This issue was announced by the USPS on December 13^th:

Four new Presorted First-Class Mail stamps will be available for purchase by bulk mail users in coils of 3,000 and 10,000. The stamps feature existing photographs of four different bridges that range from modern to historic, pedestrian to car-carrying, but all are important landmarks in their communities. They are the Arrigoni Bridge in Middletown, CT; the Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge in Omaha, NE; the Skydance Bridge in Oklahoma City; and the Iowa-Illinois Memorial Bridge in Bettendorf, IA, and Moline, IL. Art director Ethel Kessler designed the stamps with existing photographs.

We will post additional information as we get it below the line, with the most recent information at the top.

Updated October 3^rd:
Here are the Scott catalogue numbers for this issue:
5808 (25¢) Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge
5809 (25¢) Skydance Bridge
5810 (25¢) Iowa-Illinois Memorial Bridge
5811 (25¢) Arrigoni Bridge
a. Horiz. coil strip of 4, #5808-5811

Updated August 24^th:
The location of the first day ceremony sponsored by the Connecticut Cover Club for the Bridges Presorted First Class stamps has changed to the Brownstone Intermediate School, 314 Main Street, Portland, CT. Over 150 people RSVPed for the ceremony; this exceeds the capacity of the Portland Senior Center, the planned location. The ceremony starts at 11AM.

Updated July 13^th:
Here is the first-day postmark for this issue:

From the Postal Bulletin:

On August 24, 2023, in Portland, CT, the United States Postal Service® will issue the non-denominated, Presorted First-Class Mail® rate (25-cent value) Bridges stamps in four designs, in pressure-sensitive adhesive coils of 3,000 (Item 751600) and 10,000 (Item 761800). These stamps will go on sale nationwide August 24, 2023, and must not be sold or canceled before the first-day-of-issue.

The Bridges stamp issuance features photographs of four bridges, ranging from modern to historic and pedestrian to car-carrying. All are important landmarks in their communities:

• Arrigoni Bridge connecting Middletown and Portland, CT;
• Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge between Council Bluffs, IA, and Omaha, NE;
• Skydance Bridge in Oklahoma City, OK; and
• Iowa-Illinois Memorial Bridge connecting Bettendorf, IA, and Moline, IL.

These stamps, intended for bulk mail users, will be issued in coils. Art director Ethel Kessler designed the stamps with existing photographs.

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. Each cover must have sufficient postage to meet First-Class Mail requirements. They may purchase new stamps at their local Post Office™ or at The Postal Store® website at store.usps.com/store/home. 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 – Bridges 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 December 24, 2023.

Technical Specifications – Coil of 3,000:

Issue: Bridges Stamps
Item Number: 751600
Denomination & Type of Issue: Non-denominated, Presorted First-Class Mail Rate
Format: Coil of 3,000 (4 designs)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: August 24, 2023, Portland, CT 06480
Art Director: Ethel Kessler, Bethesda, MD
Designer: Ethel Kessler, Bethesda, MD
Existing Photo: Kyle Henderson
Existing Photo: Christina Woods
Existing Photo: MILLER + MILLER Architectural Photography
Existing Photo: Joe Gowac
Modeler: Joseph Sheeran
Manufacturing Process: Offset
Printer: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd (APU)
Press Type: Muller A76
Stamps per Coil: 3,000
Print Quantity: 20,100,000
Paper Type: Nonphosphored Type III, Block Tagged
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Colors: Black, Cyan, Magenta, Yellow
Stamp Orientation: Vertical
Image Area (w x h): 0.73 x 0.84 in / 18.542 x 21.336 mm
Stamp Size (w x h): 0.87 x 0.98 in / 22.098 x 24.892 mm
Plate Size: 594 stamps per revolution
Plate Numbers: “P” followed by four (4) single digits
Coil Number Frequency: Plate numbers every 27th stamp below stamp image

Technical Specifications – Coil of 10,000:

Issue: Bridges Stamps
Item Number: 761800
Denomination & Type of Issue: Non-denominated, Presorted First-Class Mail Rate
Format: Coil of 10,000 (4 designs)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: August 24, 2023, Portland, CT 06480
Art Director: Ethel Kessler, Bethesda, MD
Designer: Ethel Kessler, Bethesda, MD
Existing Photo: Kyle Henderson
Existing Photo: Christina Woods
Existing Photo: MILLER + MILLER Architectural Photography
Existing Photo: Joe Gowac
Modeler: Joseph Sheeran
Manufacturing Process: Offset
Printer: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd (APU)
Press Type: Muller A76
Stamps per Coil: 10,000
Print Quantity: 600,000,000
Paper Type: Nonphosphored Type III, Block Tagged
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Colors: Black, Cyan, Magenta, Yellow
Stamp Orientation: Vertical
Image Area (w x h): 0.73 x 0.84 in / 18.542 x 21.336 mm
Stamp Size (w x h): 0.87 x 0.98 in / 22.098 x 24.892 mm
Plate Size: 594 stamps per revolution
Plate Numbers: “P” followed by four (4) single digits
Coil Number Frequency: Plate numbers every 27th stamp below stamp image

Updated March 14^th:
The issue date is August 24th in Portland, Connecticut, less than half a mile from the eastern side of the Arrigoni Bridge and about 14 miles south of Hartford. There will be no “headquarters” first-day ceremony for this issue.

This issue was announced by the USPS on December 13^th:

The Northern Cardinal stamped envelope showcases one of the most beloved and popular songbirds native to North America. The art features a male cardinal, immediately recognizable by its crimson-colored feathers and black facial markings. Art director Antonio Alcalá designed the stamped envelope with Kandis Vermeer Phillips’s highly realistic illustration.

We will post additional information as we get it below the line, with the most recent information at the top.

Updated August 7^th:
The Scott catalogue number for this issue is U702

Updated June 4^th:
This is the only first-day postmark for this issue:Updated June 1^st:
On July 9, 2023, in Bird City, KS, the United States Postal Service® will issue the Northern Cardinal stamped envelope (Forever® priced at the First-Class Mail® rate).

The Northern Cardinal stamped envelope celebrates a much-loved songbird. The highly realistic stamp art features an illustration of a northern cardinal perching on the branch of an evergreen tree. Art director Antonio Alcalá designed the stamped envelope, using an illustration by artist Kandis Vermeer Phillips.

The pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) Northern Cardinal stamped envelope will be available in the following formats in the field and through Stamp Fulfillment Services:

• #10 regular envelope (Item 292500)
• #10 window envelope (Item 292600)
• #9 regular security envelope (Item 293300)
• #9 window security envelope (Item 293400)
• #6-¾ regular envelope (Item 281500)
• #6-¾ window envelope (Item 281600)

The water-activated gum (WAG) Northern Cardinal stamped envelope will be available in the following formats only through Stamp Fulfillment Services at store.usps.com/store/home or by calling 844-737-7826:

• #10 regular envelope (Item 293500)
• #10 window envelope (Item 293600)
• #9 regular security envelope (Item 293700)
• #6-¾ regular envelope (Item 281700)

Priced at 85¢ (66¢ Forever rate + 19¢ surcharge). 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 stamped envelopes at their local Post Office™ or at The Postal Store® website at store.usps.com/store/home. They should address the envelopes (to themselves or others), and place them in a larger envelope addressed to:

FDOI – Northern Cardinal Stamped Envelope
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 November 9, 2023.

Technical Specifications: (all)
Issue: Northern Cardinal Stamped Envelope
Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Stamped Envelope (Forever)
Issue Date & City: July 9, 2023, Bird City, KS 67731
Art Director: Antonio Alcalá, Alexandria, VA
Designer: Antonio Alcalá, Alexandria, VA
Artist: Kandis Vermeer Phillips, Gaithersburg, MD
Modeler: Joseph Sheeran
Manufacturing Process: Offset, Flexographic, Microprint
Printer: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
Press Type: Halm Jet EM4000
Folding Machine: W&D #527
Print Quantity: Fulfillment
Paper Type: 61# Postal Envelope, Block, Type III
Colors: Black, Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, PMS 339 Green
Marginal Markings: FOREST STEWARDSHIP COUNCIL logo • “THIS ENVELOPE IS RECYCLABLE AND MADE WITH 30% POST CONSUMER CONTENT” • Recycling logo • ©USPS 2022

Specific Sizes and Configurations:
Item Number: 292500
Format: #10 Regular Envelope
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Processed at: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
Envelope Orientation: Horizontal
Envelope Size: (w x h): 9.5 x 4.125 in / 241.3 x 104.775 mm
Image Size (w x h): 1.845 x 1.448 in / 48.863 x 36.779 mm

