Updated May 14th: Here is the first day Digital Color Postmark: It measures 2.995” x 1.5”. There is no B&W pictorial for this issue, but there is a “special” postmark that individual post offices may use: Updated May 11th, from the Postal Bulletin:
On June 7, 2016, in Indianapolis, IN, the U.S. Postal Service® will issue the Indiana Statehood stamp (Forever® priced at 47 cents) in one design, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 20 stamps (Item 473700).

The stamp will go on sale nationwide June 7, 2016.

This stamp celebrates the 200th anniversary of Indiana’s statehood. Known as the Hoosier State, Indiana became the 19th state of the Union on December 11, 1816. The stamp features a contemplative photograph of the expansive cornfields near Milford, Indiana. The photographer, Michael Matti, grew up in Milford and had driven past that view hundreds of times until one day he decided to pull over, stand on top of his car, and take in the beautiful sunset. Art director Derry Noyes designed the stamp with Matti’s existing photograph.

Initial Supply to Post Offices: Stamp Fulfillment Services will make an automatic push distribution to Post Offices™ of a quantity to cover approximately 30 days of sales.

How to Order the First-Day-of-Issue Postmark:
Customers have 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 800-782-6724. 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:

Indiana Statehood Stamp
Postmaster
125 West South Street
Indianapolis, IN 46206-9998

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. There is a 5-cent charge for each additional postmark over 50. All orders must be postmarked by August 7, 2016.

There are seven philatelic products for this stamp issue:

• 473706 Press Sheet with Die-cut, $56.40 (print quantity 1,000).
• 473710 Digital Color Postmark Keepsake, $11.95.
• 473716 First-Day Cover, $0.91.
• 473721 Digital Color Postmark, $1.62.
• 473724 Framed Art, $39.95.
• 473730 Ceremony Program, $6.95.
• 473733 Panel, $10.95.

Technical Specifications:

Issue: Indiana Statehood
Item Number: 473700
Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail Forever
Format: Pane of 20 (1 design)
Series: Statehood
Issue Date & City: June 7, 2016, Indianapolis, IN 46298
Designer: Derry Noyes, Washington, DC
Art Director: Derry Noyes, Washington, DC
Typographer: Derry Noyes, Washington, DC
Existing Photo: Michael Matti
Modeler: Joseph Sheeran
Manufacturing Process: Offset, Microprint
Printer: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
Printed at: Williamsville, NY
Press Type: Muller A76
Stamps per Pane: 20
Print Quantity: 30 million stamps
Paper Type: Nonphosphored Type III, Block Tag applied
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Processed at: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
Colors: Black, Cyan, Magenta, Yellow
Stamp Orientation: Horizontal
Image Area (w x h): 1.42 x .84 in⁄36.07 x 21.34 mm
Overall Size (w x h): 1.56 x .98 in⁄39.62 x 24.89 mm
Full Pane Size (w x h): 7.24 x 5.95 in⁄183.90 x 151.13 mm
Press Sheet Size (w x h): 21.72 x 11.90 in⁄551.69 x 302.26 mm
Plate Size: 240 stamps per revolution
Plate Numbers: “P” followed by four (4) single digits
Marginal Markings:
Front: Plate numbers in four corners of pane
Back: USPS Logo • UPC Code in upper right and lower left corners of pane • Plate position diagram • 2015 USPS • Promotional text

From the USPS August 20, 2015:

FDOI: 2nd Quarter (Statehood date: December 11, 1816)
Format: Pane of 20

This stamp celebrates the 200th anniversary of Indiana’s statehood. Known as the Hoosier State, Indiana became the 19th state of the Union on December 11, 1816. Indiana has often been considered the heartland of America. Its fertile soil has long made it ideal for crops like corn, which remains a staple of Indiana’s agricultural economy. The state is also known for the Indianapolis 500 and its devotion to the game of basketball.

The stamp features a contemplative photograph of the expansive cornfields near Milford, Indiana, at sunset. The photographer, Michael Matti, grew up in Milford.

Existing Photo: Michael Matti
Art Director: Derry Noyes

Notes: No river? 🙂 Obviously, the stamp will not be issued on the statehood anniversary date. In other states, the bicentennial/centennial commissions have asked for earlier release dates so that the stamps can be used to promote the anniversary celebrations.

Updated March 7th:: The Scott Catalogue numbers for this issue are:

5042 (49¢) Botanical Art – Corn Lilies
5043 (49¢) Botanical Art – Tulips
5044 (49¢) Botanical Art – Tulips
5045 (49¢) Botanical Art – Dahlias
5046 (49¢) Botanical Art – Stocks
5047 (49¢) Botanical Art – Roses
5048 (49¢) Botanical Art – Japanese Irises
5049 (49¢) Botanical Art – Tulips
5050 (49¢) Botanical Art – Petunias
5051 (49¢) Botanical Art – Jonquils
a. Block of 10, #5042-5051
b. Convertible booklet pane of 10, #5042-5052
c. Convertible booklet pane of 20, 2 each #5042-5051
d. Imperforate block of 10
e. Imperforate booklet pane of 20

Updated January 12th:: The design of the Digital Color Postmark:It measures 2.99” x 1.36”. The “rubber” or black-and-white cancellation for this issue is the standard 4-bar FIRST DAY OF ISSUE postmark.

Updated January 6th::

On January 29, 2016, in Atlanta, GA, the U.S. Postal Service® will issue the Botanical Art stamps, (Forever® priced at 49 cents) in ten designs, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) double-sided booklet of 20, $9.80 (Item 680600) and a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) booklet of 10, $4.90 (Item 678700).

The stamps will go on sale nationwide January 29, 2016.

The U.S. Postal Service continues its tradition of beautiful floral-themed stamps with Botanical Art, in booklets of 10 and 20 stamps. The stamp art features ten different floral designs, each a detail of an illustration from an American nursery catalog printed between 1891 and 1912. The design details are courtesy of The New York Botanical Garden; the catalogs are part of NYBG’s Nursery and Seed Catalog Collection, one of the largest and most important such collections in the U.S. Art director Ethel Kessler 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 800-782-6724. 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:

Botanical Art Stamps
Atlanta MPO
Postmaster
3900 Crown Road
Atlanta, GA 30304-9998

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. There is a 5-cent charge for each additional postmark over 50. All orders must be postmarked by March 29, 2016.

