The USPS today confirmed some of the dates and locations we already had for 2015, but added some details.

Also…

$1 Patriotic Waves will be issued January 12th with Kansas City as the first day city, but there will not be an event with it. ($2 is still set for Southeastern Stamp Expo in Georgia on the 30th.) Both will be panes of 10.

Forever Hearts will be issued before the end of January, so that the stamps are available for valentines, but no date or city is set yet.

Year of the Ram is confirmed for the first week of February in San Francisco, but the exact date is not yet set.

A 1¢ Bobcat PSA coil of 10,000 version will be issued at Aripex in Mesa, Arizona, on February 21.

There will be one or two more in February when the rights are nailed down, including Black Heritage.

From Me To You will be issued in March now, no exact date or city yet.

by Lloyd A. de Vries, Virtual Stamp Club
Photos by Daniel Afzal, U.S. Postal Service (closeups); Mark Saunders, USPS (overhead shots); Lloyd de Vries

[The posting about the stamps themselves is here. This entry is about the first day ceremony.]

Late in the second quarter, fans at the Philadelphia 76ers/Oklahoma City Thunder were told by the announcer and saw a message on the scoreboard telling them to stick around at halftime for the stamp ceremony. And surprising for a first day ceremony at an event like this, most of them did!

The first day ceremony had to be short, no more than half the halftime period, so that the Sixers and Thunder players could warm up for the second half. The only speech was pre-recorded, and delivered by U.S. Postal Service General Counsel Thomas J. Marshall on the scoreboard’s video screen. The lights remained off, and the audience was treated to a light show. For a change, those in the “cheap seats” had the best view. The images were repeated on the center-court scoreboard video screen. Marshall and the other guests were introduced by the arena announcer; the biggest cheers and applause were for former Sixers legend Julius “Dr. J” Erving. Those sitting or standing courtside didn’t get as good a view. But as you can, there was a good turnout by the press. Here are the guests before the ceremony: Wilt’s sisters Selina Gross and Barbara Lewis; NBA legends Sonny Hill and Wali Jones; Pat Williams, Orlando Magic Senior VP.
Back row: NBA Executive Charles Rosenweig; Marshall and Erving. Not in the group photos before the ceremony, but on the court for the ceremony, was Harvey Pollack, a living link to Wilt Chamberlain: He was the public relations director for the Philadelphia Warriors when Chamberlain played and also the team’s statistician. He is today still the chief stats man for the Philadelphia 76ers –  the only individual still working for the NBA since its inaugural 1946-47 season. Pollack kept score during Chamberlain’s 100-point game, on March 2, 1962, and made the sign on which Pollack had hand-lettered “100,” which Chamberlain holds in his famous post-game photo. Pollack is 92!There were two USPS retail areas inside the main entrnaces to the Wells Fargo Center, and a retail truck outside the venue as well. In the top photo, American Philatelist editor Jay Bigalke services FDCs at one of the inside USPS booths. (He may no longer be producing his own cachets, but Jay still brings his own inkpad to first day ceremonies.) In the upper right are Chris Lazaroff and Foster Miller.First day ceremony programs free to anyone making a purchase at one of the three retail units. The outdoor truck (above and below). The truck was parked near the 18-foot-tall statue of Chamberlain, and, before the game, someone with a philatelic or postal bent got to the statue. Well, Wilt is smiling, so he seems to have taken the “stamping” well.

Video from the USPS (edited by VSC):

An edited version of the ceremony.

Interviews with Julius Erving, Thomas Marshall of the USPS, and Selina Gross, one of Wilt Chamberlain’s sisters.

Updated May 13th:: Here is the first-day Digital Color Postmark design for this issue: size: 3.0″ x 1.72″. The B&W or “rubber” postmark for this issue is the standard FDOI 4-bar.

Updated May 8th:
[press release]

Special Olympics World Games Commemorated on Forever Stamp
Games to take place in Los Angeles from July 25 to Aug. 2IRVINE, CA — The U.S. Postal Service began celebrating the 2015 Special Olympics World Games by issuing the Special Olympics World Games Forever stamp during the Special Olympics Southern California 2015 Orange County Spring Regional Games in Irvine tomorrow. The stamp will be available nationwide May 9.

As the flagship event of the Special Olympics movement, the Special Olympics World Games will be held in Los Angeles from July 25 – Aug. 2. More than half a million spectators will enjoy nine days of challenging and inspiring international competition as more than 7,000 athletes from 177 countries compete in 25 Olympic-type sports. The athletes will include 344 from the United States. Visit Special Olympics USA for the complete U.S. team listing.

