From the USPS on October 29, 2025:

The buffalo’s epic story has played an enduring role in shaping America’s identity. Honoring our national mammal while saluting historic philately, this unique stamp features a contemporary photograph of a bison, inset with artwork evoking a 1923 stamp issued when the species was beginning to rebound from near extinction. Greg Breeding, an art director for USPS, designed the stamp using Tom Murphy’s existing photograph and artwork from the century-old stamp, now printed in intaglio.

More details will be posted below the line, with the most recent information at the top.

Updated July 15^th:
Technical Specifications:

Issue: American Bison Stamp
Item Number: 488800
Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail Forever®
Format: Pane of 16 (1 design)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: May 25, 2026, Boston, MA 02205
Art Director: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
Designer: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
Existing Photo: Tom Murphy
Modeler: Daryl DeMont
Manufacturing Process: Offset, Microprint
Printer: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
Press Type: Muller A76
Stamps per Pane: 16
Print Quantity: 24,000,000 stamps
Paper Type: Nonphosphored Type III, Block Tagged
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Colors: Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black
Stamp Orientation: Horizontal
Image Area (w x h): 1.6370 x 1.0850 in. / 41.5800 x 27.5590 mm.
Overall Size (w x h): 1.7770 x 1.2250 in. / 45.1360 x 31.1150 mm.
Full Pane Size (w x h): 8.7600 x 7.3400 in. / 222.5040 x 186.4360 mm.
Press Sheets Size (w x h): 26.2800 x 22.5200 in. / 667.5120 x 572.0080 mm.
Plate Size: 144 stamps per revolution
Plate Number: “P” followed by four (4) single digits
Marginal Markings:
Front: Header: AMERICAN BISON • BOSTON 2026 WORLD STAMP SHOW • Plate number in bottom two corners of pane
Back: © 2025 USPS • USPS logo • Two barcodes (488800) • Plate position diagram (9) • Promotional text

Updated July 8^th:
The Scott catalogue number for this issue is 6099.

Updated April 20^th:
Here are the first-day postmarks for this issue:The Digital Color Postmark for this issue measures 2.81″ x 1.50″The Pictorial Postmark measures 2.41″ x 1.27″

Updated April 15^th:
On May 25, 2026, in Boston, MA, the United States Postal Service® will issue the American Bison stamp (Forever® priced at the First-Class Mail® rate), in one design, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 16 stamps (Item 488800). This stamp will go on sale nationwide May 25, 2026, and must not be sold or canceled before the first-day-of-issue.

This stamp celebrates our national mammal, the American bison, commonly known as the buffalo. Overlaying a contemporary photograph of the animal is artwork recalling a buffalo stamp issued in 1923. The photograph, taken by Tom Murphy, shows a wild buffalo in profile, seen grazing within Yellowstone National Park. The issuance title, “AMERICAN BISON,” appears on the selvage and under it, “BOSTON 2026 WORLD STAMP SHOW,” where the stamp will be issued in May 2026. Art director Greg Breeding designed the stamp.

Automatic distribution.

How to Order the First-Day-of-Issue Postmark:
The first-day-of-issue postmark is a postmark notating the day a stamp is first authorized for use by the Postal Service™. Customers have 120 days to obtain the first-day-of-issue postmark by mail. All requests for first-day-of-issue postmarks (Traditional or Digital Color Postmark) should be sent to the following address with the choice of Traditional or Digital Color Postmark identified. All orders must be postmarked by September 25, 2026.

FDOI – American Bison Stamp
USPS Stamp Fulfillment Services
8300 NE Underground Drive, Suite 300
Kansas City, MO 64144-9900

The Technical Specifications are not yet available.

Updated November 10^th:
The stamp on which this design is based in Scott 569:Brookman lists a price for a fair copy at $25, although I see much lower prices on eBay.

Updated November 9^th:
As pointed out by Lefty Dundee, here is what the full pane will look like.That does seem to indicate that it will be a Forever stamp, or at least not a high value, as I had thought. Note also that the pane’s selvage indicates this will be issued at Boston 2026, May 23-30.

