Announced October 23, 2023:

Similar in design to the 2-ounce Wedding Blooms stamp, this floral Forever stamp can be used on the RSVP envelopes often enclosed with wedding invitations. A beautiful addition to regular correspondence, it is also ideal for party invitations, thank-you notes and important announcements. The stamp features a horizontal graphic illustration of brilliantly colored flowers rendered in ink and gouache paint. Derry Noyes, an art director for USPS, designed the stamp using an existing illustration by artist Kim Parker.

Further information will be posted below the line, with the newest information at the top.

Updated May 7^th:
The Scott catalogue number for this issue is 5849.

Updated February 8^th:
Here are the first-day postmarks for this issue:The Digital Color Postmark for this issue measures 2.97″ x 1.42″There is no Pictorial Postmark for this issue.

From the Postal Bulletin:

On March 22, 2024, in St. Louis, MO, the United States Postal Service® will issue the Celebration Blooms stamp (Forever® priced at the First-Class Mail® rate) in one design, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 20 stamps (Item 581200). This stamp will go on sale nationwide March 22, 2024, and must not be sold or canceled before the first-day-of-issue.

Introducing Celebration Blooms, a new Forever® stamp for all of life’s special moments. The stamp design is a brilliantly-colored illustration of abstract flowers rendered in ink and gouache paint. Similar in design to the Two Ounce Wedding Blooms stamp, this stamp can be used for wedding RSVP cards. It is also perfect for party invitations, thank-you notes, announcements, birthday cards, and any occasion when a beautiful stamp is fitting. Art director Derry Noyes designed the stamp using an existing illustration by artist Kim Parker.

Availability to Post Offices: Item 581200, Celebration Blooms (Forever Priced at the First-Class Mail Rate) Pane of 20 Stamps: No automatic distribution

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

FDOI – Celebration Blooms Stamp
USPS Stamp Fulfillment Services
8300 NE Underground Drive, Suite 300
Kansas City, MO 64144-9900

After applying the first-day-of-issue postmark, the Postal Service™ will return the envelopes through the mail. There is no charge for the postmark up to a quantity of 50. There is a 5-cent charge for each additional postmark over 50. All orders must be postmarked by July 22, 2024.

Technical Specifications:

Issue: Celebration Blooms Stamp
Item Number: 581200
Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail Forever
Format: Pane of 20 (1 design)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: March 22, 2024, St. Louis, MO 63155
Art Director: Derry Noyes, Washington, DC
Designer: Derry Noyes, Washington, DC
Existing Art: Kim Parker, Brooklyn, NY
Modeler: Sandra Lane / Michelle Finn
Manufacturing Process: Offset, Microprint
Printer: Banknote Corporation of America
Press Type: Alprinta 74
Stamps per Pane: 20
Print Quantity: 225,000,000
Paper Type: Phosphor, Block Tag
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Colors: PMS 2076C, Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black
Stamp Orientation: Horizontal
Image Area (w x h): 1.0500 x 0.7700 in. / 26.6700 x
19.5580 mm
Overall Size (w x h): 1.1900 x 0.9100 in. / 30.2260 x
23.1140 mm
Full Pane Size (w x h): 5.7600 x 5.5500 in. / 146.3040 x 140.9700 mm
Plate Size: 320 stamps per revolution
Plate Number: “B” followed by five (5) single digits in four corners
Marginal Markings:
Front: Plate number in four corners
Back: © 2023 USPS • USPS logo • Two barcodes (581200) • Plate position diagram (8) • Promotional text

Updated November 30^th:
Confirmed: This stamp will be issued Friday, March 22, in St. Louis, without a “headquarters” first-day ceremony (but something is likely at the show).

Updated November 15^th:
We believe this stamp and Wedding Blooms will be issued March 22nd at St. Louis Stamp Expo. This has not been confirmed by the USPS.

Announced October 23, 2023:

This 2-ounce floral stamp can be used to accommodate the weight of heavy invitations for birthdays, weddings, anniversaries and other celebrations; oversized greeting cards; and small gifts that require extra postage. This stamp is similar in design to the Celebration Blooms Forever stamp, also to be issued in 2024. The two will form a natural pair. This stamp features a vertical graphic illustration of brilliantly colored flowers rendered in ink and gouache paint. Derry Noyes, an art director for USPS, designed the stamp using an existing illustration by artist Kim Parker.

Further information will be posted below the line, with the newest information at the top.

