November 13th: From the USPS:

The Wilt Chamberlain Forever stamps will be dedicated during halftime at center court of the Dec. 5 Philadelphia 76ers/Oklahoma Thunder game that starts at 7 p.m. ET. The stamp ceremony is not open to the public but the Postal Service has obtained a limited number of free tickets available on a first-come, first-served basis by emailing NationalEvents@usps.gov before Mon. Nov. 24 at 2 p.m. ET. One ticket per email request. Tickets are not transferrable once confirmed. Additional tickets may be purchased at www.sixers.com

The game takes place at:

The Wells Fargo Center
3601 S. Broad St.
Philadelphia, PA 19148

Stamp sales will be available inside and outside of the Wells Fargo Center along with First-Day covers and other philatelic (stamp collecting) products.

There will not be an autograph session due to logistical challenges.

October 30th – From the Postal Bulletin (first day postmarks follow this entry):

On December 5, 2014, in Philadelphia, PA, the U.S. Postal Service® will issue the Wilt Chamberlain stamps, in two designs, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 18 stamps (Item 472400).

The stamps will go on sale nationwide December 5, 2014.

This year, the U.S. Postal Service celebrates the life of basketball superstar Wilt Chamberlain (1936–1999). The 7-foot-1-inch center set a plethora of records and, as a pro, led his teams to two NBA championships. Two new stamps feature portraits of Chamberlain by artist Kadir Nelson. One stamp portrays Chamberlain in a Philadelphia Warriors uniform, and the other stamp shows him in a Los Angeles Lakers uniform. The selvage features photographer Ken Regan’s image of Chamberlain in a Philadelphia 76ers uniform. Art director Antonio Alcalá designed the stamps and pane.

How to Order the First-Day-of-Issue Postmark:
Customers have 60 days to obtain the first-day-of-issue postmark by mail. They may purchase new stamps at their local Post Office, at The Postal Store® website at http://www.usps.com/shop, or by calling 800-STAMP-24. They should affix the stamps to envelopes of their choice, address the envelopes (to themselves or others), and place them in a larger envelope addressed to:

Wilt Chamberlain Stamps
Retail Manager
Philadelphia Metropolitan District
3190 South 70th Street
Philadelphia, PA 19153-3244

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. For more than 50, customers have to pay five cents each. All orders must be postmarked by February 3, 2015.

There are nine philatelic products for this stamp issue:

472406, Press Sheet w/Die cut, $70.56, (print quantity 1,000).
472408, Press Sheet w/o Die cut, $70.56, (print quantity 1,500).
472410 Digital Color Postmark Keepsake, set of 2, $12.95.
472416 First-Day Cover, set of 2, $1.86.
472421 Digital Color Postmark, set of 2, $3.28.
472424 Framed Art, $39.95.
472430 Ceremony Program, $6.95.
472431 Stamp Deck Card, $0.95.
472432 Stamp Deck Card w/ Digital Color Postmark, $1.99.

Technical Specifications:

Issue: Wilt Chamberlain Stamps
Item Number: 472400
Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail Forever®
Format: Pane of 18 (2 design)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: December 5, 2014, Philadelphia, 
PA 19153
Designer: Antonio Alcalá, Alexandria, VA
Art Director: Antonio Alcalá, Alexandria, VA
Typographer: Antonio Alcalá, Alexandria, VA
Artist: Kadir Nelson, San Diego, CA
Modeler: Donald Woo
Manufacturing Process: Offset, Microprint
Printer: Banknote Corporation of America/SSP
Printed at: Browns Summit, NC
Press Type: Alprinta 74
Stamps per Pane: 18
Print Quantity: 50 million stamps
Paper Type: Phosphor Tagged Paper
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive adhesive
Processed at: Banknote Corporation of America, Browns Summit SC
Colors: Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black
Stamp Orientation: Vertical
Image Area (w x h): 0.84 x 1.93 in./21.34 x 48.97 mm
Overall Size (w x h): 0.98 x 2.07 in./24.89 x 52.52 mm
Full Pane Size (w x h): 9.25 x 6.88 in./234.95 x 174.63 mm
Press Sheets Size (w x h): 18.5 x 27.5 in./469.90 x 698.50 mm
Plate Size: 144 stamps per revolution
Plate Numbers: “S” followed by four (4) single digits
Marginal Markings: © 2014 USPS • USPS logo • Plate position diagram • UPC Code 
• Promotional text • NBA Information • Wilt Chamberlain bio.

First day postmarks:

DCP Size: 1.81″ x 1.46″

Black & White Pictorial Size: 2.73″ x 1.23″

October 16th: The first day ceremony for Wilt Chamberlain during halftime of the 76ers game will be short, because the teams get half the halftime to warm up for the second half.

Also, there will be a dedication ceremony on December 10th at Overbrook High School in Philadelphia, where Chamberlain went to school. It will start at 2 p.m. and there will be a special postmark. The school’s website gives the address as 5898 Lancaster Avenue.

October 1st: Stamp designs and details added. Note the issue date: December 5th at a Sixers game in Philadelphia. Click on the pictures  for a larger view.

From the USPS:
Basketball icon Wilt Chamberlain will be immortalized on two towering Limited Edition Forever stamps Dec. 5.

