5756A (5¢) Stars and Bars coil with larger year date, stars and bars than No. 5756
5826 (66¢) Love
a. Imperforate
5827 $9.85 Pillars of Creation
5828 $30.45 Cosmic Cliffs
5829 (68¢) Chinese New Year
a. Imperforate
5830 (68¢) Constance Baker Motley
a. Imperforate
According to Virtual Stamp Club member Foster Miller, a U.S. Postal Service representative said there will be a stamp for Hank Aaron. Word came at the first-day ceremony for Underground Railroad.
The person did not reveal a date. Best guess would be during “Induction Weekend” at the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown. The Hall of Fame induction ceremony is Sunday, July 21. However, there are events Friday through Monday.
The photo shown here is from 1974, his last year with the Milwaukee/Atlanta Braves. Assuming this photo was taken during spring training, as is likely, it is from right before he broke the home run record at the Atlanta home opener on April 8, 1974.
Henry Louis Aaron died in January 2021 at the age of 86, so under current rules, this year is the first opportunity to honor him with a stamp. He has, however, been honored by the USPS before: At the end of the 1973 season, Aaron received a plaque from the postal agency for receiving more mail (930,000 pieces) than any person excluding politicians. The Wikipedia entry is here.
Further information will be posted as we get it.
Updated September 6th:
The Scott catalogue number for this issue is 5908.
Updated June 28th:
[press release] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions]
Baseball Legend Hank Aaron Memorialized on New Forever Stamp
What: The U.S. Postal Service will honor Henry “Hank” Aaron with a commemorative Forever stamp.
The first-day-of-issue event is free and open to the public. News of the stamp is being shared with the hashtag #HankAaronStamp.
Who: Thomas J. Marshall, U.S. Postal Service general counsel and executive vice president, will serve as dedicating official.
When: Wednesday, July 31, at 10 a.m. EDT
Where:
Truist Park
755 Battery Ave. SE
Atlanta, GA 30339
RSVP: Attendees are encouraged to RSVP at usps.com/hankaaronstamp.
Background: A giant both on and off the field, Hank Aaron (1934–2021) rose from humble beginnings to rewrite the record books while prevailing in the face of racism. The stamp art features a portrait of Aaron as a member of the Atlanta Braves, based on a 1968 photo, showing Aaron’s famous right-handed batting stance from the waist up.
Greg Breeding, an art director for USPS, designed the stamp and pane with original art by Chuck Styles and typography by Kevin Cantrell.
The Hank Aaron stamp is being issued in panes of 20. The Forever stamp will always be equal in value to the current First-Class Mail one-ounce price.-
On July 31, 2024, in Atlanta, GA, the United States Postal Service® will issue the Hank Aaron stamp (Forever® priced at the First-Class Mail® rate), in one design, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 20 stamps (Item 484900). This stamp will go on sale nationwide July 31, 2024, and must not be sold or canceled before the first-day-of-issue.
This stamp celebrates the life and career of Hank Aaron (1934–2021), a giant of baseball both on and off the field, who rose from humble beginnings to rewrite the record books while prevailing in the face of racism. The stamp art features a digital painting of Aaron as a member of the Atlanta Braves™, showing Aaron’s famous right-handed batting stance from the waist up. The selvage showcases a digital painting of Aaron watching the ball he had just hit for his record-breaking 715th home run. Art director Greg Breeding designed the stamp and pane with original art by Chuck Styles and typography by Kevin Cantrell.
Automatic distribution.
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 store.usps.com/store/home. 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 – Hank Aaron 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 November 30, 2024.
Technical Specifications:
Issue: Hank Aaron Stamp
Item Number: 484900
Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail Forever
Format: Pane of 20 (1 design)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: July 31, 2024, Atlanta, GA 30304
Art Director: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
Designer: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
Artist: Chuck Styles
Typographer: Kevin Cantrell, Mantua, UT
Modeler: Joseph Sheeran
Manufacturing Process: Offset, Microprint
Printer: Ashton Potter
Press Type: Muller A76
Stamps per Pane: 20
Print Quantity: 30,000,000
Paper Type: Nonphosphored Type III, Block Tag Applied
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Colors: Black, Cyan, Magenta, Yellow
Stamp Orientation: Vertical
Image Area (w x h): 1.0850 x 1.4200 in. / 27.5590 x
36.0680 mm
Overall Size (w x h): 1.2250 x 1.5600 in. / 31.1150 x
39.6240 mm
Full Pane Size (w x h): 9.8100 x 7.3800 in. / 249.1740 x
187.4520 mm
Press Sheets Size (w x h): 19.7450 x 22.3900 in. / 501.5230 x
568.7060 mm
Plate Size: 120 stamps per revolution
Plate Number: “P” followed by four (4) single digits in bottom two corners
Marginal Markings:
Front: Header: Hank Aaron • 1934 x 2021 • Plate number in bottom two corners
Back: Major League Baseball trademarks and copyrights are used with permission of Major League Baseball • © 2024 USPS • USPS Logo • Two barcodes (484900) • Plate position diagram (6) • Promotional text
Here are the first-day postmarks for this issue:
The Digital Color Postmark for this issue measures 2.29″ x 1.10″ 
.
The Pictorial Postmark for this issue measures 2.80″ x 1.15″
Updated May 20th:
This stamp will be issued July 31 in Atlanta, GA. The Atlanta Braves are on the road that day — in Milwaukee!
Updated April 8th, the 50th of the 715th home run:
[press release] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions]
USPS Unveils Henry “Hank” Aaron Stamp
On 50th Anniversary of Eclipsing Homerun Record
ATLANTA — The U.S. Postal Service today announced it will honor baseball legend Henry 
“Hank” Aaron with a commemorative Forever stamp.
