The U.S. Postal Service first announced this issue in its advisory August 28th about the Sparkling Holidays stamps first day ceremony:

The Postal Service issues four new stamps and a souvenir sheet [shown on right] showcasing classic images of Santa Claus painted by famed commercial artist Haddon Sundblom. Each stamp portrays a close-up of Santa’s face. The four images featured in the booklet are details from larger paintings created by Sundblom and originally published in ads for The Coca-Cola Company from the 1940s through the early 1960s. Sundblom is the man credited with refining the modern image of Santa Claus.

The souvenir sheet includes a semi-jumbo stamp as part of a wider scene of one of Sundblom’s paintings chosen for the Sparkling Holidays stamp booklet. In it, Santa is depicted standing by a fireplace holding a book that lists good boys and girls. Three Christmas stockings hang along a mantel decorated with greens and ornaments. Peering over his glasses, Santa reads a note among the stockings.

A quatrefoil design element surrounded by a metallic gold background encloses the scene. The use of gold metallic ink, the flow of the type, and the organic shape of the border are intended to harken back to the graphic style of the first half of the 20th century. Art director Greg Breeding designed the souvenir sheet and the stamps.

Santa’s legend is based on customs brought to America by European immigrants. St. Nicholas, the Dutch Sinterklaas, was one of Santa’s forebearers. He delivered gifts on Dec. 5, the eve of his feast day.

Note: Sparkling Holidays Stamps, sold in books of 20, and the Sparkling Holidays Souvenir Sheet, with one stamp, will be available for pre-order online starting Sept. 14 at The Postal Store at usps.com. The souvenir sheet will only be sold through usps.com or by calling 1-800-STAMP24.

The souvenir sheet, along with the stamps, will be issued Thursday, October 11th, at The Inn at Christmas Place in Pigeon Forge, Tenn.

Updated September 13th:

On October 11, 2018, in Pigeon Forge, TN, the U.S. Postal Service® will issue the Sparkling Holidays Souvenir Sheet (Forever® priced at the First-Class Mail® rate) in one design, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive souvenir sheet of one stamp (item 566300). The stamp will go on sale October 11, 2018.

Celebrate the holidays with the Sparkling Holidays Souvenir Sheet. The artwork features a detail of a Haddon Sundblom painting originally published in an ad for The Coca-Cola Company in 1963. The souvenir sheet features an iconic holiday scene of Santa Claus visiting a home on Christmas Eve and showcases one stamp, a semi-jumbo version of one of the four special-sized stamps featured in the Sparkling Holidays booklet of 20. The stamp itself features Santa‘s face and hat with one hand holding a book and the other adjusting his glasses. The souvenir sheet format offers the opportunity to see more of Sundblom‘s original painting.

Not Available to Post Offices: Item 566300, Sparkling Holidays (Forever Priced at the First-Class Mail Rate) Commemorative Souvenir Sheet of 1 Stamp

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 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 – Sparkling Holidays Souvenir Sheet
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 11, 2019.

Technical Specifications:

Issue: Sparkling Holidays Souvenir Sheet
Item Number: 566300
Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail Forever
Format: Souvenir Sheet of 1 (1 design)
Series: Holiday Celebration: Holiday
Issue Date & City: October 11, 2018, Pigeon Forge, TN 37862
Art Director: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
Designer: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
Typographer: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
Existing Art: Haddon Sundblom
Modeler: Joseph Sheeran
Manufacturing Process: Offset, Microprint
Printer: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
Press Type: Muller A76
Stamps per Pane: 1
Print Quantity: 1,000,000 stamps
Paper Type: Nonphosphored Type III, Block Tag
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Processed at: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
Colors: PMS 872 Gold, Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black
Stamp Orientation: Vertical
Image Area (w x h): 1.085 x 1.42 in./ 27.559 x 36.068 mm
Overall Size (w x h): 1.225 x 1.56 in./31.115 x 39.624 mm
Full Pane Size (w x h): 3.75 x 3.75 in./95.25 x 95.25 mm
Plate Size: 42 stamps per revolution
Marginal Markings:
Front: Sparkling Holidays
Back: ©2018 USPS • USPS logo • Barcode (566300) • Promotional text

A surprise addition to the stamp program, these souvenir sheets also went on sale August 7th with a first-day city of Las Vegas. They have been selling out in many locations, and also, many unperforated errors have been found — so much so that the second batch brought to APS StampShow/ATA National Topical Stamp Show was delayed so each sheet could be checked.