Item Number: 292600
Format: #10 Window Envelope
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Processed at: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
Envelope Orientation: Horizontal
Envelope Size: (w x h): 9.5 x 4.125 in / 241.3 x 104.775 mm
Image Size (w x h): 1.845 x 1.448 in / 46.863 x 36.779 mm

Item Number: 293300
Format: #9 Regular Security Envelope
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Processed at: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
Envelope Orientation: Horizontal
Envelope Size: (w x h): 8.875 x 3.875 in / 225.425 x 98.425 mm
Image Size (w x h): 1.845 x 1.448 in / 46.863 x 36.779 mm

Item Number: 293400
Format: #9 Window Security Envelope
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Processed at: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
Envelope Orientation: Horizontal
Envelope Size: (w x h): 8.875 x 3.875 in / 225.425 x 98.425 mm
Image Size (w x h): 1.845 x 1.448 in / 46.863 x 36.779 mm

Item Number: 281500
Format: #6¾ Regular Envelope
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Processed at: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
Envelope Orientation: Horizontal
Envelope Size: (w x h): 6.5 x 3.625 in / 165.1 x 92.075 mm
Image Size (w x h): 1.845 x 1.394 in / 46.863 x 34.408 mm

Item Number: 281600
Format: #6¾ Window Envelope
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Processed at: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
Envelope Orientation: Horizontal
Envelope Size: (w x h): 6.5 x 3.625 in / 165.1 x 92.075 mm
Image Size (w x h): 1.845 x 1.394 in / 46.863 x 34.408 mm

Item Number: 293500
Format: #10 Regular Envelope
Adhesive Type: Water-activated
Processed at: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
Envelope Orientation: Horizontal
Envelope Size: (w x h): 9.5 x 4.125 in / 241.3 x 104.775 mm
Image Size (w x h): 1.845 x 1.448 in / 46.863 x 36.779 mm

Item Number: 293600
Format: #10 Window Envelope
Adhesive Type: Water-activated
Processed at: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
Envelope Orientation: Horizontal
Envelope Size: (w x h): 9.5 x 4.125 in / 241.3 x 104.775 mm
Image Size (w x h): 1.845 x 1.448 in / 46.863 x 36.779 mm

Item Number: 293700
Format: #9 Regular Security Envelope
Adhesive Type: Water-activated
Processed at: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
Envelope Orientation: Horizontal
Envelope Size: (w x h): 8.875 x 3.875 in / 225.425 x 98.425 mm
Image Size (w x h): 1.845 x 1.448 in / 46.863 x 36.779 mm

Item Number: 281700
Format: #6¾ Regular Envelope
Adhesive Type: Water-activated
Processed at: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
Envelope Orientation: Horizontal
Envelope Size: (w x h): 6.5 x 3.625 in / 165.1 x 92.075 mm
Image Size (w x h): 1.845 x 1.394 in / 46.863 x 34.408 mm

Updated April 3^rd:
This “indicia” will be available in 10 formats:

Updated March 14^th:
The issue date is Sunday, July 9th in Bird City, KS. There will be no first-day ceremony.

This issue was announced by the USPS on December 13^th:

This stamp honors prolific children’s book author and illustrator Tomie dePaola (1934-2020), whose extraordinarily varied body of work encompasses folktales and legends, informational books, religious and holiday stories, and touching autobiographical tales. The stamp art features a detail from the cover of “Strega Nona” (1975), the Caldecott Honor winning first book in the series. Set in southern Italy, the gently humorous story focuses on Strega Nona, “Grandma Witch,” who uses magic to help with matters of the heart and to cure her neighbors’ ills. Art director Derry Noyes designed the stamp with Tomie dePaola’s original art.

We will post additional information as we get it below the line, with the most recent information at the top.

Updated June 6^th:
The Scott catalogue number for this issue is 5797 and 5797a for the imperforate version.

Updated March 24^th from the Postal Bulletin:
On May 5, 2023, in Manchester, NH, the United States Postal Service® will issue the Tomie dePaola stamp (Forever® priced at the First-Class Mail® rate) in one design, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 20 stamps (Item 483600). This stamp will go on sale nationwide May 5, 2023, and must not be sold or canceled before the first-day-of-issue.

This stamp honors prolific children’s book author and illustrator Tomie dePaola (1934–2020), whose extraordinarily varied body of work encompasses folktales and legends, informational books, religious and holiday stories, and touching autobiographical tales. The stamp art features a detail from the cover of Strega Nona (1975), the Caldecott Honor-winning first book in the series. The story focuses on Strega Nona, “Grandma Witch,” who uses magic to help with matters of the heart and to cure her neighbors’ ills. The cover shows Strega Nona carrying her magic pasta pot. Art director Derry Noyes designed the stamp with Tomie dePaola‘s original art.