The U.S. Postal Service and Philadelphia 76ers, in conjunction with the National Basketball Association (NBA), will formally dedicate the Wilt Chamberlain Forever stamps — the first of its kind featuring an NBA player — in a halftime ceremony featuring a special three-dimensional tribute video using the team’s state-of-the-art court projection system. Throughout the night, the Sixers will celebrate the life and legacy of the legendary Chamberlain with videos during breaks in play. Tickets for this 7 p.m. game will be available to the general public beginning Oct. 8 via Sixers.com.

As a 7-foot-1-inch center, Chamberlain dominated the NBA for more than a decade, setting a plethora of individual records. As a pro, Chamberlain led his teams to two NBA championships and in 1962, scored an NBA record 100 points in a single game.

The stamps, just over two inches tall each, are about a third taller than a typical commemorative stamp height of approximately 1.5 inches. Kadir Nelson, of San Diego, CA, created the two stamp image portraits of the NBA superstar. One is based on a photograph of Chamberlain in a Philadelphia Warriors uniform; the other is based on an image of Chamberlain in a Los Angeles Lakers uniform. The word “Wilt” is featured in either the top right or left corner of each stamp. Art director Antonio Alcalá of Alexandria, VA, designed the stamps.

Born Aug. 21, 1936, in Philadelphia, Chamberlain excelled in track and field, but basketball eventually became his sport of choice. By the time he was 10, Chamberlain was six feet tall. He was nearly unstoppable at Philadelphia’s Overbrook High School, scoring more than 2,200 total points, a Pennsylvania record. People began calling him “Wilt the Stilt” and “The Big Dipper,” possibly because his height sometimes forced him to dip under doorways. He preferred the latter nickname.

He attended the University of Kansas where he averaged 29.9 points and 18.3 rebounds per game before turning pro in 1958. Chamberlain spent a season with the Harlem Globetrotters before joining the Philadelphia Warriors.

During his rookie season with the Philadelphia Warriors, he averaged 37.6 points and 27.0 rebounds per game to win both the league’s Rookie of the Year and Most Valuable Player Awards. Chamberlain led the NBA in scoring his first seven seasons, and on March 2, 1962, during a game against the New York Knicks in Hershey, PA, scored an NBA record 100 points — a monumental feat that has not been matched since.

The Warriors moved to San Francisco in 1962, and in 1965 Chamberlain was traded to the Philadelphia 76ers. In 1966–67, Chamberlain led the 76ers to an NBA record 68 regular-season wins and an NBA title.

In 1968, Philadelphia traded Chamberlain to the Los Angeles Lakers. His winning ways continued in L.A. In 1971–72, he led the Lakers to a stellar 69–13 regular-season record — the best regular-season mark in NBA history — and an NBA title. L.A. won the championship that year, defeating the Knicks in five games in the NBA finals. Chamberlain, who was nursing a broken bone in his hand, captured the series MVP Award. Like the
’66–’67 76ers, the ’71–’72 Lakers are still considered one of the best NBA teams of all time.

When the 13-time NBA All-Star retired in 1973, he held a record number of NBA records, including most total points (31,419), average points per game (30.1), total rebounds (23,924) and rebounds per game (22.9). He won the NBA MVP Award four times (1960, 1966–68), and was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1979.

In 1996, as part of the NBA’s 50th Anniversary season, Chamberlain was named one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History.

September 18th: The Postal Bulletin says there will be two designs. VSC confirmed this on October 1st.

August 21st: The art for this stamp is not yet, but we were told it would be a taller-than-usual vertical design in a unique size: “different from anything we’ve ever done….vertical and a little oversized.”

It will be issued in December, probably at a Philadelphia 76ers home game.

Some stats from the USPS about Chamberlain’s career:

• The 7-foot-1-inch center dominated the NBA for more than a decade, setting a plethora of individual records
• As a pro, he led his teams to two NBA championships, and in 1962 he scored an NBA record 100 points in a single game.
• Chamberlain chose to attend the University of Kansas and turned pro in 1958
• Chamberlain spent a season with the Harlem Globetrotters before joining the Philadelphia Warriors
• The Warriors moved to San Francisco in 1962, and in 1965 Chamberlain was traded to the Philadelphia 76ers
• Chamberlain led his new team to a then-NBA record 68 regular-season wins and an NBA title
• In ’68, Philadelphia traded Chamberlain to the Los Angeles Lakers where his winning ways continued
• The 13-time NBA All-Star retired in 1973, holding a record number of NBA records, including most total points (31,419), average points per game (30.1), total rebounds (23,294), and rebounds per game (22.9). He won the NBA MVP Award four times (1960, 1966-68), and was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1978.

More about Chamberlain (1936-1999) at Wikipedia.

This is the second global holiday Forever stamp. It is round, and features a green wreath with silver bells and a red ribbon.

Art directors William J. Gicker and Michael Owens designed the stamp. Sally Andersen-Bruce photographed the wreath, which was constructed by Michael Owens

This stamp will be issued at the ASDA stamp show October 23 in New York City.

From the September 18th Postal Bulletin:

On October 23, 2014, in New York, NY, the U.S. Postal Service® will issue the Global: Silver Bells Wreath Forever® International Price stamp, in one design, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 10 stamps (Item 588300).

The stamp will go on sale nationwide October 23, 2014.

