From the National Park Service and ESPER:

On Tuesday, September 19, 2023, at 11 A.M. at the African Burial Ground National Monument, 290 Broadway, New York, New York, the U.S. National Park Service in collaboration with The Black Women’s Leadership Caucus, Inc. will host a Special Dedication and Unveiling of the Forever U.S. Postage Stamp of The Honorable Congressman John A. Lewis. The stamp celebrates the life and legacy of Congressman Lewis who spent more than 30 years in Congress and a lifetime defending our democracy – our civil rights.

The Rev. Al Sharpton is our keynote speaker. The program includes the U.S. Postal Service Color Guard, a member of the Metropolitan Opera, an aspiring spoken word artist and gift bags to the first 50 guests. Stamps and other John Lewis memorabilia will be available for purchase.

The event is free and open to the public, and no reservation is required. However, “Security at 290 Broadway is airport-like; travel light, no large bags,” says the National Park Service.

A recent question elsewhere was moved to this discussion.

Technically, the “Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp.”

The earlier Fish & Wildlife Service press release follows this information from the Postal Service. The Scott catalogue numbers are
RW90 $25 Tundra Swans Hunting Permit Stamp, self-adhesive
RW90A souvenir sheet of 1

From the Postal Bulletin:
On June 23, 2023, in Memphis, TN, the U.S. Department of the Interior will issue the $25 Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation stamp for the 2023–2024 waterfowl hunting season. The pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) stamp will go on sale nationwide June 23, 2023, and is valid through June 30, 2024.

No automatic distribution for the pane of one (336900)

The pane of 20 (337000) will only be sold by Stamp Fulfillment Services and by consignment by Amplex Corp.

Technical Specifications (Single-Stamp Pane):

Issue:-Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp
Item Number:-336900
Denomination & Type of Issue:-$25.00, Special
Format:-Pane of 1 (1 design)
Series:-Federal Duck
Issue Date & City:-June 23, 2023, Memphis, TN 38105
Art Director:-Suzanne Fellows, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Artist:-James Hautman
Modeler:-Joseph Sheeran
Manufacturing Process:-Offset, Flexographic, Microprint
Printer:-Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd (APU)
Press Type:-Muller A76
Stamps per Pane:-1
Print Quantity:-2,468,185 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):-1.7188 x 1.2656 in. / 43.658 x 32.146 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: 2023–2024 Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp • U.S Fish and Wildlife Service • 50th Anniversary of the Endangered Species Act • Informative text • Artist: James Hautman, Tundra Swans© • If applicable, sign your stamp.
Back:-Verso text • Ordering information • Barcode • U.S. Department of the Interior logo • U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service logo

Technical Specifications (Pane of 20):

Issue:-Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp
Item Number:-337000
Denomination & Type of Issue:-$25.00, Special
Format:-Pane of 20 (1 design)
Series:-Federal Duck
Issue Date & City:-June 23, 2023, Memphis, TN 38105
Art Director:-Suzanne Fellows, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Artist:-James Hautman
Modeler:-Joseph Sheeran
Manufacturing Process:-Offset, Flexographic, Microprint
Printer:-Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd (APU)
Press Type:-Muller A76
Stamps per Pane:-20
Print Quantity:-53,600 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):-1.7188 x 1.2656 in. / 43.658 x 32.146 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 four (4) single digits
Marginal Markings:
Front:-Selvage Text: “Artist: James Hautman” (4 locations) • “Department of the Interior 20 x $25.00” (2 locations) • Image of Swans printed in Black, Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Invisible Fluorescent • Plate number (4 corners)
Back:-Verso text behind each stamp • Four barcodes • Plate position (9)

[FWS press release] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions]
Minnesota Artist Joseph Hautman Wins 2022 Federal Duck Stamp Art Contest
Federal Duck Stamp Supports Wildlife ConservationJudges and Department of the Interior representatives show off the winner of this year’s duck stamp competition. Pictured are: (top row) Walter Rhodes, Suzanne Fellows, Jerome Ford, Jen Chin, Larry Mellinger; (bottom row) Sean Murtha, Marshall Johnson, Paul Schmidt, Richard Houk, Chris Nicolai

[from September 2022]

After two days of competition, Joseph Hautman of Plymouth, Minnesota, emerged as the winner of the 2022 Federal Duck Stamp Art Contest with his painting of three tundra swans flying over a wetland. The announcement was made via live stream at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Headquarters in Falls Church, Virginia. This is his sixth win of the prestigious contest.

Hautman’s acrylic painting [on the right] will be made into the 2023-2024 Federal Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp, or “Duck Stamp”, which will go on sale in late June 2023. 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.

Just this past week, the Migratory Bird Conservation Commission, chaired by Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland, approved the allocation of nearly $105 million with grants through the North American Wetlands Conservation Act and funds from the Migratory Bird Conservation Fund. The fund is 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.

“The Duck Stamp Contest is one of my very favorite events every year!” said Service Director Martha Williams. “I am always impressed with the caliber of the art submitted, and each and every entry reminds us of the beauty of the natural world the Duck Stamp is designed to protect. I encourage everyone to buy a Duck Stamp as it makes a real impact in conserving wetlands habitats for waterfowl and many other wildlife species.”