Updated May 7^th:
The Scott catalogue number for this issue is 5850

Updated February 8^th:
Here are the first-day postmarks for this issue:The Digital Color Postmark measures 2.26″ x 1.48″There is no Pictorial Postmark for this issue.

From the Postal Bulletin:
On March 22, 2024, in St. Louis, MO, the United States Postal Service® will issue the Wedding Blooms stamp (priced at the Non-denominated, Two Ounce mail rate) in one design, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 20 stamps (Item 585800). This stamp will go on sale nationwide March 22, 2024, and must not be sold or canceled before the first-day-of-issue.

Wedding Blooms is a beautiful and vibrant Two Ounce stamp now available for correspondence celebrating many of life’s special moments. The stamp can accommodate the weight of heavy invitations for birthdays, weddings, anniversaries, and other celebrations, greeting cards for all occasions, and mailings such as small gifts that require extra postage. The stamp design is a tableau of brilliantly-colored, abstract flowers rendered in ink and gouache paint. The Wedding Blooms Two Ounce stamp is similar in design to the Celebration Blooms Forever® stamp, and the two form a natural pair. Art director Derry Noyes designed this stamp with an existing illustration by artist Kim Parker.

Availability to Post Offices: Item 585800, Wedding Blooms (Non-denominated, Two Ounce Mail Rate) Pane of 20 Stamps: No automatic distribution.

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

FDOI – Wedding Blooms Stamp
USPS Stamp Fulfillment Services
8300 NE Underground Drive, Suite 300
Kansas City, MO 64144-9900

After applying the first-day-of-issue postmark, the Postal Service™ will return the envelopes through the mail. There is no charge for the postmark up to a quantity of 50. There is a 5-cent charge for each additional postmark over 50. All orders must be postmarked by July 22, 2024.

Technical Specifications:

Issue: Wedding Blooms Stamp
Item Number: 585800
Denomination & Type of Issue: Two Ounce Rate, Non-denominated, Mail Use
Format: Pane of 20 (1 design)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: March 22, 2024, St. Louis, MO 63155
Art Director: Derry Noyes, Washington, DC
Designer: Derry Noyes, Washington, DC
Existing Art: Kim Parker, Brooklyn, NY
Modeler: Sandra Lane / Michelle Finn
Manufacturing Process: Offset, Microprint
Printer: Banknote Corporation of America
Press Type: Alprinta 74
Stamps per Pane: 20
Print Quantity: 55,000,000
Paper Type: Phosphor, Block Tag
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Colors: Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black, PMS 2076C
Stamp Orientation: Vertical
Image Area (w x h): 0.7700 x 1.0500 in. / 19.5580 x
26.6700 mm
Overall Size (w x h): 0.9100 x 1.1900 in. / 23.1140 x
30.2260 mm
Full Pane Size (w x h): 5.5500 x 5.7600 in. / 140.9700 x
146.3040 mm
Plate Size: 320 stamps per revolution
Plate Number: “B” followed by five (5) single digits in four corners
Marginal Markings:
Front: Plate number in four corners
Back: © 2023 USPS • USPS logo • Two barcodes (585800) • Plate position diagram (8) • Promotional text

Updated November 30^th:
Confirmed: This stamp will be issued Friday, March 22, in St. Louis, without a “headquarters” first-day ceremony (but something is likely at the show).

Updated November 15^th:
We believe this stamp and Celebration Blooms will be issued March 22nd at St. Louis Stamp Expo. This has not been confirmed by the USPS.

Announced October 23, 2023:

Radiant Star will be a new presorted standard stamp intended for bulk mailers and will be sold in self-adhesive coils of 3,000 and 10,000. In this vibrant graphic design, red and white stripes radiate from a blue star. The star is in two shades of blue to give it a three-dimensional look. Antonio Alcalá was the art director for USPS on the project. The stamp was designed by Carol Beehler. (U.S. 2024)

Further information will be posted below the line, with the newest information at the top.

Updated April 1^st:
The Scott catalogue number for this issue is 5832.

Updated January 11^th:
The only first-day postmark for this issue is the First Day of Issue or “killer-bar” postmark:TThe order number for coils of 3,000 is 751700; for 10,000, 761900.

On February 19, 2024, in Star, ID, the United States Postal Service® will issue the Radiant Star stamp (Non-denominated priced at the Presorted Standard Rate of 10 cents) in one design, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) coil of 3,000 stamps (Item 751700) and coil of 10,000 stamps (Item 761900). The stamp will go on sale nationwide February 19, 2024, and must not be sold or canceled before the first-day-of-issue.