The U.S. Postal Service® celebrates the winter holidays internationally with the Global: Silver Bells Wreath stamp. This is the second stamp in the Global Holiday series. This stamp offers a single price for any First-Class Mail International® 1-ounce letter to any country in the world. As with all Global Forever stamps, this stamp will have a postage value equivalent to the price of a single-piece First-Class Mail International 1-ounce machinable letter in effect at the time of use. An elegant wreath of silver bells graces this round holiday stamp. The circle of densely packed bells is arranged against a deep green background, with a rich red bow anchored at the top of the wreath. Art director William J. Gicker and Michael Owens designed the stamp. Sally Andersen-Bruce photographed the wreath, which was constructed by Michael Owens. Angelica Dennis created the bow.

How to Order the First-Day-of-Issue Postmark:
Customers have 60 days to obtain the first-day-of-issue postmark by mail. They may purchase new stamps at their local Post Office, at The Postal Store® website at www.usps.com/shop, or by calling 800-STAMP-24. They should affix the stamps to envelopes of their choice, address the envelopes (to themselves or others), and place them in a larger envelope addressed to:

Global Forever: Silver Bells Wreath
Special Events Coordinator
380 West 33rd Street, Room 4032
New York, NY 10199-9998

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. For more than 50, customers have to pay five cents each. All orders must be postmarked by December 22, 2014.

There are eight philatelic products for this stamp issue:

588306, Press Sheet with Die cuts, $69.00 (print quantity 1,000).
588308, Press Sheet without Die cuts, $69.00 (print quantity 1,000).
588310 Keepsake (Pane and Digital Color Set), $13.95.
588316*. First-Day Cover, $1.59.
588321 Digital Color Postmark, $2.30.
588330 Ceremony Program, $6.95.
588331 Stamp Deck Card, $0.95.
588332 Stamp Deck Card with Digital Color Postmark, $2.65.

Technical Specifications:

Issue: Global Silver Bells Wreath Stamp
Item Number: 588300
Denomination & Type of Issue: Forever International Price
Format: Pane of 10 (1 design)
Series: Global Holiday
Issue Date & City: October 23, 2014, New York,
NY 10199
Designer: Michael Owens, Washington, DC
William J Gicker, Washington, DC
Art Director: William J Gicker, Washington, DC
Typographer: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
Photographer: Sally Andersen Bruce, New Milford, CT
Engraver: N/A
Modeler: Donald Woo
Manufacturing Process: Offset, Microprint
Printer: Banknote Corporation of America/SSP
Printed at: Browns Summit, NC
Press Type: Alprinta Model 74
Stamps per Pane: 10
Print Quantity: 30 million stamps
Paper Type: Raflatac USPS-P-1238
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive adhesive
Processed at: Banknote Corporation of America, Browns Summit SC
Colors: PMS 877 (Silver), Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black
Stamp Orientation: Round
Image Area (w x h): 1.27 x 1.27 in./32.26 x 32.26 mm
Overall Size (w x h): 1.41 x 1.41 in./35.81 x 35.81 mm
Full Pane Size (w x h): 8.25 x 4.5 in./209.55 x 114.30 mm
Press Sheets Size (w x h): 24.75 x 9.00 in./628.65 x 228.60 mm
Plate Size: 150 stamps per revolution
Plate Numbers: “S” followed by five (5) single digits
Marginal Markings:
Front: Plate numbers in two corners of pane
Back: © 2014 USPS • USPS logo • Plate position diagram • Barcode (588300) • Promotional text,/p>

October 30th Postal Bulletin: Technical Specifications for ATM booklet of 18:

Issue: Winter Fun ATM Stamps
Item Number: 588600
Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail Forever®
Format: Automated Teller Machine (ATM) Booklet of 18, (4 designs)
Series: Holiday Celebrations
Issue Date & City: October 23, 2014, New York, NY 10199
Art Director: Ethel Kesseler, Bethesda, MD
Designer: Ethel Kesseler, Bethesda, MD
Typographer: Ethel Kesseler, Bethesda, MD
Modeler: Joseph Sheeran
Manufacturing Process: Flexographic, Offset, Microprint
Printer: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
Printed at: Williamsville , NY
Press Type: Muller Martini A76
Stamps per Booklet: 18
Print Quantity: 36 million stamps
Paper Type: Nonphosphored Type III, Overall
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive adhesive
Processed at: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
Stamp Orientation: Vertical
Image Area (w x h): 0.73 x 0.84 in./18.54 x 21.34 mm
Stamp Size (w x h): 0.87 x 0.98 in./22.10 x 24.89 mm
Full Booklet Size (w x h): 2.61 x 6.13 in./66.29 x 155.58 mm
Colors: Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black
Plate Size: 720 stamps per revolution
Plate Numbers: “P” followed by four (4) single digits
Marginal Markings: © 2014 USPS • Header. “Winter Fun” “Eighteen First-Class Forever Stamps” • USPS Logo • Barcode • Stamp Ordering Information

October 22nd: The “hand cancel” is the standard four-bar First Day of Issue, but there is a Digital Color Postmark for this issue:

DCP Size: 2.47″ x 1.40″

From the USPS on August 21st: With four playful designs, Winter Fun celebrates some of the season’s most enjoyable activities: ice skating, making snow angels, building snowmen, and bird-watching.

The art for the ice skaters design was painted with acrylic on plywood with a dry brush technique to give the illustration a textured, folk-art feel. The other three were all hand-sketched and then digitally manipulated.

Art director Ethel Kessler designed the stamps using existing illustrations by Janet Atkinson, Jing Jing Tsong, and Christine Roy.

