[press release]
U.S. Postal Service Reveals Addition to 2020 Stamp Program
New Stamps Celebrate Innovation
WASHINGTON, DC — The U.S. Postal Service today announced the addition of the Innovation stamps to its 2020 stamp releases. Additional details, including the date these new Forever stamps will be available to purchase, will be announced soon. All images are preliminary and are subject to change prior to printing.
This release celebrates the American spirit of innovation with a pane of 20 stamps featuring five different designs, each representing an area in which U.S. scientists and engineers have made significant contributions: computing, biomedicine, genome sequencing, robotics and solar technology. Art director Antonio Alcalá designed the stamps, choosing a detail of an existing photograph for each.
These stamps will be issued Thursday, August 20th, as part of the Virtual Stamp Show, with a virtual ceremony. The first day city (postmark) will be Bellefonte, PA, where the American Philatelic Society headquarters are.
More information will be added under the line, with the newest at the top.
The Scott catalogue numbers for this issue are:
5514 Computing
5515 Biomedicine
5516 Genome Sequencing
5517 Robotics
5518 Solar Technology
a. Horiz. strip of 5, #5514-5518
To attend the free 2 p.m. EDT ceremony, go to youtu.be/Gh4hbJ_O1g8
Updated August 13th:
[press release]
U.S. Postal Service Premieres Two New Stamp Issuances
Stamp Show to Host Dedication Ceremonies for Innovation and Thank You Forever Stamps
WHAT: The U.S. Postal Service will dedicate stamps in two new sets, one celebrating the American spirit of innovation and the second offering expressions of thanks.
News of these Forever stamps is being shared with the hashtags #InnovationStamps and #ThankYouStamps.
WHERE:
Separate events for these designs will be held during the American Philatelic Society Virtual Stamp Show and will be posted on the Postal Service’s Facebook and Twitter pages. Please visit usps.com/innovations and usps.com/thankyou for details of the virtual stamp dedication ceremonies.
WHEN:
Thursday, Aug. 20, 2020, at 2 p.m. EDT
Innovation Forever Stamps
Dedicating official: Acting Chief Customer and Marketing Officer Steven Monteith
Friday, Aug. 21, 2020, at 2 p.m. EDT
Thank You Forever Stamps
Dedicating official: Chief Commerce and Business Solutions Officer Jacqueline Krage Strako
BACKGROUND:
Innovation stamps feature five new stamp designs in a pane of 20, showcasing fields in which U.S. scientists and engineers have made significant contributions that have touched lives around the world.
Each stamp design features a photograph of a subject representing Computing, Biomedicine, Genome Sequencing, Robotics and Solar Technology. The word INNOVATION overlays each image in a holographic foil.
Thank You stamps will add visual appeal to notes, cards and letters of thanks to acknowledge a favor, an act of kindness, a job well done or gifts received for any occasion.
The words “Thank You” are highlighted in gold foil in cursive script. An elegant floral design swirls through and around the words. Each of the four stamps features a background color of soft maroon, muted green, grayish blue and purple.
Pre-orders of Innovation and Thank You Forever Stamps can be made online at usps.com and by phone at 800-STAMP24 (800-782-6724).
