This stamp will be issued October 4th in Noblesville, Indiana, at the Indypex World Series of Philately stamp show. Press release below.
Announced July 30th by the USPS:
“The Postal Service continues to honor the sacrifices of the men and women who serve in the U.S. military with the issuance of the Purple Heart Medal 2019 stamp that depicts the medal suspended from its ribbon. This stamp is a redesign of the 2012 Purple Heart Medal stamp and features a purple border matching the brilliant purple of the medal and its ribbon. The type on the stamp — PURPLE HEART, FOREVER, USA — is displayed in red. Ira Wexler photographed the medal. William J. Gicker served as art director with Bryan Duefrene as designer.
“The Postal Service receives no tax dollars for operating expenses and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations.”
New information about this issue will appear below the line, with the most recent at the top.
Updated October 3rd — ceremony information:
[press release]
Honoring the Sacrifices
U.S. Postal Service Dedicates Purple Heart Medal Forever Stamp Oct. 4
What: First-Day-of-Issue dedication ceremony for the Purple Heart Medal Forever Stamp. The event is free and open to the public.
When: Friday, Oct. 4, 2019, 11 a.m. EDT
Where: INDYPEX, Hamilton County Fairgrounds & Exhibition Center
2003 Pleasant St., Noblesville, IN 46060
Who:
Todd Hawkins, Greater Indiana District Manager
Greater Indiana District
United States Postal Service
Christi Johnson-Kennedy, Indianapolis Postmaster
Greater Indiana District
United States Postal Service
Robert G. Zeigler, President
American Philatelic Society
Mike Tomes
Specialist 4th Class, USA
Purple Heart Recipient
Steffani Pieart, Master of Ceremonies
Retail Manager
Greater Indiana District
United States Postal Service
Linda Reid, National Anthem
United States Postal Service
Presentation of Colors by the United States Postal Service Color Guard.
Background: The Postal Service continues to honor the sacrifices of the men and women who serve in the U.S. military.
The Purple Heart is awarded in the name of the president of the United States to members of the military who have been wounded or killed in action.
According to the Military Order of the Purple Heart, an organization for combat-wounded veterans, the medal is “the oldest military decoration in the world
in present use and the first award made available to a common soldier.”
Established by General George Washington during the Revolutionary War, the Badge of Military Merit — a heart made of purple cloth — was discontinued after the war.
In 1932, on the 200th anniversary of Washington’s birth, the decoration was reinstated and redesigned as a purple heart of metal bordered by gold, suspended from a purple and white ribbon.
In the center of the medal is a profile of George Washington beneath his family coat of arms.
The Purple Heart Medal 2019 stamp is a redesign that features a purple border matching the brilliant purple of the medal and its ribbon. Ira Wexler photographed the medal. William J. Gicker served as art director with Bryan Duefrene as designer.
The Purple Heart Medal 2019 stamp is being issued as a Forever stamp in self-adhesive sheets of 20.
Updated September 26th:
Here is the first-day postmarks for this issue: 
It measures 2.72″ x 1.48″. There is no DIgital Color Postmark for this issue. There is, however, a “special” postmark other post offices may use in connection with this issue: 
It measures 2.89″ x 1.15″
Updated September 17th:
APS chief content officer Tom Loebig notes that registration is required for Indypex, but not for the stamp ceremony: It’s in a different building. There is no admission charge for either the first-day ceremony nor Indypex itself.
Updated September 9th:
[press release]
Honoring the Sacrifices
U.S. Postal Service Dedicates Purple Heart Medal Forever Stamp Oct. 4
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Postal Service today announced the Purple Heart Medal Forever stamp will be dedicated at INDYPEX sponsored by the Indiana Stamp Club in Noblesville, IN, and go on sale nationwide Oct. 4.
The stamp dedication ceremony will be held at INDYPEX, Hamilton County Fairgrounds and Exhibition Center, 2003 Pleasant St., Noblesville, IN, 46060. The start time will be announced at a later date.