There are seven philatelic products for this stamp issue:

• 680606 Press Sheet with Die-Cut, $78.40, (print quantity 300)
• 680608,Press Sheet without Die-Cut, $78.40, (print quantity 350)
• 680610 Digital Color Postmark Keepsake (random single), $11.95
• 680616 First-Day Cover (set of 10), $9.30
• 680621 Digital Color Postmark (set of 10), $16.40
• 680624 Framed Art, $29.95
• 680630 Ceremony Program (random single), $6.95

Technical Specifications:

Issue: Botanical Art
Item Number: 680600
Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail Forever
Format: Double-sided Booklet of 20 
(10 designs)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: January 29, 2016, Atlanta, GA 30303
Art Director: Ethel Kessler, Bethesda, MD
Designer: Ethel Kessler, Bethesda, MD
Typographer: Ethel Kessler, Bethesda, MD
Modeler: Joseph Sheeran
Manufacturing Process: Offset
Printer: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
Printed at: Williamsville, NY
Press Type: Muller A76
Stamps per Booklet: 20
Print Quantity: 500,000,000 stamps
Paper Type: Nonphosphored Type III Block Tag applied
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Processed at: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
Stamp Orientation: Vertical
Image Area (w x h): 0.77 x 1.05 in./19.56 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): 5.76 x 2.38 in./146.30 x 60.45 mm
Press Sheet Size (w x h): 23.04 x 4.76 in./585.22 x 120.90 mm
Colors: Black, Cyan, Magenta, Yellow
Plate Size: 880 stamps per revolution
Plate Numbers: “P” followed by four (4) single digits
Marginal Markings: Cover “Botanical Art” Twenty First-Class Forever Stamps • USPS Logo • Plate numbers in peel strip area • © 2015 USPS • “Design details courtesy of the New York Botanical Garden” in peel strip area • Promo-tional Text in peel strip area

Technical Specifications:

Issue: Botanical Art
Item Number: 678700
Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail Forever
Format: Booklet of 10 (10 designs)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: January 29, 2016, Atlanta, GA 30303
Art Director: Ethel Kessler, Bethesda, MD
Designer: Ethel Kessler, Bethesda, MD
Typographer: Ethel Kessler, Bethesda, MD
Modeler: Joseph Sheeran
Manufacturing Process: Offset
Printer: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
Printed at: Williamsville, NY
Press Type: Muller A76
Stamps per Booklet: 10
Print Quantity: 100,000,000 stamps
Paper Type: Nonphosphored Type III Block Tag applied
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Processed at: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
Stamp Orientation: Vertical
Image Area (w x h): 0.77 x 1.05 in./19.56 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): 1.82 x 6.37 in./46.23 x 161.70 mm
Colors: Black, Cyan, Magenta, Yellow
Plate Size: 520 stamps per revolution
Plate Numbers: “P” followed by four (4) single digits
Marginal Markings: Cover “Botanical Art” Ten First-Class Forever Stamps • USPS Logo • Plate numbers in peel strip area • “Design details courtesy of the New York Botanical Garden” • Purchasing Information • © 2015 USPS

Updated October 28th::
Names of the flowers on this issue:
Top row from left:

• Corn lilies
• Tulips
• Stocks
• Roses
• Petunias

Bottom Row from left:

• Tulips
• Dahlias
• Japanese Iris
• Tulips
• Daffodils and Jonquils

From the USPS:
The U.S. Postal Service continues its tradition of beautiful floral-themed stamps with Botanical Art, a booklet of 20 stamps featuring vintage illustrations taken from 19th- and early-20th-century plant and seed catalogs.

Beginning in the late 15th century, intrepid Europeans explored new lands in the Americas, the South Pacific, and other areas of the world. There they discovered plants unknown in Europe, which they imported for study and propagation. Scientists, gardeners, plant hunters, and collectors required accurate botanical drawings of the exotic new species. Botanical illustrators produced works that were meticulous and highly detailed and quite often beautiful pieces of art as well. The years 1750 to 1850 are considered the height of the botanical illustrator’s art.

The mid-19th century saw a flowering of another kind of botanical art. As more people discovered the joys of ornamental and recreational gardening, thriving commercial greenhouses and nurseries marketed plants — exotic as well as native — to eager gardeners. To entice buyers, the nurseries created colorful catalogs illustrated with beautiful blossoms and lush foliage. The illustrations were idealized, romantic versions of what plants could look like, but they fueled many a garden dream.

The stamp art features ten individual designs, each a detail of an illustration from an American nursery catalog printed between 1891 and 1912. The catalogs are part of The New York Botanical Garden’s Nursery and Seed Catalog Collection, one of the largest and most important collections in the U.S. The NYBG collection and similar collections in other institutions are treasure troves of historical information for scholars and scientists studying a wide range of subjects, including the history of botany, horticulture, commercial agriculture, landscape design, plant exploration, graphic arts, and publishing.

The artists responsible for the work seen on early nursery catalogs are mostly unknown to us now, but their captivating work lives on.

Art director Ethel Kessler of Bethesda, MD, designed the stamps.

from the USPS October 22, 2015: The Botanical Art stamp First-Day-of-Issue ceremony will take place January 29 at 11 a.m. at the American Philatelic Society’s AmeriStamp/Southeastern Stamp Expo. The show will be held at the Hilton Atlanta, 255 Courtland St. NE, Atlanta, GA 30303. The room for the ceremony will be announced at a later date.

From the USPS August 20, 2015:

10 designs.
FDOI: First Quarter
Format: Booklet of 20

This issuance continues the Postal Service™ tradition of beautiful floral-themed stamps.
The stamp art features ten different floral designs, each a detail of an illustration that appeared in an American nursery catalog between 1891 and 1912. The design details are courtesy of The New York Botanical Garden; the catalogs are part of the NYBG’s Nursery and Seed Catalog Collection, one of the largest and most important such collections in the U.S.

Existing Art: Details of cover illustrations from American nursery catalogs (1891-1912)
Art Director: Ethel Kessler

Updated April 14th: The USPS updated the number of press sheets for this issue, from 200 to 1,200.

Updated March 22nd: NBCNews.com and NJTV‘s website have stories on the Sarah Vaughan first day ceremony.

Updated March 22nd: The upcoming first day ceremony is featured in the Better Living section of The Record of Hackensack, the daily newspaper that covers Northern New Jersey. (Newark is not actually part of the paper’s coverage area.) You may need a subscription to view the article.

