Updated April 6th: Scott Catalogue editors have assigned 5058 to this issue.
Updated February 18th: Here is the Digital Color Postmark for this issue. It measures 2.98″ by 1.21″.
Updated February 18th, from the Postal Bulletin: On February 22, 2016, in Washington, DC, the U.S. Postal Service® will issue The Moon Forever® International rate stamp, in one design, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 10 stamps (Item 589200).
The stamp will go on sale nationwide February 22, 2016.
In 2016, the U.S. Postal Service introduces The Moon, a new Forever international rate stamp. Issued at the $1.20 price, this Global Forever stamp can be used to mail a one-ounce letter to any country to which First-Class Mail International® service is available. As with all Global Forever stamps, this stamp will have a postage value equivalent to the price of a single-piece First-Class Mail International one-ounce machinable letter in effect at the time of use. To distinguish this stamp from other Forever stamps, the shape of the international stamp is round and bears the words “Global Forever.” The Moon features a detailed photograph of the full moon. The image captures the brilliant surface of Earth’s only natural satellite. The selvage features a tree line silhouetted against the night sky. The new Global Forever stamps are being issued in self-adhesive panes of 10. William J. Gicker was the art director. Greg Breeding illustrated the selvage and he designed the stamp with an existing photograph by Beth Swanson.
How to Order the First-Day-of-Issue Postmark:
Customers have 60 days to obtain the first-day-of-issue postmark by mail. They may purchase new stamps at their local Post Office, at The Postal Store® website at http:⁄⁄www.usps.com⁄shop, or by calling 800-782-6724. They should affix the stamps to envelopes of their choice, address the envelopes (to themselves or others), and place them in a larger envelope addressed to:
The Moon Stamp
Special Events
PO Box 92282
Washington, DC 20090-2282
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 April 22, 2016.
There are four philatelic products for this stamp issue:
- 589206, Press Sheet with Die-cut, $120.00 (print quantity 1,000)
- 589210 Digital Color Postmark Keepsake, $14.95
- 589216 First-Day Cover, $1.64
- 589221 Digital Color Postmark, $2.35
Technical Specifications:
Issue: The Moon
Item Number: 589200
Denomination & Type of Issue: Forever International Rate
Format: Pane of 10 (1 design)
Series: N⁄A
Issue Date & City: February 22, 2016, Washington, DC 20066
Designer: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
Art Director: William J. Gicker, Washington, DC
Existing Photo: Beth Swanson
Modeler: Sandra Lane⁄Michelle Finn
Manufacturing Process: Offset, Microprint
Printer: Banknote Corporation of America
Printed at: Browns Summit, NC
Press Type: Alprinta 74
Stamps per Pane: 10
Print Quantity: 75 million stamps
Paper Type: Phosphor Tagged Paper, Block
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Processed at: Banknote Corporation of America, Browns Summit SC
Colors: Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black, PMS Midnight Blue⁄Blue, 1225 Gold
Stamp Orientation: Round
Image Area (w x h): 1.27 x 1.27 in.⁄32.26 x 32.26 mm
Overall Size (w x h): 1.41 x 1.41 in.⁄35.81 x 35.81 mm
Full Pane Size (w x h): 8.50 x 4.50 in.⁄215.90 x 114.30 mm
Press Sheets Size (w x h): 17.00 x 23.50 in.⁄431.80 x 596.90 mm
Plate Size: 100 stamps per revolution
Plate Numbers: “B” followed by six (6) single digits
Marginal Markings:
Front: Plate numbers in four corners of pane
Back: © 2015 USPS • USPS logo • Plate position diagram • Barcode (589200) in upper right and lower left corners of pane plus one Barcode per stamp • Promotional text
Updated January 15th: It now appears this stamp is not likely to be issued in January. In response to a query from The Virtual Stamp Club, the USPS says “FDOI and the possibility of a ceremony is still TBD.” However, the USPS has set dates for the other stamps that were initially tabbed for January.
From the USPS:
FDOI: January in Washington, DC (no ceremony)
Format: Pane of 10
This round stamp features a detailed photograph of the moon. Taken as the full moon rose over Fort Lauderdale, Florida, the image captures the brilliant surface of Earth’s only natural satellite. The selvage features a small tree line silhouetted against the night sky.
The moon has long had considerable impact on mankind. Its gravitational pull creates ocean tides and affects our planet’s motions. A full moon occurs approximately every 29.5 days when the moon is opposite the sun, with Earth between the two. From our planet, the visible surface of the moon appears fully illuminated and larger than anything else in the night sky. Since the rotation and orbit periods of the moon are the same, the same part of the moon is always seen from Earth.
Issued at the $1.20 price, this Global Forever® stamp can be used to mail a one-ounce letter to any country to which First-Class Mail International® service is available.
Art Director: William Gicker
Designer: Greg Breeding 
It measures 1.65” x 1.41”. The B&W postmark for this issue is the standard 4-bar First Day of Issue postmark.
On October 1, 2016, in Charleston, SC, the U.S. Postal Service® will issue the Kwanzaa stamp (Forever® priced at 47 cents), in one design, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 20 stamps (Item 556600).
On November 1, 2016, in Boca Raton, FL, the U.S. Postal Service will issue the Hanukkah stamp (Forever priced at 47 cents), in one design, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 20 stamps (Item 559900).
This postmark measures 2.73”x1.29”.
It measures 1.84” x 1.46”. The B&W postmark for this issue is the standard 4-bar First Day of Issue postmark.
On October 18, 2016, in Washington, DC, the U.S. Postal Service will issue the Florentine Madonna and Child stamp (Forever priced at 47 cents), in one design, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) booklet of 20 stamps (Item 681300).
