From the U.S. Postal Service announcement on November 17, 2020:From the USPS: In 2021, the Postal Service will issue the second of 12 stamps in a new series of Lunar New Year stamps. Calling to mind the elaborately decorated masks used in the dragon or lion dances often performed during Lunar New Year parades, these three-dimensional masks are a contemporary take on the long tradition of paper-cut folk art crafts created during this auspicious time of year. Art director Antonio Alcalá designed the stamp with original art by Camille Chew.

Additional information will be posted below the line, with the most recent at the top.

Updated January 29th:
The ZIP code for the first-day city is now 60699.

Updated January 25th:
The USPS is selling two versions of the press sheet for this issue, with die cuts (480106) and without (480108). Both are $44.

Updated January 22nd:
[press release: ceremony details]
New Year, New Ox

What: The U.S. Postal Service celebrates the Lunar New Year with the release of the Lunar New Year: Year of the Ox Forever stamp. The Year of the Ox begins Feb. 12, 2021, and ends Jan. 31, 2022.

News of the stamp is being shared with the hashtags #LunarNewYear and #LunarNewYearOx.

Who: Luke Grossmann, senior vice president of finance and strategy, U.S. Postal Service, will serve as dedicating official.

Patrick McShane, president, Chicago Chinatown Chamber of Commerce

Judy Hsu, evening anchor, ABC 7 Chicago

When: Tuesday, Feb. 2, 2021, 11 a.m. CST

Background: The Chicago Chinatown Chamber of Commerce and USPS are teaming up to host a virtual ceremony, which will be posted to the Postal Service’s Facebook and Twitter pages. Please visit usps.com/lunarnewyearox for additional information. Of interest to philatelists, the designated first-day-of-issue city for the stamp is Chicago.

The Year of the Ox is second in a new series of Lunar New Year stamps introduced in 2020. The mask on the stamp design incorporates elements with symbolic meaning. Several of the patterns were created with the style of Asian textiles in mind, as well as purple flowers that represent the arrival of spring, which Lunar New Year also signals in Chinese culture. The star in the center of the ox’s head references the celestial themes of the Chinese zodiac.

The stamp is being issued in panes of 20 as a Forever stamp, which will always be equal in value to the current First-Class Mail 1-ounce price.

Art director Antonio Alcalá designed the stamp with original artwork by Camille Chew.

Lunar New Year is the most important holiday of the year for many Asian communities around the world.

Known as Tet in Vietnam and the Spring Festival in China and elsewhere, Lunar New Year begins on the second new moon after the winter solstice and historically marks the arrival of spring. In communities across the United States, people shop for food and other supplies, hang decorations and ceremoniously clean their homes to welcome the new year with a fresh start.

Preorders for the Year of the Ox stamps can be made online at usps.com or by calling 800-STAMP24 (800-782-6724).

Updated January 6th:
Here are the first-day postmarks for this issue:  [note that the zip code is now 60699]The Digital Color Postmark measures 2.87″ x 1.41″ The pictorial postmark measures 2.13″ x 1.23″

Updated December 31st from the Postal Bulletin:

On February 2, 2021, in Chicago, IL, the United States Postal Service® will issue the Lunar New Year – Year of the Ox stamp (Forever® priced at the First-Class Mail® rate) in one design, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 20 stamps (Item 480100). This stamp will go on sale nationwide February 2, 2021, and must not be sold or canceled before the first-day-of-issue. The Lunar New Year – Year of the Ox commemorative pane of 20 stamps must not be split and the stamps must not be sold individually.

In 2021, the United States Postal Service issues the second of 12 stamps in a new series of Lunar New Year stamps. Calling to mind the elaborately decorated masks used in the dragon or lion dances often performed during Lunar New Year parades, these 3-dimensional masks are a contemporary take on the long tradition of paper-cut folk art crafts created during this auspicious time of year. The ox mask in the stamp design incorporates elements with symbolic meaning. Several of the patterns were created with the style of Asian textiles in mind as well as purple flowers that represent the arrival of spring, which Lunar New Year also signals in Chinese culture. The star in the center of the ox’s head references the celestial themes of the Chinese zodiac. Art director Antonio Alcalá designed the stamp with original art by Camille Chew.

No automatic distribution for Item 480100, Lunar New Year – Year of the Ox.

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 – Lunar New Year – Year of the Ox 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 2, 2021.

Technical Specifications:

Issue: Lunar New Year – Year of the Ox Stamp
Item Number: 480100
Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail Forever
Format: Pane of 20 (1 design)
Series: Lunar New Year
Issue Date & City: February 2, 2021, Chicago, IL 60699
Art Director: Antonio Alcalá, Alexandria, VA
Designer: Antonio Alcalá, Alexandria, VA
Artist: Camille Chew, Providence, RI
Modeler: Sandra Lane/Michelle Finn
Manufacturing Process: Offset, Foil Stamping, Flexographic, Microprint
Printer: Banknote Corporation of America
Press Type: Gallus RCS
Stamps per Pane: 20
Print Quantity: 24,000,000 stamps
Paper Type: Phosphor, Block Tag
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Colors: Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black, Pantone 7579 Orange, Pantone 7563 Brown, Gold Foil Luxor MTS 413, Orange Foil Luxor MTS 404
Stamp Orientation: Vertical
Image Area (w x h): 0.84 x 1.42 in./ 21.336 x 36.068 mm
Overall Size (w x h): 0.98 x 1.56 in./24.892 x 39.624 mm
Full Pane Size (w x h): 7.25 x 8.5 in./184.15 x 215.9 mm
Press Sheet Size (w x h): 14.5 x 19.50 in./368.3 x 495.30 mm
Plate Size: 80 stamps per revolution
Plate Number: “B” followed by six (6) single digits in two corners
Marginal Markings:
Front: Header: Lunar New Year • Year of the Ox
Plate number in bottom two corners
Back: ©2020 USPS • USPS logo • 2 barcodes (480100) • Plate position dagram (4) • Promotional text

Updated December 4th:
This stamp will be issued Tuesday, February 2nd, with a Chicago postmark.