Announced by the USPS on November 3, 2023:
One of the most renowned and influential artists of the 20th century, Ansel Adams (1902-1984) made thousands of awe-inspiring photographs that collectively create a rich visual portrait of the American landscape. A masterful photographer and dedicated environmentalist, Adams sought to imbue each of his black-and-white prints with the power and wonder he felt in the presence of nature. These 16 stamps feature some of Adams’s most famous images in his signature “straight photography” style, an approach defined by its precision and directness. Derry Noyes, an art director for USPS, designed the stamps.
Additional information will be posted below the line, with the most recent info near the top.
Updated July 2nd:
Here are the basic Scott catalogue numbers for this issue. Each imperforate stamp (from the imperforate press sheet) has its own number, too, which you can find here:
Sc. 5854 pane of 16
a. Half Dome, Merced River, Winter, Yosemite National Park, California, 1938
b. Oak Tree, Sunset City, Sierra Foothills, California, 1962
c. Thundercloud, Ellery Lake, High Sierra, Sierra Nevada, California, 1934
d. Denali and Wonder Lake, Denali National Park, Alaska, 1947
e. The Golden Gate and Bridge from Baker Beach, San Francisco, California,1953
f. Road and Fog, Del Monte Forest, Pebble Beach, California, 1964
g. Rock and Grass, Moraine Lake, Sequoia National Park, California, 1936
h. Leaves, Mount Rainier National Park, Washington, c. 1942
i. Monument Valley, Arizona, 1958
j. Tetons and Snake River, Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming, 1942
k. Jeffrey Pine, Sentinel Dome, Yosemite National Park, California, 1940
l. Mirror Lake, Mount Watkins, Spring, Yosemite National Park, California, 1935
m. Maroon Bells, near Aspen, Colorado, 1951
n. Aspens, Dawn, Autumn, Dolores River Canyon, Colorado, 1937
o. Road After Rain, Northern California, 1960
p. Dunes, Oceano, California, 1963
Updated April 17th:
These stamps are now available online for pre-ordering. USPS collectibles have been added to the U.S. 2024 Stamp Program listing for this issue (“USPS Order Numbers”).
Updated April 4th:
Here are the first-day postmarks for this issue:
The Digital Color Postmark measures 2.98″ x 1.40″
The Pictorial Postmark measures 2.65″ x 1.25″
From the Postal Bulletin:
On May 15, 2024, in Yosemite National Park, CA, the United States Postal Service® will issue the Ansel Adams stamps (Forever® priced at the First-Class Mail® rate) in 16 designs, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 16 stamps (Item 485000). These stamps will go on sale nationwide May 15, 2024, and must not be sold or canceled before the first-day-of-issue. The Ansel Adams commemorative pane of 16 stamps must not be split and the stamps must not be sold individually.
This stamp issuance honors Ansel Adams (1902–1984), one of the most influential artists of the 20th century, best known for his awe-inspiring black-and-white photographs of the American landscape. These 16 
stamps feature some of Adams’ most famous images in his signature “straight photography” style, an approach defined by its precision and directness. Art director Derry Noyes designed the stamps using existing photographs.
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 – Ansel Adams 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 September 15, 2024.
Technical Specifications:
Issue: Ansel Adams Stamps
Item Number: 485000
Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail Forever
Format: Pane of 16 (16 designs)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: May 15, 2024, Yosemite National Park, CA 95389
Art Director: Derry Noyes, Washington, DC
Designer: Derry Noyes, Washington, DC
Existing Photos: Ansel Adams
Modeler: Sandra Lane / Michelle Finn
Manufacturing Process: Offset
Printer: Banknote Corporation of America
Press Type: Alprinta 74
Stamps per Pane: 16
Print Quantity: 20,000,000
Paper Type: Phosphor, Block Tag
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Colors: 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 7.4100 in. / 183.8960 x
188.2140 mm
Press Sheets Size (w x h): 21.7200 x 22.2300 in. / 551.6880 x
564.6420 mm
Plate Size: 144 stamps per revolution
Plate Number: “B” followed by one (1) single digit
Marginal Markings:
Front: Header: ANSEL ADAMS • photographer, 1902 – 1984 • Plate number in bottom two corners
Back: Ansel Adams photographs © The Ansel Adams Publishing Rights Trust • © 2023 USPS • USPS logo • Two barcodes (485000) • Plate position diagram (9) • Promotional text
Updated April 3rd:
[press release] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions]
Postal Service to Honor Ansel Adams With Stamps Showcasing 16 Stunning Portraits of the American Landscape
What: First-day-of-issue dedication ceremony for the Ansel Adams Forever stamps featuring 16 photographs made by the esteemed artist and environmentalist. The first-day-of-issue event for the Ansel Adams Forever stamps is free and open to all visitors of Yosemite National Park. News of the stamps is being shared with the hashtag #AnselAdamsStamps.
Who: The Hon. Daniel Tangherlini, a member of the U.S. Postal Service Board of Governors, will serve as the dedicating official.