This stamp celebrates the life and career of Aaron (1934–2021), a giant both on and off the field, who rose from humble beginnings to rewrite the record books while prevailing in the face of racism.
The stamp art features a digital painting of Aaron as a member of the Atlanta Braves, showing his famous right-handed batting stance from the waist up. The selvage showcases a digital painting of Aaron watching the ball he had just hit for his record-breaking 715th home run on April 8, 1974.
Greg Breeding, an art director for USPS, designed the stamp and pane with original art by Chuck Styles.
The Hank Aaron stamp will be issued in panes of 20. As a Forever stamp, it will always be equal in value to the current First-Class Mail 1 ounce price.
The official first day of issue and stamp dedication ceremony location will be announced at a later date.
News of the stamp is being shared with the hashtag #HankAaronStamp.
[press release] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions]
Stunning New Special Stamps from Royal Mail Chart the Age Of The Dinosaurs
Issue date: 12 March
Royal Mail has revealed images of eight new, stunning stamps that include dinosaurs and other prehistoric reptiles from the Jurassic and Cretaceous eras.
The new designs, by Exeter based, digital concept illustrator, Joshua Dunlop, combine scientific accuracy, provided by the Natural History Museum’s palaeontology department, with artistic brilliance in a captivating homage to the wonders of palaeontology, and include:
TyrannosaurusAn additional sheet of four stamps recognises the contribution of palaeontologist Mary Anning. She was one of the first professional fossil hunters and her discoveries on the Dorset coast, near her home in Lyme Regis, paved the way for modern palaeontology and contributed to our understanding of prehistoric life on Earth.
Royal Mail worked in collaboration with experts at the Natural History Museum, consulting with scientists specialising in various areas of palaeontology.
David Gold, Director of External Affairs and Policy said: “We were thrilled to feature incredible dinosaurs from the mighty Tyrannosaurus rex to graceful Diplodocus as well as 
other fascinating prehistoric reptiles in their natural habitats. It is fitting in the week of International Women’s Day that we pay tribute to Mary Anning with four images of some of the fossils she discovered. She was one of the greatest fossil hunters of the 19th century, making a major contribution to our understanding of the majestic creatures that roamed the Earth hundreds of millions of years ago.”
Maxine Lister, Head of Licensing at the Natural History Museum, said: “We were thrilled 
when Royal Mail approached us to collaborate on these brilliant sets of stamps. It’s perfect timing too, as we have just celebrated the 200th anniversary since the naming of the first dinosaur: the Megalosaurus, which features as part of this collection. Our mission is to create advocates for the planet and we hope these stunning designs inspire everyone to discover a bit more about our natural world, whether that be the creatures that lived here before us, or the pioneering figures who shaped our understanding of them today.”
Age of the Dinosaurs
The Mesozoic Era, or the ‘Age of the Dinosaurs’ as it is commonly known, lasted from 252 
to 66 million years ago and comprises, in order from oldest to youngest, the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous Periods. During most of this time, from the Late Triassic onwards, a group of reptiles known as dinosaurs dominated the land. Other non-dinosaur reptiles also thrived during this period, including marine reptiles, such as ichthyosaurs and plesiosaurs, as well as the flying pterosaurs.
Fossilised remains help us to unearth the secrets of these incredible creatures, and one of the greatest fossil hunters of the 19th century was Mary Anning. Anning lived during a time 
when it was fashionable for wealthy Georgians to visit seaside towns to acquire fossils to add to their cabinets of curiosities. It was also when palaeontology was becoming recognised as a branch of the natural sciences. Anning spent her life unearthing ‘curios’ from the fossil-rich cliffs near her home in Lyme Regis, Dorset, to sell to tourists and scientific collectors alike, and made many important discoveries. A fascination with prehistoric life continues today. Palaeontologists study all fossilised past life, including corals, fishes, mammals and plants, in addition to prehistoric reptiles. Fossils can help us not only to learn about the lives of these species, but to understand what the Earth was like in the past.
Stamp By Stamp:
Tyrannosaurus was a fierce predator that belonged to a group of dinosaurs known as theropods. One of the largest meat-eating animals ever to live on land, Tyrannosaurus lived during the Late Cretaceous period between 68 and 66 million years ago. The first known specimen was discovered in 1900 in Wyoming, USA.
Triceratops was one of the biggest horned dinosaurs. It lived around 68 million years ago during the Late Cretaceous period, alongside the likes of Tyrannosaurus. Triceratops weighed about 5 tonnes and measured up to 9m in length – its head alone was about as long as a person. It had a curved, bony frill jutting out over its neck and a hard beak at the end of its nose. The word Triceratops means ‘three-horned face’ – a reference to its impressive horns, which may have been used in defence against large meat eaters.
Coloborhynchus was a type of pterosaur, a group of extinct flying reptiles that lived alongside the dinosaurs during the Mesozoic Era. Pterosaurs were the first vertebrates to achieve flight over 220 million years ago and included the largest flying creatures of all time. Coloborhynchus lived during the Early Cretaceous period and was one of the earliest pterosaurs to be discovered.
Iguanodon was a large ornithopod that lived during the Early Cretaceous period between 125 and 110 million years ago. Reaching a length of about 10m, it was a very large dinosaur – longer than both Triceratops and Stegosaurus – and a herbivore that probably ate around 30kg of plants every day. It is thought that Iguanodon probably walked on both two and four legs. It was one of the most successful dinosaurs, with remains having been found in many parts of Europe. Iguanodon had a large thumb spike, which was probably used to fend off predators. It also had a very long finger that it used to gather food.