Updated March 4th: From the USPS: This Digital Color Postmark measures 2.45″x1.49″. The B&W postmark, surprisingly, is the four-bar FIRST DAY OF ISSUE cancel.
From the Postal Bulletin:

On March 29, 2016, in Newark, NJ, the U.S. Postal Service® will issue the Sarah Vaughan First-Class Mail® stamp (Forever® priced at 49 cents) in one design, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 16 stamps (Item 586400). The $7.84 Sarah Vaughan pane of 16 stamps may not be split, and the stamps may not be sold individually.

The stamp will go on sale nationwide March 29, 2016.

The U.S. Postal Service honors one of America’s greatest singers, Sarah Vaughan (1924–1990). In addition to her impeccable jazz credentials — as a young singer, she worked with great players such as Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker, and Miles Davis — Vaughan successfully managed a second career as a pop singer. The stamp, part of the Music Icons series, features an oil painting of Vaughan in performance based on a photograph shot in 1955 by Hugh Bell. The stamp pane is designed to resemble a vintage 45 rpm record sleeve. One side of the pane includes the stamps and a brief text about Vaughan’s career with the image of a sliver of a record seeming to peek out of the top of the sleeve. A larger version of the art featured on the stamp, the logo for the Music Icons series, and a list of some of Vaughan’s most popular songs appear on the reverse side. Art director Ethel Kessler designed the stamp and the stamp pane with art created by Bart Forbes.

Stamp Fulfillment Services will make an automatic push distribution to Post Offices™ of a quantity to cover approximately 30 days of sales.

How to Order the First-Day-of-Issue Postmark:
Customers have 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 800-782-6724. 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:

Sarah Vaughan Stamp
U.S. Postal Service
2 Federal Square
Newark, NJ 07102

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 29, 2016.

There are eight philatelic products for this stamp issue:

• 586406, Press Sheet with Die-cut, $70.56 (print quantity 1,200)
• 586410 Keepsake, $9.95
• 586416 First-Day Cover, $0.93
• 586418 First-Day Cover Full Pane, $10.34
• 586419 Cancelled Full Pane, $10.34
• 586421 Digital Color Postmark, $1.64
• 586424 Framed Art, $39.95
• 586430 Ceremony Program, $6.95

[Again, a surprise: No no-die-cut press sheets. —LdeV]

Technical Specifications:

Issue: Sarah Vaughan
Item Number: 586400
Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail Forever
Format: Pane of 16 (1 design)
Series: Music Icons
Issue Date & City: March 29, 2016, Newark, NJ 07102
Designer: Ethel Kessler, Bethesda, MD
Art Director: Ethel Kessler, Bethesda, MD
Typographer: Ethel Kessler, Bethesda, MD
Artist: Bart Forbes, Plano, TX
Modeler: Joseph Sheeran
Manufacturing Process: Offset, Microprint – “USPS”
Printer: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
Printed at: Williamsville, NY
Press Type: Muller A76
Stamps per Pane: 16
Print Quantity: 25 million stamps
Paper Type: Nonphosphored Type III, Block Tag applied
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Processed at: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
Colors: Black, Cyan, Magenta, Yellow
Stamp Orientation: Square
Image Area (w x h): 1.09 x 1.09 in.⁄27.56 x 27.56 mm
Overall Size (w x h): 1.56 x 1.56 in.⁄39.62 x 39.62 mm
Full Pane Size (w x h): 7.00 x 7.00 in.⁄177.80 x 177.80 mm
Press Sheet Size (w x h): 21.25 x 21.25 in.⁄539.75 x 539.75 mm
Plate Size: 144 stamps per revolution
Plate Numbers: none
Marginal Markings: Front: © 2015 USPS • USPS logo • Verso text • Promotional text • Barcode (586400) in lower right corner of pane
Back: “Sarah Vaughan”, Music Icons logo • Proprietary text

Updated February 12th: From the USPS: “The Sarah Vaughan first day ceremony in Newark NJ on March 29th is free. What is different is that a free ticket is required for admission. The invitation provides the details about how to obtain your free tickets. Those collectors, enthusiasts and fans of Sarah Vaughan who are located in or near Newark, NJ, may visit the Newark Symphony Hall Box Office, or reserve tickets by phone at 973-643-8014. Living outside New Jersey, order by phone.”

Updated January 13th: According to the USPS Events Calendar, the Sarah Vaughan Concert Hall is at Newark Symphony Hall, 1020 Broad Street. The ceremony starts at 11 a.m., and the dedicating official is Dr. Josh Colin, USPS Area Operation Vice President, Eastern Area.

Updated December 6th: According to the new issue of Linn’s, the Sarah Vaughan commemorative will be issued March 29, 2016 at the Sarah Vaughan Concert Hall in Newark, NJ.  Vaughan was born in Newark in 1924.

From the USPS August 20, 2015:

Sarah Vaughan (1 design)
Music Icons Series
FDOI: First Quarter (Birth date: March 27, 1924)
Format: Pane of 16

Sarah Vaughan (1924–1990) was one of America’s greatest singers, successful in both jazz and pop, with a talent for improvisation and skillful phrasing and a voice that ranged over several octaves.
The stamp art is an oil painting of Vaughan in performance based on a 1955 photograph by Hugh Bell. A few lines of selvage text explain her importance as a Music Icon. The cover side of the pane features a larger version of the stamp art, a list of some of Vaughan’s popular songs, and the Music Icons logo.

Artist: Bart Forbes
Art Director: Ethel Kessler

Notes: The front of the pane is similar to that of other stamps in the Music Icons series:The back of the pane is similar to the stamp design, but includes a list of some of her hits. eingIt’s rumored that someone in the previous USPS stamps or marketing said that Vaughan was not well known and “commercial” enough for a stamp. However, current Stamp Services chief Mary-Anne Penner told The Virtual Stamp Club that Vaughan is being honored because “the American people” asked for this stamp.

Updated March 7th: The Scott Catalogue number is 5056 and the imperforate single is 5056a.

Updated January 21st: From the Postal Bulletin:
On February 2, 2016, in Philadelphia, PA, the U.S. Postal Service® will issue the Richard Allen First-Class Mail® stamp (Forever® priced at 49 cents), in one design, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 20 stamps (Item 473500).

The stamp will go on sale nationwide February 2, 2016.

