[press release] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions]
CLUE: This Naturalized U.S. Citizen Is Now Honored With a Forever Stamp
CORRECT RESPONSE: Who Is Alex Trebek?
WASHINGTON — On the June 21 episode of “Jeopardy!”, host Ken Jennings announced that the U.S. Postal Service will issue a Forever stamp honoring beloved former host Alex 
Trebek concurrent with the show’s 60th Diamond Celebration that was launched earlier this year to celebrate the remarkable legacy of America’s Favorite Quiz Show. Presales for this special stamp begin today, June 21, at usps.com.
The first-day-of-issue event for the Alex Trebek stamp is free and open to the public. Details about the event are below. News of the stamp is being shared with the hashtag #AlexTrebekStamp.
Who:
• Michael Elston, Secretary of the Board of Governors of the U.S. Postal Service
• Ken Jennings, “Jeopardy!” host
• Jean Trebek, wife of Alex Trebek
When: Monday, July 22, 2024, at 4 p.m. Pacific time
Where: John Calley Park
Sony Pictures Studios
10371 Culver Blvd.
Culver City, CA 90232
RSVP: In order to enter the Sony Studios lot, attendees must register at:usps.com/alextrebekstamp
Background: This stamp commemorates Alex Trebek (1940–2020), the longtime host of the television quiz show “Jeopardy!” who became a respected and beloved presence in 
millions of homes.
The grid of 20 identical stamps resembles the array of video monitors that form the “Jeopardy!” game board.
On the stamp is written the prompt, “THIS NATURALIZED U.S. CITIZEN HOSTED THE QUIZ SHOW ‘Jeopardy!’ FOR 37 SEASONS” and underneath, upside down, is the correct response: “Who is Alex Trebek?”
On the stamp pane, relevant category headers appear at the top of each column of stamps, and to the left is a photograph of Trebek with a portion of the “Jeopardy!” set behind him.
Antonio Alcalá, an art director for USPS, designed the stamps using photography provided by Sony Pictures Entertainment and hand lettering by Marti Davila.
The Alex Trebek stamp will be issued in panes of 20. As Forever stamps, they will always be equal in value to the current First-Class Mail one-ounce price.
About Sony Pictures Television:
Sony Pictures Television (SPT) is one of the television industry’s leading content providers, producing, distributing and carrying programming worldwide in every genre and for every platform. In addition to managing one of the industry’s largest libraries of award-winning feature films, television shows and formats, SPT is home to a thriving global content business, operating a robust portfolio of wholly owned and joint-venture production companies across the United States, Europe, Latin America and Asia Pacific, as well as linear and digital channels around the world. SPT is a Sony Pictures Entertainment Co., a subsidiary of Tokyo-based Sony Group Corp.
About Jeopardy! :
Jeopardy!, America’s Favorite Quiz Show™, is in its 40th season in syndication. With a weekly audience of more than 20 million viewers, Jeopardy! is the top-rated quiz show on television. The show has won a total of 44 Emmy® Awards, holds the Guinness World Records® title for the most Emmy® Awards won by a TV game show, and received a Peabody Award for “celebrating and rewarding knowledge.” It originally debuted on March 30, 1964. Jeopardy! is produced by Sony Pictures Television, a Sony Pictures Entertainment Co.; it is distributed domestically by CBS Media Ventures
On July 22, 2024, in Culver City, CA, the United States Postal Service® will issue the Alex Trebek stamp (Forever® priced at the First-Class Mail® rate), in one design, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 20 stamps (Item 485300). This stamp will go on sale nationwide July 22, 2024, and must not be sold or canceled before the first-day-of-issue. The Alex Trebek commemorative pane of 20 stamps must not be split and the stamps must not be sold individually.
This stamp commemorates Alex Trebek (1940–2020) who, as longtime host of the challenging television quiz show Jeopardy!, became a respected and beloved presence in millions of homes. The grid of 20 identical stamps resembles the array of video monitors that form the Jeopardy! playing board. On the stamp is written the prompt, “This naturalized U.S. citizen hosted the quiz show ‘Jeopardy!’ for 37 seasons” and underneath, upside down, is the correct response: “Who is Alex Trebek?” Above the stamps are category headers at the top of each column, and to the left is a photograph of Trebek with a portion of the Jeopardy! set behind him. Antonio Alcalá was the art director and designer for this stamp project, using photography provided by Sony Pictures Entertainment and hand lettering by Marti Davila.
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 – Alex Trebek 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 November 22, 2024.
Technical Specifications:
Issue: Alex Trebek Stamp
Item Number: 485300
Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail Forever
Format: Pane of 20 (1 design)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: July 22, 2024, Culver City, CA 90230
Art Director: Antonio Alcalá, Alexandria, VA
Designer: Antonio Alcalá, Alexandria, VA
Existing Photos: Sony Pictures Entertainment
Modeler: Sandra Lane / Michelle Finn
Manufacturing Process: Offset, Microprint
Printer: Banknote Corporation of America
Press Type: Alprinta 74
Stamps per Pane: 20
Print Quantity: 30,000,000
Paper Type: Phosphor, Block Tag
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Colors: Pantone 2736C, Pantone Cool Gray 9C, and 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): 9.5000 x 7.5000 in. / 241.3000 x
190.5000 mm
Press Sheets Size (w x h): 19.5000 x 23.0000 in. / 495.3000 x
584.2000 mm
Plate Size: 120 stamps per revolution
Plate Number: “B” followed by three (3) single digits in bottom two corners
Marginal Markings:
Front: Header: Alex Trebek • Jeopardy! host and television personality 1940–2020 • Plate number in bottom two corners
Back: © 2024 Jeopardy Productions, Inc. All rights reserved • © 2024 USPS • USPS Logo • Two barcodes (485300) • Plate position diagram (6) • Promotional text
Here are the first-day postmarks for this issue: 
The Digital Color Postmark measures 2.56″ x 1.50″ 
The Pictorial Postmark measures 2.16″ x 1.22″
Updated September 6th:
The Scott catalogue number for this issue is 5907.