Stegosaurus belongs to a group of dinosaurs known as stegosaurs, which are defined by the bony armour plates or spines that extend along the back in two parallel rows. Despite being one of the most recognisable dinosaurs, we know relatively little about it, as remains of Stegosaurus are rare.
One of the longest dinosaurs ever to have existed, Diplodocuswas a long-necked prehistoric creature belonging to a group of dinosaurs called sauropods. It lived 150 million years ago at the end of the Jurassic Period. Reaching up to 27m in length, Diplodocus was a giant, weighing around 20 tonnes – as much as three male African elephants. It may have used its long neck to reach the tops of tall trees and its comb-like teeth to rake leaves into its mouth.
Megalosaurus was one of three species (along with Iguanodonand Hylaeosaurus) that led palaeontologist and anatomist Sir Richard Owen to coin the term ‘Dinosauria’ back in 1842, when he realised that all three creatures shared common characteristics and were their own distinct group of reptiles. His paper sparked a fascination with dinosaurs that continues today. It was William Buckland, a clergyman and palaeontologist, who, in 1824, named the creature Megalosaurus, which means ‘great lizard’. This was the first scientific description ever produced of what became known as a dinosaur. Megalosaurus was a large theropod that roamed what is now England during the Middle Jurassic period between 170 and 155 million years ago. Growing up to 9m long, it was one of the largest predators of the Middle Jurassic.
Cryptoclidus was a type of plesiosaur – a group of extinct marine reptiles that existed from the Middle Triassic to the Late Cretaceous periods. Some species reached 15m in length, 
although most were between 3m and 5m long. Plesiosaurs have been described as looking like a ‘snake threaded through a turtle’. Their limbs were large, well-developed paddles and it is thought that Cryptoclidus flapped these up and down in a similar way to a turtle. Plesiosaurs would have been found across the world, including in what is now Argentina, USA, Australia, France, Germany, China and Morocco. Many fossils have been found of Cryptoclidus, particularly from the Oxford Clay Formation in the UK, making it one of the best understood of all plesiosaurs.
On the souvenir sheet:
One of the 19th century’s greatest fossil hunters, Mary Anning made a series of incredible discoveries that helped the scientific community to better understand the remarkable creatures that inhabited Earth’s ancient seas and skies.
Ichthyosaurus Communis 201–198 Ma, Lyme Regis, Dorset — A complete fossilised juvenile skeleton of the marine reptile with coprolite remains inside the rib cage. Purchased from Mary Anning c.1835.
Dapedium Politum 199–190 Ma, Lyme Regis, Dorset —
A near-complete Jurassic fish fossil, showing scale patterning and delicate fin structures. Collected by Mary Anning c.1829.
Plesiosaurus Macrocephalus 201–198 Ma, Lyme Regis, Dorset —
A near-complete fossilised juvenile skeleton of the marine reptile lacking parts of the tail. Collected by Mary Anning in 1830.
The stamps, and a range of collectible products, are available to pre-order now at www.royalmail.com/dinosaurs and by telephone on 03457 641 641. A Presentation Pack including all eight stamps in the set is priced at £18.90 (about US$24.04 currently). The stamps go on general sale on 12 March.
Here are some other products and their prices:The set of 8 stamps is £13.00 (US$16.54)The souvenir sheet is £5.00 (US$6.36)T
The official first day cover, with either the Tallents House (shown) or Lyme Regis postmarks, is £16.25 (US$20.67).
The miniature sheet FDC, with either postmark, is £6.65 (US$8.46)
A “coin cover” is £17.50 (US$22.26), but the silver coin cover is £71.00 (US$90.32)
A set of 12 postcards is £5.85 (US$7.44), the press sheet of 12 of the souvenir sheet is £60.00 (US$76.32) and there are full- and half-sheets of the Megalosaurus, Stegosaurus, Coloborhynchus and Tyrannosaurus stamps.
His daughter reports on Facebook that former American Philatelic Society president Randy Neil passed away Wednesday, March 6, 2024. He was 82.
In real life, he was a professional cheerleader, helping create the Kansas City Chiefs cheerleader squad and running a shop for cheerleading supplies, The Spirit Shop, in Kansas City. In philately, he was also a cheerleader — warm, friendly, humorous and a great “front man” for our hobby. I had the pleasure of serving with him on the APS Board, and I will miss seeing him at shows.
To give you an idea of how gregarious Randy was, he told me at StampShow 1994, when he was President, that it took him two hours to cross the bourse!
Randy moved from professional cheerleading to, well, another form of cheerleading: Publicity and public relations, as well and editing and establishing a number of stamp collecting publications.
He is shown above at the first-day ceremony for the U.S. stamps promoting World Stamp Show-New York. There are some photos of him at his last board meeting as APS president in 1997 here. That same year saw a major change on the board, with five first-time members, including three women: Secretary Janet Klug, Directors-at-Large Ann Triggle and Jeanette Adams, and Directors-at-Large Wayne Youngblood and myself. There was also a hotly-contested election for President between Ken Lawrence and John Hotchner, rather than the usual “passing of the torch” successions.
Randy then became Immediate Past President, but just two years later, he stepped off the board when Hotchner decided not to run for re-election as president. During a small party after his retirement, I was standing near Randy when he muttered, “We got exactly the Board that we wanted.”
You can read or listen to The Virtual Stamp Club radio feature on him from 2016.
This story is evolving and may be updated more than once. Keep checking back for the latest.
[On this page, because of the nature of the announcement, the latest information is at the end.]