The 39th stamp in the Black Heritage series commemorates preacher, activist, and civic leader Richard Allen (1760–1831), an inspiring figure whose life and work resonate profoundly in American history. This stamp coincides with the 200th anniversary of Allen’s founding of the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church, one of the most important institutions in African-American life, and his election and consecration as its first bishop. The stamp art is a portrait of Allen, a detail from an 1876 print titled “Bishops of the A.M.E. Church” from the collection of the Library Company of Philadelphia. Art director Greg Breeding designed the stamp.

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 800-782-6724. 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:

Richard Allen Stamp
USPS Retail Manager
3190 South 70th Street
Philadelphia, PA 19153-9751

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 April 2, 2016.

There are six philatelic products for this stamp issue:

• 473506, Press Sheet with Die-cut, $58.80 (print quantity 200).
• 473508, Press Sheet without Die-cut, $58.80 (print quantity 250).
• 473510 Digital Color Postmark Keepsake, $11.95.
• 473516 First-Day Cover, $0.93.
• 473521 Digital Color Postmark, $1.64.
• 473530 Ceremony Program, $6.95.

Technical Specifications:

Issue: Richard Allen
Item Number: 473500
Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail Forever
Format: Pane of 20 (1 design)
Series: Black Heritage
Issue Date & City: February 2, 2016, Philadelphia, PA 19147
Designer: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
Art Director: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
Typographer: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
Modeler: Joseph Sheeran
Manufacturing Process: Offset, Microprint
Printer: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
Printed at: Williamsville, NY
Press Type: Muller A76
Stamps per Pane: 20
Print Quantity: 30 million stamps
Paper Type: Nonphosphored Type III, Block Tag applied
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Processed at: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
Colors: PMS 556C Green, Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black
Stamp Orientation: Vertical
Image Area (w x h): 0.84 x 1.42 in./21.34 x 36.07 mm
Overall Size (w x h): 0.98 x 1.56 in./24.89 x 39.62 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 Numbers: “P” followed by five(5) single digits
Marginal Markings:
Front: Header: “BLACK HERITAGE Celebrating Richard Allen” • Plate numbers in two corners of pane
Back: • “BLACK HERITAGE Celebrating Richard Allen”, 39TH IN A SERIES, •Verso-text, © 2015 USPS • USPS logo • Plate position diagram • UPC Code, • Promotional text

Updated January 13th: According to the USPS events calendar, the ceremony will begin at 12 noon. Dr. Josh Colin, Area USPS Operation Vice President, Eastern Area, will be the dedicating official.

Updated December 6th: According to the new issue of Linn’s, the Richard Allen commemorative will be issued February 2, 2016 at the Mother Bethel A.M.E. Church in Philadelphia, PA.

From the USPS August 20, 2015:

Black Heritage (39th in the series)
FDOI: Quarter 1 (Black History Month) (Birth date: February 14, 1760)
Format: Pane of 20

Preacher, activist, and civic leader Richard Allen (1760–1831) was an inspiring figure whose life and work resonate profoundly in American history. This stamp coincides with the 200th anniversary of Allen’s founding of the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church, one of the most important institutions in African-American life, and his election as its first bishop.

The stamp art is a portrait of Allen, a detail from an 1876 print titled “Bishops of the A.M.E. Church.” Featuring Allen in the center surrounded by ten other bishops and six historical vignettes, the print is from the collection of the Library Company of Philadelphia.

Art Director: Greg Breeding

Notes: “You’re going to make a lot of people happy with Richard Allen,” said USPS press rep Roy Betts at the briefing.

Updated November 12th: Wayne Youngblood in Linn’s Stamp News reports an imperf pane of this issue was found at a small post office in Pennsylvania.

Updated March 7th: The Scott Catalogue number for this issue is 5036; the imperforate single is 5036a.

Updated January 15th: The stamps — and The Virtual Stamp Club! — are mentioned in a non-philatelic blog Anchored Scraps, about “old-fashioned” methods of correspondence.

Updated January 12th: A photo from today’s first day ceremony. Left to right: Karen Schott, Dallas District Manager of Marketing; Shaun Mossman, Acting Vice President Area Operations, Southern Area; Mark Duebner, Director of Aviation, City of Dallas; Janice D. Walker, VP of Corporate Communications; and Tim Costello, Dallas District Manager.

Updated December 24th: Pay no attention to the date for this issue indicated in today’s issue of the Postal Bulletin in its “How To Order Postmarks” section. It’s a mistake. January 12th is still the first-day date.

Updated December 11th: From the Postal Bulletin:
On January 12, 2016, in Dallas, TX, the U.S. Postal Service® will issue the Quilled Paper Heart stamp, (Forever® priced at 49 cents) in one design, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 20 stamps (Item 586300).

The stamp will go on sale nationwide January 12, 2016.

This 2016 Love series stamp features an elegant heart created using the ancient art of quilling. Quilling — also called paper filigree — involves rolling and shaping narrow strips of paper, laying them on their edges, and gluing them in place to form intricate designs. The heart shape in the center of the stamp art is made from paper strips of many colors and is surrounded by white paper swirls. The background is white with shadows cast by the dimensional pieces of quilled paper. Art director Antonio Alcalá designed the stamp. Paper artist and illustrator Yulia Brodskaya created the stamp art.

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 800-782-6724. 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:

Quilled Paper Heart Stamp
401 Tom Landry Freeway, Rm 645
Dallas, TX 75260-9998

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. There is a 5-cent charge for each additional postmark over 50. All orders must be postmarked by March 12, 2016.

There are seven philatelic products for this stamp issue:

• 586306 Press Sheet with Die-Cut, $98.00 (print quantity 250)
• 586308 Press Sheet without Die-Cut, $98.00 (print quantity 500)
• 586310 Digital Color Postmark Keepsake, $11.95
• 586316 First-Day Cover, $0.93
• 586321 Digital Color Postmark, $1.64
• 586324 Framed Art, $39.95
• 586330 Ceremony Program, $6.95

Technical Specifications:

