Announced November 20, 2018. The most recent information will appear after the large illustration and the introductory description from the USPS. The Winter Berries booklet of 20 stamps celebrates four of winter’s small yet vibrant offerings: the winterberry (Ilex verticillate), the juniper berry (Juniperus communis), the beautyberry (Callicarpa Americana) and the soapberry (Sapindus Saponaria). The stamp art features highly detailed botanical portraits of each plant that highlight the bold colors and rich textures of their berries. Artist Steve Buchanan worked with art director Antonio Alcalá to create these four new stamps.

Updated August 15th:

On September 17, 2019, in Tulsa, OK, the United States Postal Service® will issue the Winter Berries stamps (Forever® priced at the First-Class Mail® rate) in four designs, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive booklet of 20 stamps (Item 681600). The stamps will go on sale nationwide September 17, 2019, and must not be sold or canceled before the first-day-of-issue.

The Winter Berries booklet of 20 stamps celebrates four of winter’s small, yet vibrant offerings:

• The winterberry (Ilex verticillata),
• The juniper berry (Juniperus communis),
• The beautyberry (Callicarpa americana), and
• The soapberry (Sapindus saponaria).

The stamp art features highly detailed botanical portraits of each plant that highlight the bold colors and rich textures of their berries. Artist Steve Buchanan worked with art director Antonio Alcalá to create these four new stamps.

Availability to Post Offices: Item 681600, Winter Berries (Forever Priced at the First-Class Mail Rate) PSA Double-sided Booklet of 20 Stamps: Stamp Fulfillment Services 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™ 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 – Winter Berries 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 January 17, 2020.

Technical Specifications:

Issue: Winter Berries Stamps
Item Number: 681600
Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail Forever
Format: Double-sided Booklet of 20 (4 designs)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: September 17, 2019, Tulsa, OK 74103
Art Director: Antonio Alcalá, Alexandria, VA
Designer: Antonio Alcalá, Alexandria, VA
Typographer: Antonio Alcalá, Alexandria, VA
Artist: Steve Buchanan, Winsted, CT
Modeler: Joseph Sheeran
Manufacturing Process: Offset
Printer: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
Press Type: Muller A76
Stamps per Booklet: 20
Print Quantity: 300,000,000 stamps
Paper Type: Nonphosphored Type III, Block Tag
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Processed at: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
Stamp Orientation: Vertical
Image Area (w x h): 0.84 x 0.73 in./21.336 x 18.542 mm
Stamp Size (w x h): 0.98 x 0.87 in./24.892 x 22.098 mm
Full Booklet Size (w x h): 1.96 x 5.52 in./49.784 x 140.208 mm
Colors: Black, Cyan, Magenta, Yellow
Plate Size: 1040 stamps per revolution
Plate Numbers: “P” followed by four (4) single digits
Marginal Markings: Header: “Winter Berries” Twenty First-Class Forever Stamps • Plate number in peel strip area • ©2018 USPS in peel strip area • Barcode • Promotional text in peel strip area

Updated August 21st:
Here are the first-day postmarks for this issue:The Digital Color Postmark measures 2.53″ x 1.30″ The B&W Pictorial Postmark measures 2.02″ x 0.89″

Updated August 22nd:
[press release]
New Forever Stamps Feature Winter Berries

What: With the release of the Winter Berries Forever stamps, the U.S. Postal Service celebrates four of winter’s small yet vibrant offerings: the winterberry (Ilex verticillata), the juniper berry (Juniperus communis), the beautyberry (Callicarpa americana), and the soapberry (Sapindus saponaria). News of the stamps is being shared with the hashtag #WinterBerriesStamps.

Who: Steven R. Phelps, Acting Vice President of Pricing and Costing, U.S. Postal Service

When: Tuesday, Sept. 17, at 11 a.m. CDT

Where: Tulsa Botanic Garden
A.R. and Marylouise Tandy Floral Terraces
3900 Tulsa Botanic Drive
Tulsa, OK 74127

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

Background:
The stamp art features highly detailed botanical portraits of each plant that highlight the bold colors and rich textures of their berries.
The winter months may seem like a time when nature’s bold imagery gets muted by cold temperatures and snowfall — but if you take a closer look you may just find some of the most beautiful plant growth of any season. Coming in an array of shapes, sizes and colors, winter berries provide bursts of life during the year’s coldest months.
Artist Steve Buchanan worked with art director Antonio Alcalá to create these stamps.