Today, Special Olympics has grown to encompass nearly 5 million athletes worldwide. Every year, with the support of more than 1.3 million coaches and volunteers, Special Olympics organizes more than 81,000 games and competitions. The 2015 Special Olympics World Games will showcase what Special Olympics is accomplishing every day, around the world.

“Today, the Postal Service is pleased to honor Special Olympics, an organization that — for nearly five decades — has changed the world by creating opportunities for children and adults with intellectual disabilities,” said USPS Pacific Area Vice President Dean Granholm. “In doing so, we honor the important work of Special Olympics, which uses sports as the catalyst for societal change in the areas of health, education, and in creating communities of acceptance and inclusion for people with intellectual disabilities everywhere. Using these stamps on your cards, letters and packages is a great way to show your support for these athletes.”

Joining Granholm in dedicating the stamps were Special Olympics Southern California Orange County Athlete of the Year Tony Briones; Special Olympics Southern California Board Chairman Tim Redmond; Special Olympics Southern California President and CEO Bill Shumard; Irvine Police Department Commander Mike Hallinan; and Irvine Mayor Steven Choi.

“Special Olympics changed my life and the lives of many of my friends and their families,” said Briones. “It helps us to learn compassion and leadership skills while bringing fun, accomplishment and pride into our lives. The stamp makes us feel important and we thank the Postal Service for extending Special Olympics this honor.”

The Special Olympics World Games Los Angeles Logo
The Special Olympics World Games Los Angeles logo was donated by the Davis Elen advertising agency. Taking center stage is the celebratory figure that represents the joy the athletes feel when they compete. The multi-colored circle around the celebratory figure represents inclusion for all people with intellectual disabilities. The 19 colors of the logo are made up of the analogous colors derived from the flags of the 177 countries competing, with the shape of the color pieces being a nod to the Hollywood klieg lights that are commonly used in the host city of Los Angeles. Click here to view the video of the making of the logo.

About Special Olympics
Special Olympics is a global movement that unleashes the human spirit through the transformative power and joy of sports, every day around the world. We empower people with intellectual disabilities to become accepted and valued members of their communities, which leads to a more respectful and inclusive society for all. Using sports as the catalyst and programming around health and education, Special Olympics is fighting inactivity, injustice and intolerance. Founded in 1968 by Eunice Kennedy Shriver, the Special Olympics movement has grown to more than 4.4 million athletes in 170 countries. With the support of more than 1.3 million coaches and volunteers, Special Olympics delivers 32 Olympic-type sports and more than 81,000 games and competitions throughout the year. Visit Special Olympics at specialolympics.org. Engage with us on: Twitter @specialolympics; fb.com/specialolympics; youtube.com/specialolympicshq; instagram.com/specialolympics and specialolympicsblog.wordpress.com.

The Stamp Design
The stamp features the 2015 Special Olympics World Games Los Angeles logo, showcasing the colors of flags from participating countries. “The logo’s celebratory figure represents the courage, determination and joy of our athletes,” said President and CEO of the 2015 World Games Patrick McClenahan. “Placing the iconic image inside the circle represents acceptance and inclusion of people with intellectual disabilities.” Art director Greg Breeding of Charlottesville, VA, designed the stamp for the Postal Service.

The Stamp
The Special Olympics World Games stamp is being issued as a Forever stamp. Forever stamps are always equal in value to the current First-Class Mail 1-ounce price.

Fifty million Special Olympics World Games Forever stamps were produced. Customers may purchase the stamps at usps.com/stamps, the Postal Store, at 800-STAMP24 (800-782-6724) and at Post Offices nationwide or visit ebay.com/stamps to shop for a wide variety of postage stamps and collectibles.

Updated April 2nd: From the Postal Bulletin:

On May 9, 2015, in Irvine, CA, the U.S. Postal Service® will issue the Special Olympics World Games First-Class Mail® Forever® stamp, in one design, in a pressure-sensi­tive adhesive (PSA) pane of 20 stamps (Item 472800).

The stamp will go on sale nationwide May 9, 2015.