The stamps will be issued at the ASDA stamp show October 23 in New York City.

From the September 18th Postal Bulletin:

On October 23, 2014, in New York, NY, the U.S. Postal Service® will issue the Winter Fun stamps (Forever® First-Class Mail® priced at 49-cents) in four designs, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) booklet of 20 stamps (Item 689800).

The stamp will go on sale nationwide October 23, 2014.

With four playful designs, Winter Fun stamps celebrate some of the season’s most enjoyable activities: ice-skating, making snow angels, building snowmen, and bird-watching. The art for the ice skaters stamp was painted with acrylic on plywood with a dry brush technique to give the illustration a textured, folk-art feel. The art for the other three stamps was hand-sketched and then digitally manipulated. Art director Ethel Kessler designed the stamps using existing illustrations by Janet Atkinson (ice-skating), Jing Jing Tsong (building snowmen and making snow angels), and Christine Roy (bird-watching).
To learn more about the stories behind the stamps, visit http://uspsstamps.com.

How to Order the First-Day-of-Issue Postmark:
Customers have 60 days to obtain the first-day-of-issue postmark by mail. They may purchase new stamps at their local Post Office, at The Postal Store® website at www.usps.com/shop, or by calling 800-STAMP-24. They should affix the stamps to envelopes of their choice, address the envelopes (to themselves or others), and place them in a larger envelope addressed to:

Winter Fun
Special Events Coordinator
380 West 33rd Street, Room 4032
New York, NY 10199-9998

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. For more than 50, customers have to pay five cents each. All orders must be postmarked by December 22, 2014.

There are seven philatelic products available for this stamp issue:

689806, Press Sheet with Die cuts, $58.80
(print quantity 1,000).
689808, Press Sheet without Die cuts, $58.80
(print quantity 1,000).
689810 Keepsake (Booklet and Digital Color Postmark, Set of 4), $16.95.
689816 First-Day Cover, Set of 4, $3.72.
689821 Digital Color Postmark, Set of 4, $6.56.
689830 Ceremony Program (random stamp), $6.95.
689831 Stamp Deck Card, $0.95.

Technical Specifications:

Issue: Winter Fun Stamps
Item Number: 689800
Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail Forever
Format: Double-sided booklet of 20
(4 designs)
Series: Holiday Celebrations
Issue Date & City: October 23, 2014, New York,
NY 10199
Art Director: Ethel Kessler, Bethesda, MD
Designer: Ethel Kessler, Bethesda, MD
Typographer: Ethel Kessler, Bethesda, MD
Modeler: CCL Label, Inc.
Manufacturing Process: Gravure
Engraver: WRE
Printer: CCL Label, Inc.
Printed at: Clinton, SC
Press Type: Dia Nippon Kiko (DNK)
Stamps per Booklet: 20
Print Quantity: 400 Million Stamps
Paper Type: UPM Raflatac
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive adhesive
Processed at: AVR, Clinton, SC
Stamp Orientation: Vertical
Image Area (w x h): 0.77 x 1.05 in./19.56 x 26.68 mm
Stamp Size (w x h): 0.91 x 1.19 in./23.11 x 30.23 mm
Full Booklet Size (w x h): 5.75 x 2.38 in./146.05 x 60.45 mm
Press Sheet Size (w x h): 5.75 x 14.28 in./ 146.05 x 362.71 mm
Colors: Yellow, Magenta, Cyan, Black
Plate Size: 120 stamps per revolution
Plate Numbers: “C” followed by four (4) single digits
Marginal Markings: Title printed on tab side • Plate numbers in peel strip area • © 2014 • USPS logo • Barcode

Added February 2: The Scott number for the computer-vended postage is CVP92.

From the Postal Bulletin:

On November 6, 2014, in Washington, DC, the U.S. Postal Service® will issue the Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer stamps (Forever priced at 49 cents), in four designs, in a pressure-sensitive (PSA) Booklet of 20 stamps (Item 689600).

The stamps will go on sale nationwide November 6, 2014.

The U.S. Postal Service celebrates the holiday season with four stamps featuring characters from Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, the longest-running and highest-rated Christmas special in TV history. The art for each stamp is a still frame from the animated special, created by Rankin/Bass Productions. Rudolph, Santa, and the Abominable Snowman star on stamps of their own, while a fourth stamp features Hermey the elf, touching Rudolph’s red nose. Art director Greg Breeding designed the stamps.

How to Order the First-Day-of-Issue Postmark:
Customers have 60 days to obtain the first-day-of-issue postmark by mail. They may purchase new stamps at their local Post Office, at The Postal Store® website at http://www.usps.com/shop, or by calling 800-STAMP-24. They should affix the stamps to envelopes of their choice, address the envelopes (to themselves or others), and place them in a larger envelope addressed to:

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer Stamps
Special Events
PO Box 92282
Washington, DC 20090-2282

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. For more than 50, customers have to pay five cents each. All orders must be postmarked by January 5, 2015.

There are eight philatelic products for this stamp issue:

689606, Press Sheet with Die cuts, $58.80 (print quantity 1,000).
689608, Press Sheet without Die cuts, $58.80 (print quantity 1,500).
689610 Digital Color Postmark Keepsake, $16.95.
689616 First-Day Cover (set of 4), $3.72.
689621 Digital Color Postmark (set of 4), $6.56.
689624 Framed Art, $19.95.
689630 Ceremony Program, $6.95.
689631 Stamp Deck Card, $0.95.

