Updated March 5th:
[press release]
Postal Service Saluting 200th Anniversary of Mississippi Statehood
New Forever Stamp Debuts at South Mississippi Bicentennial Celebration

What:
The U.S. Postal Service commemorates the 200th anniversary of Mississippi becoming the 20th state on Dec. 10, 1817. The Mississippi Statehood Forever stamp features a photograph taken by Lou Bopp in 2009. It shows a close-up of a musician’s hands as he plays his guitar. Mississippi is the birthplace of many legendary blues artists who created a uniquely American genre of music.

Who:

• James P. Cochrane, Chief Customer and Marketing Officer and Executive Vice President, U.S. Postal Service
• The Honorable Phil Bryant, Governor of Mississippi
• The Honorable William Gardner Hewes, Mayor of Gulfport, MS
• Elizabeth Johnson, district manager, Mississippi District, U.S. Postal Service
• Laura Lee Lewis, Miss Mississippi 2016
• Walt Grayson, writer and broadcaster, WLBT-TV
• Bishop Lewis Kihneman, pastor, St. Philip the Apostle Parish
• George Schloegel, director, Hancock Holding Company
• Jimmy Duck Holmes, musician
• Jesmyn Ward, novelist
• Rev. Quintin Smith, Historical Baptist Church of Millington

When:
Friday, March 31, 2017, 11:00 a.m.

Where:

Centennial Plaza
200 East Beach Boulevard
Gulfport, MS 39507

Background:
The Mississippi Statehood stamp is being issued as a Forever stamp. This Forever stamp will always be equal in value to the current First-Class Mail 1-ounce rate.

Art director Greg Breeding designed the stamp with an existing photo taken by Lou Bopp.

On Dec. 10, 1817, Mississippi became the 20th state in the Union. Known as the Magnolia State, the state is named for the Mississippi River, which runs along its western border. Among U.S. states, the Magnolia State is 32nd in size, and with approximately three million people, it ranks 31st in population.

Mississippi has given America famous writers, athletes and actors, but possibly its best known export is its musical talent. Northwest Mississippi’s Delta is famous as the birthplace of the Delta blues, a uniquely American musical genre that grew out of traditional African American work songs. Many of the state’s sons and daughters have scaled the heights across a range of other musical genres as well, from country to opera to rock and roll.

Followers of the U.S. Postal Service’s Facebook page can view streaming video of the event at facebook.com/USPS. The public is asked to share the news on Twitter and Instagram using the hashtags #MS200 and #MississippiStamps.

Updated March 1st:
On March 31, 2017, in Gulfport, MS, the U.S. Postal Service® will issue the Mississippi Statehood First-Class Mail® stamp (Forever® priced at 49 cents), in one design, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 20 stamps (Item 474800). The stamp will go on sale nationwide March 31, 2017.

This stamp celebrates the 200th anniversary of Mississippi statehood. Mississippi became the 20th state on December 10, 1817. The stamp features a photograph taken in 2009 showing a close-up of a musician’s hands as he plays his guitar. Mississippi is the birthplace of many legendary blues artists who created a uniquely American genre of music. Art director Greg Breeding designed the stamp with an existing photo taken by Lou Bopp.

Stamp Fulfillment Services will make an automatic push distribution to Post Offices™ (in Mississippi only) of a quantity to cover approximately 30 days of sales.

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 800-782-6724. 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:

FDOI – Mississippi Statehood 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 May 31, 2017.

Philatelic products for this stamp issue are as follows:

• 474806 Press Sheet with Die-cut, $58.80
• 474810 Digital Color Postmark Keepsake, $11.95
• 474816 First-Day Cover, $0.93
• 474821 Digital Color Postmark, $1.64
• 474824 Framed Art, $39.95
• 474830 Ceremony Program, $6.95

Technical Specifications:

Issue: Mississippi Statehood Stamp
Item Number: 474800
Denomination & Type of Issue: Forever, First-Class Mail
Format: Pane of 20 (1 design)
Series: Statehood
Issue Date & City: March 31, 2017, Gulfport, MS 39503
Art Director: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
Designer: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
Typographer: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
Existing Photo: Lou Bopp
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: 20
Print Quantity: 25,000,000 stamps
Paper Type: Nonphosphored Type III, Block Tag Applied
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Processed at: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
Colors: Black, Cyan, Magenta, Yellow
Stamp Orientation: Horizontal
Image Area (w x h): 1.42 x 0.84 in./36.07 x 21.34 mm
Overall Size (w x h): 1.56 x 0.98 in./39.62 x 24.89 mm
Full Pane Size (w x h): 7.24 x 5.92 in./183.90 x 150.37 mm
Press Sheet Size (w x h): 21.72 x 11.84 in./551.69 x 300.74 mm
Plate Size: 240 stamps per revolution
Plate Numbers: “P” followed by four (4) digits
Marginal Markings:
Front: Plate numbers 4 corners
Back: ©2016 USPS • USPS Logo • two barcodes (474800) • Plate Position Diagram • Promotional Text

Updated January 5th: This stamp will be issued March 31st in Gulfport, Mississippi.

From the USPS, November 22nd, 2016:

This stamp celebrates the 200th anniversary of Mississippi statehood. Mississippi became the 20th state on Dec. 10, 1817. The stamp features a 2009 photograph showing a close-up of a guitar player hands. Mississippi is the birthplace of many legendary blues artists who created a uniquely American genre of music. Among states, the Magnolia State is 32nd in size, and with nearly three million people, it ranks 31st in population. Art director Greg Breeding designed the stamp with an existing photo taken by Lou Bopp.