Typically Dutch: Terraced Houses (Netherlands 2021)

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[press release]
The terraced house is also really typically Dutch

The Hague, June 14, 2021- Nothing is quite as Dutch as the terraced house. No country in the world has as many terraced houses as our country. Three quarters of them date from after 1945. With the stamp sheetlet Typically Dutch – Terraced Houses, PostNL pays tribute to the type of housing where 60 percent of the Dutch feel at home.

In 2021, the Typically Dutch series will pay attention to housing types and facades that are characteristic of our country. Stamps have already been published about stolp farms, wooden houses, canal houses and houseboats. The latest postage stamps about terraced houses are the last in this year’s series.
The latest postage stamps about terraced houses are the last in this year’s series.

The newest stamps about townhomes are the last in the series this year.

Identical homes
Of the 7 million homes in our country, 4 million are listed. The origin of this type of house in the Netherlands lies in the identical houses in the courtyards, the first of which appeared at the end of the 15th century. Most terraced houses were built after the Second World War, the newest in the Vinex neighborhoods since 1995.

Brabant fortified town
The stamps Typically Dutch – terraced houses features a colorful illustration of modern terraced houses in an otherwise empty street. The young trees in front of the houses are in full leaf and the sky has a summery blue. The terraced houses on the stamps are in reality in the middle of the new neighborhood of Brandevoort in the west of Helmond. The center of Brandevoort is set up as an old fortified town in Brabant, with the accompanying city wall, canals and mansions.

Always just different
The designer of the stamps is Edwin van Praet, of Total Design in Amsterdam. In his search for terraced houses, he accidentally came across the photo of the houses in Brandevoort. “It is a colorful image, partly thanks to the sun screens,” says Van Praet. “Behind the facades, the houses are undoubtedly very similar, but the outside is always slightly different: the height, the rhythm of the windows, the type of doors, the color of the bricks.”

Historicizing Architecture
The typical mood that Van Praet evokes in his illustration is partly due to the fact that he hardly uses color gradients or shadows. The depth is in the landscape and the sky. Van Praet: “As far as atmosphere is concerned, this issue fits nicely into the series. The other housing types in the series are older, but due to the historicizing architecture of the terraced houses in Brandevoort, they still fit in well.”

Availability
The stamp sheetlet Typically Dutch – terraced houses has 6 equal stamps with the value indication Nederland 1, intended for mail up to and including 20 grams with a destination within the Netherlands. The stamps will be available from 14 June 2021 at the Bruna stores and via www.postnl.nl/bijzondere-postzegels. The stamps can also be ordered by telephone from Collect Club’s customer service on 088 – 868 99 00. The validity period is indefinite.
Direct link for ordering this stamp

Prime Minister John Turner (Canada 2021)

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[press release] (video and specifications at bottom of page)

Canada Post honours the Rt. Hon. John Turner with new stamp
Canada’s 17th prime minister respected for his fairness and civility

VANCOUVER, B.C. – Canada Post unveiled a new stamp today to celebrate and honour the life of the Right Honourable John Napier Wyndham Turner (1929-2020), whose passion for public service had a lasting impact on Canada.

A Rhodes Scholar at the University of Oxford, Turner earned a law degree before being elected to the House of Commons in 1962. He later became a key figure in the government of Prime Minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau. As Canada’s justice minister, he brought in the Official Languages Act, saw through a series of important Criminal Code reforms, and proposed a national legal aid system. As finance minister, Turner stewarded Ottawa’s fiscal policy through the economic tumult of the 1970s.

booklet cover

In 1984, after an eight-year hiatus from politics, Turner staged a triumphant political comeback by winning the leadership of the governing federal Liberal Party. After Brian Mulroney’s Progressive Conservatives won the ensuing election, Turner continued to serve in Parliament as Opposition leader. He led his party through the 1988 campaign defined by the Canada-United States Free Trade Agreement – which Turner called “the fight of my life.” He remained Liberal Party leader until 1990. Politicians on all sides respected Turner for his integrity, fairness and civility.

