pennsylvania.

Howard Koslow (1924–2016) (right, undated photo from USPS) was the artist for these stamps as well as previous issuances in the Lighthouses series. Mid-Atlantic Lighthouses were the last stamps he illustrated for the Postal Service. Greg Breeding art directed the project.

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 – Mid-Atlantic Lighthouses 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 December 6, 2021.

Technical Specifications:

Issue: Mid-Atlantic Lighthouses Stamps
Item Number: 481000
Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail Forever
Format: Pane of 20 (5 designs)
Series: Lighthouses
Issue Date & City: August 6, 2021, Highlands, NJ 07732
Art Director: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
Designer: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
Artist Howard Koslow
Modeler: Sandra Lane / Michelle Finn
Manufacturing Process: Offset
Printer: Banknote Corporation of America
Press Type: Alprinta 74
Stamps per Pane: 20
Print Quantity: 40,000,000 stamps
Paper Type: Phosphor, Block Tag
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Colors: Black, Cyan, Magenta, Yellow
Stamp Orientation: Vertical
Image Area (w x h): 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 7.5 in. / 150.368 x 190.5 mm
Press Sheets Size (w x h): 11.84 x 22.5 in. / 300.736 X 571.5 mm
Plate Size: 240 stamps per revolution
Plate Number: “B” followed by four (4) single digits in bottom two corners
Marginal Markings:
Front: Header: Mid-Atlantic Lighthouses: Seventh In A Series • Plate number in bottom two corners
Back: ©2020 USPS • USPS logo • 2 barcodes (481000) • Plate position diagram (6) • Promotional text

Updated January 24th:
The grounds of the Twin Lights at Navesink, in Highlands, NJ, are open. The site is now a museum. Here is a link to the website.

It’s interesting that there are actually two lighthouses there, but the stamp design only shows one. They are not really “twins” or identical. According to its website, having two lights “gave the station a definite and decided character that helped distinguish it from the nearby Sandy Hook lighthouse and the Sandy Hook Lightship stationed offshore. When the present station was commissioned on May 1, 1862, the south tower contained a first order Fresnel lens that gave ships a warning of their approach to land. The north tower was lit by a lens of the second order, an indication to vessels they were coming up on a headland along the seacoast and the approach to a bay.”