[press release] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions] Announced March 6, 2024
USPS Unveils Betty Ford Stamp
Dedication Will Take Place April 5 in Rancho Mirage, CA
WASHINGTON — On March 6, the U.S. Postal Service revealed the artwork of a commemorative Forever stamp celebrating the life and legacy of former First Lady Betty 
Ford.
The stamp design was unveiled at the White House by First Lady Jill Biden, Postmaster General Louis DeJoy and Susan Ford Bales, daughter of former President Gerald R. Ford and former First Lady Betty Ford.
The dedication ceremony for the Forever stamp will be held April 5 — three days before the 106th anniversary of her birth. The event will take place at the Annenberg Health Sciences Building located at Eisenhower Health in Rancho Mirage, CA.
“Betty Ford changed the role of first lady,” said Postmaster General DeJoy. “She used the role not just as a platform to represent the nation and advance and support her husband, she used it to speak openly and honestly about issues she cared about, and about personal issues she faced.”
[The stamp is unveiled by (L-R) First Lady Jill Biden, daughter Susan Ford Bales, Dr. Joseph Lee and Postmaster General Louis DeJoy.]
Elizabeth Anne Bloomer Ford (1918–2011), wife of the 38th president, was first lady of the United States from 1974 to 1977. After the Watergate scandal forced the resignation of President Richard Nixon on Aug. 9, 1974, and an earlier scandal pushed out Vice President Spiro Agnew, Gerald Ford became the first U.S. president who had never been elected president or vice president. In her new role as first lady, Betty Ford, impressed the American public in interviews by showing humor and frankness about controversial issues 
facing the country.
“Mom would be humbled and grateful beyond words for the extraordinary tribute of her commemorative stamp,” said daughter Susan Ford Bales [right], who attended the White House event. “To Mom, the stamp would be a heartwarming reminder of joys of millions of breast cancer and substance use disorder survivors who have overcome their diseases and individually added to her legacy of candor and courage.”
While the Fords never intended to inhabit the White House, Betty Ford embraced the role, becoming the most politically outspoken first lady since Eleanor Roosevelt and helping 
mold the position’s modern role. [First Lady Jill Biden, shown on the left, said that Mrs. Ford promised to be herself in the White House. “”That was exactly what the country needed: A warm, charming, friendly First Lady, who would help restore a wearied nation’s faith in government.”]
Throughout her husband’s political career, Mrs. Ford openly fought for women’s rights, often conflicting with the Republican Party’s stances. She campaigned tirelessly for the Equal Rights Amendment, which would have mandated constitutional equality for all Americans, regardless of gender.
After being diagnosed with breast cancer, Mrs. Ford underwent a mastectomy on Sept. 28, 1974. While medical issues of previous first ladies weren’t always disclosed, Mrs. Ford 
chose to share the story of her treatment for the once-taboo medical condition.
In 1964, Mrs. Ford had begun taking prescription pain pills for a pinched nerve in her neck, developing a substance use disorder over time. In 1978, after an intervention, she entered the Naval Regional Medical Hospital in Long Beach, CA, for treatment. As with her breast cancer, she publicly acknowledged her substance use disorder, changing its perception and putting a face to the disease.
In 1982, Mrs. Ford and former ambassador and close family friend Leonard Firestone established the Betty Ford Center for substance dependency. She agreed to lend her name to the center, hoping to destigmatize substance use disorder treatment at a time when it wasn’t spoken about openly — especially by women — and options for treatment were scarce. Her work helped change the way treatment options and those seeking it are viewed by American society. [On the left, speaking at the unveiling, Dr. Joseph Lee, president and CEO, Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation.]
The Forever stamp honoring Betty Ford is being issued in panes of 20. News of the stamp will be shared with the hashtag #BettyFordStamp.
Dedication [First Day] Ceremony Information
What: The U.S. Postal Service will commemorate the life and legacy of former First Lady Betty Ford with the issuance of a Forever stamp.
When: April 5, 2024, 11 a.m. PDT
Where: Eisenhower Health
Annenberg Health Sciences Building
Helene Galen Auditorium
39000 Bob Hope Drive
Rancho Mirage, CA 92270
RSVP: Dedication ceremony attendees are encouraged to register at: usps.com/bettyfordstamp
Updated March 7th:
On April 5, 2024, in Rancho Mirage, CA, the United States Postal Service® will issue the Betty Ford stamp (Forever® priced at the First-Class Mail® rate) in one design, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 20 stamps (Item 484800). This stamp will go on sale nationwide April 5, 2024, and must not be sold or canceled before the first-day-of-issue.
This stamp celebrates the life of Betty Ford (1918–2011), wife of the 38th president, Gerald R. Ford, and first lady of the United States from 1974 to 1977. As first lady, Mrs. Ford won widespread admiration for her candor and support for women’s rights. The stamp art is a detail from the official 1977 White House portrait by Felix de Cossio (1913–1999). The oil-on-canvas portrait shows Mrs. Ford dressed in a pale blue chiffon dress. The seated portrait was cropped to accommodate the stamp format. Art director Derry Noyes designed the stamp.
Automatic distribution.
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 store.usps.com/store/home. 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 – Betty Ford 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 5, 2024.