The Scott Catalogue numbers for this issue:
5306 Sheet of 3 #5306a (Lenticular printing)
a. (50¢) Art of Magic – Rabbit in Hat (Lenticular printing)
b. As #5306, die cutting omitted

From the Postal Bulletin:

On August 7, 2018, in Las Vegas, NV, the U.S. Postal Service® issued The Art of Magic Souvenir Sheet (Forever® priced at the First-Class Mail® rate) in one design, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive sheet of three stamps (Item 565200). The souvenir sheet went on sale August 7, 2018.

The Art of Magic Souvenir Sheet may not be split and the stamps may not be sold individually.

The Postal Service™ celebrates magic, an art form that holds a special place in American history. Each of the three identical stamps on this souvenir sheet features an effect that mimics a classic illusion. By rotating each stamp, customers can see a white rabbit popping out of a black top hat. A version of the stamp without the effect appears in The Art of Magic pane of 20 stamps (Item 476800). Art director Greg Breeding designed the stamp, while Jay Fletcher created the illustration and served as the typographer.

Not Available to Post Offices: Item 565200, The Art of Magic Souvenir Sheet (Forever Priced at the First-Class Mail Rate) of Three Commemorative Stamps

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 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 – The Art of Magic Souvenir Sheet
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 December 7, 2018.

Technical Specifications:

Issue: The Art of Magic Souvenir Sheet
Item Number: 565200
Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail Forever
Format: Souvenir Sheet of 3 (1 design)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: August 7, 2018, Las Vegas, NV 89199
Art Director: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
Designer: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
Typographer: Jay Fletcher
Illustrator: Jay Fletcher
Modeler: Sandra Lane/Michelle Finn
Manufacturing Process: Flexo, Lenticular Lamination
Printer: Banknote Corporation of America
Press Type: MPS EF-430
Stamps per Pane: 3
Print Quantity: 1,500,000 stamps
Paper Type: Phosphor Taggged Paper, Block Tag
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Processed at: Banknote Corporation of America, Browns Summit, NC
Colors: Black, Pantone 131, Warm Gray 10, Pantone 7596
Stamp Orientation: Vertical
Image Area (w x h): 1.085 x 1.42 in./ 27.559 x 36.068 mm
Overall Size (w x h): 1.225 x 1.56 in./31.115 x 39.624 mm
Full Pane Size (w x h): 5.115 x 3.705 in./129.921 x 94.107 mm
Plate Size: 27 stamps per revolution
Marginal Markings:
Front: Header: The Art of Magic • Footer: United States Postal Service
Back: ©2017 USPS • USPS logo • Barcode (565200) • Plate position diagram • Promotional text

These stamps were announced August 15th. The issue date and first-day city were announced a week later: Saturday, September 29th, in Fort Worth TX at a race. See below.

The Scott catalogue numbers for this issue are:
5321 (50¢) Hot Wheels – Purple Passion
5322 (50¢) Hot Wheels – Rocket-Bye-Baby
5323 (50¢) Hot Wheels – Rigor Motor
5324 (50¢) Hot Wheels – Rodger Dodger
5325 (50¢) Hot Wheels – Mach Speeder
5326 (50¢) Hot Wheels – Twin Mill
5327 (50¢) Hot Wheels – Bone Shaker
5328 (50¢) Hot Wheels – HW40
5329 (50¢) Hot Wheels – Deora II
5330 (50¢) Hot Wheels – Sharkruiser

[press release]
U.S. Postal Service to Release Hot Wheels 50th Anniversary Forever Stamps
10 Designs Pay Homage to the Iconic Hot Wheels Cars

WASHINGTON — In celebration of Hot Wheels’ 50th anniversary, the U.S. Postal Service will issue 20 Forever stamps showcasing some of the most outrageous car designs from Hot Wheels.

