These stamps will be issued Tuesday, May 4th. 10 different Digital Color Postmarks!
[press release; announced January 26th]
New ‘Star Wars’ Stamps Are Coming This Spring
Collect All 10 Character-Inspired Stamps Featuring Beloved Droids
WASHINGTON, DC — The first characters fans meet in the first “Star Wars” film, “Star Wars: A New Hope,” are droids — namely C-3PO and R2-D2 — and droids have continued to play pivotal roles throughout the “Star Wars” galaxy. With 10 dazzling new character-inspired stamps, the Postal Service salutes beloved droids from the “Star Wars” galaxy and the imagination that brings these technological marvels to the screen.
Representing more than four decades of innovation and storytelling, the droids featured in this pane of 20 stamps are IG-11, R2-D2, K-2SO, D-O, L3-37, BB-8, C-3PO, a GNK (or Gonk) power droid, 2-1B surgical droid and C1-10P, commonly known as “Chopper.”
The characters are shown against backgrounds representing settings of memorable adventures. The selvage features a passageway from the floating Cloud City above the planet Bespin, introduced in “Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back.”
These set of droids are a nod to Lucasfilm’s, as well as its parent company, Disney’s, commitment to science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) learning and the continued collaboration between “Star Wars: Force for Change” and global pre-K-12 nonprofit organization “FIRST” (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology).
“Star Wars: Force for Change” and “FIRST” have joined forces to expand access to STEM learning to more young people around the world, and to help them envision a brighter, more inclusive future.
Lucasfilm, the studio that created the “Star Wars” franchise, is celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2021.
Greg Breeding was the designer of the stamps and pane. William Gicker was the art director.
Additional details about the new “Star Wars” droids-inspired stamp collection, including the issue date, will be announced later this year.Additional information about this issue will be posted below the line, with the most recent at the top. You can click on the 10- and 20-stamp pictures for bigger versions.
Updated April 5th
Here are the first-day postmarks for this issue:This DCP measures 2.89″ x 1.45″
This DCP measures 2.91″ x 1.29″This DCP measures 2.75″ x 1.48″This DCP measures 2.88″ x 1.40″This DCP measures 2.90″ x 1.41″This DCP measures 2.98″ x 1.33″This DCP measures 2.87″ x 1.30″
This DCP measures 2.85″ x 1.48″ This DCP measures 2.81″ x 1.40″ This DCP measures 2.94″ x 1.30″ The pictorial for this issue measures 2.75″ x 1.35″ The “special” postmark for cities other than Nicasio on days other than the first-day, measures 2.82″ x 1.06″
From Celia Rodriguez at USPS Cancellation Services: “There are is (1) B/W Rubber FDOI pictorial, (1) B/W Rubber FDOI bullseye, (1) Metal Killerbar FDOI, and (10) DCP FDOI pictorials available for this issue. You may request any combination of postmarks [except the “special”] for this issue to go with any of the 10 stamp designs.”
Updated March 25th, from the Postal Bulletin:
On May 4, 2021, in Nicasio, CA, the United States Postal Service® will issue the Star Wars Droids stamps (Forever® priced at the First-Class Mail® rate) in 10 designs, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 20 stamps (Item 577600). These stamps will go on sale nationwide May 4, 2021, and must not be sold or canceled before the first-day-of-issue. The Star Wars Droids commemorative pane of 20 stamps may not be split and the stamps may not be sold individually.
With 10 dazzling new stamps, the Postal Service salutes Star Wars Droids and the imagination that brings these helpful, technological marvels to the screen. Representing more than four decades of innovation and storytelling, the droids featured are:
- IG-11,
- R2-D2,
- K-2SO,
- D-O,
- L3-37,
- BB-8,
- C-3PO,
- Gonk Droid,
- 2-1B Droid, and
- Chopper.
The characters are shown against backgrounds representing settings of memorable adventures. The selvage features a passageway in the floating Cloud City, introduced in Star Wars: Episode V—The Empire Strikes Back. Greg Breeding was the designer of the stamps and pane. William Gicker was the art director.
Item 577600, Star Wars Droids PSA Pane of 20 Stamps
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 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 – Star Wars Droids 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 September 4, 2021.