Issue: Quilled Paper Heart
Item Number: 586300
Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail Forever
Format: Pane of 20 (1 design)
Series: Love
Issue Date & City: January 12, 2016, Dallas, TX 75260
Designer: Antonio Alcalá, Alexandria, VA
Art Director: Antonio Alcalá, Alexandria, VA
Typographer: Antonio Alcalá, Alexandria, VA
Artist: Yulia Brodskaya, Herfordshire U.K.
Modeler: Michelle Finn/Sandra Lane
Manufacturing Process: Offset, Microprint
Printer: Banknote Corporation of America/SSP
Printed at: Browns Summit, NC
Press Type: Alprinta Model 74
Stamps per Pane: 20
Print Quantity: 150 million stamps
Paper Type: Phosphor Tagged, Block
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Processed at: Banknote Corporation of America, Browns Summit SC
Colors: Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black, Cool Gray 8
Stamp Orientation: Vertical
Image Area (w x h): 1.05 x 0.77 in./26.67 x 19.59 mm
Overall Size (w x h): 1.19 x 0.91 in./30.23 x 23.11 mm
Full Pane Size (w x h): 5.43 x 5.64 in./138.00 x 143.13 mm
Press Sheets Size (w x h): 11.27 x 27.13 in./286.26 x 688.98 mm
Plate Size: 200 stamps per revolution
Plate Numbers: “S” followed by five (5) single digits
Marginal Markings:
Front: Plate numbers in four corners of pane
Back: © 2015 USPS • USPS logo • Plate position diagram • Barcode (586300) in upper right and lower left corners of pane • Promotional text

Here is the design of the Digital Color Postmark: It measures 2.99” x 1.36”. The black and white postmark will be the standard 4-bar FIRST DAY OF ISSUE.

From the USPS November 12th:
The Quilted Paper Heart Forever stamp will be dedicated at 10 a.m., Jan. 12 at the Dallas Love Airport, 8008 Herb Kelleher Way, Dallas, TX 75235.

The dedication ceremony will take place inside the airport where access to the public is permitted. The event will take place in the terminal in front of the Moss Lee Love Garden which is to the right of Love Landing as noted on the map of the terminal: http://www.dallas-lovefield.com/pdf/Terminal_Map.pdf

Here’s a link to a guide of the airport: http://www.dallas-lovefield.com/airport-guide.html

The 2016 Love stamp features an elegant heart created using the ancient art of quilling. Quilling—also called paper filigree—involves rolling and shaping narrow strips of paper, laying them on their edges, and gluing them in place to form intricate designs. The name “quilling” likely comes from the original tool used to create the paper curls, the base of a feather or quill.

Artist Yulia Brodskaya used heavy paper strips to create her design, choosing bright colors that would be appealing and eye-catching. She curled the strips into curved lines and droplet shapes. After applying a small amount of glue to each shaped strip, she set them into place, slowly creating her design piece by piece. The heart shape in the center of the stamp art is made from paper strips of many colors and is surrounded by white paper swirls. The background is white with shadows cast by the dimensional pieces of quilled paper. The words “Forever” and “USA” appear below the design. Art director Antonio Alcalá designed the stamp.

Quilling—also known as paper filigree—involves rolling and shaping narrow strips of paper, laying them on their edges, and gluing them in place to form intricate designs. The origin of the name “quilling” is obscure, but it might have come from the first tool used to create the paper curls, the base of a feather or quill.

No one knows how quilling originated or who first created a quilled design. However, quilling is believed to date from the 15th or 16th century and may have originated as far back as the 13th. The first known quillers were European monks and nuns in medieval religious houses. Inspired by the art of metal filigree, quilling was a comparatively inexpensive way to create detailed decorations that were beyond the means of most churches and religious orders. The monastic artists decorated holy pictures and reliquaries—containers holding sacred objects—and sometimes altarpieces with exquisite designs. When gilded or silvered, the curled paper could resemble the work of the finest gold- and silversmiths, while designs made with cream-colored paper or vellum appeared to be carvings of ivory.

Quilling has enjoyed fluctuating popularity over the centuries. It was particularly fashionable during the 18th and 19th centuries in Europe. As a purely decorative art, quilling was practiced by ladies of leisure, who had the time and money to embellish household items—tea caddies, workboxes, frames, and even large pieces of furniture like cabinets and screens. Princess Elizabeth, an artist and the daughter of England’s King George III, was a quiller. Jane Austen mentions the art in Sense and Sensibility when Elinor Dashwood rolls papers for Lucy Steele, who is decorating a basket with quillwork. Colonial American women were known for creating elegant sconces to hold candles. Some surviving sconces sparkle with bits of glass added to the paper scrollwork, which would catch the light from the candle flames.

Paper is fragile and easily damaged or destroyed, so only a few examples of early work survive. The pieces in museum collections show the meticulous care that went into creating the elegant and delicate designs.

During the last 20 years, quilling has gained a new popularity. Craft guilds in several countries are forums for enthusiasts, and numerous books, blogs, and websites provide instruction and projects for the expert and novice alike. Exhibits by paper artists introduce the art form to a new audience. It is a technique that has changed very little with the passage of time and is accessible to anyone. Modern-day quillers only need a few tools to get started—paper, scissors, glue, and a quill-like implement for curling the strips.
From the USPS August 20, 2015:
Love series
FDOI: First Quarter
Format: Pane of 20
The stamp art features an elegant heart created using the ancient art of quilling. Quilling involves rolling and shaping narrow strips of paper, laying them on their edges, and gluing them in place to form intricate designs. The heart shape in the center of the stamp art is made from paper strips of many colors and is surrounded by white paper swirls on a white background.

Artist: Yulia Brodskaya
Art Director: Antonio Alcala

Notes: Stamp Services chief Mary-Anne Penner went to a county fair recently to see quilling in action.

Updated March 7th: The Scott Catalogue number for this issue is 5057 and the imperforate single is 5057a.

Updated February 18th: Ink colors changed in Technical Specifications, per Postal Bulletin.

Updated January 21st: From the Postal Bulletin:
On February 5, 2016, in Jamaica, NY, the U.S. Postal Service® will issue the Year of the Monkey First-Class Mail® stamp (Forever® priced at 49 cents), in one design, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 12 stamps (Item 586500). The Year of the Monkey $5.88 pane of 12 stamps may not be split, and the stamps may not be sold individually.

The stamp will go on sale nationwide February 5, 2016.

The Year of the Monkey stamp is the ninth of twelve stamps in the Celebrating Lunar New Year series. The Year of the Monkey begins on February 8, 2016, and ends on January 27, 2017. The stamp art depicts two bright reddish orange peonies against a purple background. Peonies symbolize wealth and honor in Chinese culture and often decorate the sides of the traditional drums played during the holiday festivities. Artist Kam Mak created this original painting. Art director and stamp designer Ethel Kessler incorporated elements from the previous series of Lunar New Year stamps — Clarence Lee’s intricate cut-paper design of a monkey and the Chinese character for “monkey,” drawn in grass-style calligraphy by Lau Bun — to create continuity between the stamps in the series.