Radiant Star is a new Presorted Standard stamp available for bulk mail users. Showcasing easily recognizable design elements from the American flag, this graphic design creates an eye-catching image that conjures the Stars and Stripes and feelings of patriotism. The stamp, sold in self-adhesive coils of 3,000 and 10,000, was designed by Carol Beehler. Antonio Alcalá was the art director for this project.

No automatic distribution

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

FDOI – Radiant Star Stamp
USPS Stamp Fulfillment Services
8300 NE Underground Drive, Suite 300
Kansas City, MO 64144-9900

After applying the first-day-of-issue postmark, the Postal Service™ will return the envelopes through the mail. There is no charge for the postmark up to a quantity of 50. There is a 5-cent charge for each additional postmark over 50. All orders must be postmarked by June 19, 2024.

Technical Specifications:

Issue: Radiant Star Stamp
Item Number: 751700
Denomination & Type of Issue: 10-cent Presorted Standard, Mail-use
Format: Coil of 3,000 (1 design)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: February 19, 2024, Star, ID 83669
Art Director: Antonio Alcalá, Alexandria, VA
Designer: Carol Beehler, Bethesda, MD
Modeler: Sandra Lane / Michelle Finn
Manufacturing Process: Offset
Printer: Banknote Corporation of America
Press Type: Alprinta RCS
Stamps per Coil: 3,000
Print Quantity: 24,900,000 stamps
Paper Type: Phosphor Tagged / Overall
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Colors: PMS 7687C, PMS 3546C, PMS 2195C
Stamp Orientation: Vertical
Image Area (w x h): 0.7300 x 0.8400 in. / 18.5420 x 21.3360 mm
Stamp Size (w x h): 0.8700 x 0.9800 in. / 22.0980 x 24.8920 mm
Plate Size: 540 stamps per revolution
Plate Number: “B” followed by three (3) single digits
Coil Number Frequency: Plate number every 27th stamp below stamp image

Issue: Radiant Star Stamp
Item Number: 761900
Denomination & Type of Issue: 10-cent Presorted Standard, Mail-use
Format: Coil of 10,000 (1 design)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: February 19, 2024, Star, ID 83669
Art Director: Antonio Alcalá, Alexandria, VA
Designer: Carol Beehler, Bethesda, MD
Modeler: Sandra Lane / Michelle Finn
Manufacturing Process: Offset
Printer: Banknote Corporation of America
Press Type: Alprinta RCS
Stamps per Coil: 10,000
Print Quantity: 1,500,000,000 stamps
Paper Type: Phosphor Tagged / Overall
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Colors: PMS 7687C, PMS 3546C, PMS 2195C
Stamp Orientation: Vertical
Image Area (w x h): 0.7300 x 0.8400 in. / 18.5420 x 21.3360 mm
Stamp Size (w x h): 0.8700 x 0.9800 in. / 22.0980 x 24.8920 mm
Plate Size: 540 stamps per revolution
Plate Number: “B” followed by three (3) single digits
Coil Number Frequency: Plate number every 27th stamp below stamp image

Updated November 30^th:
This stamp will be issued Monday, February 19, without a “headquarters” first-day ceremony.

Announced October 23, 2023:

From the time slavery was introduced to the Colonies until it was abolished in 1865, enslaved people tried to escape. This stamp issuance commemorates the Underground Railroad, as their resistance efforts became known. The pane of 20 stamps features 10 sepia-toned portraits of men and women who escaped slavery and/or helped others escape: Catharine Coffin, Frederick Douglass, Thomas Garrett, Laura Haviland, Lewis Hayden, Harriet Jacobs, William Lambert, Jermain Loguen, William Still and Harriet Tubman. Below each portrait are eight lines of text: BLACK/WHITE; COOPERATION; TRUST/DANGER; FLIGHT/FAITH; COURAGE/RISK; DEFIANCE/HOPE; UNDERGROUND; RAILROAD/USA. On the pane’s verso is a map showing the general routes freedom seekers followed and a list of individuals pictured on the stamps with a few words of biographical information about each. Antonio Alcalá, an art director for USPS, designed the stamps using existing images.

Further information will be posted below the line, with the newest information at the top.

Updated May 7^th:
The Scott catalogue numbers for this issue are
5834 Harriet Tubman
5835 Thomas Garrett
5836 William Still
5837 Harriet Jacobs
5838 Jermain Loguen
5839 Catherine Coffin
5840 Lewis Hayden
5841 Frederick Douglass
5842 William Lambert
5843 Laura Haviland
b. Block of 10, #5834-5843
(add “a” for imperforate versions)

Updated April 16^th:
The USPS has added a philatelic product: 484633 Commemorative Panel, $12.95

Updated March 7^th:
[ceremony information] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions]
U.S. Postal Service Remembers Shining Beacons of the Underground Railroad on New Forever Stamps

What: The U.S. Postal Service is honoring 10 courageous men and women who helped guide enslaved people to freedom via the Underground Railroad, network of secret routes and safehouses in use before the Civil War.