Not at all impressed by the design.
Seems like a very rushed job.
Won’t be getting it.
“A US stamp not designed for use or display by itself, but only in the complete pane of 20.” (Q: What is the Alex Trebek stamp?)
“Who originated (came up with the idea for) ‘Jeopardy!’?”
Just when I thought we were going to have a slightly more sensible stamp year with better artwork. (Not that there were not still a few mistakes anyway).
Might have really worked as a mini-pane nine or less, alternating the stamp design with his picture. (Something like the Maya Angelo issue or the bicycling issue). Or a sheet of “Classic Game Show Hosts” like the Poets issue, or the Old West issue from years ago. As is, just no, and what were they thinking and why were they thinking it.
POOR DESIGN!
“What is the Alex Trebek stamp?” I’d like “U.S. Stamps” for $400, please.
“Who was the original host of “Jeopardy!” from from 1964 until 1975 and again from 1978 to 1979.
Art Fleming served as host for all versions of the show between 1964 and 1979. Don Pardo served as announcer until 1975, and John Harlan announced for the 1978–1979 season. The daily syndicated version premiered in 1984 with Alex Trebek as host and Johnny Gilbert as announcer. Trebek hosted until his death, with his last episode airing January 8, 2021, after over 36 years in the role. ( Wikipedia )
And do you know for what show Don Pardo became the announcer in 1975 when he left “Jeopardy!” and all the other NBC game shows?
No one? He became the announcer for “Saturday Night” (popularly known as “Saturday Night Live”).
Out of nowhere, poor design (I mean, with his photogenic face!) – a least alternate the clue stamp with a photo stamp. What designer is going to take credit for this “beautiful” stamp? The only bright spot is that this means there can be a Neil Young stamp someday (because Neil became a citizen as Trebek did). Only a DeJoy post office could do this.
Help me, I thought that the rules (albeit their own CSAC) were that relevant persons would be considered as a subject at a minimum of 5 years after death.
If it’s still their rule, this seems a cheap way around it…
From Post Bull 27 June On Auto-Distrib, Sold as Pane-20 Only, USPS# 4853xx New Rates $14.60 PIC $1.28 DCP $2.13 ANY City cancel available, where ?
These stamps are already available for pre-order on usps . com…
Okay, the last I knew, the CSAC had a rule of 5 years after death before a stamp is issued…This seems a cheap way around that rule by not showing his image on the stamp.
It’s now three years. I don’t recall when the change was made, but it was more than a few year ago. (However, the USPS has shaved a few months off even the three-year period a few times.)
Thank you for the update! I don’t keep up like I used to…knowing that they make the rules themselves, they can break them as they see fit!
I think the rule now is ZERO years. Living people can be on stamps now. It is seldom done. The only issues I’m aware of are the Harry Potter stamps. Although the characters are fictional, the actors are real people. Some of the Star Wars stamps have a strong (but not exact) resemblance to their actors as well, especially the Han Solo stamp. There was a push for Oprah Winfrey to be the first. They came up with the idea to have living people to boost sales to stamp collectors.
The U.S. rules is still three years.See item #4 here. The Harry Potter stamps to which you refer are, I think, Britain’s. (The only U.S. Harry Potter stamps, in 2007, showed the book covers.) You might have a case with the U.S. Star Wars stamps in 2007. (See below.) Living people were allowed for consideration to be honored on U.S. stamps for a few minutes but no stamps were actually issued in honor of living people. (Living people have been on U.S. stamps at least since 1945, when the Army stamp depicted American soldiers marching under the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. One hopes some of those GIs were still living later that year!
Hi .. a bit late to this party, and I may have been confused by your answer, but the 2013 U.S. Harry Potter booklet of 20 shows the actors (in character) in the movie series.
In 2023, Royal Mail issued a set of stamps also showing the characters in the movies.
In 2007, Royal Mail issued the Harry Potter book cover stamps.
You are correct, Jeff. I forgot about the U.S. 2013 stamps and may have mixed up the others.At least the U.S. stopped issuing HP stamps. Britain keeps flogging it
So I read this stamp will only be available as a full sheet.
Not that the announcement in and of itself is a surprise, but who but the most determined self-service FDC collector is going to buy a full sheet of repeating text? (That used to be me, but that was when most issues could be torn for sale, there were practical ways to use up leftover stamps).
There are many appealing 2024 issues. This one is an easy skip. I guess the citizens advisory board is packed with Jeopardy fans.
I can’t disagree with you, although I’d guess if you pay bills by mail you’d use them up eventually). Some say that “Jeopardy!” fans like historical and other trivia, and so do stamp collectors, and millions of people (“Jeopardy!” viewers) saw the announcement of the stamp. Will people who buy a pane of the stamp and throw it into a drawer become real stamp collectors? The past history suggests no, but maybe Organized Philately didn’t do enough to capitalize on these pop issues.
Somebody needs to check the release date that’s listed on the schedule page.
I don’t think there’s a day “92”.
Fixed. And I’m having our proofreader keelhauled!
Mistakes for $12.95:
“July 92nd”
“What are stupid typographical errors on stamp program webpages?”