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 800-782-6724. 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:

Year of the Monkey Stamp
Jamaica MPO
8840 164th Street
Jamaica, NY 11432-9998

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. There is a 5-cent charge for each additional postmark over 50. All orders must be postmarked by April 5, 2016.

There are nine philatelic products for this stamp issue:

• 586506, Press Sheet with Die-cut, $35.28, (print quantity 500).
• 586508, Press Sheet without Die-cut, $35.28 (print quantity 1,000).
• 586510 Digital Color Postmark Keepsake (2 panes), $13.95.
• 586516 First-Day Cover, $0.93.
• 586518 First-Day Cover Full Pane, $8.38.
• 586519 First-Day Cover Cancelled Full Pane, $8.38.
• 586521 Digital Color Postmark, $1.64.
• 586524 Framed Art $39.95.
• 586530 Ceremony Program, $6.95.

Technical Specifications:

Issue: Year of the Monkey
Item Number: 586500
Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail Forever
Format: Pane of 12 (1 design)
Series: Celebrating Lunar New Year
Issue Date & City: February 5, 2016, Jamaica, NY, 11439
Designer: Ethel Kessler, Bethesda, MD
Art Director: Ethel Kessler, Bethesda, MD
Typographer: Ethel Kessler, Bethesda, MD
Artist: Kam Mak, Brooklyn, NY
Modeler: Michelle Finn/Sandra Lane
Manufacturing Process: Offset, Microprint
Printer: Banknote Corporation of America/SSP
Printed at: Browns Summit, NC
Press Type: Alprinta 74
Stamps per Pane: 12
Print Quantity: 15 million stamps
Paper Type: Phosphor Tagged Paper, Block Tag
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Processed at: Banknote Corporation of America, Browns Summit SC
Colors: Colors: Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black, PMS 872 Gold
Stamp Orientation: Horizontal
Image Area (w x h): 1.42 x 0.84 in./36.07 x 21.34 mm
Overall Size (w x h): 1.56 x 0.98 in./39.62 x 24.89 mm
Full Pane Size (w x h): 7.24 x 5.92 in./183.90 x 150.37 mm
Press Sheets Size (w x h): 21.97 x 11.97 in./ 558.04 x 303.91 mm
Plate Size: 144 stamps per revolution
Marginal Markings:
Back: © 2015 USPS • USPS logo • Product Barcode (586500) • Promotional text

Updated January 13th: According to the USPS Events Calendar, the first-day ceremony will indeed be at St. John’s. It adds that the dedicating official will be Richard P. Uluski, USPS Area Vice President, Northeast Area. The ceremony will start at 11 a.m.

Updated December 27th: Linn’s Stamp News reports the first day will be Friday, February 5th at the D’Angelo Center of St. John’s University in New York City (Borough of Queens).

From the USPS August 20, 2015:
Celebrating Lunar New Year series (ninth of twelve)
FDOI: January (Year of the Monkey begins on February 8, 2016)
Format: Pane of 12

The issue commemorates the Year of the Monkey.

The stamp art features two bright reddish-orange peonies against a purple background. Peonies symbolize wealth and honor in Chinese culture and often decorate the sides of the traditional drums played during the holiday festivities.

The stamp design incorporates two elements from the previous series of Lunar New Year stamps: the intricate cut-paper design of a monkey and the Chinese character for “monkey,” drawn in grass-style calligraphy.

Artist: Kam Mak
Artist/Paper-cut design: Clarence Lee (deceased)
Calligrapher: Lau Bun (deceased)
Art Director: Ethel Kessler

From the USPS press briefing August 20th at APS StampShow, Grand Rapids, Michigan by Mary-Anne Penner:

• There are no further issues planned for 2015 beyond Charlie Brown Christmas, Geometric
• There will be no second Music Icon stamp this year.
• In the future, there will be no commemoratives after October in any year.

Updated September 3rd: from the Postal Bulletin
On September 9, 2015, in Kansas City, MO, the U.S. Postal Service® will reissue the Neon Celebrate! special stamp (Forever® First-Class Mail® priced at 49 cents) in one design, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 20 stamps (Item 586200).

The stamp will go on sale nationwide September 9, 2015.

The Neon Celebrate! stamp, first issued in 2011, will be reissued in 2015. Neon Celebrate! helps postal patrons acknowledge a host of happy occasions. The first stamp art to be made with neon, Neon Celebrate! depicts the word “Celebrate!” in a design reminiscent of a fireworks display. Brilliantly colored images of swirls, circles, and dashes seem to erupt from the ground to illuminate the darkness. The words “Forever/USA” appear at the bottom of the stamp. Working with art director Phil Jordan, neon artist Michael Flechtner created the stamp art.

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 800-782-6724. 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:

Neon Celebrate! Stamp
Cancellation Services
8300 NE Underground Drive, Pillar 210
Kansas City, MO 64144-0001

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 8, 2015.

There are two philatelic products for this stamp issue:

• 586216*, First-Day Cover, $0.93
• 586231*, Stamp Deck Card, $0.95

Technical Specifications:

Issue: Neon Celebrate! Stamp
Item Number: 586200
Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail Forever Special
Format: Pane of 20 (1 design)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: September 9, 2015, Kansas City, MO 64108
Designer: Phil Jordan, Falls Church, VA
Art Director: Phil Jordan, Falls Church, VA
Typographer: Phil Jordan, Falls Church, VA
Artist: Michael Flechtner, Van Nuys, 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: 20
Print Quantity: 60 million stamps
Paper Type: Phosphor Tagged Paper, Block Tagging
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Processed at: Banknote Corporation of America, Browns Summit SC
Colors: Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black
Stamp Orientation: Horizontal
Image Area (w x h): 1.05 x 0.77 in./26.67 x 19.56 mm
Overall Size (w x h): 1.19 x 0.91 in./30.23 x 23.11 mm
Full Pane Size (w x h): 5.64 x 5.43 in./137.80 x 143.13 mm
Plate Size: 320 stamps per revolution
Plate Numbers: “S” followed by four (4) single digits
Marginal Markings:
Front: Plate numbers in four corners of pane
Back: © 2010 USPS • USPS logo • Plate position diagram • Barcode (586200) in upper right and lower left corners of pane • Promotional text

Updated August 31st: From Jay Bigalke, American Philatelist:

A new 2015 dated version will be issued September 9 in a pane of 20. There won’t be a first-day ceremony, but the postmark will read Kansas City, Missouri.