The first-day-of-issue event for the Underground Railroad stamps is free and open to the public. News of the Forever stamps is being shared with the hashtag #UndergroundRailroadStamps.

Who: The Honorable Ronald A. Stroman, member of the USPS Board of Governors and dedicating official

When: Saturday, March 9, 2024, at 11 a.m. EST

Where: Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Visitor Center
4068 Golden Hill Road
Church Creek, MD 21622

RSVP: Attendees are encouraged to register at usps.com/undergroundrailroad.

Background: From the time slavery was introduced to the Colonies until it was abolished in 1865, enslaved people made ceaseless efforts to escape its reach. The flight to freedom, whether by foot, horseback, carriage, wagon or boat, was difficult and exceedingly dangerous.

In name only, The Underground Railroad started as a loosely organized secret network of courageous and imaginative freedom seekers, and the brave operatives who assisted them. Over time the network coalesced into a well-organized system as it responded to the increasing numbers of freedom seekers and a corresponding rise in attempts to thwart escapes.

Most remained anonymous, but some left their mark on history, including the 10 men and women honored on these Forever stamps: Catharine Coffin, Frederick Douglass, Thomas Garrett, Laura Haviland, Lewis Hayden, Harriet Jacobs, William Lambert, the Rev. Jermain Loguen, William Still, and Harriet Tubman.

Updated February 22^nd:
The USPS made corrections to the technical details (press type and number of stamps per pane). They have been changed below.

Updated February 9^th:
Here is what the reverse of the pane looks like:And this is what a full pane looks like: Updated February 8^th:

Here are the first-day postmarks for this issue:The Digital Color Postmark measures 2.97″ x 1.49″The Pictorial Postmark measures 2.50″ x 1.12″

From the Postal Bulletin:
On March 9, 2024, in Church Creek, MD, the United States Postal Service® will issue The Underground Railroad stamps (Forever® priced at the First-Class Mail® rate) in 10 designs, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 20 stamps (Item 484600). These stamps will go on sale nationwide March 9, 2024, and must not be sold or canceled before the first-day-of-issue. The Underground Railroad commemorative pane of 20 stamps must not be split and the stamps must not be sold individually.

From the time slavery was introduced to the Colonies until it was abolished in 1865, enslaved people tried to escape it. This stamp issuance commemorates the Underground Railroad, as their resistance efforts became known. The pane of 20 stamps depicts 10 men and women who escaped slavery or helped others escape. The top third of each stamp features a sepia-toned portrait of one individual:

• Catharine Coffin,
• Frederick Douglass,
• Thomas Garrett,
• Laura Haviland,
• Lewis Hayden,
• Harriet Jacobs,
• William Lambert,
• Rev. Jermain Loguen,
• William Still, and
• Harriet Tubman.

Below each portrait are eight lines of text: BLACK/WHITE; COOPERATION; TRUST/DANGER; FLIGHT/FAITH; COURAGE/RISK; DEFIANCE/HOPE; UNDERGROUND; RAILROAD/USA. Art director Antonio Alcalá designed the stamps using existing photographs.

Availability to Post Offices: Item 484600, The Underground Railroad (Forever Priced at the First-Class Mail Rate) Pane of 20 Stamps: Automatic Distribution

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

FDOI – The Underground Railroad Stamps
USPS Stamp Fulfillment Services
8300 NE Underground Drive, Suite 300
Kansas City, MO 64144-9900

After applying the first-day-of-issue postmark, the Postal Service™ will return the envelopes through the mail. There is no charge for the postmark up to a quantity of 50. There is a 5-cent charge for each additional postmark over 50. All orders must be postmarked by July 9, 2024.

