Bioluminescent Life (U.S. 2018)

Updated December 21st; further updates below the basic announcement:
As Lefty Dundee indicates in the “First Look” discussion, it appears this issue will have a tie-in with Florida Atlantic University’s Harbor Branch Ocean Discovery Center.

From the USPS:

Bioluminescent LifeThis issuance celebrates the phenomenon of bioluminescence — the ability of some species to glow — with a pane of 20 stamps featuring 10 life-forms that create their own light.

These stamps will be issued February 22nd in Fort Pierce, Florida, with a first-day ceremony.

Updated January 30th:

[USPS media advisory]

U.S. Postal Service to Dedicate Bioluminescent Life Stamps

WHAT: First-day-of-issue dedication ceremony for the Bioluminescent Life Forever stamps. The event is free and open to the public. RSVP at usps.com/bioluminescents. Please share the news using the hashtag #BioluminescentStamps.

WHO:

WHEN: Thursday, February 22, 2018 at 11 a.m.

WHERE:
Sunrise Theatre
117 S. 2nd Street
Ft. Pierce, FL 34950

Followers of the U.S. Postal Service’s Facebook page can view the ceremony live at facebook.com/USPS.

BACKGROUND: Recognized as one of the world’s foremost authorities on deep-sea exploration, Dr. Edith Widder, founder, CEO and senior scientist at ORCA, will share research findings about the fascinating world of bioluminescent life. Her photographs appear on seven stamp images.

Bioluminescence – the ability of some living things to generate their own light – occurs on many branches of the tree of life. This pane of 20 stamps showcases 10 examples of Bioluminescent Life.

At center top, the selvage – or area outside the stamps – features a transparent deep-sea comb jelly (Gregory G. Dimijian photo), surrounded by images of the firefly squid (Danté Fenolio). The title “BIOLUMINESCENT LIFE” appears on the selvage above the pane of stamps.

Eight stamp images represent the work of some of the top explorers of the bioluminescent ocean realm, and two portray land-based species. The stamps feature: deep-ocean octopus (Widder); midwater jellyfish (Widder); deep-sea comb jelly (Widder); mushroom (Taylor F. Lockwood); firefly (Gail Shumway); bamboo coral (Widder); marine worm (Widder); crown jellyfish (Widder); a second type of marine worm (Steve Haddock); and sea pen (Widder).

Updated February 1; from the Postal Bulletin:

On February 22, 2018, in Fort Pierce, FL, the U.S. Postal Service will issue the Bioluminescent Life First-Class Mail stamps (Forever priced at 50 cents) in 10 designs, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 20 stamps (Item 475700). The stamps will go on sale nationwide February 22, 2018. The Bioluminescent Life $10.00 pane of 20 stamps may not be split and the stamps may not be sold individually.

Bioluminescent Life stamps celebrate the phenomenon of bioluminescence – the ability of some species to glow – with a pane of 20 stamps featuring 10 life-forms that create their own light. The stamp images represent the work of some of the top explorers of the bioluminescent ocean realm as well as two terrestrial bioluminescent life-forms:

  • Row 1: deep-ocean octopus and midwater jellyfish, photos by Edith Widder.
  • Row 2: deep-sea comb jelly, photo by Edith Widder; mushroom, photo by Taylor F. Lockwood.
  • Row 3: firefly, photo by Gail Shumway; bamboo coral, photo by Edith Widder.
  • Row 4: marine worm and crown jellyfish, photos by Edith Widder.
  • Row 5: marine worm, photo by Steve Haddock; sea pen, photo by Edith Widder.

On each row of stamps, the third and fourth stamps repeat the first two designs. The selvage also features the transparent deep-sea comb jelly (photo by Gregory G. Dimijian) and the firefly squid (photo by Danté Fenolio). Art director Derry Noyes designed the stamps and selvage from existing photographs.

Item 475700, $10.00 Bioluminescent Life (Forever priced at 50 cents) Commemorative Pane of 20 Stamps. Stamp Fulfillment Services (SFS) will not make an automatic push distribution to Post Offices.

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, at The Postal Store website at usps.com/shop, or by phone at 800-782-6724. 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 – Bioluminescent Life Stamps
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 June 22, 2018.

Philatelic products for this stamp issue are as follows:

  • 475710 Digital Color Postmark Keepsake (random cover), $11.95.
  • 475716 First-Day Cover (set of 10), $9.40.
  • 475721 Digital Color Postmark (set of 10), $16.50.
  • 475730 Ceremony Program, $6.95.