Since it was first established in 1934, sales of the Federal Duck Stamp to hunters, bird watchers, outdoor enthusiasts, and collectors have raised more than $1.1 billion to conserve over 6 million acres of habitat for birds and other wildlife and provide countless opportunities for wildlife-oriented recreation on our public lands.

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.

In addition to Joseph Hautman, Frank Mittelstadt of Beaver Dam, Wisconsin, placed second with his acrylic painting of tundra swans, and Robert Hautman of Delano, Minnesota, took third place with his acrylic painting of an American wigeon.

Of 187 entries judged in this year’s competition, 54 entries made it to the final round of judging. Eligible species for this year’s Federal Duck Stamp Contest were the tundra (whistling) swan, mottled duck, American green-winged teal, American wigeon, and Barrow’s goldeneye. View the online gallery of the 2022 Federal Duck Stamp Art Contest entries.

The judges for this year’s Federal Duck Stamp Contest were: Sean Murtha, artist; Richard Houk, philatelist; Marshall Johnson, conservation partner; Paul Schmidt, conservation partner; and Christopher Nicolai, waterfowl biologist and conservation partner.

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 purchase online.

Announced by the USPS on March 14^th. No issue date was given. (See May 31 entry.)

[press release] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions]
OSIRIS-REx Stamp Announced

The Postal Service has announced an additional stamp to its 2023 stamp program honoring NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission to deliver asteroid samples to Earth. OSIRIS-REx — a collaboration between NASA, the University of Arizona, and Lockheed Martin — exemplifies American ingenuity, perseverance, and teamwork. Details of the issue date and location are forthcoming.

With this new stamp, the U.S. Postal Service celebrates NASA’s seven-year OSIRIS-REx mission to study and map the asteroid Bennu and deliver a sample of the surface to Earth in September 2023. The sample will help scientists learn how the solar system formed.

OSIRIS-REx is an acronym for the mission’s goals: Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, and Security–Regolith Explorer. More simply, “Origins” refers to the study of the pristine carbon-rich material the spacecraft collected. “Spectral Interpretation” means measuring the composition of the asteroid. “Resource Identification” is assessing potential fuel, oxygen, water, and minerals on the asteroid. “Security” relates to scientists’ calculating the odds that Bennu might collide with Earth. The final part of the mission’s name, REx, is short for “Regolith Explorer,” and it refers to studying the regolith—or layer of loose material on the asteroid’s surface.

The OSIRIS-REx spacecraft, which is the size of a large passenger van, left Earth aboard a rocket launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida, on September 8, 2016. Once released from the rocket, it orbited the Sun for a year until it passed by Earth again. At that point, our planet’s gravity helped propel the spacecraft toward Bennu, which also orbits the Sun but at a different angle than Earth. Our planet and the asteroid come closest to each other every six years. After OSIRIS-REx arrived in the asteroid’s orbit, in December 2018, it got to work. With its special cameras and spectrometers, it began photographing and mapping Bennu’s surface to determine the best site from which to collect samples.  [Below left] Scientists were surprised to learn, from the photographs the spacecraft sent back, that the asteroid’s surface was much different from what they had expected. Instead of being relatively smooth, it was rocky and cratered, so finding a sample-collection site posed challenges. Eventually they chose a site about the size of a tennis court, located in a crater.

The time for the rendezvous arrived in October 2020. To carry out its task, the spacecraft did not actually land on the asteroid but instead slowly descended toward the surface and extended a robotic arm. A collection device at the hand-end of the arm then released a sudden puff of nitrogen gas that sent up a cloud of dust and rocks from Bennu’s surface. More than two ounces of these materials were captured in a special container in the

OSIRIS-REx stowing samples. (Courtesy NASA)

collection device, which then closed and retracted into the spacecraft. Even though this seems like a miniscule amount considering the effort involved, it’s the largest sample ever collected from an asteroid, and the first asteroid sample by the United States.

On May 10, 2021, OSIRIS-REx began its flight back toward Earth. Its container of asteroid dust and rocks, enclosed in a special capsule, is expected to parachute down to the Utah desert on Sept. 24, 2023.

The OSIRIS-REx pane of 20 stamps will be issued as Forever stamps. Forever stamps will always be equal in value to the current First-Class Mail 1 ounce price. News of the OSIRIS-REx stamp is being shared with the hashtag #OsirisRexStamp.

The latest information will be posted below the line, the most-recent at the top.

Updated November 7:
The Scott catalogue number for this issues is 5820.

Updated September 8:
Here are the first-day postmarks for this issue:The Digital Color Postmark measures 2.57″ x 1.20″The Pictorial Postmark measures 2.75″ x 1.24″

Updated August 19:
[ceremony details] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions]
U.S. Postal Service to Issue OSIRIS-REx Stamp

What: The U.S. Postal Service will commemorate NASA’s OSIRIS-REx spacecraft and the samples of the asteroid Bennu that it will deliver to Earth in September 2023.