Technical Specifications:
Issue: Betty Ford Stamp
Item Number: 484800
Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail Forever
Format: Pane of 20 (1 design)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: April 5, 2024, Rancho Mirage, CA 92270
Art Director: Derry Noyes, Washington, DC
Designer: Derry Noyes, Washington, DC
Existing Art: Felix de Cossio
Modeler: Sandra Lane / Michelle Finn
Manufacturing Process: Offset, Microprint
Printer: Banknote Corporation of America
Press Type: Alprinta 74
Stamps per Pane: 20
Print Quantity: 12,000,000
Paper Type: Phosphor, Block Tag
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Colors: Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black, PMS 6114C
Stamp Orientation: Vertical
Image Area (w x h): 0.8400 x 1.4200 in. / 21.3360 x 36.0680 mm
Overall Size (w x h): 0.9800 x 1.5600 in. / 24.8920 x 39.6240 mm
Full Pane Size (w x h): 6.0400 x 7.8800 in. / 153.4160 x 200.1520 mm
Press Sheets Size (w x h): 24.1600 x 15.7600 in. / 613.6640 x 400.3040 mm
Plate Size: 160 stamps per revolution
Plate Number: “B” followed by five (5) single digits
Marginal Markings:
Front: Header: BETTY FORD • Plate number in bottom two corners
Back: © 2024 USPS • USPS logo • Two barcodes (484800) • Plate position diagram (8) • Promotional text
Updated March 22nd:
Here are the first-day postmarks for this issue:
The Digital Color Postmark measures 2.80″ x 1.48″
The Pictorial Postmark measures 2.62″ x 1.37″
Updated May 7th:
The Scott catalogue number for this issue is 5852.
[from PostNL press materials] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions]
75 Years of Keukenhof on Flowery Stamps
Taken from Wikipedia: Literally “kitchen garden,” and also known as the Garden of Europe, it is one of the world’s largest flower gardens. Keukenhof Park covers an area of 79 acres and approximately 7 million flower bulbs are planted in the gardens annually. Keukenhof is widely known for its tulips, and it also features numerous other flowers, including hyacinths, daffodils, lilies, roses, carnations and irises.
On March 1, 1949, the beginning of the meteorological spring, it was decided to organize a flower exhibition. This is how the idea for Keukenhof came about. To celebrate the 75th anniversary of the popular spring park in Lisse, South Holland, PostNL is today issuing the ‘Keukenhof 75 years’ stamp sheet.
Keukenhof director Sandra Bechtholt received the first copy of the anniversary stamp from Noud Wegman, commercial director at the postal company. Bechtholt: “It will be a festive season with an anniversary exhibition and numerous other activities. Millions of photos are taken in the park for social media, but a postcard remains a beautiful thing to connect people. Such a handwritten greeting from Keukenhof is loved by international visitors, especially this spring with this anniversary stamp.”
“The park is a must-see destination in travel programmes. Eighty percent of Keukenhof’s visitors come from abroad,” said Annemarie Gerards-Adriaansens, Project Manager for Keukenhof’s 75th anniversary celebration. “It will be a special season, with an anniversary exhibition and all sorts of other activities.”
Spring flowers: tulip, iris and daffodil
Each stamp from the ‘Keukenhof 75 years’ stamp sheetlet had the same special shape of 
a stylized petal with a triangular base under a circular shape with serrations. The stamps depict various flowers as large as possible against a white background: a tulip, an iris and a daffodil. The arrangement of the stamps on the stamp sheet refers to the shape of a flower with 6 petals.
The design of the stamp sheet was created by graphic designer Maud van Rossum from Amsterdam. She reflected on the varied range of flowers on the stamps by depicting an orange-red tulip, a blue-purple iris and a yellow daffodil.
Combining flowers and stamps is not an unfamiliar concept to Van Rossum. Back in 2022, she designed the 200 Years of the Mauritshuis Museum stamps featuring paintings of famous floral still lifes. “Same subject, but from a completely different perspective,” says Van Rossum. “It needed to be a colourful, joyful, special design and I think we pulled it off.”
The background of the stamp sheet features a photo of a tulip field taken at knee height. “Bend down and lower your perspective so you’re not looking down on the flowers, but straight at them, and that opens up a whole new world,” says Van Rossum.
Availability
The ‘Keukenhof 75 years’ stamp sheet contains 6 stamps in 3 different designs, with the value indication international 1 for mail up to and including 20 grams with an international destination. The stamps will be available from March 1, 2024 at Bruna stores and via the webshop. The stamps can also be ordered by telephone from Collect Club customer service on telephone number 088 – 868 99 00. The validity period is indefinite. The price per sheet of 6 stamps is €10.50 (currently US$11.39). [2014 photo above: by Balou46]
Note: PostNL does not sell directly to collectors in North America. Its website refers to a company called Nordfirm, which says it sells Dutch new issues at face value. The Virtual Stamp Club has no connection to this company.
by Danforth Guy
Another first look: The stamp marking Eid (Eid al-Fitr) from Canada Post acknowledges the 
end of the fast of Ramadan with cakes and sweets that are typically enjoyed.
Eid occurs this year on April 9-10. One postal source says the stamp is set to come out in a few days. A national stamp organization says April. The Virtual Stamp Club says November, which doesn’t coincide with the holiday. [That was from a Canada Post release on December 20th.]
The stamps will sell in booklets of 6 at the domestic rate of 92c (‘P’). There is no first day location information.
This image comes from a post office placemat, hence the low quality. (But we have cleaned it up. Click on this image for a larger version.)
Updated March 28th:
[press release] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions]
Stamp showcasing maamoul commemorates Islamic festivals of Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha
Canada Post is proud to mark two festivals, celebrated by more than
a million Muslims in Canada, with stamp featuring the popular treat
OTTAWA – Canada Post issued a new stamp today to mark two important Islamic holidays: Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha. The commemorative stamp features maamoul, 
Middle Eastern cookies, and a traditional carved wooden mould used to make them.
