This issue was announced by the USPS on December 13th:
Four new Presorted First-Class Mail stamps will be available for purchase by bulk mail users in coils of 3,000 and 10,000. The stamps feature existing photographs of four different bridges that range from modern to historic, pedestrian to car-carrying, but all are important landmarks in their communities. They are the Arrigoni Bridge in Middletown, CT; the Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge in Omaha, NE; the Skydance Bridge in Oklahoma City; and the Iowa-Illinois Memorial Bridge in Bettendorf, IA, and Moline, IL. Art director Ethel Kessler designed the stamps with existing photographs.
We will post additional information as we get it below the line, with the most recent information at the top.
Updated October 3rd:
Here are the Scott catalogue numbers for this issue:
5808 (25¢) Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge
5809 (25¢) Skydance Bridge
5810 (25¢) Iowa-Illinois Memorial Bridge
5811 (25¢) Arrigoni Bridge
a. Horiz. coil strip of 4, #5808-5811
Updated August 24th:
The location of the first day ceremony sponsored by the Connecticut Cover Club for the Bridges Presorted First Class stamps has changed to the Brownstone Intermediate School, 314 Main Street, Portland, CT. Over 150 people RSVPed for the ceremony; this exceeds the capacity of the Portland Senior Center, the planned location. The ceremony starts at 11AM.
Updated July 13th:
Here is the first-day postmark for this issue: 
From the Postal Bulletin:
On August 24, 2023, in Portland, CT, the United States Postal Service® will issue the non-denominated, Presorted First-Class Mail® rate (25-cent value) Bridges stamps in four designs, in pressure-sensitive adhesive coils of 3,000 (Item 751600) and 10,000 (Item 761800). These stamps will go on sale nationwide August 24, 2023, and must not be sold or canceled before the first-day-of-issue.
The Bridges stamp issuance features photographs of four bridges, ranging from modern
to historic and pedestrian to car-carrying. All are important landmarks in their communities:
- Arrigoni Bridge connecting Middletown and Portland, CT;
- Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge between Council Bluffs, IA, and Omaha, NE;
- Skydance Bridge in Oklahoma City, OK; and
- Iowa-Illinois Memorial Bridge connecting Bettendorf, IA, and Moline, IL.
These stamps, intended for bulk mail users, will be issued in coils. Art director Ethel Kessler designed the stamps with existing photographs.
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 en
velope addressed to:
FDOI – Bridges 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 24, 2023.
Technical Specifications – Coil of 3,000:
Issue: Bridges Stamps
Item Number: 751600
Denomination & Type of Issue: Non-denominated, Presorted First-Class Mail Rate
Format: Coil of 3,000 (4 designs)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: August 24, 2023, Portland, CT 06480
Art Director: Ethel Kessler, Bethesda, MD
Designer: Ethel Kessler, Bethesda, MD
Existing Photo: Kyle Henderson
Existing Photo: Christina Woods
Existing Photo: MILLER + MILLER Architectural Photography
Existing Photo: Joe Gowac
Modeler: Joseph Sheeran
Manufacturing Process: Offset
Printer: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd (APU)
Press Type: Muller A76
Stamps per Coil: 3,000
Print Quantity: 20,100,000
Paper Type: Nonphosphored Type III, Block Tagged
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Colors: Black, Cyan, Magenta, Yellow
Stamp Orientation: Vertical
Image Area (w x h): 0.73 x 0.84 in / 18.542 x 21.336 mm
Stamp Size (w x h): 0.87 x 0.98 in / 22.098 x 24.892 mm
Plate Size: 594 stamps per revolution
Plate Numbers: “P” followed by four (4) single digits
Coil Number Frequency: Plate numbers every 27th stamp below stamp image
Technical Specifications – Coil of 10,000:
Issue: Bridges Stamps
Item Number: 761800
Denomination & Type of Issue: Non-denominated, Presorted First-Class Mail Rate
Format: Coil of 10,000 (4 designs)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: August 24, 2023, Portland, CT 06480
Art Director: Ethel Kessler, Bethesda, MD
Designer: Ethel Kessler, Bethesda, MD
Existing Photo: Kyle Henderson
Existing Photo: Christina Woods
Existing Photo: MILLER + MILLER Architectural Photography
Existing Photo: Joe Gowac
Modeler: Joseph Sheeran
Manufacturing Process: Offset
Printer: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd (APU)
Press Type: Muller A76
Stamps per Coil: 10,000
Print Quantity: 600,000,000
Paper Type: Nonphosphored Type III, Block Tagged
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Colors: Black, Cyan, Magenta, Yellow
Stamp Orientation: Vertical
Image Area (w x h): 0.73 x 0.84 in / 18.542 x 21.336 mm
Stamp Size (w x h): 0.87 x 0.98 in / 22.098 x 24.892 mm
Plate Size: 594 stamps per revolution
Plate Numbers: “P” followed by four (4) single digits
Coil Number Frequency: Plate numbers every 27th stamp below stamp image
Updated March 14th:
The issue date is August 24th in Portland, Connecticut, less than half a mile from the eastern side of the Arrigoni Bridge and about 14 miles south of Hartford. There will be no “headquarters” first-day ceremony for this issue.