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

Who: Robert Raines, Business Solutions vice president, U.S. Postal Service

Lori Glaze, Planetary Science Division director, NASA

Michael Puzio, Engineering student who named the asteroid Bennu in 2013 at age 8.

When: Friday, Sept. 22, at 11 a.m. MDT

Where:
Clark Planetarium
110 S 400 W
Salt Lake City, UT 84101

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

Background: This new 20-stamp pane from the U.S. Postal Service celebrates NASA’s seven-year OSIRIS-REx mission to study and map the asteroid Bennu and return a sample of the surface to Earth in September 2023. This is the first pristine sample of an asteroid collected by the United States, and it will help scientists learn how our solar system formed.

The stamp artwork shows the capsule containing the sample parachuting to the Utah Test and Training Range, a U.S. Department of Defense facility in the desert. A depiction of Bennu’s surface appears at the bottom of the pane’s selvage with outer space above — deep blue and dappled with celestial bodies. A view of the asteroid is in the upper right corner.

OSIRIS-REx left Earth aboard a rocket launched from Cape Canaveral, FL, on Sept. 8, 2016, then orbited the sun for a year before passing close to Earth for a gravity assist. The spacecraft arrived in the asteroid’s vicinity in December 2018 and got to work. With its special cameras and spectrometers, it began photographing and mapping Bennu’s surface to determine the best site from which to collect samples.

The time for the rendezvous arrived in October 2020. To carry out its task, the spacecraft did not actually land on the asteroid but instead slowly descended toward the surface and extended a robotic arm. A collection device at the hand-end of the arm then released a sudden puff of nitrogen gas that sent up a cloud of dust and rocks from Bennu’s surface. More than 2 ounces of these materials were captured in a special container in the collection device, which then closed and retracted into the spacecraft. On May 10, 2021, OSIRIS-REx began its flight back toward Earth. Its container of asteroid dust and rocks, enclosed in a special capsule, will parachute to the Utah desert on Sept. 24, 2023.

Alan Dingman illustrated the stamp and pane, basing his work on images supplied by NASA. Antonio Alcalá, an art director for USPS, designed the stamp and pane.

The OSIRIS-REx stamp is being issued as a Forever stamp, which will always be equal in value to the current First-Class Mail 1-ounce rate.

From the Postal Bulletin:

On September 22, 2023, in Salt Lake City, UT, the United States Postal Service® will issue the OSIRIS-REx stamp (Forever® priced at the First-Class Mail® rate) in one design, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 20 stamps (Item 484200). This stamp will go on sale nationwide September 22, 2023, and must not be sold or canceled before the first-day-of-issue.

This new stamp celebrates NASA’s 7-year OSIRIS-REx mission to study and map the asteroid Bennu and return a sample of its surface to Earth in September 2023. The sample will help scientists learn how our solar system formed. The stamp artwork shows the capsule containing the sample parachuting to the Utah Test and Training Range in the desert. A depiction of Bennu’s surface appears at the bottom of the pane’s selvage with outer space above. A view of the asteroid is in the upper-right corner.

Along the left side of the pane are four images that illustrate crucial milestones in OSIRIS-REx’s mission. On the reverse side of the pane is text courtesy of NASA that describes the OSIRIS-REx mission and explains each image. Art director Antonio Alcalá designed the stamp and pane with illustrations by Alan Dingman, who based his work on images supplied by NASA.

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 store.usps.com/store/home. 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 – OSIRIS-REx 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 22, 2024.

Technical Specifications:

Issue: OSIRIS-REx Stamp
Item Number: 484200
Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail Forever
Format: Pane of 20 (1 design)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: September 22, 2023, Salt Lake City, UT 84199
Art Director: Antonio Alcalá, Alexandria, VA
Designer: Antonio Alcalá, Alexandria, VA
Artist: Alan Dingman
Modeler: Joseph Sheeran
Manufacturing Process: Offset, Microprint
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 Tagged
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Colors: Black, Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Pantone Warm Grey 2
Stamp Orientation: Vertical
Image Area (w x h): 0.84 x 1.42 in / 21.336 x 36.068 mm
Overall Size (w x h): 0.98 x 1.56 in / 24.892 x 39.624 mm
Full Pane Size (w x h): 7.50 x 8.50 in / 109.50 x 215.90 mm
Press Sheets Size (w x h): 23.00 x 26.00 in / 584.20 x 660.40 mm
Plate Size: 180 stamps per revolution
Plate Number: “P” followed by five (5) single digits in two corners
Marginal Markings:
Front: Header: “OSIRIS-REx” • Mission to Asteroid Bennu and Return to Earth • Plate number in bottom 2 corners
Back: ©2023 USPS • USPS logo • Two barcodes (484200) • Plate position diagram (9) • Promotional text • Verso text

Updated May 31:
This stamp will be issued Friday, September 22nd, in Salt Lake City.