Technical Specifications:

Issue: The Underground Railroad Stamps
Item Number: 484600
Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail Forever
Format: Pane of 20 (10 designs)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: March 9, 2024, Church Creek, MD 21622
Art Director: Antonio Alcalá, Alexandria, VA
Designer: Antonio Alcalá, Alexandria, VA
Typographer: Antonio Alcalá, Alexandria, VA
Modeler: Joseph Sheeran
Manufacturing Process: Offset
Printer: Ashton Potter
Press Type: Muller A76
Stamps per Pane: 20
Print Quantity: 20,000,000
Paper Type: Nonphosphored Type III, Block Tag Applied
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Colors: Black, Cyan, Magenta, Yellow
Stamp Orientation: Vertical
Image Area (w x h): 0.8400 x 1.4200 in. / 21.3360 x 36.0680 mm
Overall Size (w x h): 0.9800 x 1.5600 in. / 24.8920 x 39.6240 mm
Full Pane Size (w x h): 5.9200 x 7.6250 in. / 150.3680 x 193.6750 mm
Press Sheets Size (w x h): 11.8400 x 22.8750 in. / 300.7360 x 581.0250 mm
Plate Size: 240 stamps per revolution
Plate Number: “P” followed by four (4) single digits in bottom two corners
Marginal Markings:
Front: Header: THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD • Plate number in bottom two corners
Back: Header: NETWORK TO FREEDOM • Routes of the Underground Railroad • Descriptive text for each stamp honoree • © 2023 USPS • USPS logo • One barcode (484600) • Plate position diagram (6) • Promotional text

Updated January 7^th:
Not mentioned in the Wikipedia entry for Church Creek, for some reason, is that it has the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad National Historical Park! However, the stamps’ issuance is not on the site’s calendar. Wikipedia does have a listing for the park itself.

Updated November 30^th:
These stamps will be issued Saturday, March 9, in Church Creek, MD [Wikipedia], on Maryland’s Eastern Shore.

Announced October 23, 2023:

The Save Manatees stamp will be issued to create awareness about the threats posed to this beloved marine mammal. Human vigilance is crucial for its protection — both to minimize motorboat strikes and to maintain the aquatic plants on which the manatee feeds in the warm coastal waters in and around Florida. The stamp art is a digital rendering of a manatee placidly lolling near the surface of the water. Derry Noyes, an art director for USPS, designed the stamp and booklet cover using illustrator Nancy Stahl’s original graphic design.

Further information will be posted below the line, with the newest information at the top.

Updated May 7^th:
The Scott catalogue number for this issue is 5851. The booklet pane of 20 is 5851a.

Updated March 2^nd:

Photos from the first-day ceremony, courtesy Joe Brockert, a retired U.S. Postal Service Stamp Services staffer and editor at Linn’s Stamp News/Scott Publishing, and John Mascaro. In fact, let’s start with a photo of Joe:A sign at the site: and the first day ceremony program:We received nearly identical first-day postmarked postcards from two others who attended the ceremony, Chris Lazaroff and Linn’s editor-in-chief Jay Bigalke:
Also at the ceremony was VSC member John Mascaro, who lives just nine miles from Silver Springs State Park. A former volunteer at the Park, John tells us there was a big blowup there on the first-day: Postal workers canceling FDCs and other souvenirs:The blue FDCs you see on the table were designed by a local artist and sold by the Francis Marion County Stamp Club of Ocala. We have asked for information on how to buy them.

As is becoming a trend, John reports he was told the Manatee Research Station Visitors Center in Crystal River “does not have or no longer carries postcards.” Luckily, he had two from 1996.Updated February 29^th:

[press release] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions]
New Save Manatees Postage Stamp to be Issued on Manatee Appreciation Day

What: The U.S. Postal Service will commemorate the new Save Manatees postage stamp on Manatee Appreciation Day.

News of the stamp is being shared with the hashtag #SaveManateesStamp.

Who: Michelle Krysiak, postmaster, Silver Springs, FL, Post Office
Patrick Rose, executive director, Save the Manatee Club

When: Wednesday, March 27, 2024, at 9 a.m.

Where: Silver Springs State Park
5656 E. Silver Springs Blvd.
Silver Springs, FL 34488

RSVP: Those interested in attending should RSVP at usps.com/savemanateesstamp.

Background: The gentle West Indian manatee is a vulnerable marine mammal. Manatees inhabit Florida’s inland waterways and warm areas of the coastal Atlantic, Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico.

Every day, a West Indian manatee eats up to 10 percent of its weight in aquatic plants. Adults can reach 11 feet long and 1,500 pounds. Manatees are slow swimmers and slow to reproduce — a female has one calf at a time and may tend to it for two years.

Media Webinar: Additionally, the Postal Service will be hosting a media webinar on March 26, 2024, at 10 a.m. EDT. Speakers from the Postal Service and the conservation community will discuss the new postage stamp and manatee conservation efforts. If you are interested in participating, email sue.brennan@usps.gov to RSVP and additional information will be provided.