Later in his career, Turner practised law, served on several boards, advocated for conservation and urged young people to participate in the democratic process. “Democracy doesn’t happen by accident,” he often said. In 1994 Turner became a Companion of the Order of Canada and, in 2012, received the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal. Turner died September 19, 2020, at the age of 91.

“This is a tremendous tribute to John, and an honour to our family to see his life’s work recognized in such a meaningful way,” says his widow Geills Turner. “The photo on the stamp is so special. I took it while we were sailing through a beautiful part of our country, in Haida Gwaii in 1985. It represents John and his spirit. It evokes the love he had for nature, for the water, for Canada.”

About the stamp
Designed by Paprika Design of Montréal, the stamp is based on a photograph chosen by the Turner family. The 1970 photo on the booklet and Official First Day Cover (OFDC) shows Turner as federal justice minister. The cancel on the OFDC is a reproduction of his signature.

Stamps and collectibles are available at the Canada Post website [direct link] and postal outlets across Canada.

Official FDC

[en Francais pour les médias d’information]
Postes Canada émet un nouveau timbre en l’honneur du très honorable John Turner
Le 17e premier ministre du Canada était respecté pour son souci d’équité et sa courtoisie

VANCOUVER, C.-B. – Postes Canada a dévoilé aujourd’hui un nouveau timbre soulignant la vie du très honorable John Napier Wyndham Turner (1929-2020), dont la passion pour le service public a profondément marqué le Canada.

Boursier de la fondation Rhodes de l’Université d’Oxford, John Turner obtient un diplôme en droit avant d’être élu à la Chambre des communes en 1962. Plus tard, il joue un rôle clé au sein du cabinet du premier ministre Pierre Elliott Trudeau. En tant que ministre de la Justice du Canada, il présente la Loi sur les langues officielles, met en place une série de réformes importantes duCode criminel, et propose un système national d’aide juridique. Par la suite, ses fonctions de ministre des Finances l’amènent à piloter la politique budgétaire d’Ottawa en réponse aux difficultés économiques des années 1970.

En 1984, après s’être éloigné de la vie politique pendant huit ans, John Turner fait un retour triomphant en étant élu chef du Parti libéral fédéral et en devenant premier ministre du Canada. Après la victoire du Parti progressiste-conservateur de Brian Mulroney, il reste sur la Colline comme chef de l’opposition. Il dirige son parti tout au long de la campagne de 1988, marquée notamment par l’Accord de libre-échange entre le Canada et les États-Unis, que l’homme politique qualifie de combat d’une vie. Il continue d’occuper la fonction de chef du Parti libéral jusqu’en 1990. Les politiciens de toute allégeance saluent son intégrité, son souci d’équité et sa courtoisie.

Par la suite, John Turner pratique le droit, siège à plusieurs conseils d’administration, milite en faveur de la protection de l’environnement et incite les jeunes à participer au processus démocratique. « La démocratie n’est pas le fruit du hasard », dit-il souvent. En 1994, il devient Compagnon de l’Ordre du Canada et en 2012, il reçoit la médaille du jubilé de diamant de la reine Elizabeth II. John Turner décède le 19 septembre 2020, à l’âge de 91 ans.

« C’est un hommage exceptionnel qui est rendu à John, et c’est un honneur pour notre famille de voir le travail de toute une vie souligné de manière aussi significative, dit Geills Turner, son épouse. La photo du timbre est très spéciale. Je l’ai prise pendant qu’on faisait de la voile dans la très belle région de Haida Gwaii, au Canada, en 1985. Elle représente John et son énergie. Elle évoque son amour de la nature, de l’eau et du Canada. »

À propos du timbre
Conçu par la maison montréalaise Paprika, le timbre s’inspire d’une photo choisie par la famille Turner. La photo de 1970 qui orne le carnet et le pli Premier Jour officiel (PPJO) montre le politicien alors ministre fédéral de la Justice. L’oblitération du PPJO est une reproduction de sa signature.

