Announced November 20, 2018. The most recent information will appear after the large illustration and the introductory description from the USPS. With this new stamp in the Music Icons series, the U.S. Postal Service honors Marvin Gaye (1939–1984) — the “Prince of Soul” — one of the most influential music performers of his generation. The stamp design features a portrait of Gaye inspired by historic photographs. The stamp pane is designed to resemble a vintage 45 rpm record sleeve. One side of the pane includes the stamps, brief text about Gaye’s legacy, and the image of a sliver of a record seeming to peek out the top of the sleeve. Another portrait of Gaye, also inspired by historic photographs, appears on the reverse along with the Music Icons series logo. Art director Derry Noyes designed the stamp pane with original art by Kadir Nelson.

Updated January 30th:
This stamp will be issued April 2nd in Los Angeles.

Updated February 28th:
On April 2, 2019, in Los Angeles, CA, the U.S. Postal Service® will issue the Marvin Gaye stamp (Forever® priced at the First-Class Mail® rate) in one design, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive pane of 16 stamps (item 586100). The stamp will go on sale nationwide April 2, 2019, and must not be sold or cancelled before the first-day-of-issue. The Marvin Gaye pane of 16 stamps may not be split and the stamps may not be sold individually.

With this new stamp in the Music Icons series, the U.S. Postal Service® honors Marvin Gaye (1939–1984), one of the most influential music performers of his generation. The stamp design features a portrait of the “Prince of Soul” inspired by historic photographs. The stamp pane is designed to resemble a vintage, 45-rpm record sleeve. One side of the pane includes the stamps, brief text about Gaye’s legacy, and the image of a sliver of a record seeming to peek out the top of the sleeve. Another portrait of Gaye, also inspired by historic photographs, appears on the reverse along with the Music Icons series logo. Art director Derry Noyes designed the stamp pane with original art by Kadir Nelson.

Availability to Post Offices: Item 586100, Marvin Gaye (Forever Priced at the First-Class Mail Rate) Commemorative Pane of 16 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 – Marvin Gaye 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 August 2, 2019.

Technical Specifications:

Issue: Marvin Gaye Stamp
Item Number: 586100
Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail Forever®
Format: Pane of 16 (1 design)
Series: Music Icons
Issue Date & City: April 2, 2019, Los Angels, CA 90052
Art Director: Derry Noyes, Washington, DC
Designer: Derry Noyes, Washington, DC
Typographer: Derry Noyes, Washington, DC
Artist: Kadir Nelson, Los Angeles, CA
Modeler: Sandra Lane/Michelle Finn
Manufacturing Process: Offset, Microprint
Printer: Banknote Corporation of America
Press Type: Alprinta 74
Stamps per Pane: 16
Print Quantity: 40,000,000 stamps
Paper Type: Phosphor, Block Tagged
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Processed at: Banknote Corporation of America
Colors: Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black
Stamp Orientation: Square
Image Area (w x h): 1.085 x 1.085 in./27.559 x 27.559 mm
Overall Size (w x h): 1.225 x 1.225 in./31.115 x 31.115 mm
Full Pane Size (w x h): 7 x 7 in./177.8 x 177.8 mm
Press Sheets Size (w x h): 21.25 x 21.25 in./539.75 x 539.75 mm
Plate Size: 144 stamps per revolution
Plate Numbers: None
Marginal Markings:
Front: ©2018 USPS • USPS logo • Barcode (586100) in lower right corner of pane • Promotional text • Biography brief
Back: • “Marvin Gaye” • Music Icons logo

Updated March 5th:

Here are the first-day postmarks for this issue:The Digital Color Postmark mesaures 2.93″ x 1.14″ The black-and-white pictorial measures 2.65″ x 0.89″ The “special” postmark for use by other post offices measures 2.95″ x 1.49″

Updated March 10th:

Here are the two sides of the stamp pane:

[press release]
U.S. Postal Service Honoring the “Prince of Soul”

What: The U.S. Postal Service is saluting the legendary Marvin Gaye with a Forever stamp — the newest addition to the Music Icons series.

The first-day-of-issue event for the stamp is free and open to the public. News of the stamp is being shared with the hashtags #MusicIcons and #MarvinGayeStamp.

Who: Gary R. Barksdale, Chief Postal Inspector, United States Postal Service and Dedicating Official

When: Tuesday, April 2, 2019, at 11 a.m. PDT

Where: The Greek Theatre
2700 N Vermont Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90027

RSVP: Dedication ceremony attendees are encouraged to RSVP at usps.com/marvingaye

Background:
Marvin Gaye was one of the most influential music performers of his generation. Also known as the “Prince of Soul,” he helped shape the buoyant sound of the Motown record label in the 1960s and broaden the scope of R&B music in the 1970s. Released in 1971, his expansive masterwork, What’s Going On, is widely considered one of the greatest recordings in the history of American popular music.

The artwork for this stamp features a portrait of Marvin Gaye inspired by historic photographs. Gaye’s name appears vertically on the right side of the stamp. “USA” and the Forever® denomination are in the top left.

The stamp pane is designed to resemble a vintage 45 rpm record sleeve. One side of the pane includes the stamps and brief text about Gaye’s legacy, with the image of a sliver of a record seeming to peek out the top of the sleeve. Another portrait of Gaye, also inspired by historic photographs, appears on the reverse along with the Music Icons series logo.

Art director Derry Noyes worked on the stamp pane with artist Kadir Nelson.

Customers may purchase stamps and other philatelic products through the Postal Store at usps.com/shop, by calling 800-STAMP24 (800-782-6724), by mail through USA Philatelic or at Post Office locations nationwide.

Updated April 29th:
“Dedication” event in New York City:

Updated May 6th:
Here is the Scott catalogue number for this issue: 5371