Announced November 20, 2018. The most recent information will appear after the large illustration and the introductory description from the USPS. This stamp celebrates the bicentennial of Alabama statehood. Alabama became the 22nd state in the Union on Dec. 14, 1819. The stamp art is a photograph taken at sunset in Cheaha State Park. Alabama photographer Joe Miller took the picture from the park’s Pulpit Rock Trail. With Pulpit Rock in the foreground, most of the area in the valley below the overlook is part of the Talladega National Forest, which surrounds the state park. The name of the state and the year of statehood are included in the stamp art. The art director is William J. Gicker. Greg Breeding designed the stamp with Miller’s existing photograph.

The Scott catalogue number for this issue is 5360.

Updated December 7th: This stamp will be issued Saturday, February 23, in Huntsville, AL.

Updated January 17th:
On February 23, 2019, in Huntsville, AL, the U.S. Postal Service® will issue the Alabama Statehood stamp (Forever® priced at the First-Class Mail® rate) in one design, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive pane of 20 stamps (Item 478400). The stamp will go on sale nationwide February 23, 2019, and must not be sold or cancelled before the first-day-of-issue.

This stamp celebrates the bicentennial of Alabama statehood. Alabama became the twenty-second state in the Union on December 14, 1819. The stamp art is a photograph taken at sunset in Cheaha State Park. Alabama photographer Joe Miller took the picture from the park’s Pulpit Rock Trail. With Pulpit Rock in the foreground, most of the area in the valley below the overlook is part of the Talladega National Forest, which surrounds the state park. The name of the state and the year of statehood are included in the stamp art. The art director is William J. Gicker. Greg Breeding designed the stamp with Miller’s existing photograph.

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 – Alabama 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 June 23, 2019.

Technical Specifications:

Issue: Alabama Statehood Stamp
Item Number: 478400
Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail Forever
Format: Pane of 20 (1 design)
Series: Statehood
Issue Date & City: February 23, 2019, Huntsville, AL 35801
Art Director: William J. Gicker, Washington, DC
Designer: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
Typographer: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
Existing Photo: Joe Miller
Modeler: Sandra Lane/Michelle Finn
Manufacturing Process: Offset, Microprint
Printer: Banknote Corporation of America
Press Type: Alprinta 74
Stamps per Pane: 20
Print Quantity: 25,000,000 stamps
Paper Type: Phosphor Tagged, Block Tag
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Processed at: Banknote Corporation of America
Colors: Custom Blue, Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black
Stamp Orientation: Horizontal
Image Area (w x h): 1.42 x 0.84 in/36.068 x 21.336 mm
Overall Size (w x h): 1.56 x 0.98 in/39.624 x 24.892 mm
Full Pane Size (w x h): 7.24 x 5.92 in/183.896 x 150.368 mm
Press Sheet Size (w x h): 21.72 x 11.84 in/551.688 x 300.736 mm
Plate Size: 240 stamps per revolution
Plate Numbers: “B” followed by five (5) single digits
Marginal Markings:
Front: Plate numbers in four corners
Back: ©2018 USPS • USPS Logo • Two barcodes (478400) • Plate position diagram • Promotional text

Here are the first-day postmarks for this issue: The Digital Color Postmark measures 2.98″x1.27″. The Pictorial Postmark measures 2.05″ x 1.43″.  We have reported the misspelling in the city name to USPS Cancellation Services.The “special” postmark for use by other post offices measures 2.69″ x 1.48″.

Updated February 6th: The first-day ceremony now starts at 10 a.m. CST; this apparently is a change.

The location is Constitution Hall Park, 109 Gates Avenue, SE, Huntsville.

Those wishing to RSVP for the ceremony should click here.

Updated February 21st: The location of the first-day ceremony has been moved, indoors. Foster Miller received and relays this announcement from the USPS:

Due to expected inclement weather in Huntsville on Saturday Morning, the Alabama Bicentennial Committee and the United States Postal Service and have decided to move the First Day of Issue event to the Great Hall of the EarlyWorks Children’s Museum. The EarlyWorks Museum is located across the street from Constitution Hall Park.

The address is:

EarlyWorks Children’s Museum
404 Madison St SE
Huntsville, AL 35801

Retail sales of the Alabama Statehood Stamp, cancelations and other philatelic products will be available inside the rotunda of the EarlyWorks Children’s Museum from 9:00am to at least 12:00pm.