Le timbre et les articles de collection sont en vente sur le Postes Canada site [direct] et dans les comptoirs postaux partout au pays.

U.S. Scott Catalogue Update (June 2021)

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Star Wars Droids

5573 (55¢) IG-11
a. Imperforate
5574 (55¢) R2-D2
a. Imperforate
5575 (55¢) K-2SO
a. Imperforate
5576 (55¢) D-O
a. Imperforate
5577 (55¢) L3-37
a. Imperforate
5578 (55¢) BB-8
a. Imperforate
5579 (55¢) C-3PO
a. Imperforate
5580 (55¢) Gonk Droid
a. Imperforate
5581 (55¢) 2-1B Droid
a. Imperforate
5582 (55¢) Chopper
a. Imperforate
b. Block of 10, #5573-5582
c. Imperforate block of 10, #5573a-5582a

Sealed With A Postal Clerk

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Here comes the bride — thanks to a postal clerk in Wasilla, Alaska, about 30 miles northeast of Anchorage. According to KTUU-TV, all the wedding invitations Crystle Lewis had mailed in early May had been returned because of insufficient postage.

The wax seal on the envelopes (see below) required extra postage.

Wasilla postal clerk Edward “Lee” Mayton (below right) saw the notice in her post office box, and realized no one had checked it in two weeks. He bought the needed the stamps himself and he and coworkers affixed them to the 50 invitations. They went out that night.

Lewis and her fiancé tried to repay Mayton, but he wouldn’t accept it. And he said he’d do it again.

Note that in the video, the postal clerk’s name is incorrect.

The front of the invitation package

Alex and Crystle

U.S. Seeks 3-Cent Hike

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Quick Summary:

  • Would take effect August 29, 2021
  • Domestic letters to 58¢
  • No change in additional ounces
  • Postcards to 40¢
  • Flats (non-rigid large envelopes) up 16¢, from $1.00 to $1.16 base
  • International one-ounce letters, up 10¢ to $1.30

[press release]
With Commitment to Affordability and Financial Sustainability, U.S. Postal Service Proceeds with Request for Postal Rate Change

  • Pricing actions part of balanced approach under “Delivering for America,” the Postal Service’s 10-year plan for achieving financial sustainability and service excellence
  • Following rate changes, USPS prices to remain among the world’s most affordable
  • Rate changes also contribute to $40 billion of investments in people, technology and infrastructure over the next 10 years to modernize and improve the Postal Service’s operations and customer experience
  • Rate adjustments in accordance with Postal Regulatory Commission approvals, helping to address USPS operating losses exacerbated by declines in mail volume

WASHINGTON, DC — As part of “Delivering for America,” its 10-year plan to achieve financial sustainability and service excellence, the United States Postal Service filed notice today with the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC) requesting price changes to take effect Aug. 29, 2021 that are in accordance with approvals provided by the PRC last year.

The proposed price changes would raise overall Market Dominant product and service prices by approximately 6.9 percent. First-Class Mail prices would increase by 6.8 percent to offset declining revenue due to First-Class Mail volume declines. In the past 10 years, mail volume has declined by 46 billion pieces, or 28 percent, and is continuing to decline. Over the same period, First-Class Mail volume has dropped 32 percent, and single piece First-Class Mail volume — including letters bearing postage stamps — has declined 47 percent.

“For the past 14 years, the Postal Service has had limited pricing authority to respond to changing market realities,” said Postmaster General and CEO Louis DeJoy. “As part of our 10-year plan to achieve financial sustainability and service excellence, the Postal Service and the Board of Governors are committed to judiciously implementing a rational pricing approach that helps enable us to remain viable and competitive and offer reliable postal services that are among the most affordable in the world.”