This year, the U.S. Postal Service celebrates the 2015 Special Olympics World Games, the flagship event of the Special Olympics movement. The Games will be held in Los Angeles from July 25 to August 2. It will be the first time the Special Olympics World Summer Games have been held in the United States since 1999. The stamp features the 2015 Special Olympics World Games Los Angeles logo, showcasing the colors of flags from participating countries. “The logo’s celebratory figure represents the courage, determination, and joy of our athletes,” says Patrick McClenahan, president and chief executive officer of the 2015 Games. “Placing the iconic image inside the circle represents acceptance and inclusion of people with intellectual disabilities.” The words “Special Olympics World Games Los Angeles 2015” and “Forever/USA” appear on the stamp; its colored background begins as a light orange at the top of the stamp then darkens as it moves toward the bottom. The title of the pane “Special Olympics World Games” appears in two shades of orange on a white background. Art director Greg Breeding designed the stamp.

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 www.usps.com/shop, or by calling 800-STAMP-24. 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:

Special Olympics World Games Stamp
Postmaster
15642 Sand Canyon Avenue
Irvine, CA 92619-9998

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. For more than 50, customers have to pay five cents each. All orders must be postmarked by July 8, 2015.

There are nine philatelic products for this stamp issue:

• 472806 Press Sheet with Die-cut, $39.20 (print quantity 500).
• 472808, Press Sheet without Die-cut, $39.20 (print quantity 1,500).
• 472810 Digital Color Postmark Keepsake, $11.95.
• 472816 First-Day Cover, $0.93.
• 472821 Digital Color Postmark, $1.64.
• 472824 Framed Art, $29.95.
• 472830 Ceremony Program, $6.95.
• 472831 Stamp Deck Card, $0.95.
• 472832 Stamp Deck Card with Digital Color Post­mark, $1.99.

Technical Specifications:

Issue: Special Olympics World Games Stamp
Item Number: 472800
Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail Forever
Format: Pane of 20 (1 design)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: May 9, Irvine, CA 92619
Designer: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
Art Director: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
Typographer: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
Modeler: Donald Woo
Manufacturing Process: Offset, Microprint
Printer: Banknote Corporation of America/SSP
Printed at: Browns Summit, NC
Press Type: Alprinta 74
Stamps per Pane: 20
Print Quantity: 50 million stamps
Paper Type: Phosphor Tagged Paper, Block
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive adhesive
Processed at: Banknote Corporation of America, Browns Summit SC
Colors: Pantone 1495, Pantone 7579, Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black
Stamp Orientation: Vertical
Image Area (w x h): 0.84 x 1.42 in./21.34 x 36.07 mm
Overall Size (w x h): 0.98 x 1.56 in./24.89 x 39.62 mm
Full Pane Size (w x h): 6.38 x 9.13 in./231.78 x 161.93 mm
Press Sheets Size (w x h): 26.25 x 9.13 in./ 666.75 x 231.78 mm
Plate Size: 80 stamps per revolution
Plate Numbers: “S” followed by six (6) single digits
Marginal Markings: Front: Plate numbers in two corners of pane
Back: © 2015 USPS • USPS logo • Plate position diagram • Barcode (472800) in upper right and lower left corners of pane • Promotional text • Special Olympics Information

Updated March 24th: From the USPS: “Special Olympics May 9 at 9 a.m. PT, Irvine High School, Irvine, CA as part of the Special Olympics Regional games.”

Updated February 20th: The date is still undetermined, but it is likely for April. From the USPS:

This year, the U.S. Postal Service® celebrates the 2015 Special Olympics World Games, the flagship event of the Special Olympics movement. This is the first time the Special Olympic World Games will be held in the US in 10 years.

The Games will be held in Los Angeles from July 25 to August 2.

More than half a million spectators will enjoy nine days of challenging and inspiring international competition as more than 7,000 athletes from 177 countries compete in 25 Olympic-type sports.

The stamp features the 2015 Special Olympics World Games Los Angeles logo, showcasing the colors of flags from participating countries.

“The logo’s celebratory figure represents the courage, determination and joy of our athletes,” says Patrick McClenahan, president and chief executive officer of the 2015 Games.

“Placing the iconic image inside the circle represents acceptance and inclusion of people with intellectual disabilities.”

Artist and Art Director: Greg Breeding

The New York Post is reporting that the U.S. Postal Service hasn’t given up on the idea of youth fitness stamps. It cites the “Let’s Move” stamps that were vetoed by the White House two years ago, because they showed unsafe practices on several of the stamps. One of those was the Cannonball stamp, shown on the left.

The Post, however, reports the stamps are still sitting in a warehouse, and suggests they might somehow be used anyway. I thought they were going to be destroyed, and surely should have been by now. How do you “fix” 3 designs out of 20? Remove them and sell 17-stamp panes of stamps?

The paper quotes USPS spokesman Mark Saunders only as saying the USPS is still working on issuing fitness-related stamps. The quote doesn’t say these stamps.