Technical Specifications:

Issue: Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer Stamps
Item Number: 689600
Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail Forever
Format: Double-sided Booklet of 20 (4 designs)
Series: Holiday Celebrations
Issue Date: November 6, 2014, Washington, DC 20066
Art Director: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
Designer: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
Typographer: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
Modeler: CCL Label, Inc.
Manufacturing Process: Gravure
Engraver: WRE
Printer: CCL Label, Inc.
Printed at: Clinton, SC
Press Type: Dia Nippon Kiko (DNK)
Stamps per Booklet: 20
Print Quantity: 500 Million Stamps
Paper Type: Prephosphored Paper, Type II
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive adhesive
Processed at: AVR, Clinton, SC
Stamp Orientation: Horizontal
Image Area (w x h): 1.05 x 0.77 in./26.67 x 19.56 mm
Stamp Size (w x h): 1.19 x 0.91 in./30.23 x 23.11 mm
Full Booklet Size (w x h): 2.38 x 5.75 in./60.45 x 146.05mm
Press Sheet Size (w x h): 14.28 x 5.75 in./ 362.71 x 146.05 mm
Colors: Yellow, Magenta, Cyan, Black, 1795 Red
Plate Size: 120 stamps per revolution
Plate Numbers: “C” followed by five (5) single digits
Marginal Markings: Title • Plate numbers in peel strip area • © 2014 • USPS logo • Licensing Information • Promotional text

October 22nd: The first-day postmarks:

DCP Size: 2.32″ x 1.52″

BW Size: 2.27″ x 1.53″

October 21st: Invitation to stamp collectors for the first-day ceremony (You can click on it to make it bigger):

October 14th: Better images provided by the USPS. Below is the full block of four:

And here is the layout of the booklet: (Click on any image for a larger version in most cases.)

October 10th: There will not be a souvenir sheet after all “due to production and time constraints.”

October 2: The Postal Bulletin says there will also be a “souvenir minisheet” for this issue with two designs — but we don’t know which two designs.

August 21st: These four stamps celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the animated TV special on December 6, 1964. Only one design has been revealed so far.

It was produced by Rankin/Bass Productions using a pioneering stop-motion animation technique called “Animagic” and featured the voice of Burl Ives as Sam, a singing snowman, who narrates the tale of a misfit reindeer who eventually finds his own special way to shine

It’s the longest running and highest-rated Christmas special in TV history

This stamp will be issued November 5th or 6th with a location to be determined.

September 22, 2014: The USPS is still playing games (reindeer games?) with us, but the designs for all four stamps showed up in a promotional mailing. A scan from that mailing is shown on the left.

December 9th: Stock of this stamp at Stamp Fulfillment Services is low, and you can no longer order it by phone, on USPS.com or eBay. On the other hand, the USPS says there are still 5 million Christmas Magi stamps in post offices.

November 19th: Photos from the first day ceremony are here.

October 24th: First-day Digital Color Postmark:

DCP Size: 2.80″ x 1.35″

From the October 16th Postal Bulletin:

On November 19, 2014, in Washington, DC, the U.S. Postal Service® will issue the Christmas Magi stamp (Forever priced at 49 cents), in one design, in a pressure-sensitive (PSA) Booklet of 20 stamps (Item 689700).

The stamp will go on sale nationwide November 19, 2014.

The Christmas Magi stamp celebrates one of the most beloved stories of the holiday season: the tale of three visitors from the east who came bearing gifts for Jesus. The stamp art depicts the Magi atop a trio of camels near the summit of a small hill. Guiding them is a large, dazzling star. The colors in the sky range from rose near the horizon, darkening to a rich purple at the top, suggesting that the travelers are moving through the desert at dawn. Art director Greg Breeding designed the stamp, which was illustrated by Nancy Stahl.

How to Order the First-Day-of-Issue Postmark:
Customers have 60 days to obtain the first-day-of-issue postmark by mail. They may purchase new stamps at their local Post Office, at The Postal Store® website at http://www.usps.com/shop, or by calling 800-STAMP-24. They should affix the stamps to envelopes of their choice, address the envelopes (to themselves or others), and place them in a larger envelope addressed to:

Christmas Magi Stamp
Special Events
PO Box 92282
Washington, DC 20090-2282

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. For more than 50, customers have to pay five cents each. All orders must be postmarked by January 18, 2015.

There are eight philatelic products for this stamp issue:

689706, Press Sheet with Die cuts, $78.40 (print quantity 1,000).
689708, Press Sheet without Die cuts, $78.40 (print quantity 1,000).
689710 Digital Color Postmark Keepsake, $11.95.
689716 First-Day Cover, $0.93.
689721 Digital Color Postmark, $1.64.
689724 Framed Art, $39.95.
689730 Ceremony Program, $6.95.
689731 Stamp Deck Card, $0.95.