The proposed Mailing Services price changes include:

Product Current Prices Planned Prices
Letters (1 oz.) 55 cents 58 cents
Letters additional ounce(s) 20 cents 20 cents (unchanged)
Letters (metered 1 oz.) 51 cents 53 cents
Domestic Postcards 36 cents 40 cents
Flats (1 oz.) $1.00 $1.16
Outbound Intl. Letters $1.20 $1.30

Under the current pricing model and the proposed rate change, the Postal Service still has some of the lowest letter-mail postage rates in the industrialized world and continues to offer a great value in shipping.

Single Piece Letter-Mail Postage Rates, International The Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act (PAEA) of 2006 capped price increases for mailing services at the Consumer Price Index (CPI). The PAEA also required the PRC to evaluate the price cap system 10 years after the date of enactment and to modify or replace the system if it was not meeting the objectives of the law. The PRC recognized the price cap was a barrier to the Postal Service’s financial sustainability in December 2017, resulting in cumulative lost gross revenue opportunity of $55 billion. In May, the Postal Service reported a net loss of $82 million for the second quarter of 2021.

In November 2020, the PRC announced new rules on market-dominant prices, allowing above-CPI price increases on the basis of certain factors and allowing the Postal Service more flexibility in establishing prices for mailing services.

“November’s PRC ruling allows the Postal Service higher rate authority in establishing prices for mailing services,” said Chief Financial Officer and Executive Vice President Joseph Corbett. “Aligning our prices for market-dominant products will allow us to grow revenue and help achieve financial sustainability to fulfill our universal service mission.”

With full implementation, the Postal Service’s 10-year plan is designed to reverse a projected $160 billion in operating losses over the next 10 years. The Plan’s growth and efficiency initiatives, including the proposed pricing changes, together with necessary legislation, should allow the Postal Service to make investments totaling approximately $40 billion over the next 10 years to modernize and improve our infrastructure to become more efficient and service responsive.

In 2020, the Postal Service delivered approximately 129.2 billion pieces of mail and packages to customers located in every state and territory, county, city, town and rural area in the nation.

The complete Postal Service price filings with prices for all products can be found on the PRC site. A fact sheet on the Postal Service’s rate change request is available here.

The Postal Service generally receives no tax dollars for operating expenses and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations.

AFDCS Auction Features Zepps And Autographed FDCs

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The 92nd AFDCS Fundraising Auction is now underway. The auction features 1,120 lots donated by our generous members.

This auction starts off with a rare set of 1930 Zeppelin first day covers with cachets by Roessler, postmarked on the back along delivery route with first on 4/19/1930 at Washington, DC, and serviced by none other than Egon Bernet! How often does a set in such a pristine condition come available?



Those who have an interest in autographed material will find several notable items:

First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt

Stanton W. Salisbury, Chief of Chaplains, U.S. Navy

C. Everett Koop, U.S. Surgeon General

Robin Cook MD, medical novelist and author of ‘COMA’ and ‘PANDEMIC’

Richard Couch, Stealth Bomber Test Pilot

Paul Hubartt, Cachet Designer for Fluegel Covers

A large number of Walter G. Crosby 1940’s are featured, some lots as mini collections, including several not-so-common #10 cachets:

A variety of Cachetmakers are represented, notably:

This auction continues from the last, offering an assortment of Doris Gold items , including printed and hand-painted FDCs, original artwork, and working materials for production of printed cachets. All exhibitors should pay close attention to these lots!



Duck Hunting stamp FDCs are represented proudly with a good assortment:



Pickers will enjoy group lots on a variety of topics including hand-painted cachets, Circus, collection of JFK Aerogram FDCs, a Fleetwood presentation card album, FDR 1946 Fleetwood/Knapp combo, Obama Inauguration multiple stamp combination, Certified Delivery and Special Delivery covers, and much more:

Whatever you collect you’re sure to find something of interest.