A quick list:

Women’s Soccer February 16 Orlando FL 32862
$10 Floral Geometry (no national ceremony) February 24 San Diego CA 92199
Patriotic Block (nonprofit org.) (no national ceremony) March 1 Liberty NY 12754
Toni Morrison March 7 Princeton NJ 08540
Railroad Stations March 9 Cincinnati OH 45234
Art of the Skateboard March 24 Phoenix AZ 85026
Tulip Blossoms April 5 Woodburn OR 97071
Roy Lichtenstein April 24 New York NY 10199
Tomie dePaola May 5 Manchester NH 03103
Chief Standing Bear May 12 Lincoln NE 68501
Endangered Species May 19 Wall SD 57790

If you’re wondering why some of these were chosen

• The U.S.Women’s National (soccer) Team will play Canada in the “SHEBELIEVES” Cup on that date in Orlando.
• Toni Morrison was associated with Princeton University from 1989 to 2006.
• The Union Terminal is one of the railroad stations featured.
• PHXAM (some sort of skateboard competition) begin on that date there.
• The Wooden Shoe Tulip Festival will be held there March 17 – April 30.
• Lichtenstein‘s studio in New York is being refurbished by the Whitney Museum.
• The Currier Museum in Manchester showcases dePaola‘s work.
• Chief Standing Bear won one of the first major civil rights cases in the Nebraska capital.
• A National Forest Service visitors center features exhibits about grassland wildlife and plants and, presumably, endangered species.

Click on the links for more information about those specific issues.

This issue was announced by the USPS on December 13^th:

These stamps reveal life on Earth like many have never seen it. Twenty stamps feature 20 different images taken with microscopes and highly specialized photographic techniques that capture details of life undetectable by the human eye. The images show the phenomena of life in exquisitely fine detail. While stunning on their own as works of art, these images also hold scientific significance. Art director Derry Noyes designed the stamps using existing photographs.

We will post additional information as we get it below the line, with the most recent information at the top.

Updated September 5^th:
Here are the Scott catalogue numbers for this issue:
5802 Life Magnified pane of 20
a. (66¢) Red blood cells
b. (66¢) Macaw parrot feather
c. (66¢) Human hair
d. (66¢) Moss leaves
e. (66¢) Arranged diatoms
f. (66¢) Freshwater protozoans
g. (66¢) Acorn barnacle
h. (66¢) Moth antenna
i. (66¢) Diving beetle front foot
j. (66¢) Mouse brain neurons
k. (66¢) Starling bone tissue
l. (66¢) Moth wing scales
m. (66¢) Zebrafish
n. (66¢) Mushroom gills
o. (66¢) Freshwater snail tongue
p. (66¢) Blue button organism
q. (66¢) Mold spores
r. (66¢) Barnacle legs
s. (66¢) Flame lily pollen
t. (66¢) Oak leaf surface

Updated August 11^th:
APS’ Ken Martin speaks during the first-day ceremony:Updated July 11^th:
Here are the first-day postmarks for this issue:The Digital Color Postmark measures 2.73″ x 1.06″.The Pictorial Postmark measures 2.75″ x 1.08″This is the Great American Stamp Show Postmark for August 10th.This is the Americover show postmark for August 10th.

Updated July 7^th:

[press release] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions]
Postal Service to Release Life Magnified Stamps

What: The U.S. Postal Service will commemorate the beauty of the microscopic world with 20 new stamps featuring otherworldly images of some of the smallest components of life as we know it.

The first-day-of-issue event for the Life Magnified Forever stamps will be held at theGreat American Stamp Show in partnership with the American Philatelic Society. The ceremony is free and open to the public. News of the stamp is being shared with the hashtag #LifeMagnifiedStamps.

Who: Luke Grossmann, senior vice president, Finance and Strategy, United States Postal Service
When: Thursday, Aug. 10, 2023, at 11 a.m. EDT

Where:
The Great American Stamp Show
Huntington Convention Center of Cleveland — Hall C
300 Lakeside Ave. ∙ Cleveland, OH 44113

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

Background: For hundreds of years, scientists have held deep fascination with making the invisible elements of our world visible. Development of more refined and precise microscopes over several centuries brought smaller and smaller components of life into focus. By the 20th century, microscopes had become ubiquitous in laboratories across the country and around the globe. Electron microscopes are now essential tools in a variety of scientific fields.

The images that result from microscope-based research show, in exquisitely fine detail, the phenomena of life. While stunning on their own as works of art, these images also hold scientific significance.

Microscopists, both professional and amateur, use a variety of techniques to capture the beauty of their subjects.

Derry Noyes, an art director with USPS, designed the stamps and the stamp pane using existing photographs.

The Life Magnified stamps are being issued as Forever® stamps. These Forever stamps will always be equal in value to the current First-Class Mail® one-ounce price

Updated June 29^th from the Postal Bulletin:
On August 10, 2023, in Cleveland, OH, the United States Postal Service® will issue the Life Magnified stamps (Forever® priced at the First-Class Mail® rate) in 20 designs, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 20 stamps (Item 484000). These stamps will go on sale nationwide August 10, 2023, and must not be sold or canceled before the first-day-of-issue. The Life Magnified commemorative pane of 20 stamps must not be split and the stamps must not be sold individually.