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 store.usps.com/store/home. 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 – Tomie dePaola Stamp
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 5, 2023.

Technical Specifications:

Issue: Tomie dePaola Stamp
Item Number: 483600
Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail Forever
Format: Pane of 20 (1 design)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: May 5, 2023, Manchester, NH, 03103
Art Director: Derry Noyes, Washington, DC
Designer: Derry Noyes, Washington, DC
Existing Art: Tomie dePaola
Modeler: Ty Schroeder
Manufacturing Process: Offset, Microprint
Printer: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd (APU)
Press Type: Muller A76
Stamps per Pane: 20
Print Quantity: 22,000,000 stamps
Paper Type: Nonphosphored Type III, Block Tagged
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Colors: Black, Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Pantone 7584C, Pantone 624C
Stamp Orientation: Horizontal
Image Area (w x h): 1.42 x 1.085 in / 36.068 x 27.559 mm
Overall Size (w x h): 1.56 x 1.225 in / 39.624 x 31.115 mm
Full Pane Size (w x h): 7.24 x 7.90 in / 183.896 x 200.66 mm
Press Sheets Size (w x h): 22.75 x 27 in / 577.85 x 685.80 mm
Plate Size: 180 stamps per revolution
Plate Number: “P” followed by six (6) single digits in two corners
Marginal Markings:
Front: Header: Tomie • Plate number in bottom 2 corners
Back: ©2022 USPS • USPS logo • Two barcodes (483600) • Plate position diagram (9) • Promotional text

Here are the first-day postmarks for this issue: The Digital Color Postmark measures 2.87″ x 1.48″ The pictorial postmark measures 2.53″ x 1.48″

Updated March 22^nd:
[ceremony details] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions]
USPS Celebrates Award-Winning Children’s Book Author and Illustrator Tomie dePaola

What: The U.S. Postal Service will honor prolific children’s book author and illustrator Tomie dePaola with the issuance of a Forever stamp.

The first-day-of-issue event for the stamp is free and open to the public. News of the release is being shared with the hashtag #TomiedePaolastamp.

Who: Steve Monteith, chief customer and marketing officer and executive vice president, U.S. Postal Service, will serve as dedicating official.

Alan Chong, director and chief executive officer, Currier Museum of Art

Dr. Susan Lynch, former first lady of New Hampshire

Jon Anderson, president, Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers and
publisher of Strega Nona

Erin Fehlau, WMUR-TV anchor

Sarah Mackenzie, founder, Read Aloud Revival

When: Friday, May 5, 2023, at 11 a.m. ET

Where:
Currier Museum of Art
150 Ash St.
Manchester, NH 03104

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

Background: This stamp honors Tomie dePaola (1934–2020), whose extraordinarily varied body of work encompasses folk tales and legends, informational books, religious and holiday stories, and touching autobiographical accounts. His illustrations are immediately recognizable by their clean, bold lines and uncomplicated shapes. Deceptively simple, dePaola’s stories contain layers of emotional meaning and appeal to readers of all ages.

The stamp art features a detail from the cover of “Strega Nona” (1975), a Caldecott Honor Book and the first in a popular series. The title character, “Grandma Witch” in Italian, uses magic to cure her neighbors’ ills and to help with matters of the heart. The stamp image shows her carrying her magic pasta pot.

Derry Noyes, an art director for USPS, designed the stamp with dePaola’s original art.

Updated January 10^th:
This stamp will be issued Friday, May 5, in Manchester, NH. The Currier Museum of Art here has a number of his works in its collection and has established The Tomie dePaola Art Education Fund to support art education for young people.

This issue was announced by the USPS on December 13^th:

Spanning some 2 million acres in southern Florida, from Lake Okeechobee to Florida Bay, the Everglades is one of the largest wetlands in the world and the most significant breeding ground for tropical wading birds in North America. This new Priority Mail stamp celebrates the Florida Everglades with stamp art that shows a sawgrass marsh as seen at sunset from the edge of a cypress dome. Designed by art director Greg Breeding, the stamp showcases a digital illustration by Dan Cosgrove. The Florida Everglades Priority Mail stamp will be issued in Homestead, FL, on Jan. 22 without a ceremony.