Technical Specifications:

Issue: Christmas Magi Stamp
Item Number: 689700
Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail, Forever, 49 cents
Format: Double-Sided Booklet of 20 (1 design)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: November 19, 2014, Washington, DC 20066
Art Director: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
Designer: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
Typographer: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
Artist: Nancy Stahl, New York, NY
Modeler: Donald Woo
Manufacturing Process: Offset, Microprint
Printer: Banknote Corporation of America/SSP
Printed at: Browns Summit, NC
Press Type: Alprinta, Model 74
Stamps per Booklet: 20
Print Quantity: 200 million
Paper Type: Phosphor Tagged Paper, Overall
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive adhesive
Processed at: Banknote Corporation of America, Browns Summit, NC
Stamp Orientation: Vertical
Image Area (w x h): 0.77 x 1.05 in./19.56 x 26.67 mm
Stamp Size (w x h): 0.91 x 1.19 in./23.11 x 30.23 mm
Full Booklet Size (w x h): 5.74 x 2.38 in./145.87 x 60.33 mm
Press Sheet Size (w x h): 11.49 x 9.5 in./291.74 x 241.30 mm
Colors: Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black, PMS 8520
Plate Size: 160 stamps per revolution
Plate Numbers: “S” followed by five (5) single digits
Marginal Markings: • Plate numbers • © 2014 • USPS Logo

October 21st: Invitation to stamp collectors for the first-day ceremony (You can click on it to make it bigger):

August 21st: Third in the Holy Family series, Christmas Magi shows the three wise men on camels, against a purple background, and guiding them is a big dazzling star. November 19th at St. John’s Episcopal in Washington, across from the White House. Art director Greg Breeding designed the stamp, illustrated by Nancy Stahl.

August 21: This will be the new Priority Mail stamp, at $5.75, and will be issued sometime in October. It is one of West Virginia’s most photographed landmarks, a 1976 re-creation of the original. Constructed of parts from three historic mills.

“The stamp art captures the beauty of the structure in its pristine setting along Glade Creek in Babcock State Park in autumn. Designed by art director Derry Noyes, this stamp features the work of illustrator Dan Cosgrove.”

More on the Mill in Babcock State Park is here.

From the September 18th Postal Bulletin:

On September 29, 2014, in Danese, WV, the U.S. Postal Service® will issue the Glade Creek Grist Mill stamp (Priority Mail® priced at $5.75) in one design, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 10 stamps (Item 117300).

The stamp will go on sale September 29, 2014.

The U.S. Postal Service® celebrates one of West Virginia’s most photographed landmarks with the issuance of the Glade Creek Grist Mill Priority Mail stamp. A 1976 re-creation of an old mill that once stood nearby, the Glade Creek Grist Mill is constructed of parts from three historic West Virginia mills. The stamp art captures the beauty of the structure in its pristine setting along Glade Creek in Babcock State Park, in autumn. Designed by art director Derry Noyes, this stamp features the work of illustrator Dan Cosgrove.

How to Order the First-Day-of-Issue Postmark:
Customers have 60 days to obtain the first-day-of-issue postmark by mail. They may purchase new stamps at their local Post Office, at The Postal Store® website at www.usps.com/shop, or by calling 800-STAMP-24. They should affix the stamps to envelopes of their choice, address the envelopes (to themselves or others), and place them in a larger envelope addressed to:

Glade Creek Grist Mill
Postmaster
Danese Post Office
PO Box 9998
Danese, WV 25831-9998

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. For more than 50, customers have to pay five cents each. All orders must be postmarked by November 28, 2014.

There are five philatelic products for this stamp issue:

117306 Press Sheet with Die cuts, $345.00
(print quantity 500).
117308 Press Sheet without Die cuts, $345.00
(print quantity 500).
117316 First-Day Cover, $6.19.
117321 Digital Color Postmark, $6.90.
117331 Stamp Deck Card, $0.95.

Technical Specifications:

Issue: Glade Creek Grist Mill Stamp
Item Number: 117300
Denomination & Type of Issue: $5.75 Priority Mail Price
Format: Pane of 10 (1 design)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: September 29, 2014, Danese,
WV 25831
Designer: Derry Noyes, Washington, DC
Art Director: Derry Noyes, Washington, DC
Typographer: Derry Noyes, Washington, DC
Artist: Dan Cosgrove, Chicago, IL
Engraver: N/A
Modeler: Joseph Sheeran
Manufacturing Process: Offset
Printer: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
Printed at: Williamsville, NY
Press Type: Stevens Vari-Size Security Press
Stamps per Pane: 10
Print Quantity: 5 million stamps
Paper Type: Non-phosphored Type III, Block Tag
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive adhesive
Processed at: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
Colors: Black, Cyan, Magenta, Yellow
Stamp Orientation: Horizontal
Image Area (w x h): 1.42 x 1.09 in./36.07 x 27.56 mm
Overall Size (w x h): 1.56 x 1.23 in./39.62 x 31.12 mm
Full Pane Size (w x h): 4.12 x 7.12 in./104.65 x 180.85 mm
Press Sheet Size (w x h): 8.24 x 21.36 in./209.30 x 542.54 mm
Plate Size: 120 stamps per revolution
Plate Numbers: “P” followed by four (4) single digits
Marginal Markings:
Front: Plate Number • Year of Issue
Back: © 2014 USPS • USPS logo • Plate position diagram • Two Barcodes (117300) • Promotional text

December 12th: American Philatelist editor Jay Bigalke was in Baraboo, Wisconsin, for the first day of issue, servicing FDCs. He tells The Virtual Stamp Club that the Baraboo post office was selling the press sheets there, and “I did service a couple, but not a lot!” The local newspaper, the Baraboo News Republic, ran a story on the souvenir sheet’s first day, which included a photo of Jay servicing FDCs as APS Secretary Ken Grant looks on (left). There are other photos in the story.

