[Newest information is at the bottom of this entry.]

In an aside to an article on the singer, The Wall Street Journal says there will be a Music Icons stamp for her later this year:

Jeff Jampol, who manages the Janis Joplin estate, is positioning the queen of rock ‘n’ roll to have one of her best business years since, well, she was alive.

…

The estate has worked with the U.S. Postal Service to create a commemorative stamp, out later this year, according to Mr. Jampol.

“We have nothing to announce at this town,” USPS spokesman Mark Saunders told The Virtual Stamp Club.

May 15: The VSC is told that legal issues are holding up release of the design and other information about this stamp.

The USPS confirmed this stamp on Friday, January 17th:

This Sunday, January 19, is the birthday of groundbreaking singer and Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Janis Joplin. Today, in celebration, we can confirm that, later this year, Joplin will join Lydia Mendoza, Johnny Cash, and Ray Charles in the Music Icons stamp series. We’ll have more details soon. Happy Birthday, Ms. Joplin!

June 6: Sources within the USPS confirm our guess that August 15th is the likely first day of issue. Her birthday is already past, and August 15th will be the 45th anniversary of the first day of Woodstock.

The stamp design was unveiled in a number of places by July 1st, although no issue date or location has been announced. Many people believe it will be on the 45th anniversary of the first day of the Woodstock Festival, August 15th, likely in Bethel, NY.

July 7th: Linn’s Stamp News reports “the stamp will be issued Aug. 8 at the Outside Lands festival at Golden Gate Park in San Francisco.”

July 17th: The USPS is providing information on the first-day ceremony:

What: First Day of Issuance Ceremony for the U.S. Postal Service limited-edition Janis Joplin Forever Postage Stamp Collection

Where: San Francisco, CA (Outside Lands Festival “Panhandle Stage”)

When: Friday, Aug. 8, 2014 at 1:30 p.m. PT

July 24th: From the Postal Bulletin:[I thought the line I bolded in black was very interesting -LdeV]

On August 8, 2014, in San Francisco, CA, the U.S. Postal Service will issue the Janis Joplin stamp (Forever First-Class Mail priced at 49 cents) in one design, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 16 stamps (Item 588100). This item will only be sold in full format, as a pane of 16.

The stamp will go on sale nationwide August 8, 2014.

The fifth issuance in the Music Icons series features Janis Joplin, a groundbreaking singer, whose powerful bluesy voice propelled her to the pinnacle of rock stardom. The artwork for this stamp features a photo of Janis Joplin taken by David Gahr in June 1970. The original black-and-white photo is rendered in shades of blue, with Joplin’s trademark round sunglasses tinted a shade of pink. The words “Janis Joplin,” along with the “Forever” denomination and “USA” appear in psychedelic-style script reminiscent of the 1960s, in shades of gold, orange, and pink. Daniel Pelavin designed the lettering. Text below the stamps briefly describes Joplin’s musical legacy. The flip side of the stamp pane, designed to resemble a vintage 45 rpm record sleeve, features a photograph of Joplin taken by Bruce Steinberg in May 1968 at the First International San Jose Pop Festival. The image is accompanied by the words “Janis Joplin Blues Rock Country Soul Folk,” in psychedelic-style lettering. Art director Antonio Alcalá designed the stamp and the stamp pane.

No merchandise allowed — only HQ pre-approved philatelic products allowed. The following credit is required: Janis Joplin is a TM of Fantality Corp.

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 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:

Janis Joplin Stamp
Retail Manager
PO Box 7838
San Francisco CA 94120-7838

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 October 8, 2014.

There are 15 philatelic products for this stamp issue:

• 588106 Press Sheet w/Die cut, $70.56 (print quantity 1,000).
• 588108 Press Sheet w/o Die cut, $70.56 (print quantity 1,500).
• 588110 Digital Color Postmark Keepsake, $9.95.
• 588116 First-Day Cover, $0.93.
• 588118 First-Day Cover Full-Pane, $10.34.
• 588119 Cancelled Full Pane, $10.34.
• 588121 Digital Color Postmark, $1.64.
• 588124 Framed Art, $39.95.
• 588126 T-Shirt (Med) w/FDC, $17.95.
• 588127 T-Shirt (Large) w/FDC, $17.95.
• 588128 T-Shirt (XL) w/FDC, $17.95.
• 588129 T-Shirt (XXL) w/FDC, $17.95.
• 588130 Ceremony Program, $6.95.
• 588131 Stamped Deck Card, $0.95.
• 588132 Stamped Deck Card w/Digital Color Postmark, $1.99.

 

Technical Specifications:

• Issue: Janis Joplin stamp
• Item Number: 588100
• Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail Forever
• Format: Pane of 16 (1 design)
• Series: Music Icons
• Issue Date & City: August 8, 2014, San Francisco CA 94188
• Designer: Antonio Alcalá, Alexandria, VA
• Art Director: Antonio Alcalá, Alexandria, VA
• Typographer: Antonio Alcalá, Alexandria, VA; Daniel Pelavin, New York, NY
• Engraver: N/A
• Modeler: Joseph Sheeran
• Manufacturing Process: Offset
• Printer: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
• Printed at: Williamsville, NY
• Press Type: Muller A76
• Stamps per Pane: 16
• Print Quantity: 50 million stamps
• Paper Type: Nonphosphored Type III, Block Tag
• Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive adhesive
• Processed at: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
• Colors: Black, Cyan, Magenta, Yellow
• Stamp Orientation: Square
• Image Area (w x h): 1.09 x 1.09 in./27.56 x 27.56 mm
• Overall Size (w x h): 1.23 x 1.23 in./31.12 x 31.12 mm
• Full Pane Size (w x h): 7.00 x 7.00 in./177.80 x 177.80 mm
• Press Sheet Size (w x h): 21.25 x 21.25 in./539.75 x 539.75 mm
• Plate Size: 144 stamps per revolution
• Plate Numbers: none
• Marginal Markings:
  • Front: © 2014 USPS • USPS Logo • Barcode (588100) • Proprietary text • Copyright date • Website Information
  • Back: Photo

First Day Postmarks:

DCP: 2.85: x 1.30″

Rubber: 2.86″ x 1.40″