Updated February 22^nd:
Here are the first-day postmarks for this issue:The Digital Color Postmark measures 2.53″ x 1.24″This is the standard “killer bar.”

On March 27, 2024, in Silver Springs, FL, the United States Postal Service® will issue the Save Manatees stamp (Forever® priced at the First-Class Mail® rate) in one design, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) double-sided booklet of 20 stamps (Item 684800). This stamp will go on sale March 27, 2024, and must not be sold or canceled before the first-day-of-issue.

The Save Manatees stamp is being issued to create awareness about the threats posed to this beloved marine mammal. Human vigilance is crucial for the protection of the threatened West Indian manatee — both to minimize motorboat strikes and to maintain the aquatic plants on which the manatee feeds in Florida and nearby warm-water coastal areas. The stamp art is a digital rendering of a manatee placidly lolling near the surface of the water. Art director Derry Noyes designed this booklet of 20 stamps, illustrated by Nancy Stahl.

Item 684800, Save Manatees (Forever Priced at the First-Class Mail Rate) Double-sided Booklet of 20 Stamps: No automatic distribution

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

FDOI – Save Manatees Stamp
USPS Stamp Fulfillment Services
8300 NE Underground Drive, Suite 300
Kansas City, MO 64144-9900

After applying the first-day-of-issue postmark, the Postal Service™ will return the envelopes through the mail. There is no charge for the postmark up to a quantity of 50. There is a 5-cent charge for each additional postmark over 50. All orders must be postmarked by July 27, 2024.

Technical Specifications:

Issue: Save Manatees Stamp
Item Number: 684800
Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail Forever
Format: Double-sided Booklet of 20 (1 design)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: March 27, 2024, Silver Springs, FL 34488
Designer: Derry Noyes, Washington, DC
Art Director: Derry Noyes, Washington, DC
Illustrator: Nancy Stahl, New York, NY
Modeler: Sandra Lane / Michelle Finn
Manufacturing Process: Offset, Microprint
Printer: Banknote Corporation of America
Press Type: Alprinta 74
Stamps per Booklet: 20
Print Quantity: 175,000,000
Paper Type: Phosphor, Block Tag
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Colors: Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black
Stamp Orientation: Vertical
Image Area (w x h): 0.7700 x 1.0500 in. / 19.5580 x
26.6700 mm
Stamp Size (w x h): 0.9100 x 1.1900 in. / 23.1140 x
30.2260 mm
Booklet Size (w x h): 5.7430 x 2.3750 in. / 145.8720 x
60.3250 mm
Plate Size: 800 stamps per revolution
Plate Numbers: “B” followed by four (4) single digits
Marginal Markings: Header: “SAVE MANATEES” Twenty First-Class Forever Stamps • © 2023 USPS in peel strip area • Barcode • USPS logo • Promotional text • Plate number in peel strip area

Updated November 30^th:
This stamp will be issued Wednesday, March 27, in Silver Springs, FL.

Announced October 23, 2023:

A new series of low denomination stamps will debut in 2024. Each stamp will showcase a different flower design: 1-cent fringed tulip, 2-cent daffodils, 3-cent peonies, 5-cent red tulips and 10-cent poppies and coneflowers. Photographer Harold Davis combines innovative technology with digital painting and photographic techniques to arrive at his unique floral designs. These stamps will be available in panes of 20 and coils of 10,000. Ethel Kessler, an art director for USPS, designed the stamps.

Further information will be posted below the line, with the newest information at the top.

Updated September 6^th:
The Scott catalogue numbers for this issue are

• 5897 1¢ Fringed Tulip, serpentine die cut 11¼x11
• 5898 2¢ Daffodils, serpentine die cut 11¼x11
• 5899 3¢ Peonies, serpentine die cut 11¼x11
• 5900 5¢ Red Tulips, serpentine die cut 11¼x11
• 5901 10¢ Poppies and Coneflowers, serpentine die cut 11¼x11
• 5902 1¢ Fringed Tulip, coil stamp, serpentine die cut 10 vert.
• 5903 2¢ Daffodils, coil stamp, serpentine die cut 10¾ vert.
• 5904 3¢ Peonies, coil stamp, serpentine die cut 10 vert.
• 5905 5¢ Red Tulips, coil stamp, serpentine die cut 10 vert.
• 5906 10¢ Poppies and Coneflowers, coil stamp, serpentine die cut 10¾ vert.

Updated June 13^th:
Here is the only first-day postmark for this issue:No size was given, but generally these “killerbar” cancels are 3.50″ in width.