December 4th: The press sheets have sold out and taken off-sale, and the USPS says they will not be reprinted.

November 22nd: The individual souvenir sheets in a press sheet of 12 are diecut… and can be removed from the  backing paper, as shown here. First, before an individual souvenir sheet has been removed:….and after: So there is a way to obtain a mint souvenir sheet without buying the Yearbook. The only problems are that you must buy 12 of them (and having to buy a minimum quantity is standard with nearly all U.S. stamps now) and if you wish to keep the backing paper with a margin around the sheet, you must carefully cut it out of the sheet yourself.

Thanks to VSC member Foster E. Miller III for helping to nail this down.

November 18th: The USPS is showing a B&W pictorial first-day postmark for this issue, on a 6″x9″ envelope. When the issue was announced in August, we were told there would be a Digital Color Postmark (DCP) for it, with no mention of the black-and-white pictorial. I have asked for clarification on both that and the envelope size that will be used for the USPS-serviced FDCs. (Envelope size is confirmed at 6″x9″.)

From the USPS: “The following are dimensions for the Circus Souvenir sheet, 4.9699″ x 3.3754″, and the Circus Souvenir press sheets are 11 X24½. Please note that the souvenir sheet has 12 individual “sheets” affixed to paper backing like all other stamps, they are not perforated in any way, they simply peel off like stickers.”

Here’s what the B&W postmark looks like:

October 31st: Here’s a larger, clearer image of the design: October 30th Postal Bulletin:

On December 10, 2014, in Baraboo, WI, the U.S. Postal Service® will issue a Circus souvenir sheet, available as single mint souvenir sheets exclusively in the 2014 Stamp Yearbook.

The U.S. Postal Service celebrates the joy of the big top with Circus, an individual mint souvenir sheet available exclusively as a bonus in the 2014 Stamp Yearbook. The issuance features a $1 stamp showcasing an iconic vintage circus poster and two identical 50-cent circus wagon 1900s stamps illustrated by Susan Sanford, which are new versions of a design originally issued in 1990. Made by the Strobridge Lithographing Company, the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey poster features a clown tipping his cap and gesturing toward the circus. The circus wagon stamps showcase an illustration of the type of decorated wagon that routinely rolled into cities across America more than a century ago. Art director Jennifer Arnold designed the Circus souvenir sheet with selvage colors of red and gold, often used in circus imagery. The shape of the selvage is reminiscent of an ornately decorated circus wagon.

How to Order the First-Day-of-Issue Postmark:
Customers have 60 days to obtain the first-day-of-issue postmark by mail. They may purchase the new 2014 Stamp Yearbook or the Uncut Press sheets at the Postal Store® website at http://www.usps.com/shop, or by calling 800-STAMP-24. They should affix the stamps or souvenir sheets to envelopes of their choice, address the envelopes (to themselves or others), and place them in a larger envelope addressed to:

Circus Souvenir Sheet
Postmaster
303 Broadway Street
Baraboo, WI 53913-6738

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. For more than 50, customers have to pay five cents each. All orders must be postmarked by February 8, 2015.

There are two philatelic products for this stamp issue:

588708, Circus Souvenir Sheet, uncut press sheet, $24.00 (print quantity 10,000).
588716 Circus Souvenir Sheet FDC (full pane), $4.50.

Technical Specifications:

Issue: Circus Souvenir Sheet
Item Number: 588700
Denomination & Type of Issue: 50-cent & $1.00
Format: Souvenir Sheet
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: December 10, 2014, Baraboo, WI 53913
Designer: Sheet: Jennifer Arnold, Washington, DC
Clown: Jennifer Arnold, Washington, DC
Circus Wagon: Joe Brockert, Washington, DC
Art Director: Clown: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
Circus Wagon: Joe Brockert, Washington, DC
Typographer: Clown: Jennifer Arnold, Washington, DC
Circus Wagon: Brad Thompson
Artist: Circus Wagon: Susan Sanford, Front Royal, VA
Modeler: Donald Woo
Manufacturing Process: Intaglio, Offset, Microprint *Microprint only on Circus Clown
Printer: Banknote Corporation of America/SSP
Printed at: Browns Summit, NC
Press Type: Alprinta (offset), Phoenix (Intaglio)
Stamps per Pane: 3
Print Quantity: 900 thousand stamps
Paper Type: Phosphor Tagged, Block on Circus Clown: no phosphor on Circus Wagon
Adhesive Type: PSA
Processed at: Banknote Corporation of America, Browns Summit SC
Colors: Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black (Offset), PMS 179 Red (Intaglio)
Stamp Orientation: Horizontal, Vertical
Image Area (w x h): Clown 2.27 x 1.81 in./57.62 x 45.97 mm
Circus Wagon 0.73 x 0.84 in./18.54 x 21.34 mm
Overall Size (w x h): Clown 2.42 x 1.96 in./61.51 x 49.78 mm
Circus Wagon 0.87 x 0.98 in./22.10 x 24.89 mm
Full Pane Size (w x h): 4.97 x 3.38 in./126.24 x 85.74 mm
Press Sheets Size (w x h): 11.00 x 24.5 in./ 279.40 x 622.30 mm
Plate Size: 36 stamps per revolution
Plate Numbers: N/A
Marginal Markings: © 2014 USPS • USPS logo • Plate position diagram • UPC Code

October 10th update: The first day covers will read December 10, 2014, and Baraboo, WI 53913. There will not be an event (not surpringly).