From the USPS:
One design.
FDOI: TBD (dependent on current quantity drawdown)
Format: Pane of 20

This Neon Celebrate! stamp, first issued in 2011, helps postal patrons acknowledge a host of happy occasions.

The first stamp art made with neon depicts the word “Celebrate!” in a design reminiscent of a fireworks display. Brilliantly colored images of swirls, circles, and dashes seem to erupt from the ground to illuminate the darkness.

The text on this reissue has been rearranged to help distinguish it from the previous versions.

Art Director: Phil Jordan
Neon Artist: Michael Flechtner

From the August 20th briefing: No ceremony, and a Kansas City postmark/servicing.

Updated December 7th: Scott Catalogue numbers:
5031 (49¢) Geometric Snowflakes – purple & lilac snowflake
5032 (49¢) Geometric Snowflakes – dark blue & blue snowflake
5033 (49¢) Geometric Snowflakes – dark green & green snowflake
5034 (49¢) Geometric Snowflakes – dark red & pink snowflake
a. Block of 4, #5031-5034
b. Convertible booklet pane of 20, 5 each #5031-5034
c. As “a,” imperforate
d. As “b,” imperforate

Updated September 25th: The first day Digital Color Postmark.
This DCP measures 2.64″x1.23″. The black-and-white postmark has been changed to the standard four-bar FIRST DAY OF ISSUE cancel.

Updated September 21st:
On October 23, 2015, in New York, NY, the U.S. Postal Service® will issue Geometric Snowflakes (Forever® First-Class Mail® priced at 49 cents) in four designs, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) booklet of 20 stamps (Item 680400).

The stamps will go on sale nationwide October 23, 2015.

Celebrate the joys of a winter snowfall with Geometric Snowflakes, four colorful new stamps issued in a booklet of 20. Each new stamp depicts a different snowflake drawn in one of four colors: purple, pink, green, or blue. These bright, cheerful stamps are sure to add a whimsical splash to holiday cards, thank-you notes, invitations, greeting cards, and any mailing that calls for a touch of warmth during the coldest months of the year. Art director Antonio Alcalá and Leslie Badani 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 800-782-6724. 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:

Geometric Snowflakes Stamps
Special Events Coordinator
380 West 33rd Street
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. There is a 5-cent charge for each additional postmark over 50. All orders must be postmarked by December 22, 2015.

There are seven philatelic products for this stamp issue:

• 680406 Press Sheet with Die-cut, $58.80.
• 680408 Press Sheet without Die-cut, $58.80.
• 680410 Keepsake (set of 4), $16.95.
• 680416 First-Day Cover (Set of 4), $3.72.
• 680421 Digital Color Postmark (Set of 4), $6.56.
• 680430 Ceremony Program (random), $6.95.
• 680431 Stamp Deck Card, $0.95.

Technical Specifications:

Issue: Geometric Snowflakes Stamps
Item Number:680400 Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail Forever
Format: Double-Sided Booklet of 20 
(4 designs)
Series: Holiday Celebrations
Issue Date & City: October 23, 2015, New York, NY
Art Director: Antonio Alcalá, Alexandria, VA
Designer: Antonio Alcalá, Alexandria, VA
Designer: Leslie Badani, Alexandria, VA
Typographer: Antonio Alcalá, Alexandria, VA
Modeler: Donald Woo
Manufacturing Process: Offset, Microprint
Printer: Banknote Corporation of America/SSP
Printed at: Browns Summit, NC
Press Type: Alprinta 74
Stamps per Booklet: 20
Print Quantity: 300 million stamps
Paper Type: Phosphor Tagged Paper, Overall
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Processed at: Banknote Corporation of America, Browns Summit, NC
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./22.09 x 24.89 mm
Full Pane Size (w x h): 5.52 x 1.96 in./140.21 x 49.78 mm
Press Sheet Size (w x h): 11.04 x 11.76 in./ 280.42 x 298.70 mm
Colors: Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black, Cool Gray
Plate Size: 240 stamps per revolution
Plate Numbers: “S” followed by five (5) single digits
Marginal Markings:
• Plate numbers in peel strip area 
• © 2015 USPS in peel strip area

From the USPS:
4 designs
FDOI: October 23 in New York, NY at the ASDA Stamp Show
Format: Booklet of 20

Each of the four Geometric Snowflakes stamps depicts a different snowflake. In nature, untold millions of ephemeral ice crystals form unique patterns that are as stunning in their complexity as they are fleeting. This infinite variety inspired the designers to experiment with different graphic shapes. Each snowflake is drawn in one of four colors: purple, pink, green, or blue. Applying light and dark shades of color enhanced the intricate geometry of each flake and added a feeling of playfulness to the stamp art.

Art Director: Antonio Alcalá

Updated October 1st:: Photos from the ceremony by VSC member Chris Lazaroff: “A Charlie Brown Christmas” producer Lee Mendelson.

And photos from the USPS:

Updated September 3rd:: The first day cancels. The DCP cancel measures 3.0″x1.85″. The B&W pictorial measures 1.99″x1.46″. This special cancellation, which other post offices than Santa Rosa may use, measures 2.99″x1.32″.

Updated September 3rd: USPS press release:

Charlie Brown Christmas Forever Stamps Bring Cheer to Holiday Greetings and Packages
Stamps Based on 1965 Holiday TV Classic

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Postal Service begins celebrating the holiday season by dedicating the Charlie Brown Christmas Forever stamps Oct. 1. The booklet of 20 stamps features 10 still frames from the 1965 TV special “A Charlie Brown Christmas” (two of each design) celebrating the classic’s 50th anniversary.

The official dedication ceremony will take place at the Charles M. Schulz Museum in Santa Rosa, CA, at 9 a.m. PT. The event is free and open to the public and the stamps will be available nationwide that day. Customers may pre-order the stamps now through this link only for delivery shortly after Oct. 1.

Scheduled to join Postmaster General Megan Brennan at the ceremony are: Schulz’s widow Jean Schulz; Schulz’s son Craig Schulz; and, A Charlie Brown Christmas Executive Producer Lee Mendelson.