All five designs will be available in panes of 20 and coils of 10,000.

Updated May 20^th:
These stamps will be issued July 18 in Berkeley, Calif.

Will all five stamps be issued on the same date, or each on a separate date? Here are larger versions of each stamp; I think if you click on each of these pictures, you’ll get an even larger view:

Announced October 23, 2023:

This remarkable image from the James Webb Space Telescope is a digitally colored depiction of the invisible bands of mid-infrared light emitted by the Cosmic Cliffs of the Carina Nebula. Red and yellow flares scattered throughout the cliffs show developing and newly born stars. The orange-and-brown clouds in the lower third of the image are swirls of dust and gas. Additional stars, in our Milky Way and in distant galaxies, appear in the blue and black regions above and beyond the nebula. Greg Breeding, an art director for USPS, designed the Stamp using an image provided by NASA, the European Space Agency, the Canadian Space Agency and the Space Telescope Science Institute.

Further information will be posted below the line, with the newest information at the top.

Updated March 2^nd:
The Scott catalogue number for this issue is 5828.

Updated January 11^th:
Here are the first-day postmarks for this issue:The Digital Color Postmark measures 2.88″ x 1.47″There is no pictorial postmark, just the standard FDOI “Killerbar.”

Updated November 30^th:
This stamp will be issued January 22 in Greeenbelt, MD, without a “headquarters” first-day ceremony. But, yes, on a Monday, not the usual Sunday for these issues.

Announced October 23, 2023:

Captured by the James Webb Space Telescope, this extremely high-definition infrared image shows the magnificent Pillars of Creation formation within the Eagle Nebula. By assigning color to various wavelengths, the digitized image allows us to see a landscape otherwise invisible to the human eye. Red areas toward the end of the pillars show burgeoning stars ejecting raw materials as they form, while the relatively small red orbs scattered throughout the image show newly born stars. Greg Breeding, an art director for USPS, designed the stamp with an image provided by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the European Space Agency, the Canadian Space Agency and the Space Telescope Science Institute.

Further information will be posted below the line, with the newest information at the top.

Updated March 2^nd:
The Scott catalogue number for this issue is 5827.

Updated January 11^th:
Here are the first-day postmarks for this issue:The Digital Color Postmark measures 2.88″ x 1.47″ There is no pictorial postmark, just the standard FDOI “Killerbar.”

Updated November 30^th:
This stamp will be issued January 22 in Greeenbelt, MD, without a “headquarters” first-day ceremony. But, yes, on a Monday, not the usual Sunday for these issues.

Announced October 23, 2023:

In 2024, a new Floral Geometry stamp, denominated at $1, will be available for purchase. The stamp will complement the similarly designed $2 and $5 stamps issued in 2022 and the $10 stamp issued in 2023. The stamps lend an elegant and contemporary appearance to packages, large envelopes and other mailings. The stamp art features a series of overlapping geometric shapes that mimic the symmetry of floral patterns found in nature. The watercolor background and the glimmer of the foil-stamped design and typography create a sophisticated look. This stamp will be issued in panes of 10. The stamps were designed and created by the firm Spaeth Hill. Antonio Alcalá served as art director for USPS.

Further information will be posted below the line, with the newest information at the top.

Updated March 22^nd:
On April 26, 2024, in Burlingame, CA, the United States Postal Service® will issue the $1 Floral Geometry definitive stamp in one design, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 10 stamps (Item 121800). This stamp will go on sale nationwide April 26, 2024, and must not be sold or canceled before the first-day-of-issue.

In 2024, a new Floral Geometry stamp denominated at $1 will be available for purchase, complementing the similarly designed $2 and $5 stamps issued in 2022, and the $10 stamp issued in 2023. The stamp art features a series of overlapping geometric shapes that mimic the symmetry of floral patterns found in nature. As the stamp denominations rise ($1 to $10), the designs become more complex. The watercolor backgrounds and foil-stamped designs and typography create a sophisticated look. The stamps were designed and created by the firm Spaeth Hill. Antonio Alcalá was the art director.

No automatic distribution.

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

FDOI – $1 Floral Geometry Stamp
USPS Stamp Fulfillment Services
8300 NE Underground Drive, Suite 300
Kansas City, MO 64144-9900

After applying the first-day-of-issue postmark, the Postal Service™ will return the envelopes through the mail. There is no charge for the postmark up to a quantity of 50. There is a 5-cent charge for each additional postmark over 50. All orders must be postmarked by August 26, 2024.