Closing bracket is missing here too after “Mail”.
Got it. Thanks.
The same issue is with Art of the Skateboard. Also, the dots are missing in all issues in (U.S. 2023). I also would like to add that in the issues announced by USPS in October 24, 2022 it says “2023” (Starting from Red Fox to Patriotic Block).
What is the current rate for Presorted First Class? The USPS website is very convoluted on this and the best I can determine is: $0.471, but not always. Does that even make sense? Is it variable? If so, what’s the Bridges stamp value?
It does vary. According to the notice filed by the USPS for this rate increase, the rate ranges from 47.1¢ to 54.6¢, depending on how much “automation” (presorting) the mailer does for the USPS. I’m guessing the USPS will assign some nominal value, probably at the low end of that range, as it has with “Presorted Standard Rate” (i.e., advertising mail or junk mail) issues.
After Talking with ‘My Official Source” Pre-Sorted First Class STAMPS still sell @ $0.25. If this will change with this summer’s rate-change… ( See USPS Star Quilts USPS# 7999 – PNC Strips of 28 still available from ONECO CT 06373. )
According to this link:
https://about.usps.com/newsroom/national-releases/2023/0314-usps-updates-2023-stamp-program.htm
The issuance is scheduled for August 24 with the Waterfalls scheduled for June 13, Northern Cardinal Envelope for July 9 and John Lewis on July 13. Also, the link announces a new subject OSIRIS-REx.😀
https://about.usps.com/newsroom/national-releases/2023/0314-usps-updates-2023-stamp-program/
FDoI 24 AUG Portland, CONNECTICUT ( Not Maine, Nor Oregon )
According to my “Official Source”, there may not be an Official FDoI Ceremony in Portland CT, there More Than Likely will be Cache Covers by several different organizations. If there is an American Legion or VFW Post in Hartford CT, then a Color-Guard is available. ( Or maybe an American Revolution Militia Post? )
Sorry, I left it out of the 2023 grid, but the USPS announcement this week said there would not be a first-day ceremony, by which it means no ceremony organized by headquarters. Connecticut has a strong group of FDC collectors, so I think a locally-organized ceremony is very likely. Also, the correct term is “cacheted (first day) cover,” as in one that has had a cachet included. A “cache” is a bunch of stuff put aside, usually out of sight.
First-day ceremony color guards have also consisted of Postal Police, junior ROTC programs from nearby high schools and non-postal police. I also can’t imagine that Hartford doesn’t have a VFW or American Legion post. It’s Connecticut’s capital!
Worse-Comes-to-Worse, you could have a bunch of Ham Radio operators comer down from the National Headquarters of the American Radio Relay League in Newington CT ( Suburb of Hartford ). As a Bit User of the Postcard Stamps ( QSL Cards ) I’d hope they’d even by Sponsored… ( Yeah, Right… )
Will one be able to purchase four of the presorted first class bridge stamps without having to buy coils of 3,000 plus? If so, who do I purchase them from? i.e., The USPS store, the Portland, CT post office, etc. Thanks.
The USPS will probably sell through its USPS.com site strips of 25.
Thanks for this info! I live in the Quad Cities where the new I-74 bridge is. It’s the stamp on the far right, I think, aerial shot with green lighting.
Postmaster, Oneco CT 06373 will sell you as many, or as few, as you like. Send him a Postcard & ask, he will send you an answer, and an SASE to place your order.