Matthew Adams, grandson of Ansel Adams
Cicely Muldoon, superintendent, Yosemite National Park
Scott Gediman, public affairs officer, Yosemite National Park
Shelton Johnson, park ranger, Yosemite National Park
Alan Ross, photographer
When: May 15, 2024, at 11 a.m. PDT
Where: The Ansel Adams Gallery
9031 Village Drive
Yosemite National Park, CA 95389
RSVP: Ceremony attendees are encouraged to RSVP at usps.com/anseladamsstamps.
Background: Experience the wonder of the American West through the lens of one of America’s most iconic photographers, Ansel Adams (1902-1984). This pane of 16 stamps features some of Adams’ most famous images in his signature “straight photography” style, an approach defined by its precision and directness.
The first row of stamps, left to right, features “Half Dome, Merced River, Winter, Yosemite National Park, California” (1938); “Oak Tree, Sunset City, Sierra Foothills, California” (1962); “Thundercloud, Ellery Lake, High Sierra, Sierra Nevada, California” (1934); and “Denali and Wonder Lake, Denali National Park, Alaska” (1947).
The second row, left to right, features “The Golden Gate and Bridge from Baker Beach, San Francisco, California” (c.1953); “Road and Fog, Del Monte Forest, Pebble Beach, California” (1964); “Rock and Grass, Moraine Lake, Sequoia National Park, California” (1936); and “Leaves, Mount Rainier National Park, Washington” (c.1942).
The third row, left to right, features “Monument Valley, Arizona” (1958); “Tetons and Snake River, Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming” (1942); “Jeffrey Pine, Sentinel Dome, Yosemite National Park, California” (1940); and “Mirror Lake, Mount Watkins, Spring, Yosemite National Park, California” (1935).
The fourth row, left to right, features “Maroon Bells, near Aspen, Colorado” (1951); “Aspens, Dawn, Autumn, Dolores River Canyon, Colorado” (1937); “Road After Rain, Northern California” (1960); and “Dunes, Oceano, California” (1963).
As evidenced by the striking images in this collection, Adams devoted much of his career to the advancement of photography as a fine art. Derry Noyes, an art director with USPS, designed the stamps using existing photographs.
Updated February 23rd:
These stamps will be issued May 15 at Yosemite National Park in California.
The Ansel Adams Gallery – Yosemite National Park.
https://www.anseladams.com/
I have a calendar with his photographs. Can’t wait for the stamps to be released.😀
From Post Bull 04 April: USPS# 4850xx Pane-16 ONLY ( No split-up ) ON Auto-Distrib. and Any City, DCP, and PIC Postmarks. FDoI Ceremony at Yosemite National Park. With all of the Rain/Snow, the Waterfalls should be going full-blast. The Fancy ($$$!) Hotel in Yosemite is probably already booked-up, try for a trailer or tent spot… ( For this hotel, if you have to ask how much it costs, you can’t afford it… )
Are online USPS Postal Store orders for stamp sheets recently arriving sealed or unsealed? I fully understand the sealed wrapping contains a warning that the package is not for philatelic archiving. I just prefer when sheets arrive sealed vs unsealed because unsealed ones are more susceptible to creases, fingerprints, etc., vs sealed ones which have a thin cardboard underneath and may move around less in the package because they are wrapped. Sealed sheets in my opinion are also more presentable for holiday and birthday gifts. My last orders in the summer and fall of 2023 each contained two sheets of issues that were ordered approximately 1 week to 1 month after release, and on both orders the stamps arrived unsealed and thankfully with no damage. In late Spring 2023, I placed an order for 8 sheets of all 2023 issues (no pre-orders) and the entire order arrived with sealed sheets. Not sure if there is any rhyme or reason to it, but those were my experiences in 2023.
Looking forward to the Ansel Adams issue. They would make great gifts.
My order that arrived today consisted of all sealed sheets. I do remember receiving a few a year or so ago with unsealed stamps, but that may have been a since-corrected blip.
…and before anyone asks, no, none of the Inverted Jenny sheets today were the un-inverted variety. Hope springs eternal. But I order these for postage on orders to foreign countries.
It’s now early in the morning on July 14 and the USPS website is displaying the 73c Forever rate. Probably like a lot of people, I waited until the last day (July 13) to place an order before rates increased. I was successful in placing an order, but the Ansel Adams issue was displaying “No Price” and the when you clicked on it, it displayed the old rate ($10.88) but no option to add to order, just save for later and then some “NaN” jibberish. That all has been corrected and it is now available to order, albeit at the new $11.68 rate. Thinking the Ansel Adams issue was sold out, I ordered one commemorative panel of that issue (which includes the sheet) for $18.95. Didn’t want to order more for gifts because of the $ premium over just the sheet.
Have you ever seen something like this before and why didn’t the commemorative panel increase in price from $18.95 to $19.75 to reflect the higher rate of the sheet as of this morning 7/14?
I like the way your sealed sheets look in the photo. If I were to place an order for let’s say five Ansel Adams sheets and two each of the new lower denomination flower issues the day after they are released, what do you think the probability is of receiving the entire order sealed? Do stamps arrive to the USPS from the manufacturer/printer sealed or unsealed? If unsealed, then maybe it takes a few weeks for the employees at the USPS stamp fulfillment center to seal them before they are sold that way.
I know these are first world problems, but I thought I would ask here since this website is a cornucopia of great information about stamps and the USPS.
The USPS price changes and other major changes to its web-shop always seem to roll out in stages, rather than all at once.