Announced by the USPS on November 3, 2023:

Legendary coach John Wooden (1910-2010) led the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) Bruins to a record-setting 10 Division I men’s basketball national championships. Often considered the greatest coach in the history of American sports, Wooden coached the Bruins to 88 consecutive wins and four perfect (30-0) seasons. The stamp features a portrait of Wooden. In the “UCLA blue” background, a player defends a shot. The numbers on the two players’ jerseys, 4 and 10, evoke the Bruins’ four perfect seasons and the 10 national championships during Wooden’s tenure. Antonio Alcalá, an art director for USPS, designed the stamp using original artwork by Alexis Franklin.

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

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Updated April 16^th:
The USPS has added a philatelic product: 484525 Framed Stamp, $29.95.

Updated April 1^st:
The Scott catalogue number for this issue is 5833.

Updated February 22^nd:

[press release] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions]
U.S. Postal Service to Release Stamp Honoring John Wooden

When: Saturday, Feb. 24, at 1 p.m. PST

What: The first-day-of-issue event for the new commemorative Forever stamp celebrating the legacy of legendary basketball coach John Wooden.

Who: The Honorable Derek Kan, member of the USPS Board of Governors, will serve as the dedicating official.

Where: Pauley Pavilion, East Plaza
University of California, Los Angeles
325 Westwood Plaza
Los Angeles, CA 90095

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

Details: The dedication ceremony will feature special guests, a presentation on the significance of the stamp, and photo opportunities. The event is free and open to the public.

Customers can preorder the John Wooden stamp online at The Postal Storebeginning Jan. 24.

News of the stamp is being shared on social media with the hashtag#JohnWoodenStamp.

About the Stamp
Legendary coach John Wooden (1910-2010) led the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) Bruins to a record-setting 10 Division I men’s basketball national championships. Often considered the greatest coach in the history of American sports, Wooden coached the Bruins to 88 consecutive wins and four perfect (30-0) seasons.

The stamp features a portrait of Wooden. In the “UCLA blue” background, a player defends a shot. The numbers on the two players’ jerseys, 4 and 10, evoke the Bruins’ four perfect seasons and the 10 national championships during Wooden’s tenure.

Antonio Alcalá, an art director for USPS, designed the stamp using original artwork by Alexis Franklin.

The John Wooden stamp will be issued as a Forever stamp in panes of 20, with 18 million scheduled for production.

Forever stamps will always be equal in value to the current First-Class Mail 1-ounce price.

Customers may purchase stamps and other philatelic products online at The Postal Store, by calling 844-737-7826 or at Post Office locations nationwide. For officially licensed stamp products, shop the USPS Officially Licensed Collection on Amazon.

Updated January 28^th:
From the Postal Bulletin
On February 24, 2024, in Los Angeles, CA, the United States Postal Service® will issue the John Wooden stamp (Forever® priced at the First-Class Mail® rate) in one design, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 20 stamps (Item 484500). This stamp will go on sale nationwide February 24, 2024, and must not be sold or canceled before the first-day-of-issue.

This stamp issuance honors John Wooden (1910–2010), the legendary coach who led the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) Bruins to a record-setting 10 Division I men’s basketball national championships. The stamp features a portrait of Wooden looking intently out beyond the viewer. In the deep “UCLA blue” background, a player defends a shot. The numbers on the two players’ jerseys, 4 and 10, evoke the Bruins’ four perfect seasons and the 10 national championships during Wooden’s tenure. Art director Antonio Alcalá designed the stamp using original artwork by Alexis Franklin, based on a photograph by Norm Schindler from the early 1970s.

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 – John Wooden 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 24, 2024.

Technical Specifications:

Issue: John Wooden Stamp
Item Number: 484500
Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail Forever
Format: Pane of 20 (1 design)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: February 24, 2024, Los Angeles, CA 90052
Art Director: Antonio Alcalá, Alexandria, VA
Designer: Antonio Alcalá, Alexandria, VA
Artist: Alexis Franklin, DeSoto, TX
Modeler: Sandra Lane / Michelle Finn
Manufacturing Process: Offset, Microprint
Printer: Banknote Corporation of America
Press Type: Alprinta 74
Stamps per Pane: 20
Print Quantity: 18,000,000
Paper Type: Phosphor, Block Tag
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Colors: Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black
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): 7.2400 x 7.1200 in. / 183.8960 x 180.8480 mm
Press Sheets Size (w x h): 21.7200 x 21.3600 in. / 551.6880 x 542.4400 mm
Plate Size: 180 stamps per revolution
Plate Number: “B” followed by four (4) single digits in four corners
Marginal Markings:
Front: Plate number in four corners
Back: © 2023 USPS • USPS logo • Coach John Wooden™ licensed by John Wooden Legacy, LLC, c/o Luminary Group, LLC • Two barcodes (484500) • Plate position diagram (9) • Promotional text

Updated January 25^th:
Here are the first-day postmarks for this issue:The Digital Color Postmark measures 2.48″ x 1.46″The Pictorial Postmark (which I think is really clever) measures 2.52″ x 1.24″

Updated January 11^th:
This stamp will be issued February 24^th in Los Angeles.

[press release] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions]
U.S. Postal Service to Release Stamp Honoring John Wooden

When: Saturday, Feb. 24, at 1 p.m. PST

What: The first-day-of-issue event for the new commemorative Forever stamp celebrating the legacy of legendary basketball coach John Wooden.

Who: The Honorable Derek Kan, member of the USPS Board of Governors, will serve as the dedicating official.

Where: Pauley Pavilion, East Plaza
University of California, Los Angeles
325 Westwood Plaza
Los Angeles, CA 90095

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

Details: The dedication ceremony will feature special guests, a presentation on the significance of the stamp, and photo opportunities. The event is free and open to the public.

Customers can preorder the John Wooden stamp online at The Postal Store beginning Jan. 24.

News of the stamp is being shared on social media with the hashtag#JohnWoodenStamp.

About the Stamp: Legendary coach John Wooden (1910-2010) led the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) Bruins to a record-setting 10 Division I men’s basketball national championships. Often considered the greatest coach in the history of American sports, Wooden coached the Bruins to 88 consecutive wins and four perfect (30-0) seasons.

The stamp features a portrait of Wooden. In the “UCLA blue” background, a player defends a shot. The numbers on the two players’ jerseys, 4 and 10, evoke the Bruins’ four perfect seasons and the 10 national championships during Wooden’s tenure.

Antonio Alcalá, an art director for USPS, designed the stamp using original artwork by Alexis Franklin.

The John Wooden stamp will be issued as a Forever stamp in panes of 20, with 18 million scheduled for production.

Forever stamps will always be equal in value to the current First-Class Mail 1-ounce price.

Customers may purchase stamps and other philatelic products online at The Postal Store, by calling 844-737-7826 or at Post Office locations nationwide. For officially licensed stamp products, shop the USPS Officially Licensed Collection on Amazon.