The Connecticut Cover Club, in partnership with the Portland Historical Society, is planning on hosting an unofficial first day of issue ceremony in Portland, CT. I, as the coordinator for the event, have been working on the details with my various contacts in Portland and at the USPS. These details will be shared once we get closer to the event. We have a venue and we have a master of ceremonies. The event will take place on August 24th — the first day of issue — at 11:00 AM. Strips of 25 stamps “off coil” will be available for $6.25 per strip at the Portland Post Office. First day cancels will also be available at the Portland Post Office. More details to follow. –Brian Magee, CCC, AFDCS, APS
Anyone know which bridge (stamp) is which? The Wikipedia images don’t match closely enough for me to be sure.
I’m guess that, left to right, they are
You are correctly identifying the stamps by name. Iowa-Illinois Memorial Bridge straddles the Mississippi connecting, no surprise here, Iowa and Illinois. Skydance Bridge is in Oklahoma City, OK. Arrigoni Bridge connects Portland, CT with Middletown, CT across the (currently flooded!) Connecticut River. Kerrey Bridge is in Omaha, NE and spans the Missouri River.
First Day of Issue ceremony update: The Connecticut Cover Club has partnered with the Portland Historical Society to host a first day ceremony at the Portland Senior Center, 7 Waverly Avenue, Portland, CT at 11:00 AM. Since this is not an official USPS event Foster Miller (CCC, AFDCS, APS) has agreed to be the Master of Ceremonies. We have invited Joe Gowac, the Arrigoni Bridge photographer, to attend, as well as the descendants of Senator Arrigoni, the bridge’s namesake.
Will the USPS be at the unofficial ceremony?
Will there be a special cancel at the unofficial ceremony?
Will stamps be available at the ceremony?
Will the FDOI cancellation be only at the Portland Post Office?
Henry Squillante
Look on the Connecticut Cover Club Facebook page. They had a cachet set. I’m still waiting on a reply for an official ‘after ceremony’ address to buy the covers from…
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063174671471
Is there any more information on the sale of the bridge stamps in Portland CT
mentioned in Brian Megee’s comments?
Henry Squillante, AFDCS, APS.
Strips of 25 stamps will be available on the first day of issue, August 24th at the Portland Post Office, 320 Main Street, Portland, CT 06480 starting at 8:30 AM. Their phone number is 860-342-0081. Cost is $6.25 per strip of 25. Since there are four stamps in the series each strip will yield a net of 6 stamps each strip with one stamp “leftover.” The “extra” stamp will depend upon where the the coil breaks are. Official USPS first day covers will also be available at the Portland Post Office. First day cancel swill be applied on collector-supplied covers as hand back service over the counter. I have been informed that the Portland Post Office will have a minimal supply of stamps on hand due to the type of stamp being issued: A $ .25 presorted First Class intended for commercial bulk mailers.
USPS Portland CT Ran Out of these stamps…
See: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063174671471
The Portland Post Office has reiterated their policy on selling only 4 strips PER PERSON.
Portland CT P.O. ran out of these stamps. via USPS.COM. ( 751603 or 761803 25 at $6.25 ) See more info on the fakebook page of the virtual stamp club…
From an American Ceremony Program Society email:
For those planning to attend tomorrow’s first day ceremony sponsored by the Connecticut Cover Club for the Bridges Presorted First Class stamps, the location of the ceremony has changed to the Brownstone Intermediate School, 314 Main Street, Portland, CT. Over 150 people RSVPed for the ceremony; this exceeds the capacity of the Portland Senior Center, the planned location. The local First Selectman (politician) that has been helping us made a command decision this afternoon to move the ceremony. Ceremony starts at 11AM.
We had 175 people show up for the First Day of Issue Ceremony. Foster Miller did a great job as MC. Three TV stations covered the event.
There WAS an ‘Un-Official’ FDoI ceremony. ( More attended that originally planned ) See: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063174671471
( ‘Dupe Detector failure!! )There WAS an ‘Un-Official’ FDoI ceremony. ( More attended that originally planned ) See: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063174671471
WARNING – Look Closely at the Issued Scott Numbers.
5808 (25¢) Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge
5809 (25¢) Skydance Bridge
5810 (25¢) Iowa-Illinois Memorial Bridge
5811 (25¢) Arrigoni Bridge
a. Horiz. coil strip of 4, #5808-5811
MOST IMAGES have the Arrigoni Bridge FIRST, Bob Kerrey SECOND, Skydane THIRD and IA-IL Last. AMOS Did it a different way. ( Again )