Updated October 2nd: Here are the Scott Catalogue numbers:
5301 (50¢) Art of Magic – Rabbit in Hat
5302 (50¢) Art of Magic – Fortune Teller and Crystal Ball
5303 (50¢) Art of Magic – Levitating Woman and Hoop
5304 (50¢) Art of Magic – Empty Bird Cage
5305 (50¢) Art of Magic – Bird Emerging From Flower
a. Horiz. strip of 5, #5301-5305
Updated August 7th: Here are the product numbers:
- 476800 The Art of Magic Forever stamp pane of 20, $10.00
- 476806 Press sheet, $60.00
- 476810 Keepsake (set of 5), $18.95
- 476816, First-day cover (set of 5), $4.70
- 476821 Digital color postmark (set of 5), $8.25
- 476830 Ceremony program (random), $6.95
- 476871 Rabbit in Hat poster with souvenir sheet, $19.95
- 476872 Crystal Ball poster with souvenir sheet, $19.95
- 476873 Woman Floating poster with souvenir sheet, $19.95
- 476874 Empty Birdcage poster with souvenir sheet, $19.95
- 476875 Dove/Flower poster with souvenir sheet, $19.95
- 565204 3-stamp souvenir sheet, $1.50
Updated May 10th: These stamps will be issued August 7th in Las Vegas.
The Art of Magic
The Postal Service celebrates the art of magic with this pane of 20 stamps featuring digital illustrations of five classic tricks magicians use to amaze and delight audiences: a rabbit in a hat (production), a fortune teller using a crystal ball (prediction), a woman floating in the air (levitation), an empty bird cage (vanishing), and a bird emerging from a flower (transformation).
Updated July 4, 2018:
On August 7, 2018, in Las Vegas, NV, the U.S. Postal Service will issue The Art of Magic stamps (Forever priced at the First-Class Mail rate) in five designs, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive pane of 20 stamps (Item 476800). The stamps will go on sale nationwide August 7, 2018. The Art of Magic pane of 20 stamps may not be split and the stamps may not be sold individually.
The Postal Service celebrates the art of magic with digital illustrations of five classic tricks magicians use to amaze and delight audiences:
- A rabbit in a hat (production),
- A fortune teller using a crystal ball (prediction),
- A woman floating in the air (levitation),
- An empty bird cage (vanishing), and
- A bird emerging from a flower (transformation).
Art director Greg Breeding designed the stamps, and Jay Fletcher created the illustrations and served as the typographer.
Availability to Post Offices: Item 476800, The Art of Magic (Forever priced at the First-Class Mail rate) Commemorative Pane of 20 Stamps Stamp Fulfillment Services will make an automatic push distribution to Post Offices of a quantity to cover approximately 30 days of sales.
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 usps.com/shop . 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 – The Art of Magic 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 post marked by December 7, 2018.
Technical Specifications:
Issue: The Art of Magic Stamps
Item Number: 476800
Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail Forever
Format: Pane of 20 (5 designs)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: August 7, 2018, Las Vegas, NV 89199
Designer: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
Art Director: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
Typographer: Jay Fletcher
Artist: Jay Fletcher
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: 20,000,000 stamps
Paper Type: Phosphor, Block Tag
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Processed at: Banknote Corporation of America, Browns Summit, NC
Colors: Warm Gray 1, Warm Gray 5, Warm Gray 10, Pantone Black 6, Pantone 021, Pantone 7574, Pantone 131, Pantone 139, Pantone 174
Stamp Orientation: Vertical
Image Area (w x h): 1.085 x 1.42 in./ 27.559 x 36.07 mm
Overall Size (w x h): 1.225 x 1.56 in./31.115 x 39.624 mm
Full Pane Size (w x h): 7.38 x 8.75 in./187.45 x 222.25 mm
Press Sheets Size (w x h): 17.5 x 22.14 in./444.5 x 562.36 mm
Plate Size: 120 stamps per revolution
Plate Numbers: “B” followed by nine (9) single digits
Marginal Markings:
Front: Header: The Art of Magic • Plate number in two corners of pane
Back: ©2017 USPS • USPS logo • Two barcodes (476800) • Plate Position Diagram • Promotional text
Updated July 19th:
There are SIX first-day postmarks for this issue – five DCPs and one B&W or pictorial:
All five DCPs measure 2.29″ x 1.06″. The B&W pictorial is 2.99″ x .99″.