The Life Magnified stamps explore life on Earth, as few have ever seen it. Twenty stamps feature different images taken with microscopes and highly specialized photographic techniques that capture details of life undetectable by the human eye. Each stamp includes the name of the specimen that is showcased. Art director Derry Noyes designed the stamps and the stamp pane using existing photographs.

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 store.usps.com/store/home. 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 – Life Magnified 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 10, 2023.

Technical Specifications:

Issue: Life Magnified Stamps
Item Number: 484000
Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail Forever
Format: Pane of 20 (20 designs)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: August 10, 2023, Cleveland, OH 44101
Art Director: Derry Noyes, Washington, DC
Designer: Derry Noyes, Washington, DC
Existing Photo: Don Komarechka
Existing Photo: David Liittschwager
Existing Photos: Tagide deCarvalho
Existing Photos: Charles Krebs
Existing Photos: Igor Siwanowicz
Existing Photos: Steve Gschmeissner
Existing Photos: Dennis Kunkel
Existing Photos: Jason Kirk
Modeler: Sandra Lane / Michelle Finn
Manufacturing Process: Offset, Flexographic
Printer: Banknote Corporation of America
Press Type: Gallus RCS
Stamps per Pane: 20
Print Quantity: 32,000,000 stamps
Paper Type: Phosphor Tagged Paper, Block
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Colors: Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black
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): 7.25 x 7.25 in / 184.150 x 184.150 mm
Press Sheets Size (w x h): 14.75 x 22.25 in / 374.65 x 565.15 mm
Plate Size: 120 stamps per revolution
Plate Number: “B” followed by four (4) single digits in two corners
Marginal Markings:
Front: Header: Life Magnified • Plate number in bottom two corners
Back: ©2022 USPS • USPS logo • Two barcodes (484000) • Plate position diagram (6) • Promotional text

Updated December 20^th:
The American Philatelic Society says these stamps will be issued at its Great American Stamp Show on the first day of the show, Thursday, August 10.

This issue was announced by the USPS on December 13^th:

Four new Presorted First-Class Mail stamps will be available for purchase by bulk mail users in coils of 3,000 and 10,000. The stamps feature existing photographs of four different bridges that range from modern to historic, pedestrian to car-carrying, but all are important landmarks in their communities. They are the Arrigoni Bridge in Middletown, CT; the Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge in Omaha, NE; the Skydance Bridge in Oklahoma City; and the Iowa-Illinois Memorial Bridge in Bettendorf, IA, and Moline, IL. Art director Ethel Kessler designed the stamps with existing photographs.

We will post additional information as we get it below the line, with the most recent information at the top.

Updated October 3^rd:
Here are the Scott catalogue numbers for this issue:
5808 (25¢) Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge
5809 (25¢) Skydance Bridge
5810 (25¢) Iowa-Illinois Memorial Bridge
5811 (25¢) Arrigoni Bridge
a. Horiz. coil strip of 4, #5808-5811

Updated August 24^th:
The location of the first day ceremony sponsored by the Connecticut Cover Club for the Bridges Presorted First Class stamps has changed to the Brownstone Intermediate School, 314 Main Street, Portland, CT. Over 150 people RSVPed for the ceremony; this exceeds the capacity of the Portland Senior Center, the planned location. The ceremony starts at 11AM.

Updated July 13^th:
Here is the first-day postmark for this issue:

From the Postal Bulletin:

On August 24, 2023, in Portland, CT, the United States Postal Service® will issue the non-denominated, Presorted First-Class Mail® rate (25-cent value) Bridges stamps in four designs, in pressure-sensitive adhesive coils of 3,000 (Item 751600) and 10,000 (Item 761800). These stamps will go on sale nationwide August 24, 2023, and must not be sold or canceled before the first-day-of-issue.

The Bridges stamp issuance features photographs of four bridges, ranging from modern to historic and pedestrian to car-carrying. All are important landmarks in their communities:

• Arrigoni Bridge connecting Middletown and Portland, CT;
• Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge between Council Bluffs, IA, and Omaha, NE;
• Skydance Bridge in Oklahoma City, OK; and
• Iowa-Illinois Memorial Bridge connecting Bettendorf, IA, and Moline, IL.

These stamps, intended for bulk mail users, will be issued in coils. Art director Ethel Kessler designed the stamps with existing photographs.

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. Each cover must have sufficient postage to meet First-Class Mail requirements. They may purchase new stamps at their local Post Office™ or at The Postal Store® website at store.usps.com/store/home. 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 – Bridges 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 24, 2023.