Auction runs through June 20th. Convenient online credit card and PayPal payment available for winning bidders.

See all the lots here: https://www.afdcs.org/Auction92/92index.html

Thank you for supporting the American First Day Cover Society!

Great American Stamp Show: “Let’s Do This”

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Let’s Do This!
Great American Stamp Show: Chicago 2021
Statement from Scott D. English, American Philatelic Society Executive Director

In March, we announced that we were moving into the next planning phase for the Great American Stamp Show. To make the show financially viable for both dealers and the American Philatelic Society, we needed to meet specific benchmarks. I am pleased to announce we’ve completed those benchmarks, and the Great American Stamp Show will happen.

We called on our philatelic community to make plans to attend, and the response has been overwhelming! Good news and bad news: Our hotel blocks are filled for both the Embassy Suites and the DoubleTree hotel. If you haven’t booked your room yet, we will get additional rooms for those planning to attend.

To the collectors, exhibitors, societies, and dealers who made commitments to attend the show: You made this possible. On behalf of the American Philatelic Society, American Topical Society, and the American First Day Cover Society, thank you for rising to the occasion!

I would like to thank the APS Board of Directors for their faith in our fantastic team here at the APS. There have been so many developments over the past three months, and they’ve proven agile and responsive. Thank you to our partners at the American Topical Association and the American First Day Cover Society for their trust and support throughout this process. We promise to deliver a show to remember. Thanks to our partners at American Stamp Dealers Association, especially our old friend and colleague, Dana Guyer, for rallying the dealers.

Most importantly, I want to thank Wendy Masorti and Sarah Myers, our Shows team, for their tireless work in planning the show, responding at all hours to questions and concerns, and getting us across the goal line. It’s hard to believe this, the first show for both of them! Thanks to Ken Martin, our experienced hand at stamp shows, for his guidance and support to our rookie team.

To the dealers who have not committed to the show, look at the overwhelming response so far. We’re all planning to come to Chicago to support our dealer community after the challenging year. You will not want to miss this show!

The COVID pandemic has challenged all of us in the hobby, and we have emerged stronger from it. The response over the past two months is more proof of that. We’re not out of the woods just yet, so be vigilant, be safe, and be in Chicago in August for the Great American Stamp Show!

Show Details:

Dates: August 12-15, 2021

Location: Donald E. Stephens Convention Center, Rosemont, Illinois

Hosts: American Philatelic Society, American Topical Association, and American First Day Cover Society

Sponsor: United States Postal Service

For More Information click here

A Visit from St. Nick (US 2021)

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Late overnight change in location for the first day ceremony. Details here.

Announced May 14th:

Four new designs in this booklet of 20 stamps tell the story of Santa’s visit on Christmas Eve.

In the first stamp, Santa stands on a snowy rooftop, sack slung across his back, with one leg inside the red-brick chimney; the second stamp shows Santa as he descends through the chimney, his legs dangling over the hearth; the third stamp is a close-up of a winking Santa; and the fourth stamp shows Santa in his sleigh, with four reindeer visible as they fly across the face of the full moon and into a starlit sky.

Art director Greg Breeding designed the stamps with original art by Brad Woodard.

These stamps will be issued October 7th in Santa Claus, Indiana.

Further details will be posted below the large illustration, with the most recent news at the top.

Updated December 6th:
The Scott catalogue numbers for this issue are:

  • 5644 Santa Claus on Roof
  • 5645 Santa Claus in Fireplace
  • 5646 Head of Santa Claus
  • 5647 Santa Claus, Sleigh and Reindeer in Flight
  • a. Block of 4, #5644-5647
  • b. Convertible booklet pane of 20, 5 each #5644-5647

Updated October 14th:
Here are the first-day postmarks for this issue: The Digital Color Postmark measures 2.99″ x 1.08″ The B&W pictorial postmark measures 2.36″ x 1.38″

Updated October 7th:
[press release]
Change of Venue
Visit From St. Nick Forever Stamp Dedication

Due to weather conditions, the event has moved to
The Celebration Room of Santa’s Lodge
91 W. Christmas Blvd.
Santa Claus, IN 47579

Updated September 8th:
[ceremony details]
New Stamps Celebrate the Holidays With a Visit From St. Nick

WHAT: Every Christmas, children all around the world dream of a visit from St. Nick. The U.S. Postal Service celebrates that highly anticipated event with four new stamps, sold in booklets of 20.