Technical Specifications:

Issue: $1 Floral Geometry Stamp
Item Number: 121800
Denomination & Type of Issue: $1 Definitive
Format: Pane of 10 (1 design)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: April 26, 2024, Burlingame, CA 94010
Art Director: Antonio Alcalá, Alexandria, VA
Designer: Spaeth Hill, Alexandria, VA
Typographer: Spaeth Hill, Alexandria, VA
Artist: Spaeth Hill, Alexandria, VA
Modeler: Sandra Lane / Michelle Finn
Manufacturing Process: Foil Stamping, Offset, Microprint
Printer: Banknote Corporation of America
Press Type: Gallus RCS
Stamps per Pane: 10
Print Quantity: 30,000,000 stamps
Paper Type: Phosphor, Block Tag
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Colors: Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black, Silver Kurz Foil
Stamp Orientation: Horizontal
Image Area (w x h): 1.4200 x 1.0850 in. / 36.0680 x
27.5590 mm
Overall Size (w x h): 1.5600 x 1.2250 in. / 39.6240 x
31.1150 mm
Full Pane Size (w x h): 4.2600 x 7.6900 in. / 108.2040 x
195.3260 mm
Plate Size: 90 stamps per revolution
Plate Numbers: “B” followed by four (4) single digits
Marginal Markings:
Front: Plate Block Numbers in two corners of the pane
Back: © 2023 USPS • USPS logo • 10 barcodes (121800) • Plate position diagram (9) • Promo

Here are the first-day postmarks for this issue:The Digital Color Postmark measures 2.51″ x 1.44″

There is no pictorial postmark for this issue, just the FDOI “Killerbar” postmark:Updated February 23^rd:
This stamp will be issued April 26 with a local ceremony at the Westpex stamp show.

Announced October 23, 2023:

The 47th stamp in the Black Heritage series honors Constance Baker Motley (1921–2005), the first African American woman known to have argued a case before the United States Supreme Court and the first to serve as a federal judge. The stamp features a portrait of Motley created by Charly Palmer. The stenciled circular shapes create a subtle crowning effect, and the heavy brushstrokes and scratches add texture to the acrylic-on-canvas work. Stenciled curlicues embellish the lower background and continue onto Motley’s black dress. Derry Noyes, an art director for USPS, designed the stamp.

Further information will be posted below the line, with the newest information at the top.

Updated March 2^nd:
The Scott catalogue number for this issue is 5830.

Updated December 30^th:
Here are the first-day postmarks for this issue:The Digital Color Postmark for this issue measures 2.39″ x 1.25″ The Pictorial Postmark for this issue measures 2.44″ x 1.25″

Updated December 22^nd:
[press release] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions]
USPS Celebrates Judiciary Trailblazer Constance Baker Motley With 47th Black Heritage Stamp

What: The 47th stamp in the Black Heritage series honors Constance Baker Motley (1921-2005), civil rights pioneer and the first African American woman to argue a case before the U.S. Supreme Court and the first to serve as a federal judge.

The dedication ceremony for this Forever stamp is free and open to the public. News of the stamp is being shared with the hashtags #ConstanceBakerMotley and #BlackHeritageStamps.

Who: The Honorable Anton Hajjar, member of the U.S. Postal Service Board of Governors

When: Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2024, at 11 a.m. EST

Where:
Constance Baker Motley Recreation Center
348 E. 54th St
New York, NY 10022

RSVP: Attendees are encouraged to register at: usps.com/constancebakermotley.

Background: Constance Baker Motley started her career in 1945 when she began working for the future U.S. Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall at the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) Legal Defense and Educational Fund.

From 1945 to 1965, Motley worked on about 60 cases that reached the Supreme Court. She won nine of the 10 cases she argued before the Court.

In 1966, Motley was nominated by President Lyndon B. Johnson to a seat on the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York — the largest and busiest federal trial court in the country. She rose to chief judge in 1982 and senior judge in 1986.

The stamp features a portrait of Motley by artist Charly Palmer, based on an Associated Press photograph. Rendered in acrylic on canvas work, the portrait displays elements of Palmer’s signature style. The stenciled circular shapes around the head suggest royalty, and the heavy brushstrokes and scratches provide added textures. Stenciled curlicues embellish the lower background and continue onto Motley’s black dress. Her colorful corsage and a brooch further enliven the image.

The Constance Baker Motley stamp will be issued in panes of 20. Forever stamps will always be equal in value to the current First-Class Mail 1-ounce price.

Updated November 30^th:
This stamp will be issued Wednesday, January 31, in New York City.