Technical Specifications – Coil of 3,000:

Issue: Bridges Stamps
Item Number: 751600
Denomination & Type of Issue: Non-denominated, Presorted First-Class Mail Rate
Format: Coil of 3,000 (4 designs)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: August 24, 2023, Portland, CT 06480
Art Director: Ethel Kessler, Bethesda, MD
Designer: Ethel Kessler, Bethesda, MD
Existing Photo: Kyle Henderson
Existing Photo: Christina Woods
Existing Photo: MILLER + MILLER Architectural Photography
Existing Photo: Joe Gowac
Modeler: Joseph Sheeran
Manufacturing Process: Offset
Printer: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd (APU)
Press Type: Muller A76
Stamps per Coil: 3,000
Print Quantity: 20,100,000
Paper Type: Nonphosphored Type III, Block Tagged
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Colors: Black, Cyan, Magenta, Yellow
Stamp Orientation: Vertical
Image Area (w x h): 0.73 x 0.84 in / 18.542 x 21.336 mm
Stamp Size (w x h): 0.87 x 0.98 in / 22.098 x 24.892 mm
Plate Size: 594 stamps per revolution
Plate Numbers: “P” followed by four (4) single digits
Coil Number Frequency: Plate numbers every 27th stamp below stamp image

Technical Specifications – Coil of 10,000:

Issue: Bridges Stamps
Item Number: 761800
Denomination & Type of Issue: Non-denominated, Presorted First-Class Mail Rate
Format: Coil of 10,000 (4 designs)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: August 24, 2023, Portland, CT 06480
Art Director: Ethel Kessler, Bethesda, MD
Designer: Ethel Kessler, Bethesda, MD
Existing Photo: Kyle Henderson
Existing Photo: Christina Woods
Existing Photo: MILLER + MILLER Architectural Photography
Existing Photo: Joe Gowac
Modeler: Joseph Sheeran
Manufacturing Process: Offset
Printer: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd (APU)
Press Type: Muller A76
Stamps per Coil: 10,000
Print Quantity: 600,000,000
Paper Type: Nonphosphored Type III, Block Tagged
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Colors: Black, Cyan, Magenta, Yellow
Stamp Orientation: Vertical
Image Area (w x h): 0.73 x 0.84 in / 18.542 x 21.336 mm
Stamp Size (w x h): 0.87 x 0.98 in / 22.098 x 24.892 mm
Plate Size: 594 stamps per revolution
Plate Numbers: “P” followed by four (4) single digits
Coil Number Frequency: Plate numbers every 27th stamp below stamp image

Updated March 14^th:
The issue date is August 24th in Portland, Connecticut, less than half a mile from the eastern side of the Arrigoni Bridge and about 14 miles south of Hartford. There will be no “headquarters” first-day ceremony for this issue.

This issue was announced by the USPS on December 13^th:

The Northern Cardinal stamped envelope showcases one of the most beloved and popular songbirds native to North America. The art features a male cardinal, immediately recognizable by its crimson-colored feathers and black facial markings. Art director Antonio Alcalá designed the stamped envelope with Kandis Vermeer Phillips’s highly realistic illustration.

We will post additional information as we get it below the line, with the most recent information at the top.

Updated August 7^th:
The Scott catalogue number for this issue is U702

Updated June 4^th:
This is the only first-day postmark for this issue:Updated June 1^st:
On July 9, 2023, in Bird City, KS, the United States Postal Service® will issue the Northern Cardinal stamped envelope (Forever® priced at the First-Class Mail® rate).

The Northern Cardinal stamped envelope celebrates a much-loved songbird. The highly realistic stamp art features an illustration of a northern cardinal perching on the branch of an evergreen tree. Art director Antonio Alcalá designed the stamped envelope, using an illustration by artist Kandis Vermeer Phillips.

The pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) Northern Cardinal stamped envelope will be available in the following formats in the field and through Stamp Fulfillment Services:

• #10 regular envelope (Item 292500)
• #10 window envelope (Item 292600)
• #9 regular security envelope (Item 293300)
• #9 window security envelope (Item 293400)
• #6-¾ regular envelope (Item 281500)
• #6-¾ window envelope (Item 281600)

The water-activated gum (WAG) Northern Cardinal stamped envelope will be available in the following formats only through Stamp Fulfillment Services at store.usps.com/store/home or by calling 844-737-7826:

• #10 regular envelope (Item 293500)
• #10 window envelope (Item 293600)
• #9 regular security envelope (Item 293700)
• #6-¾ regular envelope (Item 281700)

Priced at 85¢ (66¢ Forever rate + 19¢ surcharge). No automatic distribution.

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

FDOI – Northern Cardinal Stamped Envelope
USPS Stamp Fulfillment Services
8300 NE Underground Drive, Suite 300
Kansas City, MO 64144-9900

After applying the first-day-of-issue postmark, the Postal Service™ will return the envelopes through the mail. There is no charge for the postmark up to a quantity of 50. There is a 5-cent charge for each additional postmark over 50. All orders must be postmarked by November 9, 2023.