We will post additional information as we get it below the line, with the most recent information at the top.

Updated March 7^th:
The Scott catalogue number for this issue is 5751

Updated December 29^th:
Here are the first-day postmarks for this issue:The Digital Color Postmark measures 2.98″ x 1.27″ The only B&W postmark available for this issue is the FDOI “Killer Bars” one.

 Updated November 30^th:
This stamp will be issued Sunday, January 22, in Homestead, FL, without a ceremony. Homestead’s post office is not open on Sundays.

This issue was announced by the USPS on December 13^th:

The bold artwork on a skateboard deck is often as eye-catching and individualistic as a skater’s most breathtaking moves. These four stamps celebrate the Art of the Skateboard with vibrant designs that capture skateboarding’s excitement. Art director Antonio Alcalá designed the stamp issuance using photographs of skateboards created by artist Crystal Worl, an Alaskan whose blue and indigo salmon formline design expresses her Tlingit/Athabascan heritage; self-taught artist William James Taylor Jr. of Virginia, who created an energetic red and orange graphic abstraction; Di’Orr Greenwood of Arizona who represents her Navajo culture with a turquoise-inlaid skateboard that features eagle feathers and colors of the rising or setting sun and Colombian-born, Washington, DC-raised muralist MazPaz (Federico Frum), who painted a stylized jaguar.

We will post additional information as we get it below the line, with the most recent information at the top.

Updated May 1^st:
Here are the Scott catalogue numbers for this issue:

5763 Tlingit Athabascan Salmon Design by Crystal Worl
a. Imperforate
5764 Abstract Design by William James Taylor
a. Imperforate
5765 Navajo Design by Di’Orr Greenwood
a. Imperforate
5766 Jaguar Design by MasPaz (Frederico Frum)
a. Imperforate
b. Horiz. or vert. strip of 4, #5763-5766
c. Imperforate horiz. or vert. strip of 4, #5763a-5766a

Updated February 23^rd:
Here are the first-day postmarks for this issue:The Digital Color Postmark for this issue measures 2.61″ x 1.50″The Pictorial Postmark measures 2.36″ x 1.22″

From the Postal Bulletin:
On March 24, 2023, in Phoenix, AZ, the United States Postal Service® will issue the Art of the Skateboard stamps (Forever® priced at the First-Class Mail® rate) in four designs, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 20 stamps (Item 483400). These stamps will go on sale nationwide March 24, 2023, and must not be sold or canceled before the first-day-of-issue. The Art of the Skateboard commemorative pane of 20 stamps must not be split and the stamps must not be sold individually.

With four new stamps, the Postal Service celebrates the “Art of the Skateboard.” The bold designs featured on the pane of 20 stamps capture the excitement of skateboarding and reflect the diverse creators of these artistic decks:

• A blue and indigo salmon design expresses one artist’s Tlingit/Athabascan heritage.
• A striking red and orange graphic abstraction by a self-taught Virginia artist energizes another skateboard.
• Another represents Navajo culture, featuring a turquoise-inlaid skateboard that displays eagle feathers and the colors of the rising or setting sun.
• A design featuring a stylized jaguar painted in black, white, and gold is by a Colombian-born, Washington, DC-raised muralist.

Art director Antonio Alcalá designed the stamp issuance, using photographs of skateboards created for these stamps by, respectively, Crystal Worl, William James Taylor Junior, Di’Orr Greenwood, and MasPaz (Frederico Frum).

Item 483400, Pane of 20: 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 store.usps.com/store/home. 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 – Art of the Skateboard 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 July 24, 2023.

Technical Specifications:

Issue: Art of the Skateboard Stamps
Item Number: 483400
Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail Forever
Format: Pane of 20 (4 designs)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: March 24, 2023, Phoenix, AZ 85026
Art Director: Antonio Alcalá, Alexandria, VA
Designer: Antonio Alcalá, Alexandria, VA
Artist: Crystal Worl
Artist: William James Taylor Junior
Artist: Di’Orr Greenwood
Artist: MasPaz (Frederico Frum)
Modeler: Sandra Lane / Michelle Finn
Manufacturing Process: Offset
Printer: Banknote Corporation of America
Press Type: Gallus RCS
Stamps per Pane: 20
Print Quantity: 18,000,000 stamps
Paper Type: Phosphor Tagged Paper, Block
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Colors: Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black, Cool Gray 5C, Pantone 7688C, Pantone 172C, Pantone 715C, Pantone 7684C
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): 7.24 x 5.92 in / 183.896 x 150.368 mm
Press Sheets Size (w x h): 21.72 x 11.84 in./ 551.688 x 300.736 mm
Plate Size: 120 stamps per revolution
Plate Number: “B” followed by nine (9) single digits
Marginal Markings:
Front: Plate number in four corners of the pane
Back: ©2022 USPS • USPS logo • Two barcodes (483400) • Plate position diagram (6) • Promotional text