For the first time, Hot Wheels car designs will grace the face of Forever stamps for fans of all ages to enjoy. Arranged in diagonal rows, the 20 stamps showcase photographer Len Rizzi’s images of 10 Hot Wheels cars — two of each design — speeding along a bright orange track.

Each stamp features the name of the vehicle shown in one of the top corners and the words “USA” and “Forever” in one of the bottom corners. The iconic Hot Wheels logo appears in the top right corner of the pane. The back of the pane displays the Hot Wheels 50th anniversary logo. The stamps will be dedicated during a first-day-of-issue ceremony on a date and location to be announced soon.

The miniature Hot Wheels depicted are:

Top row (left to right):

• The aptly named Purple Passion (1990), a super sleek metallic purple and green model. The car remains a favorite of collectors.
• Equipped with a roof-mounted rocket, the Rocket-Bye-Baby (1971) is one of the most aggressive racers in Hot Wheels history.
• Perfect for Halloween, the spooky Rigor Motor (1994) is a coffin-shaped hot rod that is powered by a huge engine adorned with two skulls.
• A spectacularly powerful version of a classic muscle car, the Rodger Dodger (1974) has a giant engine bursting out of its hood.
• With a twin turbo V6 hybrid engine and wide front air intakes built to look like a predatory fish, the Mach Speeder (2018) is a true 21st-century racer.

Bottom row (left to right):

• The Twin Mill (1969) is one of the most iconic Hot Wheels cars of all-time. The speed machine features dual big-block engines.
• The distinctive Bone Shaker (2006) is a hot rod with a fierce-looking skull for a grille. The car has a massive short-block engine made to rattle your bones.
• The HW40 (2008), a car introduced to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Hot Wheels, features a jet turbine engine. The space-age vehicle features a futuristic glass hood.
• The original surfboard-toting Deora (1968) was included in the first Hot Wheels line. The souped up Deora II, showcased on the stamp, came out in 2000.
• The Sharkruiser (1987) is a carnivore on wheels. The completely unique design features fins, a tail, a sharp-toothed grille, and a roaring V8 engine.

William J. Gicker was the project’s art director. Greg Breeding designed the stamps and was the typographer.

Hot Wheels History
Hot Wheels was born when Mattel co-founder Elliot Handler challenged his design team, which included a General Motors car designer and a rocket scientist to create a toy car that was cooler and performed better than anything on the market. Mattel soon introduced its iconic orange tracks, which provided children unlimited ways to test out stunts and racing skills. The Hot Wheels toy line expanded rapidly. Since the inception of Hot Wheels, Mattel has produced thousands of varieties of cars. In 2011, Hot Wheels was inducted into the National Toy Hall of Fame. Today, children and their parents still love racing the eye-poppin’, colorful, lightning-fast cars.

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

[press release August 23rd]
Iconic Hot Wheels Rev up on Forever Stamps
10 Hot Car Designs Mark 50th Anniversary

What:
In celebration of Hot Wheels’ 50th anniversary, the U.S. Postal Service will issue a pane of 20 Forever stamps showcasing 10 of the most outrageous Hot Wheel car designs during a first-day-of-issue dedication ceremony at the Goodguys 26th Summit Racing Lone Star Nationals in Fort Worth, TX.

News on the stamps is being shared with the hashtags #HotWheelsStamps or #HotWheels50.

When: 10 a.m. CDT, Saturday, Sept. 29

Where:
Texas Motor Speedway
3545 Lone Star Circle
Fort Worth, TX 76177

Followers of the U.S. Postal Service’s Facebook page can view the ceremony live at facebook.com/USPS.

Background:
For the first time, Hot Wheels car designs will grace the face of Forever stamps for fans of all ages to enjoy. Arranged in diagonal rows, the 20 stamps showcase photographer Len Rizzi’s images of 10 Hot Wheels cars — two of each design — speeding along a bright orange track.

Hot Wheels was born when Mattel co-founder Elliot Handler challenged his design team, which included a General Motors car designer and a rocket scientist, to create a toy car that was cooler and performed better than anything on the market. Mattel soon introduced its iconic orange tracks, which provided children unlimited ways to test out stunts and racing skills. The Hot Wheels toy line expanded rapidly. Since the inception of Hot Wheels, Mattel has produced thousands of varieties of cars. In 2011, Hot Wheels was inducted into the National Toy Hall of Fame. Today, children and their parents still love racing the eye-poppin’, colorful, lightning-fast cars.