Updated February 16 from the Postal Bulletin:

There are 7 philatelic products for this issue:

  • 475706 Press Sheet with Die-cut, $90.00.
  • 475710 Digital Color Postmark Keepsake (random cover), $11.95.
  • 475716 First-Day Cover (set of 10), $9.40.
  • 475721 Digital Color Postmark (set of 10), $16.50.
  • 475724 Shadow Box, $39.95.
  • 475730 Ceremony Program, $6.95.
  • 475750 Framed Art, $26.95.

Technical Specifications:

Issue: Bioluminescent Life Stamps
Item Number: 475700
Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail® Forever®
Format: Pane of 20 (10 designs)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: February 22, 2018, Fort Pierce, FL 34981
Designer: Derry Noyes, Washington, DC
Art Director: Derry Noyes, Washington, DC
Typographer: Derry Noyes, Washington, DC
Existing Photo: Steven Haddock
Existing Photo: Taylor F. Lockwood
Existing Photo: Gail Shumway
Existing Photo: Edith Widder, Ph.D.
Existing Photo: Gregory G. Dimijiian
Existing Photo: Danté Fenolio
Modeler: Sandra Lane/Michelle Finn
Manufacturing Process: Offset
Printer: Banknote Corporation of America
Printed at: Browns Summit, NC
Press Type: Alprinta 74
Stamps per Pane: 20
Print Quantity: 40,000,000 stamps
Paper Type: Phosphor Tagged Paper, Block Tag
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Processed at: Banknote Corporation of America, Browns Summit NC
Colors: Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black
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 7.32 in./183.90 x 185.93 mm
Press Sheets Size
(w x h): 22.22 x 22.46 in./564.39 x 570.48 mm
Plate Size: 180 stamps per revolution
Marginal Markings:
Back: © 2017 USPS o USPS logo o Barcode (475700) in upper right and lower left corners of pane o Plate Position Diagram o Promotional text

Updated February 23rd:
Photos by Daniel Afzal, U.S. Postal Service; used by permission. The stamps are unveiled at the Sunrise Theater in Fort Pierce, FL. Left to right, Jeffrey C. Williamson, Chief Human Resources Officer and Executive VP, USPS; Jill Roberts, News Director, WQCS Public Radio; Dr. Edith Widder, CEO and Senior Scientist, Ocean Research & Conservation Association (ORCA); Taylor F. Lockwood, stamp photographer. Williamson and other dignitaries sign autographs after the ceremony. A set of 10 first day covers canceled at the event.

Taylor F. Lockwood, stamp photographer; and Widder after the ceremony.

Here are the first-day cancels for this issue:The Digital Color Postmark measures 2.97” x 1.38”The pictorial postmark for this issue measures 2.91” x 1.47”

Updated April 4th: Here are the Scott catalogue numbers for this issue:

5264 (50¢) Bioluminescent Life – Octopus
5265 (50¢) Bioluminescent Life – Jellyfish
5266 (50¢) Bioluminescent Life – Comb Jelly
5267 (50¢) Bioluminescent Life – Mushrooms
5268 (50¢) Bioluminescent Life – Firefly
5269 (50¢) Bioluminescent Life – Bamboo Coral
5270 (50¢) Bioluminescent Life – Marine Worm
5271 (50¢) Bioluminescent Life – Crown Jellyfish
5272 (50¢) Bioluminescent Life – Marine Worm
5273 (50¢) Bioluminescent Life – Sea Pen
a. Block of 10, #5264-5273

9 thoughts on “Bioluminescent Life (U.S. 2018)

  1. I have tried to contact people at the Harbor Branch university. I’m awaiting a reply from their contact person.
    http://www.fau.edu/hboi/
    I called the General Info number for the Florida Atlantic University, and They Said there is no longer a branch in Fort Pierce FL. Whether this is true or not, I don’t know, and will await any reply eMails. ( After JAN 2 )
    What will really happen – please ask someone in Florida. ( remember, I’m in Hawaii )

          • From Linns
            5264 (50c) Bioluminescent Life – Octopus

            5265 (50c) Bioluminescent Life – Jellyfish

            5266 (50c) Bioluminescent Life – Comb Jelly

            5267 (50c) Bioluminescent Life – Mushrooms

            5268 (50c) Bioluminescent Life – Firefly

            5269 (50c) Bioluminescent Life – Bamboo Coral

            5270 (50c) Bioluminescent Life – Marine Worm

            5271 (50c) Bioluminescent Life – Crown Jellyfish

            5272 (50c) Bioluminescent Life – Marine Worm

            5273 (50c) Bioluminescent Life – Sea Pen

            a. Block of 10, #5264-5273

      • HBOI is still part of FAU, but this stamp not directly associated with Harbor Branch. The speaker / photographer for 8/10 designs is the lead scientist at “ORCA” . The ceremony is at the Sunrise Theater in Ft. Pierce. IThe Sunrise has a large room, but the ceremony may be in the small room.

Comments are closed.