Melt-in-your-mouth cookies stuffed with a delicious walnut, pistachio or date filling, maamoul are a sweet staple during Eid celebrations. They are traditionally handmade from semolina and flavoured with fragrant rose or orange-blossom water andmahlab – a spice made from ground cherry pits. Before baking, the balls of dough are stuffed with walnut, pistachio or date filling and formed with specially carved wooden moulds.
Early versions of maamoul can be traced back to ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia. Today, family and friends often gather before Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha to bake the cookies together. Served to guests and given as gifts, maamoul are also made across much of the Middle East to celebrate other holidays, such 
as Easter and Purim.
This year, Eid al-Fitr – the Festival of Breaking the Fast – begins in April, after the end of Ramadan. The stamp was issued today, so that it can be used to send greetings before the festival. Eid al-Adha, or the Festival of Sacrifice, marks the end of the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, the holiest Muslim city. In 2024, Eid al-Adha begins in June.
Celebrated by more than one million Muslims in Canada, both events can last several days and include communal prayers and feasts, visits with family, gift-giving and acts of charity.
Celebrating Canada’s culturally diverse population
The 2024 issue is Canada Post’s sixth Eid stamp; the others were issued in 2017, 2020, 
2021, 2022 and 2023.
The Eid stamp is one of several stamps Canada Post issues each year to mark annual celebrations important to Canada’s culturally diverse population – others include Diwali, Hanukkah and Christmas.
About the stamp
The stamp was designed by Kristine Do, photographed by Maya Visnyei, with food styling by David Grenier. Printed by Colour Innovations, the issue includes booklets of six Permanent™ domestic rate stamps and an Official First Day Cover cancelled in London, Ontario.
The new stamp and collectibles are available at canadapost.ca and postal outlets across Canada.
[en Francais pour les médias d’information]
Un timbre consacré aux maâmouls souligne les fêtes islamiques de l’Aïd al-Fitr et de l’Aïd al-Adha
Postes Canada est fière de souligner deux fêtes célébrées par plus d’un million de personnes au Canada avec un timbre mettant en vedette ces biscuits populaires.
OTTAWA – Postes Canada a émis un nouveau timbre aujourd’hui pour souligner deux fêtes islamiques importantes : l’Aïd al-Fitret l’Aïd al-Adha. Le timbre commémoratif met en vedette des maâmouls, des biscuits du Moyen-Orient, et le moule en bois sculpté traditionnel utilisé pour les façonner.
Les délicieux biscuits sablés fourrés de noix de Grenoble, de pistaches ou de dattes sont un incontournable lors des fêtes de l’Aïd. Ils sont traditionnellement fabriqués à la main à partir de semoule et parfumés avec de l’eau de rose ou de fleur d’oranger et du mahaleb (de l’arabe mahlab), une épice faite à partir de noyaux de cerise broyés. Avant la cuisson, les boules de pâte sont fourrées de noix de Grenoble, de pistaches ou de dattes, et modelées à l’aide de moules en bois spécialement sculptés.
Des versions antérieures remontent à l’Égypte ancienne et à la Mésopotamie. Aujourd’hui, membres de la famille et autres proches se rassemblent souvent avant l’Aïd al-Fitr et l’Aïd al-Adha pour préparer les biscuits ensemble. Servis aux convives et offerts en cadeau, les maâmouls sont également cuisinés au Moyen-Orient à l’occasion d’autres fêtes, comme Pâques et Purim.
Cette année, l’Aïd al-Fitr, ou fête de la rupture du jeûne, commence en avril, après le ramadan. Le timbre a été émis aujourd’hui afin qu’on puisse l’utiliser pour envoyer des vœux avant la fête. L’Aïd al-Adha, ou fête du sacrifice, souligne la fin du pèlerinage du Hajj à La Mecque, en Arabie saoudite, la ville musulmane la plus sacrée. En 2024, elle commence en juin.
D’une durée de plusieurs jours, les fêtes sont célébrées par plus d’un million de fidèles au Canada. Elles sont généralement synonymes de prières communes, de visites familiales, de festins partagés, de cadeaux et d’actes de charité.
Célébrer la diversité culturelle du Canada
L’émission de 2024 est le sixième timbre de l’Aïd de Postes Canada; les autres ont été émis en 2017, 2020, 2021, 2022 et 2023.
La vignette consacrée à l’Aïd fait partie des nombreuses émissions annuelles soulignant des fêtes importantes pour la population diversifiée du Canada, notamment Diwali, Hanoukka et Noël.
À propos du timbre
Le timbre a été conçu par Kristine Do, la photo prise par Maya Visnyei et le stylisme culinaire réalisé par David Grenier. Imprimée par Colour Innovations, l’émission comprend un carnet de six timbres Permanents🅪 au tarif du régime intérieur et un pli Premier Jour officiel oblitéré à London, en Ontario.
Le timbre et les articles de collection sont en vente sur postescanada.ca et dans les comptoirs postaux partout au pays.
Updated March 31st: [click to see a larger view] 
by Danforth Guy
Here’s a first look at the Total Solar Eclipse stamp, marking the center line of the path of 
totality from Niagara Falls, Ontario/New York to Bonavista, Newfoundland & Labrador. The stamp shows the Horseshoe Falls and the rugged coastline near Bonavista, including The Chimney, a great tower of rock.
The stamps will come in booklets of 10 at the domestic rate of 92c (‘P’). One postal source says they are set to be issued on March 5. A national stamp group is guessing it’s March 14. The VSC calendar says April. [That was from a Canada Post press release on December 20th.]
This image comes from a countertop placemat in a post office, hence the low quality. (Click on it for a larger version; we have cleaned it up.)