Technical Specifications:
Issue: Star Wars Droids Stamps
Item Number: 577600
Denomination &Type of Issue: First-Class Mail Forever
Format: Pane of 20 (10 designs)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: May 4, 2021, Nicasio, CA 94946
Art Director: William Gicker, Washington, DC
Designer: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
Modeler: Sandra Lane/Michelle Finn
Manufacturing Process: Offset, Flexographic
Printer: Banknote Corporation of America
Press Type: Gallus RCS
Stamps per Pane: 20
Print Quantity: 60,000,000 stamps
Paper Type: Phosphor, Block Tag
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Colors: Black, Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, PMS Cool Gray 7C
Stamp Orientation: Vertical
Image Area 1 (w x h): 0.84 x 1.7102 in./ 21.336 x 43.439 mm
Stamp Size 1 (w x h): 0.98 x 1.8502 in./ 24.892 x 46.995 mm
Image Area 2 (w x h): 0.84 x 1.2747 in./ 21.336 x 32.377 mm
Stamp Size 2 (w x h): 0.98 x 1.414 in./ 24.892 x 35.915 mm
Full Pane Size (w x h): 6.45 x 8.87 in./163.83 x 225.298 mm
Plate Size: 80 stamps per revolution
Plate Numbers: “B” followed by five (5) single digits in bottom two corners
Marginal Markings:
Front: Header: Star Wars™ Droids • Plate number in bottom two corners
Back: Star Wars elements: © & ™ Lucasfilm Ltd. • ©2021 USPS • USPS logo • 2 barcodes (577600) • Plate position diagram (4) • Promotional text
Updated March 4th:
[press release]
May the 4th Be With You
New Droids Stamps Celebrate STEM Education; Available May 4
WHAT: Technology plays a prominent role in the “Star Wars” films, most notably with the droids. The U.S. Postal Service will recognize the loveable machines from the “Star Wars” galaxy with 10 dazzling new character-inspired Forever stamps.
These droids are a nod to the commitment of Lucasfilm and its parent company, Disney, to science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) learning and the continued collaboration between the “Star Wars: Force for Change” philanthropic initiative and global pre-K-12 nonprofit organization FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology).
Greg Breeding was the designer of the stamps and pane. William Gicker was the art director.
News of the stamps is being shared with the hashtags #StarWarsDroidsStamps and #DroidsStamps
WHO: Isaac Cronkhite, Chief Logistics and Processing Operations Officer and Executive Vice President, U.S. Postal Service
Disney/Lucasfilm representative(s) to be determined
WHEN: Tuesday, May 4, 2021, at 11 a.m. Eastern Time/8 a.m. Pacific Time
WHERE: A virtual dedication ceremony will be posted on the Postal Service’s Facebook and Twitter pages.
Please visit usps.com/starwarsdroidsstamps for details.
A pictorial postmark of the designated first-day-of-issue city, Nicasio, CA, will be available at usps.com/shopstamps.
BACKGROUND: “Star Wars” droids — the beloved mechanical characters from a galaxy far, far away — are adored worldwide for their relatable, funny, quirky and sometimes emotional personalities. And they have entertained and inspired fans for more than four decades.
“Star Wars: Force for Change” and FIRST are working together to expand access to STEM learning to inspire more young people around the world, and to help them envision a brighter, more inclusive future.
Featured in a pane of 20 stamps, and arranged in staggered, horizontal rows, the stamps vary in size and depict 10 of the more well-known droids in the “Star Wars” universe — IG-11, R2-D2, K-2SO, D-O, L3-37, BB-8, a 2-1B surgical droid, a GNK (or Gonk) power droid, C-3P0 and C1-10P, otherwise known as Chopper.
Lucasfilm, the studio that created the “Star Wars” franchise, is celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2021.
The “Star Wars” droids-inspired stamps are being issued as Forever stamps, which will always be equal in value to the current First-Class Mail 1-ounce price.
Preorders for the Droids Forever stamps can be made online at usps.com/stamps and by phone at 800-STAMP24 (800-782-6724), beginning April 5.
Customers may purchase stamps and other philatelic products through the Postal Store at usps.com/shopstamps, by calling 800-STAMP24 (800-782-6724), by mail through USA Philatelic, or at Post Office locations nationwide.
From The Virtual Stamp Club:
Nicasio, Calif., the first-day city, is located about an hour northwest of San Francisco, or 25 miles as the crow flies.
The town’s ZIP code is 94946.
Wikipedia does not list any Lucasfilm- or Star Wars-related films that were shot in Nicasio, and the only notable resident mentioned is the late Jerry Garcia, who would not have been likely to attend the first-day ceremony even if it weren’t going to be a virtual one. George Lucas does live somewhere in the same county, Marin County. Internet Movie Database (IMDB) says he lives in San Anselmo, about 10 miles away.