From a webconference with USPS Stamp Services on Thursday, March 31st at 3 pm EDT. Spelling and typos don’t count!
From a press release just issued: “WASHINGTON — The U.S. Postal Service will begin celebrating the National Park Service’s Aug. 25 centennial just in time for summer vacation letter writing by issuing a pane of stunning Forever stamps depicting 16 examples of our national treasures on June 2.” The design reveals will begin Monday April 4th. Dedication ceremonies at Parks – not decided yet whether those will be on the first days or not.
Honoring Extraordinary Heroism: The Service Cross Medals. 4 stamps, 12 on a sheet. Monday, May 30.
Classics Forever: Forever-stamp souvenir sheet reproduces 6 classic stamps from mid 1800s. Wednesday, June 1. 
Colorful Celebrations: 4 colors, intricate art form, 10 different designs. Friday, June 3. 
Henry James, Literary Arts, 3-ounce rate. 
All but James will be issued at World Stamp Show-NY 2016
The WSS folio (2 sheets of 12 packaged together) May 28th Saturday. The two panes will be attached, somewhat like the Medal of Honor issues, but not folded. Not as big as MOH was.
Sunday May 29th for Repeal
Pluto and Planets both on Tuesday, May 31st.
Mary-Anne Penner: As of right now, the first-day cancellations for all issues will be available every day of the show.
National Parks will be issued June 2nd at WSS.
Eid June 10th Dearborn, MI.
No date whatsoever for Pets at this point. Could not say whether May is still the target.
Issues at WSS: No-die-cut press sheets available? Mary-Anne Penner says no decisions have been made.
No preorders for stamp products any more, except for the actual stamps. New policy.
No T-shirt for Sarah Vaughan, as there was for other Music Icon stamps. A non-stamp product like that would have to have a separate retail agreement (with rights-holders?)
No NDC sheets for Shirley Temple.
On March 22, 
BELLEFONTE, PA – The world’s largest stamp collector’s organization, the American Philatelic Society (APS), is pleased to announce a new partnership with the U.S. Postal Service Federal Credit Union (USPS FCU), a Clinton, Maryland-based federal credit union serving current and retired employees of the U.S. Postal Service nationwide. The arrangement includes making the APS a Select Group, allowing APS members to join the USPS FCU. In addition, the USPS FCU will become a presence at national APS stamp shows, providing financial educational opportunities to both groups’ memberships, supporting APS youth education programs, and becoming a partner in promoting stamp collecting.
“We are excited about the opportunity to partner with the U.S. Postal Service Federal Credit Union,” said Scott English, APS Executive Director. “Not only will we be adding a respected financial service provider for our members, we will also have a great partner in supporting the U.S. Postal Service and stamp collecting.”
The American Philatelic Society is the world’s largest stamp collecting organization with more than 31,000 members around the world. The organization, founded in 1886, is dedicated to promoting the cultural and historical significance of U.S. and international stamps, creating a safe place to buy and sell stamps, and providing educational opportunities for both collectors and non-collectors of all ages. You can learn more about the APS or become a member at www.stamps.org.
The American First Day Cover Society’s pre-Americover tour will include special presentations at the National Postal Museum.
At the NPM, former National Park Service interpretive planner Paul Lee will present a special Sundman lecture, “Parks, Postmarks, and Postmasters: Post Offices Within The National Park System.” The program combines real-life drama and human interest.This year is the centennial of the National Park Service.
After lunch, NPM Chief Curator Daniel Piazza (left) will give a guided tour of “Trailblazing: 100 Years of Our National Parks,” followed by a tour of the rest of the facility. Members of the group will have a chance to see their own cachets in the Owney the Postal Dog FDC exhibit.