[press release] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions] [Canada Post video follows French version]
New stamp marks the upcoming total eclipse of the sun
Awe-inspiring phenomenon won’t be visible in Canada for another 20 years
NIAGARA FALLS, ON, March 14, 2024 /CNW/ – Today, Canada Post issued a new commemorative stamp to mark a much-anticipated astronomical phenomenon. On 
Monday, April 8, the shadow of the moon will turn daylight to darkness for millions of Canadians, as a total eclipse of the sun unfolds over parts of Mexico, the United States and Canada.
It will be the only time this century that the path of a total solar eclipse will cross parts of North America’s three largest countries.
In Canada, the awe-inspiring spectacle – which won’t be visible here again until 2044 – will 
trace a path of darkness, called the path of totality, across parts of Ontario, Quebec and the Maritimes.
[On the left, the booklet pane and OFDC under black light.]
Once considered an evil omen, a total solar eclipse occurs when the moon passes between the Earth and the sun in such a way that it blocks the face of the sun from view. The event unfolds over approximately two hours. However, it peaks in a few precious minutes of totality when the sun is completely obscured and the ghostly glow from its chromosphere 
and corona frames a perfect silhouette of the moon.
The stamp image depicts the sun at the moment of totality as well as a line showing the path of the eclipse from its entrance point in southwestern Ontario to its exit point in eastern Newfoundland and Labrador. Across the bottom of the stamp is a photomontage of land formations along the path of totality, including Ontario’s Niagara Falls, New Brunswick’s Hopewell Rocks, and Spillars Cove in Newfoundland and Labrador.
This stamp is Canada Post’s first one to feature a solar eclipse.
WARNING: Looking at the sun without proper protection can cause serious eye damage. For more information on eye safety during the eclipse, visit the How to safely watch a solar eclipse page on the Canadian Space Agency website.
About the stamp
The stamp was designed by Richard Nalli-Petta and illustrated by Michal Karcz. Printed by Colour Innovations, the issue includes 200,000 booklets of 10 Permanent™ domestic rate stamps and 6,000 Official First Day Covers cancelled in Niagara Falls, Ont. – one of the first Canadian cities on the eclipse’s path of totality.
Stamps and collectibles are available at canadapost.ca and postal outlets across Canada.
[en Francais pour les médias d’information]
Un nouveau timbre marque l’éclipse totale du Soleil
L’impressionnant phénomène ne se reproduira pas au Canadaavant 20 ans.
NIAGARA FALLS, ON, le 14 mars 2024 /CNW/ – Aujourd’hui, Postes Canada a émis un timbre commémoratif pour marquer un phénomène astronomique très attendu. Le lundi 8 avril, l’ombre de la Lune plongera dans la noirceur des millions de personnes au pays, alors qu’une éclipse totale du Soleil touchera certaines parties du Mexique, des États-Unis et du Canada.
Ce sera la seule fois ce siècle-ci qu’une éclipse solaire totale se produira au-dessus des trois plus grands pays nord-américains.
Au Canada, l’impressionnant spectacle, qui ne sera de nouveau visible ici qu’en 2044, créera une ligne d’obscurité, appelée bande de totalité, traversant l’Ontario, le Québec et les Maritimes.
Autrefois considérée comme un mauvais présage, une éclipse solaire totale survient lorsque la Lune passe entre la Terre et le Soleil, de sorte que ce dernier est entièrement caché par la Lune. Le spectacle dure environ deux heures. Toutefois, il atteint son apogée durant les quelques précieuses minutes de totalité où le soleil est entièrement caché et la lumière fantomatique de la chromosphère et de la couronne solaire dessine la silhouette de la Lune.
L’image du timbre illustre le Soleil au moment de la totalité, ainsi qu’une ligne représentant la trajectoire de l’éclipse depuis son point d’entrée dans le sud-ouest de l’Ontario jusqu’à son point de sortie dans l’est de Terre-Neuve-et-Labrador. Dans le bas de la vignette se trouve un photomontage de formations terrestres le long de la bande de totalité, y compris les chutes Niagara, en Ontario, les rochers Hopewell, au Nouveau-Brunswick et Spillars Cove, à Terre-Neuve-et-Labrador.
C’est la première fois que Postes Canada lance un timbre à l’occasion d’une éclipse solaire.
AVERTISSEMENT: Regarder le Soleil sans protection adéquate peut causer de graves dommages aux yeux. Pour des précisions sur la sécurité oculaire pendant l’éclipse, consultez la page Comment observer sans danger une éclipse solaire sur le site de l’Agence spatiale canadienne.
À propos du timbre
Le timbre a été conçu par Richard Nalli-Petta et illustré par Michal Karcz. Imprimée par Colour Innovations, l’émission comprend 200 000 carnets de 10 timbres PermanentsMC du régime intérieur et 6 000 plis Premier Jour officiels. Le lieu d’oblitération est Niagara Falls, en Ontario, l’une des premières villes canadiennes sur la trajectoire de l’éclipse.
Les timbres et les articles de collection sont en vente sur postescanada.ca et dans les comptoirs postaux partout au pays.
[press release] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions]
Annual flower stamp issue showcases environmentally important wildflowers
Spotted beebalm and butterfly milkweed provide food and shelter for pollinators, as well as beautiful blooms for gardens and bouquets
Issue date: 1 March 2024
OTTAWA – Canada Post’s latest stamp issue features two native wildflowers that are important sources of food for a variety of pollinators, including hummingbirds, butterflies and bees.
The brilliant blossoms of butterfly milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa) and spotted beebalm (Monarda punctata) become heavy with nectar and pollen, attracting hungry insects and birds. Those pollinators play a crucial role in fertilizing plants, including fruit trees and other agricultural crops.