The stamp images include: Charlie Brown holding the sapling that eventually becomes his Christmas tree; Charlie Brown and Pigpen with a snowman; Snoopy and children ice skating; the cast of the program gathered around the Christmas tree; Linus kneeling by the sparsely decorated Christmas tree; Charlie Brown checking his mailbox for a Christmas card; Charlie Brown and Linus leaning on a snowy brick wall; Charlie Brown and Linus standing by the Christmas tree; a frustrated Charlie Brown standing in front of Snoopy’s doghouse; and, Charlie Brown decorating the tree in front of the prize-winning lights display on Snoopy’s doghouse. Art director Antonio Alcalá Alexandria VA, designed the stamps.

The early October release of the stamp coincides with the Peanuts comic strip debut in seven newspapers on Oct. 2, 1950: The Washington Post, The Chicago Tribune, The Minneapolis Star-Tribune, The Allentown Call-Chronicle, The Bethlehem Globe-Times, The Denver Post, and The Seattle Times. When Schulz announced his retirement in December 1999, the Peanuts comic strip was syndicated in more than 2,600 newspapers worldwide, with book collections translated in more than 21 languages.

The Christmas Classic
“A Charlie Brown Christmas,” the first animated special featuring characters from Charles Schulz’s beloved comic strip Peanuts, aired on CBS the evening of Dec. 9, 1965. Over the years, the ode to the holiday season has become a tradition. The program now airs annually on ABC.

Work began on “A Charlie Brown Christmas” in the spring of 1965, when Schulz met with producer Lee Mendelson and animator Bill Melendez. Instead of hiring adult actors, the group decided to take the then-unusual step of having children provide voices for most of the characters.

Schulz insisted that the program should not have a laugh track, which he considered cynical and unnecessary. “Let the people at home enjoy the show at their own speed,” he said, “in their own way.” Composer Vince Guaraldi contributed a memorable jazz score. “Linus and Lucy,” a lively piano tune that plays in the film, is still synonymous with Peanuts.

Schulz’s script focuses on Charlie Brown’s search for the true meaning of Christmas. All around him, his friends are enjoying themselves, but he is bothered by the season’s commercialism. “I just don’t understand Christmas, I guess,” he tells Linus. “I like getting presents, and sending Christmas cards, and decorating trees and all that, but I’m still not happy.”

At Lucy’s request, Charlie Brown agrees to direct their school’s Christmas play. The production is temporarily derailed when the other children laugh at him for choosing a small sapling — not a shiny aluminum replica — as a Christmas tree. After an exasperated Charlie Brown wonders if there’s anyone who knows what Christmas is all about, Linus says that he does, and proceeds to recite a stirring rendition of the biblical Nativity story. When he’s finished, he picks up his blanket and says, “That’s what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown.”

Encouraged, Charlie Brown rushes home to decorate his small tree, only to be disappointed again when it collapses under the weight of one ornament. His pals, however, come to the rescue, turning the sapling into a glimmering masterpiece.

Watched in more than 15 million American homes, “A Charlie Brown Christmas” was a smash hit. It won the George Foster Peabody Award and an Emmy Award for Outstanding Children’s Program.

“A Charlie Brown Christmas” is being issued as Forever stamps that will always be equal in value to the current First-Class Mail one-ounce price.

From the Postal Bulletin:
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 800-782-6724. 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:

A Charlie Brown Christmas Stamps
Special Events
PO Box 7838
San Francisco, CA 94120-7838

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 30, 2015.

There are eight philatelic products for this stamp issue:

• 680206 Press Sheet with Die-cut, $78.40 (print quantity 500).
• 680208 Press Sheet without Die-cut, $78.40 (print quantity 1,500).
• 680210 Digital Color Postmark Keepsake (Random), $11.95.
• 680216 First-Day Cover, set of 10, $9.30.
• 680221 Digital Color Postmark, set of 10, $16.40.
• 680224 Framed Art, $39.95. [shown on the right]
• 680230 Ceremony Program (Random), $6.95.
• 680231 Stamp Deck Card (Random), $0.95.

Technical Specifications:

Issue: A Charlie Brown Christmas Stamps
Item Number: 680200
Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail Forever
Format: Double-Sided Booklet of 20 (10 designs)
Series: Holiday Celebrations
Issue Date & City: October 1, 2015, Santa Rosa, CA 95403
Art Director: Antonio Alcalá, Alexandria, VA
Designer: Antonio Alcalá, Alexandria, VA
Modeler: Donald Woo
Manufacturing Process: Offset, Microprint
Printer: Banknote Corporation of America/SSP
Printed at: Browns Summit, NC
Press Type: Alprinta 74
Stamps per Booklet: 20
Print Quantity: 500 million stamps
Paper Type: Phosphor Tagged, Block Tagging
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Processed at: Banknote Corporation of America, Browns Summit, NC
Colors: Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black
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./30.22 x 23.11 mm
Full Booklet Size (w x h): 5.74 x 2.38 in./145.88 x 60.33 mm
Press Sheet Size (w x h): 11.49 x 9.5 in./291.74 x 241.3 mm
Plate Size: 160 stamps per revolution
Plate Numbers: “S” followed by four (4) single digits
Marginal Markings: Plate numbers in peel strip area • © 2015 • USPS in peel strip area

10 designs (click on the picture for a larger view)
FDOI: October 1 in Santa Rosa, CA at the Charles M. Schultz Museum and Research Center
Format: Booklet of 20

On December 9, 1965, millions of Americans learned what Christmas is all about. That evening, A Charlie Brown Christmas, the first animated special featuring characters from Charles Schulz’s beloved comic strip Peanuts, aired on CBS.

Over the years, watching the beautifully understated ode to the holiday season has become an annual tradition. The program now airs every year on ABC.

The art features 10 still frames from A Charlie Brown Christmas (two of each design).

They include:

• Charlie Brown holding the sapling that eventually becomes his Christmas tree
• Charlie Brown and Pigpen with a snowman
• Snoopy and children ice skating
• The cast of the program gathering around the Christmas tree
• Linus kneeling by the sparsely decorated Christmas tree
• Charlie Brown checking his mailbox for a Christmas card
• Charlie Brown and Linus leaning on a snowy brick wall
• Charlie Brown and Linus standing by the tree
• A frustrated Charlie Brown standing in front of Snoopy’s doghouse
• Charlie Brown decorating the tree in front of the prize-winning lights display on Snoopy’s doghouse.

Art Director: Antonio Alcalá

From the briefing at StampShow on August 20, 2015: The art of Charlie checking his mailbox will also be used on USPS self-service kiosks.

The Peanuts comic strip debuted on October 1, 1950 (Wikipedia says October 2nd) and the Schulz family requested October 1st as the first day date (65th anniversary).