Updated February 7^th as predicted here a month ago:
[ceremony details] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions]
USPS Skateboard Stamps To Debut at PHXAM 2023

What: The U.S. Postal Service will hold a dedication ceremony for four new stamps celebrating the Art of the Skateboard at Cowtown’s 21st annual Phoenix Am contest.

The first-day-of-issue event is free and open to the public. News of the stamp is being shared with the hashtag #ArtoftheSkateboardStamps.

Who: The Honorable William Zollars, member, USPS Board of Governors

When: Friday, March 24, 2023, at 11 a.m. MST

Where: Desert West Skate Plaza
6602 W. Encanto Blvd.
Phoenix, AZ 85035

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

Background: Fiercely independent and often rebellious, the skateboarding subculture crackles with raw creative energy. The bold artwork emblazoned on a skateboard deck is often as eye-catching and individualistic as a skater’s most breathtaking moves.

These four stamps celebrate the Art of the Skateboard with vibrant designs that capture skateboarding’s excitement and reflect the diversity and influences of the four artists whose work is featured:

Crystal Worl, an Alaskan artist used a blue and indigo salmon formline design to express her Tlingit/Athabascan heritage.

William James Taylor Jr, a self-taught Virginia artist created an energetic red and orange graphic abstraction.

Federico “MasPaz” Frum, a Colombian-born, Washington, D.C.-raised muralist painted a stylized jaguar.

Di’Orr Greenwood, of Arizona represented her Navajo culture with a turquoise-inlaid skateboard that features eagle feathers and colors of the rising or setting sun.

Art director Antonio Alcalá designed the stamp issuance, using photographs of skateboards created for these stamps.

The Art of the Skateboard stamps are denominated as Forever stamps and will always be equal in value to the current First-Class Mail 1-ounce price.

Updated January 10^th:
These stamps will be issued Friday, March 24, in Phoenix. The “welcome” events for PHXAM (some sort of skateboard competition) begin on that date at the Desert West Skateboard Plaza. The PHXAM website never actually tells what the event is or what the acronyms stand for.

This issue was announced by the USPS on December 13^th:

This stamp celebrates the life and legacy of civil rights leader and U.S. Rep. John Lewis (1940-2020) of Georgia. Devoted to equality and justice for all Americans, Lewis spent more than 30 years in Congress steadfastly defending and building on key civil rights gains that he had helped achieve in the 1960s. Even in the face of hatred and violence, as well as some 45 arrests, Lewis remained resolute in his commitment to what he liked to call “good trouble.” The stamp features a photograph of Lewis taken by Marco Grob on assignment for the Aug. 26, 2013, issue of Time magazine. The selvage showcases a photograph of Lewis taken by Steve Schapiro in 1963 outside a workshop about nonviolent protest in Clarksdale, MS. Derry Noyes served as art director for this project.

We will post additional information as we get it below the line, with the most recent information at the top.

Updated September 5^th:
The Scott catalogue number for this issue is 5801.

Updated June 22^nd:
[press advisory] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions]
Postal Service Honors Congressman John Lewis on New Forever Stamp

What: The U.S. Postal Service will commemorate the life and legacy of Congressman, John Lewis (1940-2020), a key figure in some of the most pivotal moments of the Civil Rights Movement.

The first-day-of-issue event for the John Lewis Forever stamp is free and open to the public. News of the stamp is being shared with the hashtag #JohnLewisStamp.

Who: The Honorable Ronald A. Stroman, governor, U.S. Postal Service

When: Friday, July 21, 2023, at noon EDT

Where:
Morehouse College
Martin Luther King Jr. International Chapel
830 Westview Drive SW
Atlanta, GA 30314

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

Background: The stamp features a photograph of Lewis taken by Marco Grob on assignment for the Aug. 26, 2013, issue of Time magazine. Lewis’s name is at the bottom of the stamp. The words “USA” and “Forever” appear in the stamp’s top left corner. Derry Noyes, an art director for USPS, designed the stamp.