Technical Specifications: (all)
Issue: Northern Cardinal Stamped Envelope
Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Stamped Envelope (Forever)
Issue Date & City: July 9, 2023, Bird City, KS 67731
Art Director: Antonio Alcalá, Alexandria, VA
Designer: Antonio Alcalá, Alexandria, VA
Artist: Kandis Vermeer Phillips, Gaithersburg, MD
Modeler: Joseph Sheeran
Manufacturing Process: Offset, Flexographic, Microprint
Printer: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
Press Type: Halm Jet EM4000
Folding Machine: W&D #527
Print Quantity: Fulfillment
Paper Type: 61# Postal Envelope, Block, Type III
Colors: Black, Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, PMS 339 Green
Marginal Markings: FOREST STEWARDSHIP COUNCIL logo • “THIS ENVELOPE IS RECYCLABLE AND MADE WITH 30% POST CONSUMER CONTENT” • Recycling logo • ©USPS 2022

Specific Sizes and Configurations:
Item Number: 292500
Format: #10 Regular Envelope
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Processed at: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
Envelope Orientation: Horizontal
Envelope Size: (w x h): 9.5 x 4.125 in / 241.3 x 104.775 mm
Image Size (w x h): 1.845 x 1.448 in / 48.863 x 36.779 mm

Item Number: 292600
Format: #10 Window Envelope
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Processed at: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
Envelope Orientation: Horizontal
Envelope Size: (w x h): 9.5 x 4.125 in / 241.3 x 104.775 mm
Image Size (w x h): 1.845 x 1.448 in / 46.863 x 36.779 mm

Item Number: 293300
Format: #9 Regular Security Envelope
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Processed at: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
Envelope Orientation: Horizontal
Envelope Size: (w x h): 8.875 x 3.875 in / 225.425 x 98.425 mm
Image Size (w x h): 1.845 x 1.448 in / 46.863 x 36.779 mm

Item Number: 293400
Format: #9 Window Security Envelope
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Processed at: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
Envelope Orientation: Horizontal
Envelope Size: (w x h): 8.875 x 3.875 in / 225.425 x 98.425 mm
Image Size (w x h): 1.845 x 1.448 in / 46.863 x 36.779 mm

Item Number: 281500
Format: #6¾ Regular Envelope
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Processed at: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
Envelope Orientation: Horizontal
Envelope Size: (w x h): 6.5 x 3.625 in / 165.1 x 92.075 mm
Image Size (w x h): 1.845 x 1.394 in / 46.863 x 34.408 mm

Item Number: 281600
Format: #6¾ Window Envelope
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Processed at: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
Envelope Orientation: Horizontal
Envelope Size: (w x h): 6.5 x 3.625 in / 165.1 x 92.075 mm
Image Size (w x h): 1.845 x 1.394 in / 46.863 x 34.408 mm

Item Number: 293500
Format: #10 Regular Envelope
Adhesive Type: Water-activated
Processed at: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
Envelope Orientation: Horizontal
Envelope Size: (w x h): 9.5 x 4.125 in / 241.3 x 104.775 mm
Image Size (w x h): 1.845 x 1.448 in / 46.863 x 36.779 mm

Item Number: 293600
Format: #10 Window Envelope
Adhesive Type: Water-activated
Processed at: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
Envelope Orientation: Horizontal
Envelope Size: (w x h): 9.5 x 4.125 in / 241.3 x 104.775 mm
Image Size (w x h): 1.845 x 1.448 in / 46.863 x 36.779 mm

Item Number: 293700
Format: #9 Regular Security Envelope
Adhesive Type: Water-activated
Processed at: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
Envelope Orientation: Horizontal
Envelope Size: (w x h): 8.875 x 3.875 in / 225.425 x 98.425 mm
Image Size (w x h): 1.845 x 1.448 in / 46.863 x 36.779 mm

Item Number: 281700
Format: #6¾ Regular Envelope
Adhesive Type: Water-activated
Processed at: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
Envelope Orientation: Horizontal
Envelope Size: (w x h): 6.5 x 3.625 in / 165.1 x 92.075 mm
Image Size (w x h): 1.845 x 1.394 in / 46.863 x 34.408 mm

Updated April 3^rd:
This “indicia” will be available in 10 formats:

Updated March 14^th:
The issue date is Sunday, July 9th in Bird City, KS. There will be no first-day ceremony.

This issue was announced by the USPS on December 13^th:

This stamp honors prolific children’s book author and illustrator Tomie dePaola (1934-2020), whose extraordinarily varied body of work encompasses folktales and legends, informational books, religious and holiday stories, and touching autobiographical tales. The stamp art features a detail from the cover of “Strega Nona” (1975), the Caldecott Honor winning first book in the series. Set in southern Italy, the gently humorous story focuses on Strega Nona, “Grandma Witch,” who uses magic to help with matters of the heart and to cure her neighbors’ ills. Art director Derry Noyes designed the stamp with Tomie dePaola’s original art.

We will post additional information as we get it below the line, with the most recent information at the top.

Updated June 6^th:
The Scott catalogue number for this issue is 5797 and 5797a for the imperforate version.

Updated March 24^th from the Postal Bulletin:
On May 5, 2023, in Manchester, NH, the United States Postal Service® will issue the Tomie dePaola stamp (Forever® priced at the First-Class Mail® rate) in one design, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 20 stamps (Item 483600). This stamp will go on sale nationwide May 5, 2023, and must not be sold or canceled before the first-day-of-issue.