The coming stamps in and of themselves are not problematic, so much as the description provided by the USPS. If stamps are to be issued commemorating or celebrating “The Art of Magic” they should do so for the magical arts and not the tricks of illusionists, either through their appearance or through interpretive description(s). Leaving any potential religious quarrel aside for the sake of argument, stamps about magic should celebrate the work of magicians. To argue otherwise, or that such is impossible, an argument perhaps rooted in the logical nonsense of the “scientific method”, could at least in theory hew very close to the line of reality enforcement.
From JUL 5 Postal Bull: USPS # 476804 PSA Pn 20 Cannot be split & sold separately. No Cancellation artwork or Philatelic Item numbers broadcast yet…
I’ve spoken with the agents at SFS, they say the artwork for the cancellations is awaiting approval. I asked to be put on a mailing list for the broadcast of these images, and gave the agent my eMail. Will see…
Artwork ( 1 B/W PIC & 5 Different DCP ) in the postmark section of the 19 July Postal Bulletin.
Good morning Lefty,
Thank you for reaching out to me with your concerns. The souvenir sheet will be available Aug. 7 online at usps.com, mail order through USA Philatelic, and by toll-free phone order at 1-800-STAMP-24. The item numbers and prices for each of the philatelic items will be listed there when they become available. No special cancellation is being prepared for the souvenir sheet.
Best to you,
Sara Martin
Public Relations Representative USPS Washington DC
USPS # 565204 Sov Sheet $1.50 USPS.COM – (800)STAMP24 Only ( For Now – remember Classics Forever Stamps at NYC Show… )
FDoI Ceremony 2:15 PM PDT supposedly on Facebook ( Who’se going to stand in front of the camera this time ? )
From Linns OCT 15 Scott 5301-5306
Scott 5301-05 for the pane of 20
Scott 5306 is the souvenir sheet
The Ceremony if it hasn’t been posted yet is going to be at the Orleans Hotel in Las Vegas at 2:15 PM on August 7th.
I’m waiting confirmation of the phone number to call to reserve tickets to this event. Yet it is free and open to the public. It was either Magic or Dragons and and Las Vegas was the top winner.
Hope it is full of missing bodies and levitating ladies.
First I’ve heard. Thaks, Branton.
Here is the link to register for the Art Of Magic event.
usps.com/artofmagic
Thanks!
https://about.usps.com/news/national-releases/2018/pr18_060.htm
Special Souv. Sheet with the rabbit in the hat with special ink.
No Distribution ( Yet ) SFS/The Caves only.
From Linns OCT 15 Scott 5306
Lefty, do you know whether the single is 5306a or the whole sheet is 5306a?
Hi All:
I finally received my confirmation of my ticket for the Art Of Magic ceremony. It is 5 days before the event. I also just read the press release from the USPS about the souvenir sheet. Seems that the attendees of the event aren’t worthy of purchasing the Souvenir Sheet at the ceremony.
Which means no first day cancellation or round date for an unofficial or to put on an envelope. It seems that the post office does not want to sell stamps or be a good steward to the stamp community.
AND NO AUTOGRAPHING AT THE EVENT.
Thank you for the info regarding The Art of Magic souvenir sheet ! If anyone is “ordering ” these I would like to message them. I would be willing to buy 3 of these from whomever orders these. Unfortunately, I am being admitted to the hospital on Monday and will not be able to order these. I am going in for a 3 day sleep study. If you are ordering these please email me or call me here is my phone # 317-353-6961 so we can discuss these further ! Thank you,Brian
Just tried to order the Art of Magic souvenir sheet of 3 from usps.com and USA philatelic. Issue date today August 7. NO luck on the souvenir sheet of 3. Could not get an answer as to why no souvenir sheet yet nor when. does anyone have an answer? Thanks ! Steve
Found my answer from Lefty in the above posts. Sheet of 20 is item 476804 and the souvenir sheet of 3 is 565204. USPS fulfillment center couldn’t help but Lefty did ! Thanks Lefty !
Is it possible to order these stamps outside the US? USPS website doesn’t allow you to create an account outside of the US to order these online? Many thanks.
Not directly from the USPS. Your best bets are to see if your country’s postal agency has a deal with the U.S. Postal Service to sell U.S. stamps (I’m not sure any other country does now) or ordering from a new issue dealer or asking a friend here in the U.S. to get them for you.
USPS has a Seller ID on eBay: usps
They can be purchased there.