[American Philatelic Society chief content officer Thomas Loebig says the ceremony’s start time is 11 a.m. One of the speakers will be APS president Bob Zeigler, an Indianapolis resident [shown on the left]. “If anyone knows of a Purple Heart recipient in the Indianapolis area, please connect me with them,” he posted on Facebook. “I’d like to make sure they are part of the ceremony.” His email address is tloebig@stamps.org —VSC]
With this stamp, the Postal Service continues to honor the sacrifices of the men and women who serve in the U.S. military. The Purple Heart is awarded in the name of the president of the United States to members of the military who have been wounded or killed in action. According to the Military Order of the Purple Heart, an organization for combat-wounded veterans, the medal is “the oldest military decoration in the world in present use and the first award made available to a common soldier.”
Established by General George Washington during the Revolutionary War, the Badge of Military Merit — a heart made of purple cloth — was discontinued after the war. In 1932, on the 200th anniversary of Washington’s birth, the decoration was reinstated and redesigned as a purple heart of metal bordered by gold, suspended from a purple and white ribbon. In the center of the medal is a profile of George Washington beneath his family coat of arms.
The Purple Heart Medal 2019 stamp is a redesign that features a purple border matching the brilliant purple of the medal and its ribbon. Ira Wexler photographed the medal. William J. Gicker served as art director with Bryan Duefrene as designer.
The Purple Heart Medal 2019 stamp is being issued as a Forever stamp in self-adhesive sheets of 20. This Forever stamp is always equal in value to the current First-Class Mail 1-ounce price.
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.
The Postal Service receives no tax dollars for operating expenses and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations.
Updated August 29th:
Still no first-day date, but other information is in the Postal Bulletin. Foster Miller in The Stamp Collecting Forum expects the first-day to be October 4 or 5, since the Indypex stamp show (World Series of Philately) is being held in Noblesville October 4-6.
In October 2019, in Noblesville, IN, the United States Postal Service will issue the Purple Heart Medal 2019 stamp (Forever priced at the First-Class Mail rate) in one design, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive pane of 20 stamps (Item 120700). The stamp will go on sale nationwide October 2019, and must not be sold or canceled before the first-day-of-issue, which will be announced in a future Postal Bulletin.
The Postal Service continues to honor the sacrifices of the men and women who serve in the U.S. military with the issuance of the Purple Heart Medal 2019 stamp, which depicts the medal suspended from its ribbon. This stamp is a redesign of the 2012 Purple Heart Medal stamp and features a purple border matching the brilliant purple of the medal and its ribbon. The type on the stamp, “PURPLE HEART, FOREVER, USA,” is displayed in red. Ira Wexler photographed the medal. William J. Gicker served as art director with Bryan Duefrene as the designer.
Availability to Post Offices: Item 120700, Purple Heart Medal 2019 (Forever Priced at the First-Class Mail Rate) Pane 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 – Purple Heart Medal 2019 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. The postmark date will be announced in a future Postal Bulletin.
Technical Specifications:
Issue: Purple Heart Medal 2019 Stamp
Item Number: 120700
Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail Forever
Format: Pane of 20 (1 design)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: October 2019, Noblesville, IN 46060
Art Director: William J. Gicker, Washington, DC
Designer: Bryan Duefrene, Washington, DC
Typographer: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
Photographer: Ira Wexler, Braddock Heights, MD
Modeler: Sandra Lane/Michelle Finn
Manufacturing Process: Offset, Microprint
Printer: Banknote Corporation of America
Press Type: Alprinta 74
Stamps per Pane: 20
Print Quantity: 400,000,000 stamps
Paper Type: Phosphor Tagged Paper, Block Tagged
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Processed at: Banknote Corporation of America
Colors: Pantone 266, Pantone 1805, Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black
Stamp Orientation: Vertical
Image Area (w x h): 0.73 x 0.84 in/18.542 x 21.336 mm
Overall Size (w x h): 0.87 x 0.98 in/22.098 x 24.892 mm
Full Pane Size (w x h): 5.3 x 4.88 in/134.62 x 123.952 mm
Plate Size: 400 stamps per revolution
Plate Numbers: “B” followed by six (6) single digits
Marginal Markings:
Front: Header: Purple Heart: The Medal for the Combat Wounded • Plate numbers in four corners
Back: ©2019 USPS • USPS logo • Two barcodes (120700) • Plate position diagram • Promotional text
Unfortunately, some populations are threatened by habitat loss and human activity – making conservation efforts critical to their survival. The Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) has assessed polar bears and western populations of the grizzly bear as being of special concern. Polar bears are affected significantly by the loss of sea ice due to climate change, while grizzlies are dwindling in number due to human encroachment.