Devoted to equality and justice for all Americans, Lewis spent more than 30 years in Congress steadfastly defending and building on key civil rights gains that he helped achieve in the 1960s. Lewis was a staunch and unwavering believer in and advocate for nonviolent protests. The recipient of more than 50 honorary degrees, he was called a “saint” by Time magazine and “the conscience of the Congress,” by his colleagues.

Lewis was the face of the Nashville Student Movement, chairman of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, an original Freedom Rider, and one of the keynote speakers at the 1963 March on Washington. He served as executive director of the Voter Education Project; as associate director of ACTION, the federal volunteer agency that oversaw the Peace Corps and VISTA; and as a member of the Atlanta City Council. He was also the best-selling author of several books, including the March comic book series and the inspiring autobiography, Walking With the Wind.

Elected to represent Georgia in the U.S. House of Representatives in 1986, Lewis garnered the support needed to pass the Civil Rights Act of 1991, sponsored the legislation that created the 54-mile-long Selma-to-Montgomery National Historic Trail, and worked for more than a decade to establish the National Museum of African American History and Culture on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. He was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor, by President Barack Obama.

Throughout his life, Lewis remained resolute in his commitment to what he liked to call “good trouble,” even in the face of hatred and violence.

Updated June 15^th:
From the Postal Bulletin:

On July 21, 2023, in Atlanta, GA, the United States Postal Service® will issue the John Lewis stamp (Forever® priced at the First-Class Mail® rate) in one design, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 15 stamps (Item 483200). This stamp will go on sale nationwide July 21, 2023, and must not be sold or canceled before the first-day-of-issue.

With this stamp, the Postal Service™ celebrates the life and legacy of civil rights leader and congressman John Lewis (1940–2020). Devoted to equality and justice for all Americans, Lewis spent more than 30 years in Congress steadfastly defending and building on key civil rights gains that he had helped achieve in the 1960s. The stamp features a photograph of Lewis taken by Marco Grob on assignment for the August 26, 2013, issue of Time magazine. The selvage showcases a photograph of Lewis taken by Steve Schapiro in 1963 outside a workshop about non-violent protest in Clarksdale, MS. Art director Derry Noyes designed the stamp and selvage.

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 store.usps.com/store/home. 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 – John Lewis Stamp
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 November 21, 2023.

Technical Specifications:

Issue:-John Lewis Stamp
Item Number:-483200
Denomination & Type of Issue:-First-Class Mail Forever
Format:-Pane of 15 (1 design)
Series:-N/A
Issue Date & City:-July 21, 2023, Atlanta, GA 30304
Art Director:-Derry Noyes, Washington, DC
Designer:-Derry Noyes, Washington, DC
Existing Photo (stamp):-Marco Grob
Existing Photo (selvage):-Steve Schapiro
Modeler:-Joseph Sheeran
Manufacturing Process:-Offset, Microprint
Printer:-Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd (APU)
Press Type:-Muller A76
Stamps per Pane:-15
Print Quantity:-30,000,000 stamps
Paper Type:-Nonphosphored Type III, Block Tagged
Adhesive Type:-Pressure-sensitive
Colors:-Black, Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Pantone 7543C
Stamp Orientation:-Vertical
Image Area (w x h):-0.84 x 1.42 in. / 21.336 x 36.068 mm
Overall Size (w x h):-0.98 x 1.56 in. / 24.892 x 39.624 mm
Full Pane Size (w x h):-6.50 x 8.45 in. / 165.10 x 214.63 mm
Press Sheets Size (w x h):-19.50 x 25.725 in. / 495.30 x 653.415 mm
Plate Size:-135 stamps per revolution
Plate Number:-“P” followed by five (5) single digits in two corners
Marginal Markings:
Front:-Header: John Lewis 1940-2020 • Plate number in bottom 2 corners
Back:-©2022 USPS • USPS logo • Two barcodes (483200) • Plate position diagram (9) • Promotional text

Here are the first-day postmarks for this issue: The Digital Color Postmark measures 2.67″ x 1.25″ The pictorial postmark measures 2.13″ x 1.22″

Updated March 14^th:
The issue date is July 21st in Atlanta, GA.

[press release] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions]
U.S. Postal Service Reveals Additional Stamps for 2023
Civil Rights Leader John Lewis, Art of the Skateboard and Florida Everglades Are Featured

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Postal Service announced seven new stamp subjects for 2023.