The first-day-of-issue event for A Visit From St. Nick Forever stamps is free and open to the public. News of the stamp is being shared with the hashtags #VisitfromStNickStamps and #USPSHolidayStamps.

WHO: Scott Bombaugh, vice president, chief technology officer, U.S. Postal Service, will serve as dedicating official.

WHEN: Thursday, Oct. 7, 2021, at 11 a.m. CDT

WHERE: United States Post Office
45 N. Kringle Place
Santa Claus, IN 47579

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

BACKGROUND: St. Nick — Santa Claus — is one of our most recognized and beloved cultural icons, his jolly laugh and smiling eyes a happy reminder that Christmas is near.
European immigrants brought to their new country folk characters that over the years became our present-day Santa Claus.

A Visit from St. Nick stamps feature four festive, vividly colored designs that evoke the story of Santa’s visit on Christmas Eve.

In the first stamp, Santa stands on a snowy rooftop against a star-filled, pink-hued sky, his sack slung across his back and one leg inside the red-brick chimney.

The next stamp shows Santa as he descends through the chimney, his legs dangling over the hearth, clad in black boots and his trademark fur-trimmed suit. A log sits in the grate of the red-brick fireplace, while three green stockings, with white toes and heels, hang on the mantel.

The third stamp is a close-up of a winking Santa set against a green background.

The fourth shows Santa in his sleigh, with four reindeer visible, as they fly across the face of the full moon in a dark, starlit sky.

Art director Greg Breeding designed the stamps with original art by Brad Woodard.

The A Visit from St. Nick stamps are being issued as Forever stamps. These Forever stamps are always equal in value to the current First-Class Mail 1-ounce price.

Updated August 28th from the Postal Bulletin:

On October 7, 2021, in Santa Claus, IN, the United States Postal Service® will issue A Visit from St. Nick stamps (Forever® priced at the First-Class Mail® rate) in four designs, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) booklet of 20 stamps (Item 683400). These stamps will go on sale nationwide October 7, 2021, and must not be sold or canceled before the first-day-of-issue.

Four new designs in this booklet of 20 stamps tell the story of Santa’s visit on Christmas Eve:

  • Santa stands on a snowy rooftop, sack slung across his back, with one leg inside the red-brick chimney;
  • Santa descends through the chimney, his legs dangling over the hearth;
  • Close-up view of a winking Santa; and
  • Santa in his sleigh, with four reindeer visible as they fly across the face of the full moon and into a starlit sky.

Art director Greg Breeding designed the stamps with original art by Brad Woodard.

No 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 – A Visit from St. Nick 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 February 7, 2022.

Technical Specifications:

Issue: A Visit from St. Nick Stamps
Item Number: 683400
Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail Forever
Format: Double-sided Booklet of 20 (4 designs)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: October 7, 2021, Santa Claus, IN 47579
Art Director: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
Designer: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
Illustrator: Brad Woodard, Manchaca, TX
Modeler: Joseph Sheeran
Manufacturing Process: Offset
Printer: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
Press Type: Muller A76
Stamps per Booklet: 20
Print Quantity: 400,000,000 stamps
Paper Type: Nonphosphored Type III, Block Tag
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Stamp Orientation: Vertical
Image Area (w x h): 0.77 x 1.05 in./19.558 x 26.67 mm
Stamp Size (w x h): 0.91 x 1.19 in./23.114 x 30.226 mm
Full Booklet Size (w x h): 5.76 x 2.38 in./146.304 x 60.452 mm
Colors: Black, Cyan, Magenta, Yellow
Plate Size: 880 stamps per revolution
Plate Numbers: “P” followed by four (4) single digits in four corners
Marginal Markings: Header: “A Visit From St. Nick” Twenty First-Class Forever Stamps • Plate number in peel strip area • ©2021 USPS in peel strip area • Barcode • Promotional text in peel strip area