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The world’s most valuable stamp will be there, the unique British Guiana one cent magenta, which was sold at auction June 17, 2014 for $9.48 million dollars to fashion shoe designer Stuart Weitzman. Its celebrated story of being found in 1873 by a 12 year old schoolboy is legendary. The stamp is on a three-year loan to the Smithsonian’s National Postal Museum and will be in a special display case at their booth through Friday of the show.
originally of 240 examples, are nearly intact with just a couple dozen of each removed. The 1d sheet has never been shown outside of the United Kingdom, while the 2d sheet has never been on public display anywhere. A presentation about them, “Postal Reform & the Penny Black,” will be given at 10:30 AM on Tuesday, May 31 by Douglas N. Muir, Senior Curator, Philately, The Postal Museum.
dealing with Great Britain’s penny postage program of 1840. The stamp, lettered A I, comes from the first row of the sheet printed from the first printing plate 1a completed on April 8, 1840. The stamp is attached on a sheet of stout paper together with a proof of a Mulready, as presented by Rowland Hill to the Council of Academicians on April 10 for approval of the proposed design, which was enthusiastically given. At the top of this sheet Wallace inscribed in his own hand, “1st Proof of Penny Postage Stamp Cover, presented to Mr. Wallace by the Right Honable. The Chancellor of the Exchequer, Francis Thornhill Baring, April 10th, 1840.” and endorsed beneath the stamp, “Universal Penny Postage Fly or Loose Stamp, presented to me Mr Wallace as above” and noted “ These come into public use on the 6th of May 1840”.
The postal history of the small Indian Ocean island of Mauritius is forever entwined with the story behind its first issue of 1847. Lady Gomm, wife of the governor, was planning a lavish ball and decorated the invitation envelopes with new-fangled postage stamps hastily produced by a local watch maker. Each was to have been inscribed “Post Paid,” but shortly after being released were found to bear “Post Office” instead. It is believed fourteen 1d orange red and twelve 2d deep blue stamps have survived, along with only three Ball covers. The only such cover in public hands will be on display, from the collection of Vikramm Chand.
New York City Subway
Central Park Zoo
Metropolitan Museum of Art
Number of stamps: 20
The New York Collector’s Strip – GB Version
Rates – 1st up to 100g, 1st Large up to 100g, Euro 20g/World 10g, Europe 100g, Worldwide up to 20g, Worldwide up to 100g. This product will feature the ‘World Stamp Show NY2016’ overprint and only be available from Tallents House by mail order. Price: £7.75 per strip Code: ZS044
On April 28, 2016, in Dulles, VA, the U.S. Postal Service® will issue the USA nondenominated, nonprofit organization stamp (5-cent value), in one design, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) coil of 10,000 (Item 777500).
On April 28, 2016, in Dulles, VA, the U.S. Postal Service will issue the USA nondenominated, nonprofit organization stamp (5-cent value), in one design in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) coil of 10,000 (Item 777500).
The Bridge of Strings in Jerusalem was designed by Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava so this makes for a most fitting visual image to express the bridge of friendship developed over 30 years between Israel and Spain.
Our stamp for Spring stands out in this collection with its stunning red wildflowers. What a great season that symbolizes blooming and renewal!
by Natan Yonatan, “The Sand Will Remember”.
BELLEFONTE, PA – Construction of a new $2.6 million library caused a roof leak at the American Philatelic Center, headquarters of the American Philatelic Research Library (APRL) and the American Philatelic Society (APS). During a rainy weekend, water leaked into the recently-completed George Turner Rare Book Room threatening some of the hardest-to-find philatelic literature in world. Quick action by the library staff, with assistance from Penn State University Libraries, minimized the long-term damage to books and other material.
Along with putting the library materials out to dry, Murray contacted Sue Kellerman, head of the Penn State University Libraries Preservation Department. Kellerman and members of her staff were soon on site to assess the damage and provide expert advice. They even lent the APRL equipment, including fans to circulate air and hygrometers to measure humidity.
As long as the emergency conservation measures are effective, the monetary impact for the APRL will be small and related to treatment of rare books. The library will attempt to replace unsalvageable auction catalogs through donations. For a list of the catalogs lost and information about donating replacement copies, see http://blog.stamplibrary.org/?p=3106.
United States Postal Headquarters
United States Postal Headquarters
