The first announcement regarding the 2017 U.S. stamp program only contains 13 stamp issues and one stamped envelope. Experienced collectors of U.S. new issues know this can’t be the entire program. Heck, at the rate the U.S. Postal Service issues stamps, it’s only enough for a couple of months.

All but two of the issues appear to be what the USPS calls (or has called) “mail-use:” Issues for specific rates (Uncle Sam’s Hat, additional ounces; California Dogface Butterfly, nonmachineable surcharge rate) or will be issued as booklets for the non-collecting mailing public: sharks, flowers, flag, and so on. The John F. Kennedy stamp design is in the definitive format (height/width ratio). [In response to an e-mailed question, the USPS said that the JFK stamp is “a semi-jumbo stamp” with “a similar aspect ratio to our “special” sized stamps, but is proportionally larger.”] The exceptions are Fr. Theodore Hesburgh, although that may be a two-ounce stamp, and the museum.

There is no stamp for the Black Heritage Series, which hasn’t missed a year since it began in 1978. Each of the stamps in the series has had a vertical format and honored a person. The National Museum of African American History and Culture stamp is neither.

There are no entries for Legends of Hollywood or Literary Arts. Academy Award winner Ernest Borgnine was born in 1917. Not only was he a stamp collector, he was a member of the Citizen Stamp Advisory Committee. (See the 1978 USPS video, below.)

There is no mention of the bicentennial of Mississippi’s admission to the Union or the sesquicentennial of Nebraska’s statehood.

The United States entered “the War to End All Wars” — World War I — in 1917. Some historians feel this was the point at which the U.S. became a major world power, because the Americans turned the tide in the war. It would be shocking if the USPS does not issue at least one stamp for this historical event, and surprising if not several. (Israel’s 2016 stamp is shown on the left.)

There were several outstanding college football teams that year, despite the U.S. entry into the war, chief among them the Georgia Tech Golden Hornets. Might we see a stamp or stamps for college football?

For other events in 1917 that might be commemorated, check out Wikipedia.

Obviously the list of 2017 stamps is not complete. Stay tuned!