Otters In Snow (U.S. 2021)

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This issue was announced May 14th:

This booklet of 20 stamps features four scenes of the alert and playful North American river otter reveling in winter’s white landscape.

The original illustrations were rendered in pen and ink, with watercolor in shades of brown for the otters, using black for facial features and crosshatching. The wintry background is white, with blue water, light blue and violet shadows, and black crosshatching.

Art director Derry Noyes designed the stamps with artwork from illustrator John Burgoyne.

These stamps will be issued October 12th with a first-day city of Otter, Montana, but no “headquarters” first-day ceremony is planned.

Further updates on this issue will be posted below the large illustration, with the most recent at the top.

Updated December 6th:
The Scott catalogue numbers for this issue are:

    • 5648 Otter in Water
    • 5649 Otter, Tail at Right
    • 5650 Otter, Tail at Left
    • 5651 Otter in Snow
    • a. Block of 4, #5648-5651
    • b. Convertible booklet pane of 20, 5 each #5648-5651

Updated October 14th:
Here is the Digital Color Postmark first-day cancel for this issue:It measures 2.75″ x 1.05″. The standard 4-bar FIRST DAY OF ISSUE postmark is the B&W option.

Updated September 10th from the Postal Bulletin:
On October 12, 2021, in Otter, MT, the United States Postal Service® will issue the Otters in Snow stamps (Forever® priced at the First-Class Mail® rate) in four designs, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) double-sided booklet of 20 stamps (Item 683500). These stamps will go on sale nationwide October 12, 2021, and must not be sold or canceled before the first-day-of-issue.

Otters in Snow, a new booklet of 20 stamps from the Postal Service™, features four different scenes of the alert and playful North American river otter reveling in winter‘s white landscape. The original illustrations were rendered in pen and ink with watercolor, in a color palette consisting of shades of brown for the otters, with black facial features and crosshatching. The wintry background is white, with blue water, light blue and violet shadows, and black crosshatching. Art director Derry Noyes designed the stamps with artwork from illustrator John Burgoyne.

No 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 – Otters in Snow 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 February 12, 2022.

Technical Specifications:

Issue: Otters in Snow Stamps
Item Number: 683500
Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail Forever
Format: Double-sided Booklet of 20 (4 designs)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: October 12, 2021, Otter, MT 59062
Art Director: Derry Noyes, Washington, DC
Designer: Derry Noyes, Washington, DC
Illustrator: John Burgoyne, West Barnstable, MA
Modeler: Sandra Lane/Michelle Finn
Manufacturing Process: Offset
Printer: Banknote Corporation of America
Press Type: Alprinta 74
Stamps per Booklet: 20
Print Quantity: 300,000,000 stamps
Paper Type: Phosphor Tagged Paper, Block Tag
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Stamp Orientation: Vertical
Image Area (w x h): 0.77 x 1.05 in./19.558 x 26.67 mm
Stamp Size (w x h): 0.91 x 1.19 in./23.114 x 30.226 mm
Full Booklet Size (w x h): 5.743 x 2.375 in./145.872 x 60.325 mm
Colors: Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black, Pantone 4261
Plate Size: 800 stamps per revolution
Plate Number: “B” followed by five (5) single digits
Marginal Markings: Header: OTTERS in SNOW • Twenty First-Class Forever Stamps • USPS logo • Barcode • Plate number in peel strip area • ©2021 USPS in peel strip area • Promotional text in peel strip area