Updated August 4th:
Here are the first-day cancels for this issue: 
The Digital Color Postmark measures 2.93″ x 1.48″ 
The Pictorial Postmark for this issue measures 2.66″ x 1.33″
Updated July 31st from the Postal Bulletin:
Technical Specifications:
Issue: Innovation Stamps
Item Number: 476200
Denomination & Type of Issue: First Class Mail® Forever®
Format: Pane of 20 (5 designs)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: August 20, 2020, Bellefonte, PA 16823
Art Director: Antonio Alcalá, Alexandria, VA
Designer: Antonio Alcalá, Alexandria, VA
Typographer: Antonio Alcalá, Alexandria, VA
Modeler: Sandra Lane/Michelle Finn
Manufacturing Process: Offset, Hot Foil Stamping
Printer: Banknote Corporation of America
Press Type: Alprinta 74
Stamps per Pane: 20
Print Quantity: 14,000,000 stamps
Paper Type: Phosphor Tagged Paper, Block Tagged
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Processed at: Banknote Corporation of America
Stamp Orientation: Vertical
Image Area (w x h): 0.84 x 1.42 in./21.336 x 36.068 mm
Stamp Size (w x h): 0.98 x 1.56 in./24.892 x 39.624 mm
Full Pane Size (w x h): 5.92 x 7.24 in./150.368 x 183.896 mm
Colors: Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black, Gray PMS 431 C
Other: Foil
Plate Size: 120 stamps per revolution
Plate Numbers: “P” followed by five (5) single digits in four corners
Marginal Markings: Plate position diagram (6) • 2 barcodes (476200) • ©2020 USPS • USPS logo • Promotional text
Updated July 17th from the Postal Bulletin:
On August 20, 2020, in Bellefonte, PA, the United States Postal Service will issue the Innovation stamps (Forever® priced at the First-Class Mail rate) in five designs, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 20 stamps (Item 476200). The stamps will go on sale nationwide August 20, 2020, and must not be sold or canceled before the first-day-of-issue. The Innovation pane of 20 stamps may not be split and the stamps may not be sold individually.
This issuance celebrates the American spirit of innovation with a pane of 20 stamps featuring five different designs, each representing an area in which U.S. scientists and engineers have made significant contributions:
- Computing,
- Biomedicine,
- Genome sequencing,
- Robotics, and
- Solar technology.
Art director Antonio Alcalá designed the stamps, and chose a detail of an existing photograph for each.
Item 476200, Innovation (Forever Priced at the First-Class Mail Rate) PSA 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 usps.com/shop. 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 – Innovation Stamps
USPS Stamp Fulfillment Services
8300 NE Underground Drive, Suite 300
Kansas City, MO 64144-9900
After applying the first-day-of-issue postmark, the Postal Service™ will return the envelopes through the mail. There is no charge for the postmark up to a quantity of 50. There is a 5-cent charge for each additional postmark over 50. All orders must be postmarked by December 20, 2020.
No Technical Specifications yet.
I am surprised and excited about the announcement and issue of these attractive stamps. They will make a colorful addition to my collection.
I feel exactly the same, Mr. Heggatn. These stamps will will be much easier for which to find complementary stationery! One good thing about ‘forever’ stamps is there is plenty of time to look for just the right color envelopes to which they will be affixed.
I don’t care for these stamps. They’re way too busy.
And yet another 2020 USPS pointless multiple issue — just one of these would have sufficed.
We’ve had (or will have) 10 Wild Orchids (actually 20 varieties), 10 American Gardens, 4 Voices of the Harlem Renaissance, 5 Great Outdoors, 4 Hip Hop, 10 Fruits and Vegetables, 10 Bugs Bunny, 10 Ruth Asawa, and 4 Thank-you. Over 80 stamps for what should have been maybe ten designs. The USPS is milking the collectors this year.
Go back in your stamp albums to the late 40’s and 50’s and see all the significant achievements and accomplishments and historical figures and events that were captured on postage stamps. Then compare that to all the insignificant and “trendy” nonsense that has been elevated to be memorialized on our postage stamps of late. Historians will wonder, as they look back on our time, if we did anything monumental or that contributed to making an impact or improvement on mankind or even just our nation.
Bill:
they have been milking us for a number of years. But 2020 is exceptionally bad. Even the subjects suck.
Will the USPS issue a #10 envelope Gift Cachet on this subject, similar to ‘STEM EDUCATION’ in 2018, or is that an entirely dead project?
The USPS says no.
From Linns 19 OCT Pg 73-4 as predicted Scott 5514-18
bad design, the INNOVENTION word block the picture, it is hard to see what the image is, especially Robotic and Solar technology ???I guess kind of solar panels??