This group, along with the stamps announced in October, is a partial list, with more to be revealed in the weeks and months ahead. All stamp designs are preliminary and subject to change.

John Lewis
This stamp celebrates the life and legacy of civil rights leader and U.S. Rep. John Lewis (1940-2020) of Georgia. Devoted to equality and justice for all Americans, Lewis spent more than 30 years in Congress steadfastly defending and building on key civil rights gains that he had helped achieve in the 1960s. Even in the face of hatred and violence, as well as some 45 arrests, Lewis remained resolute in his commitment to what he liked to call “good trouble.” The stamp features a photograph of Lewis taken by Marco Grob on assignment for the Aug. 26, 2013, issue of Time magazine. The selvage showcases a photograph of Lewis taken by Steve Schapiro in 1963 outside a workshop about nonviolent protest in Clarksdale, MS. Derry Noyes served as art director for this project.

Art of the SkateboardThe bold artwork on a skateboard deck is often as eye-catching and individualistic as a skater’s most breathtaking moves. These four stamps celebrate the Art of the Skateboard with vibrant designs that capture skateboarding’s excitement. Art director Antonio Alcalá designed the stamp issuance using photographs of skateboards created by artist Crystal Worl, an Alaskan whose blue and indigo salmon formline design expresses her Tlingit/Athabascan heritage; self-taught artist William James Taylor Jr. of Virginia, who created an energetic red and orange graphic abstraction; Di’Orr Greenwood of Arizona who represents her Navajo culture with a turquoise-inlaid skateboard that features eagle feathers and colors of the rising or setting sun and Colombian-born, Washington, DC-raised muralist MazPaz (Federico Frum), who painted a stylized jaguar.

Florida Everglades (Priority Mail)
Spanning some 2 million acres in southern Florida, from Lake Okeechobee to Florida Bay, the Everglades is one of the largest wetlands in the world and the most significant breeding ground for tropical wading birds in North America. This new Priority Mail stamp celebrates the Florida Everglades with stamp art that shows a sawgrass marsh as seen at sunset from the edge of a cypress dome. Designed by art director Greg Breeding, the stamp showcases a digital illustration by Dan Cosgrove. The Florida Everglades Priority Mail stamp will be issued in Homestead, FL, on Jan. 22 without a ceremony.

Tomie dePaola
This stamp honors prolific children’s book author and illustrator Tomie dePaola (1934-2020), whose extraordinarily varied body of work encompasses folktales and legends, informational books, religious and holiday stories, and touching autobiographical tales. The stamp art features a detail from the cover of “Strega Nona” (1975), the Caldecott Honor winning first book in the series. Set in southern Italy, the gently humorous story focuses on Strega Nona, “Grandma Witch,” who uses magic to help with matters of the heart and to cure her neighbors’ ills. Art director Derry Noyes designed the stamp with Tomie dePaola’s original art.

Northern Cardinal (Stamped Envelope)
The Northern Cardinal stamped envelope showcases one of the most beloved and popular songbirds native to North America. The art features a male cardinal, immediately recognizable by its crimson-colored feathers and black facial markings. Art director Antonio Alcalá designed the stamped envelope with Kandis Vermeer Phillips’s highly realistic illustration.

Bridges (Presorted First-Class Mail)
Four new Presorted First-Class Mail stamps will be available for purchase by bulk mail users in coils of 3,000 and 10,000. The stamps feature existing photographs of four different bridges that range from modern to historic, pedestrian to car-carrying, but all are important landmarks in their communities. They are the Arrigoni Bridge in Middletown, CT; the Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge in Omaha, NE; the Skydance Bridge in Oklahoma City; and the Iowa-Illinois Memorial Bridge in Bettendorf, IA, and Moline, IL. Art director Ethel Kessler designed the stamps with existing photographs.

Life Magnified
These stamps reveal life on Earth like many have never seen it. Twenty stamps feature 20 different images taken with microscopes and highly specialized photographic techniques that capture details of life undetectable by the human eye. The images show the phenomena of life in exquisitely fine detail. While stunning on their own as works of art, these images also hold scientific significance. Art director Derry Noyes designed the stamps using existing photographs.

Postal Products
Customers may purchase stamps and other philatelic products through the Postal Store at usps.com/shopstamps, by calling 844-737-7826, by mail through USA Philatelic or at Post Office locations nationwide.