On November 3, 2016, in Washington DC, the U.S. Postal Service will issue the Nativity stamp (Forever priced at 47 cents), in one design, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) booklet of 20 stamps (Item 681200).
This postmark measures 3″ x 1.5″.
The USPS has a very limited number of free tickets to the Pickup Trucks Forever stamps dedication ceremony and that day’s Car Show that takes place July 15 in Syracuse, NY.
The Digital Color Postmark measures 2.6” x 1.25″ 
The B&W pictorial measures 2.52” x 1.13”.
Pickup Trucks Forever Stamps
International Harvester supplied and maintained trucks on stateside military bases during World War I. In 1917, Ford released the Model TT, which had a one-ton chassis. For 1918, Chevrolet introduced the Model 490 truck. But because drivers had to purchase their own cargo beds and bodies, these vehicles weren’t considered true pickup trucks.
Ford’s F-Series also differed greatly from relatively sparse models previously available. Also known as the “Bonus Built” line, F-Series trucks were, in the words of Ford’s famous advertising campaign, “built stronger to last longer.” Ford launched the new line with the 1948 Ford F-1. It included features like the roomy “Million Dollar Cab,” a sharp horizontal five-bar grille, and a six- or eight-cylinder engine. Ford sold more than 300,000 trucks in the first model year of the F-Series.
For the 1965 model year, the F-Series pickup got a facelift. The 1965 Ford F-100 had a new grille that featured 18 small rectangular openings. It also featured what Ford dubbed “Twin-I-Beam” independent front suspension, which improved the quality of the ride, and a powerful six- or eight-cylinder engine. The F-Series is still in production today and remains the country’s top-selling truck line. As of 2015, there have been 13 generations of F-Series pickups.
[This issue was rumored in 2014. See 
It measures 3.0” x 1.5”. The B&W postmark for this issue is the standard 4-bar First Day of Issue postmark.
On September 29, 2016, in Anoka, MN, the U.S. Postal Service will issue the Jack-O’-Lanterns stamps (Forever® priced at 47 cents), in four designs, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) booklet of 20 stamps (Item 681400).
. Javits Convention Center
The Digital Color Postmark measures 3.0” x 1.39”
The B&W pictorial measures 2.78” 1.33”
The “special” postmark that local post offices may use measures 3.0” x 1.12”.
NASHVILLE — The U.S. Postal Service Thursday June 30 dedicated the Soda Fountain Favorites Forever Stamp booklet featuring the cold, sweet treats beloved by people of all ages. The ceremony was held at the Elliston Place Soda Shop in Nashville.
This booklet includes four of each design. The words “FOREVER*USA” are featured along the right edge of each stamp. The geometric silver-toned patterns in the selvage and on the booklet cover evoke a classic chrome-accented soda fountain. The words “Soda Fountain Favorites” appear across the top of the booklet cover. Art director Ethel Kessler designed the stamps, with illustrations by Nancy Stahl.
“The Postal Service issues a few dozen stamps each year. And each year, there are usually one or two edibles on the list,” said Rettinhouse. “In the past few years, grapes, pears and even wedding cakes have been immortalized with postage stamps. But I venture to say that we have tapped into something special with Soda Fountain Favorites.”
The ice cream soda’s precise origin is not clear, but by the turn of the 20th century, it had become a fountain staple. Adding a creamy scoop or two of chocolate or strawberry to a soft drink only added to its already considerable allure. The rise of refrigeration helped establishments produce, serve and store frozen confections, whose popularity surged. After all, it was difficult to resist thick milkshakes, malts, and sundaes topped with syrups, sauces, whipped cream and cherries.
In cities and towns across the United States, the soda fountain was an important gathering place. When Prohibition banned alcohol sales, people flocked to soda fountains. During World War II, soda fountains popped up at military bases in the United States and abroad, because drinking a soda or indulging in a sundae reminded soldiers of simple pleasures at home.
Soda Fountain Favorites is being issued as a First-Class Mail Forever booklet of 20. These Forever stamps will always be equal in value to the current First-Class Mail one-ounce price.
On June 30, 2016, in Nashville, TN, the U.S. Postal Service® will issue Soda Fountain Favorites stamps (Forever® priced at 47 cents) in five designs, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) convertible booklet of 20 stamps (Item 680800).
This postmark measures 3.0″ x 0.9″
5 designs
“Whether you’re a seasoned collector or you’re new to the hobby, these stamps will serve as a wonderful souvenir of the show,” said U.S. Postal Service Chief Marketing and Sales Officer Jim Cochrane while dedicating the new stamps. “The show gives visitors the unique opportunity to meet with thousands of fellow philatelists, expand their own collections and gain a greater appreciation of the many stamps and collections on display from around the world,” added Cochrane.
To add to the excitement and appeal for stamp collectors, these new stamps have been printed in intaglio – line engraving reminiscent of fine 19th-century stamps and banknotes. These stamps will be sold only at the stamp show in New York, and through mail, telephone and online ordering channels for those unable to attend the show. The stamps will not be available through local Post Offices. They will be sold only as a complete set / Folio of 24 stamps, and the price is $11.28 (24 X $0.47). (Photo left: Randy Neil, editor, American Stamp Dealer & Collector, who as a boy 
attended the last “international” held in New York, FIPEX, in 1956. Photo right: Bob Lamb, former executive director, American Philatelic Society.)
Issue: World Stamp Show-NY 2016 Folio
The folio, which will appear in the May 12, 2016 edition of the Postal Bulletin (PB 22441), will go on sale nationwide May 28, 2016.