It will only be available with the 2014 Stamp Yearbook. Borrowing idea from Australia Post. Had some art remaining from the Circus Posters series. Will feature two Circus Wagon Transportation Series stamps, which were “05” but will be denominated as 50¢.

Journalists say it’s going to be panned by philatelists. I said that all but cuts out FDC production.

It will have a first day of issue, with Digital Color Postmark.

Preorders begin September 1st. USPS-produced FDCs will be priced as usual – face + usual amount.

We’re promised we’ll hear about the 2015 program in October at the New York ASDA show.

Glade Creek Grist Mill: New Priority Mail stamp, $5.75 new rate. One of West Virginia’s most photographed landmarks, 1976 re-creation of the original. Constructed of parts from three historic mills. Sometime in October.

Third in the Holy Family series, Christmas Magi, three wise men on camels, purple background, guiding them is a big dazzling star. November 19th at St. John’s Episcopal in Washington.

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer: commemorates TV show. November 5th or 6th, location unknown, probably NYC. Four designs total. Booklet of 20.

Winter Fun: booklet of 4 designs, playful, very artsy, not specifically Christmas. Ice skating, bird watching, making snow angels, making snowmen. Will be issued at ASDA October 23 in NYC.

Silver Bells Wreath: New round Global Forever stamp. Olive green (?) background, silver bells, red ribbon. Also at ASDA on October 23.

Celebrity Chefs: James Beard is one of the 5. Julia Child not yet confirme. Trying to get people guessing who the other three might be via social media. September 26 in Chicago at the gourmet food show (Park Grill). One other will be announced via “in-store messaging.” (Might be someone named Lombardo.)

Wilt Chamberlain: Artwork just finished, so not shown to us. May be issued in December, probably at home game of Philadelphia 76ers. Will be a unique size, “different from anything we’ve ever done….vertical and a little oversized.”

2015 Lunar New Year: Aiming for 2nd or 3rd of January.

No Pioneers of Graphic Design this year. York is coming out, but not sure when – definitely not this year.

There is ONE MORE ISSUE in 2014, but “our partner” wasn’t ready.

There will be a reprint of the Breast Cancer Research Semi-Postal at the end of September.

Five stamped envelopes in three sets (10 each) for the Christmas season: Poinsettia, two of the Winter Fun designs (cardinal, snowman), two versions of snowflake stamps (from 2013). Only as #10’s. First Day Postmarks will be available. End of September. May look at issuing them at stamp shows.

Just announced by the USPS in the Postal Bulletin released the same day as the stamp!

On August 21, 2014, in Hartford, CT, the U.S. Postal Service® will reissue the Poinsettia (Forever® priced at 49 cents) First-Class Mail® stamp, in one design, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) booklet of 20 stamps (Item 688600).

The stamp will go on sale nationwide August 21, 2014.

The Poinsettia stamp features a bright, cheerful rendering of America’s favorite holiday flower. Introduced in 2013, the stamp is being reissued in 2014. The stamp art depicts the rich red and vibrant green leaves surrounding the flower — the cluster of small, rather modest cup-shaped structures in the center. The red “petals” that we think of as the flower are actually modified leaves called bracts. The art reference for this stamp was a potted poinsettia. Designed by art director Ethel Kessler, the Poinsettia stamp features the work of William Low.

How to Order the First-Day-of-Issue Postmark:
Customers have 60 days to obtain the first-day-of-issue postmark by mail. They may purchase new stamps at their local Post Office, at The Postal Store® website, or by calling 800-STAMP-24. They should affix the stamps to envelopes of their choice, address the envelopes (to themselves or others), and place them in a larger envelope addressed to:

Poinsettia 2014 Reprint
Hartford Post Office
MOWU
141 Weston Street
Hartford, CT 06101-9998

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. For more than 50, customers have to pay five cents each. All orders must be postmarked by October 21, 2014.

There is one philatelic product for this stamp issue:

• 688617, First-Day Cover, $0.93.

 Technical Specifications:

Issue: Poinsettia Stamp
Item Number: 688600
Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail Forever
Format: Double-Sided Booklet of 20 (1 design)
Series: Holiday Celebrations
Issue Date & City: August 21, 2014, Hartford, CT 06101
Art Director: Ethel Kessler, Bethesda, MD
Designer: Ethel Kessler, Bethesda, MD
Typographer: Ethel Kessler, Bethesda, MD
Artist: William Low, Huntington, NY
Modeler: Donald Woo
Manufacturing Process: Offset/Microprint “USPS”
Engraver: N/A
Printer: Banknote Corporation of America/SSP
Printed at: Browns Summit, NC
Press Type: Alprinta, 74
Stamps per Booklet: 20
Print Quantity: 160 million stamps
Paper Type: Phosphor Tagged, Overall
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive adhesive
Processed at: Banknote Corporation of America, Browns Summit, NC
Stamp Orientation: Vertical
Image Area (w x h): 0.77 x 1.05 in./19.55 x 26.67 mm
Stamp Size (w x h): 0.91 x 1.19 in./23.11 x 30.22 mm
Full Pane Size (w x h): 5.74 x 2.38 in./145.80 x 60.45 mm
Colors: Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black
Plate Size: 800 stamps per revolution
Plate Numbers: “S” followed by four (4) single digits
Marginal Markings: • Plate numbers in peel strip area • © 2014 • USPS in peel strip area