This stamp honors prolific children’s book author and illustrator Tomie dePaola (1934–2020), whose extraordinarily varied body of work encompasses folktales and legends, informational books, religious and holiday stories, and touching autobiographical tales. The stamp art features a detail from the cover of Strega Nona (1975), the Caldecott Honor-winning first book in the series. The story focuses on Strega Nona, “Grandma Witch,” who uses magic to help with matters of the heart and to cure her neighbors’ ills. The cover shows Strega Nona carrying her magic pasta pot. Art director Derry Noyes designed the stamp with Tomie dePaola‘s original art.

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 store.usps.com/store/home. 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 – Tomie dePaola 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 September 5, 2023.

Technical Specifications:

Issue: Tomie dePaola Stamp
Item Number: 483600
Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail Forever
Format: Pane of 20 (1 design)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: May 5, 2023, Manchester, NH, 03103
Art Director: Derry Noyes, Washington, DC
Designer: Derry Noyes, Washington, DC
Existing Art: Tomie dePaola
Modeler: Ty Schroeder
Manufacturing Process: Offset, Microprint
Printer: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd (APU)
Press Type: Muller A76
Stamps per Pane: 20
Print Quantity: 22,000,000 stamps
Paper Type: Nonphosphored Type III, Block Tagged
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Colors: Black, Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Pantone 7584C, Pantone 624C
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): 7.24 x 7.90 in / 183.896 x 200.66 mm
Press Sheets Size (w x h): 22.75 x 27 in / 577.85 x 685.80 mm
Plate Size: 180 stamps per revolution
Plate Number: “P” followed by six (6) single digits in two corners
Marginal Markings:
Front: Header: Tomie • Plate number in bottom 2 corners
Back: ©2022 USPS • USPS logo • Two barcodes (483600) • Plate position diagram (9) • Promotional text

Here are the first-day postmarks for this issue: The Digital Color Postmark measures 2.87″ x 1.48″ The pictorial postmark measures 2.53″ x 1.48″

Updated March 22^nd:
[ceremony details] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions]
USPS Celebrates Award-Winning Children’s Book Author and Illustrator Tomie dePaola

What: The U.S. Postal Service will honor prolific children’s book author and illustrator Tomie dePaola with the issuance of a Forever stamp.

The first-day-of-issue event for the stamp is free and open to the public. News of the release is being shared with the hashtag #TomiedePaolastamp.

Who: Steve Monteith, chief customer and marketing officer and executive vice president, U.S. Postal Service, will serve as dedicating official.

Alan Chong, director and chief executive officer, Currier Museum of Art

Dr. Susan Lynch, former first lady of New Hampshire

Jon Anderson, president, Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers and
publisher of Strega Nona

Erin Fehlau, WMUR-TV anchor

Sarah Mackenzie, founder, Read Aloud Revival

When: Friday, May 5, 2023, at 11 a.m. ET

Where:
Currier Museum of Art
150 Ash St.
Manchester, NH 03104

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

Background: This stamp honors Tomie dePaola (1934–2020), whose extraordinarily varied body of work encompasses folk tales and legends, informational books, religious and holiday stories, and touching autobiographical accounts. His illustrations are immediately recognizable by their clean, bold lines and uncomplicated shapes. Deceptively simple, dePaola’s stories contain layers of emotional meaning and appeal to readers of all ages.

The stamp art features a detail from the cover of “Strega Nona” (1975), a Caldecott Honor Book and the first in a popular series. The title character, “Grandma Witch” in Italian, uses magic to cure her neighbors’ ills and to help with matters of the heart. The stamp image shows her carrying her magic pasta pot.

Derry Noyes, an art director for USPS, designed the stamp with dePaola’s original art.

Updated January 10^th:
This stamp will be issued Friday, May 5, in Manchester, NH. The Currier Museum of Art here has a number of his works in its collection and has established The Tomie dePaola Art Education Fund to support art education for young people.

This issue was announced by the USPS on December 13^th:

Spanning some 2 million acres in southern Florida, from Lake Okeechobee to Florida Bay, the Everglades is one of the largest wetlands in the world and the most significant breeding ground for tropical wading birds in North America. This new Priority Mail stamp celebrates the Florida Everglades with stamp art that shows a sawgrass marsh as seen at sunset from the edge of a cypress dome. Designed by art director Greg Breeding, the stamp showcases a digital illustration by Dan Cosgrove. The Florida Everglades Priority Mail stamp will be issued in Homestead, FL, on Jan. 22 without a ceremony.

We will post additional information as we get it below the line, with the most recent information at the top.

Updated March 7^th:
The Scott catalogue number for this issue is 5751

Updated December 29^th:
Here are the first-day postmarks for this issue:The Digital Color Postmark measures 2.98″ x 1.27″ The only B&W postmark available for this issue is the FDOI “Killer Bars” one.

 Updated November 30^th:
This stamp will be issued Sunday, January 22, in Homestead, FL, without a ceremony. Homestead’s post office is not open on Sundays.