Updated August 30th:

On September 29, 2018, in Fort Worth, TX, the U.S. Postal Service will issue the Hot Wheels stamps (Forever priced at the First-Class Mail rate) in 10 designs, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive pane of 20 stamps (Item 569000). The stamps will go on sale nationwide September 29, 2018, and must not be sold or canceled before the first-day-of-issue. The Hot Wheels pane of 20 stamps may not be split and the stamps may not be sold individually.

This issuance celebrates Hot Wheels, the iconic die-cast cars that for the last 50 years have ignited the imaginations of generations of children around the world. Arranged in diagonal rows, the 20 stamps showcase photographer Len Rizzi’s images of 10 Hot Wheels cars — two of each design — speeding along a bright orange track. Each stamp features the name of the vehicle shown as follows:

• First row, left to right: Purple Passion, Rocket-Bye-Baby, Rigor Motor, Rodger Dodger, and Mach Speeder.
• Second row, left to right: Twin Mill, Bone Shaker, HW 40, Deora II, and Sharkruiser.

The iconic, curvy Hot Wheels logo appears in the top right corner of the pane. The back of the pane displays the Hot Wheels 50th anniversary logo. William J. Gicker served as art director. Greg Breeding designed the stamps and was the typographer.

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 – Hot Wheels Stamps
USPS Stamp Fulfillment Services
8300 NE Underground Drive, Suite 300
Kansas City, MO 64144-9900

After applying the first-day-of-issue postmark, the Postal Service will return the envelopes through the mail. There is no charge for the postmark up to a quantity of 50. There is a 5-cent charge for each additional postmark over 50. All orders must be postmarked by January 29, 2019.

Technical Specifications:

Issue: Hot Wheels Stamps
Item Number: 569000
Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail Forever
Format: Pane of 20 (10 designs)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: September 29, 2018, Fort Worth, TX 76161
Art Director: William J. Gicker, Washington, DC
Designer: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
Typographer: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
Photographer: Len Rizzi, Bethesda, MD
Modeler: Sandra Lane/Michelle Finn
Manufacturing Process: Offset
Printer: Banknote Corporation of America
Press Type: Alprinta 74
Stamps per Pane: 20
Print Quantity: 100,000,000 stamps
Paper Type: Phosphor, Block Tag
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Processed at: Banknote Corporation of America
Colors: Pantone Orange 021, Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black
Stamp Orientation: Horizontal
Image Area (w x h): 1.42 x 0.84 in./ 36.068 x 21.336 mm
Overall Size (w x h): 1.56 x 0.98 in./39.624 x 24.892 mm
Full Pane Size (w x h): 9.125 x 6.435 in./231.775 x 163.449 mm
Press Sheets Size (w x h): 18.25 x 25.74 in./463.55 x 653.8 mm
Plate Size: 160 stamps per revolution
Plate Numbers: “B” followed by five (5) single digits
Marginal Markings:
Front: Header: Hot Wheels logo • Plate number in bottom two corners of pane
Back: ©2018 USPS • USPS logo • Hot Wheels 50 year logo • 2 barcodes (569000) • Plate position diagram • Promotional text

Added September 8th:
Here are the first-day postmarks for this issue:The Digital Color postmark measures 2.82″x1.25″The B&W pictorial measures 2.36″x1.38″The “special” postmark for use by local post offices measures 2.89″x1.22″

Rochester Philatelic Association Larry Rausch purchased a pane of the new U.S. Dragons stamps at APS StampShow/ATA National Topical Stamp Show, and put one on a postcard before noticing something was amiss: The clerk wanted the sheet back, but Larry tells The Virtual Stamp Club he wouldn’t part with it. The other 15 stamps are still on the backing sheet.

Because the last row of the sheet has no perforations, Scott catalogue editors who have seen the sheet say it is “unperforated,” not “misperforated.”

At last report, veteran EFO collector John Hotchner now owns the sheet.