Both plants are perennial herbs that can grow up to a metre tall. The glossy leaves of butterfly milkweed, and the leaves of other milkweeds, are the sole source of food for monarch butterfly caterpillars. These striking pollinators are affected by deforestation, climate change and the loss of native plants along their migratory corridors.
A fragrant member of the mint family, spotted beebalm is known for its unique and intricate whorls of purple-spotted, tubular flowers that 
alternate with rings of white-to-purple leaf bracts along its upper stem.
In Canada, spotted beebalm and butterfly milkweed are native only to certain regions of
southern Ontario and southwestern Quebec. In Quebec, these wildflowers are designated as threatened and protected by law.
About the stamps
Designed by Andrew Perro, the two stamps feature original illustrations by Alain Massicotte of wildflowers in bloom. The stamps are available in booklets of 10, coils of 50, collectible coil strips of 4 and 10 stamps, as well as in a souvenir sheet of 2 stamps.
The stamps were cancelled in Essex, Ont., a region with an abundance of native milkweed and which is an important breeding ground for monarch butterflies before their annual migration to Mexico.
Stamps and collectibles are available at canadapost.ca and postal outlets across Canada.
[en Francais pour les médias d’information]
L’émission annuelle de timbres floraux illustre des fleurs sauvages importantes pour l’environnement
La monarde ponctuée et l’asclépiade tubéreuse procurent nourriture et refuge aux pollinisateurs, en plus d’être magnifiques dans les jardins et les bouquets.Jour d’emission: 1 March 2024OTTAWA, ON, le 1er mars 2024 /CNW/ – La nouvelle émission de timbres de Postes Canada présente deux fleurs sauvages indigènes qui sont d’importantes sources de nourriture pour une variété de pollinisateurs, y compris les colibris, les papillons et les abeilles.
Abondantes en nectar et en pollen, les fleurs éclatantes de l’asclépiade tubéreuse (Asclepias tuberosa) et de la monarde ponctuée (Monarda punctata) attirent les insectes et les oiseaux pollinisateurs en quête de nourriture. Ceux-ci jouent un rôle essentiel dans la fertilisation des plantes, y compris les arbres fruitiers et d’autres cultures agricoles.
Ces deux herbes vivaces peuvent atteindre jusqu’à un mètre de hauteur. Les feuilles lustrées de l’asclépiade tubéreuse, et celles des autres variétés d’asclépiades, sont l’unique nourriture des chenilles de papillons monarques. Ce pollinisateur remarquable est touché par la déforestation, les changements climatiques et la perte de plantes indigènes le long de ses corridors migratoires.
Membre parfumé de la famille de la menthe, la monarde ponctuée se distingue par son apparence unique et complexe. Sur sa tige supérieure alternent des verticilles de fleurs tubulaires tachetées de pourpre et des anneaux de feuilles allant du blanc au violet.
Au Canada, la monarde ponctuée et l’asclépiade tubéreuse sont indigènes seulement de certaines régions du sud de l’Ontario et du sud-ouest du Québec. Au Québec, elles sont désignées comme menacées et protégées par la loi.
À propos des timbres
Conçus par Andrew Perro, les deux timbres présentent des illustrations originales d’Alain Massicotte représentant des fleurs sauvages en pleine floraison. Les timbres sont offerts en carnets de 10, en rouleaux de 50, en bandes de collection de 4 et 10 vignettes provenant de rouleaux et en bloc-feuillet de deux timbres.Les timbres ont été oblitérés à Essex, en Ontario, une région riche en asclépiades indigènes qui est un important lieu de reproduction pour les monarques avant leur migration annuelle vers le Mexique.
Les timbres et autres articles de collection sont en vente à postescanada.ca et dans les comptoirs postaux partout au pays.
[press release] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions]
Mitchell “Mick” Zais, a former U.S. Deputy Secretary of Education, is now the chair of the 
Publications subcommittee of the American First Day Cover Society. Publications is a part of the Education Department of the AFDCS, which is chaired by Michael Lake.
Zais was also briefly Acting Secretary of Education in 2021 and has served as South Carolina Superintendent of Education and president of Newbury College. Before that, the West Point graduate had reached the rank of Brigadier General in the United States Army.
He has often told the story of how he was able to skip a required geography course at the U.S. Military Academy because of the knowledge he had gained from stamp collecting. Today, he specializes in the first day covers of the Army stamps of the Army-Navy Series of 1936-37 (Sc. 785-789).
Mick was elected to the AFDCS Board of Directors, beginning in January 2023. He served as president of the American Philatelic Society from 2016 to 2018, resigning to avoid a conflict of interest with his federal appointment.
“I look forward to working with our team at AFDCS to bring useful and important publications to our members,” said Zais. “Most exciting is the recent permission acquired by the Society to re-print the Mellone first day cover catalogs.”
The AFDCS has published books, handbooks, and catalogues on everything from the basics of FDC collecting to making cachets, from FDCs of the 1909 commemorative issues to those of the 1988 Cats issue. A complete list can be found on its website in the Marketplace section. The Education Department of the AFDCS also has a YouTube Channel and produces videos on various facets of FDC collecting.
The AFDCS, a not-for-profit educational organization, sponsors the annual Philip H. Ward, Jr., Memorial Award for Excellence in First Day Cover Literature, exhibit awards, and is a co-sponsor of the Great American Stamp Show, which includes the Americover first day cover exhibition and announcement of the results of its annual cachetmaking contest. Its journal, First Days, is a perennial gold-medal winner in philatelic literature competitions.
For more information about the AFDCS, visit www.afdcs.org, e-mail afdcs@afdcs.org or write the AFDCS at Post Office Box 27, Greer, SC 29652-0027.