The 
Found in coastal regions of British Columbia, the 
the world for more than 20 years capturing award-winning images.
[The link directly to the Bears stamps is 
Here is the press sheet for this issue: 
Here is the Official First Day Covers: 
Here is the pane of stamps: 
Here is the booklet version:
ft (cachet) archives: Plates, original artwork and 20 boxes of envelope proofs. He will have this material at his super-booth at Americover 2019, held next weekend, July 26-28, at the Renaissance St. Louis Airport Hotel.
Bellefonte, PA— July 17, 2019 — Today, the American Philatelic Society, the largest, non-profit organization for stamp collectors in the world, announced its sponsorship of 
Australia Post Philatelic Manager Michael Zsolt said the stamp release celebrates the magnitude of the occasion but also Australia’s small but significant part in it.
was used for descent to the lunar surface and served as a base while the astronauts were on the Moon.
With around 600 million people watching on television, he climbed down the ladder and proclaimed: “That’s one small step for [a] man, one giant leap for mankind.”
medallion cover, and four booklets of 10 x $1 self-adhesive stamps.
The show is being held July 26-28 at the Renaissance St. Louis Airport Hotel (9801 Natural Bridge Road in St. Louis). The FDCs will be at the booth of Weisz Stamps & Covers. Proprietor Doug Weisz [right] is assisting the H.R. Harmer auction firm with getting Eldon Mohler’s vast collection of cacheted first day covers ready for sale. Some of the material will be sold at a series of auctions beginning in the fall, but Weisz will have nearly two hundred boxes of covers from the collection at his booth at Americover 2019.
5378 (55¢) Transcontinental Railroad, 150th Anniv. – Jupiter Locomotive
5381 Wild and Scenic Rivers pane of 12
5382 (55¢) Art of Ellsworth Kelly – Yellow White
LONGUEUIL, QUE. – Canada Post today issued two commemorative stamps celebrating the 50th anniversary of the historic Apollo 11 mission that landed humans on the moon for the first time – and the Canadians who helped make it possible.
Jim Chamberlin was a leading figure in aircraft design in Canada before moving to the U.S. in 1959 to work for NASA. He became head of engineering for Project Mercury, the first human spaceflight program for the United States, and project manager and chief designer for the Gemini spacecraft that preceded Apollo. He helped determine the type of spacecraft that would transport the Apollo 11 astronauts and was one of the first at NASA to recognize that flying directly to the moon wasn’t the best option. Instead, Chamberlin favoured having a smaller landing module travel to lunar orbit attached to the main spacecraft, then descend to the moon’s surface and later reconnect with the main spacecraft. This approach, known as lunar orbit rendezvous, became fundamental to the Apollo program.
nada’s top aircraft engineers before being hired by NASA in 1959, Owen Maynard went on to head the Systems Engineering Division for the Apollo spacecraft program – effectively making him the chief engineer. He sketched early designs of the main Apollo command module and is credited as the person at NASA most responsible for the design of the lunar lander. He also served as Chief of the Mission Operations Division and was responsible for planning the sequence of missions that led to Apollo 11. Like Chamberlin, Maynard also played an important role in determining the safest way to reach and land on the moon.
The first legs to stand on the moon didn’t belong to Neil Armstrong – they were from Héroux Machine Parts Limited of Longueuil, Quebec. Now known as Héroux-Devtek, the company manufactured the spider-like landing gear legs on the lunar module to NASA’s specifications. The legs were also part of the launch platform that let Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin lift off from the moon and reconnect with the main command module. Those legs remain on the moon at the Apollo 11 landing site, in an area known as the Sea of Tranquility.
[en Francais]
Australia Post is releasing a commemorative stamp to celebrate 50 years of the principle of equal pay for equal work in Australia.
es, the estimated impact of the rate increases on the average Canadian household would be well under a dollar a year, and the total increase for small businesses that use stamps would be estimated at about $6 a year. Canadians can avoid the increase by purchasing Permanent stamps at the current rate in advance, if the changes are approved for next January.
