In 2014, the U.S. Postal Service introduces Global: Sea Surface Temperatures, a new Forever® international rate stamp that offers a single price for any First-Class Mail International® 1-ounce letter or postcard to any country in the world, as well as for 2-ounce mail to Canada.

This round stamp features a visual representation of our planet’s sea surface temperatures. It shows the Earth with North America at the center and parts of South America, Asia, and Europe just visible on the edges, surrounded by vivid bands of color throughout the oceans. The image is one frame in a 1,460-frame animation created from the output of a computer model of Earth’s climate by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory. The full animation shows how the surface temperatures of the oceans vary seasonally and change over time, and how surface ocean currents and eddies transport heat and water around the globe.

This image also combines the depiction of sea-surface temperatures with visible vegetation on the land masses, an element derived from a satellite composite created by NASA. Text repeated twice around the circumference of the stamp reads “GLOBAL USA FOREVER 2014.”

Art director William J. Gicker designed this stamp.

The new Global Forever® stamps are being issued in self-adhesive sheets of 10 at the $1.15 rate, or $11.50 per sheet.

Here’s the Digital Color Postmark:

From the April 3rd Postal Bulletin:

On April 22, 2014, in Washington, DC, the U.S. Postal Service will issue the Global: Sea Surface Temperatures Forever International rate stamp, in one design, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 10 stamps (Item 116900).

The stamp will go on sale nationwide April 22, 2014.

The U.S. Postal Service introduces Global: Sea Surface Temperatures, a new Forever international rate stamp. Issued at the $1.15 price that went into effect January 26, 2014, this Global Forever stamp can be used to mail a 1-ounce letter to any country to which First-Class Mail International service is available. As with all Global Forever stamps, this stamp will have a postage value equivalent to the price of a single-piece First-Class Mail International 1-ounce machinable letter in effect at the time of use.

This round stamp features a visual representation of our planet’s sea surface temperatures. It shows the Earth with North America at the center and parts of South America, Asia, and Europe just visible on the edges, surrounded by vivid bands of color throughout the oceans. The image is one frame in a 1,460-frame animation created from the output of a computer model of Earth’s climate by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory. Art director William J. Gicker designed the stamp.

How to Order the First-Day-of-Issue Postmark:
Customers have 60 days to obtain the first-day-of-issue postmark by mail. They may purchase new stamps at their local Post Office, at The Postal Store website at http://www.usps.com/shop, or by calling 800-STAMP-24. They should affix the stamps to envelopes of their choice, address the envelopes (to themselves or others), and place them in a larger envelope addressed to:
Global: Sea Surface Temperatures Stamp
Special Events
PO Box 92282
Washington, DC 20090-2282
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. For more than 50, customers have to pay five cents each. All orders must be postmarked by June 21, 2014.

There are eight philatelic products for this stamp issue:
* 116906, Press Sheet with Die cut, $57.50 (print quantity of 2,500).
* 116908, Press sheet without Die cut, $57.50 (print quantity of 2,500).
* 116910, Keepsake (booklet and random Digital Color Postmark), $13.95.
* 116916, First-Day Cover, $1.59.
* 116921, Digital Color Postmarks, $2.30.
* 116924, Framed Art, $39.95.
* 116930, Ceremony Program, $6.95.
* 116931, Stamped Deck Card, $0.95.

Technical Specifications:
Issue: Global: Sea Surface Temperatures Stamp
Item Number: 116900
Denomination & Type of Issue: Forever International rate
Format: Pane of 10 (1 design)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: April 22, 2014, Washington, DC
Designer: William J. Gicker
Art Director: William J. Gicker
Typographer: Greg Breeding
Engraver: N/A
Modeler: Joseph Sheeran
Manufacturing Process: Offset Microprint “USPS”
Printer: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
Printed at: Williamsville, NY
Press Type: Muller A76
Stamps per Pane: 10
Print Quantity: 25 million stamps
Paper Type: Nonphosphored Type III Block Tagged
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive adhesive
Processed at: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
Colors: Black, Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, PMS 167C Brown, PMS Cool Gray #7C
Stamp Orientation: Round
Image Area (w x h): 1.27 x 1.27 in./32.26 x 32.26 mm
Overall Size (w x h): 1.41 x 1.41 in./35.81 x 35.81 mm
Full Pane Size (w x h): 8.50 x 4.40 in./215.90 x 117.76 mm
Press Sheet Size (w x h): 8.50 x 22.00 in./215.90 x 558.80 mm
Plate Size: 150 stamps per revolution
Plate Numbers: “P” followed by 111111 (6) single digits
Marginal Markings:
Front: Plate numbers in two corners of pane
Back: © 2013 USPS • USPS logo • Plate position diagram • Barcode (116900) in upper right and lower left corners of pane • Promotional text