From the USPS on October 29, 2025:

Since the early days of the republic, these magnificent raptors have appeared on numerous stamps. For a new take on this American icon, the Postal Service will issue a pane of stamps featuring realistic illustrations of bald eagles at different stages of life. Derry Noyes, an art director for USPS, designed the stamps using original paintings by ornithologist and illustrator David Allen Sibley. “While the bald eagle is known to virtually all Americans as our national bird, few people know much about them,” says Sibley. “Showing the series of life stages in these stamps is a simple and visual way to emphasize that the familiar adult eagle has already lived through a series of transitional plumages, finding food, migrating and surviving all of life’s challenges. I hope these stamps spark curiosity and a greater appreciation for the lives of eagles.”

The issue’s formal name is “Bald Eagles: From Hatching To Adult.”

More details will be posted below the line, with the most recent information at the top.

Updated July 9^th:
Here are the Scott catalogue numbers for this issue:
Bald Eagle 6082-86
6082 one week old
6083 four weeks old
6084 one year old
6085 two years old
6086 adult

Updated April 16^th:
[ceremony details] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions]
USPS To Release Stamps Honoring National Bird

What: The U.S. Postal Service will issue Bald Eagle: Hatchling to Adult, a new set of commemorative postage stamps. The first-day-of-issue outdoor event is free and open to the public. News of the stamps is being shared with the hashtag #BaldEagleStamps.

Who: The Hon. Daniel M. Tangherlini, U.S. Postal Service Board of Governors, will serve as the dedicating official.

When: Thursday, May 14, at 11 a.m. CDT

Where: National Eagle Center
50 Pembroke Ave. S.
Wabasha, MN 55981

RSVP: Attendees are encouraged to register at https://www.usps.com/baldeaglestamps.

Background: Intrinsic to the national identity of the United States since the early days of the republic, the bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) has been a favorite stamp subject for more than a century. These latest stamps offer a new take on the American icon and feature realistic illustrations of the bird at different stages of life. Derry Noyes, an art director for USPS, designed the stamps using original paintings by noted ornithologist and illustrator David Allen Sibley.

The mighty raptor has been celebrated on U.S. stamps since 1869. Bald Eagle: Hatchling to Adult continues the long tradition of spotlighting these magnificent birds on American postage.

Bald Eagle: Hatchling to Adult stamps will be issued in panes of 20. As Forever stamps, they will always be equal in value to the current First-Class Mail 1-ounce price.

Updated April 15^th:
Technical Specifications:

Issue: Bald Eagle: Hatchling to Adult Stamps
Item Number: 488500
Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail Forever®
Format: Pane of 20 (5 designs)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: May 14, 2026, Wabasha, MN 55981
Art Director: Derry Noyes, Washington, DC
Designer: Derry Noyes, Washington, DC
Illustrator:: David Allen Sibley, Deerfield, MA
Existing Selvage Photo: Craig Goodwin
Modeler: Sandra Lane / Michelle Finn
Manufacturing Process: Offset/Flexographic
Printer: Banknote Corporation of America
Press Type: Gallus RCS
Stamps per Pane: 20
Print Quantity: 22,000,000 stamps
Paper Type: Phosphor, Block Tag
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Colors: Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black
Stamp Orientation: Vertical
Image Area (w x h): 1.0850 x 1.4200 in. / 27.5590 x 36.0680 mm.
Overall Size (w x h): 1.2250 x 1.5600 in. / 31.1150 x 39.6240 mm.
Full Pane Size (w x h): 10.0000 x 7.2000 in. / 254.0000 x 182.8800 mm.
Press Sheets Size (w x h): 14.5250 x 20.1250 in. / 368.9350 x 511.1750 mm.
Plate Size: 80 stamps per revolution
Plate Number: “B” followed by four (4) single digits
Marginal Markings:
Front: Header: Bald Eagle • Hatchling to Adult • Plate number in bottom two corners of pane
Back: © 2025 USPS • USPS logo • Two barcodes (488500) • Plate position diagram (4) • Promotional text

Updated April 3^rd:
Here are the first-day postmarks for this issue:The Digital Color Postmark measures 3.01″ x 1.31″The Pictorial Postmark measures 2.09″ x 1.15″

From the Postal Bulletin:

On May 14, 2026, in Wabasha, MN, the United States Postal Service® will issue the Bald Eagle: Hatchling to Adult stamps (Forever® priced at the First-Class Mail® rate), in five designs, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 20 stamps (Item 488500). These stamps will go on sale nationwide May 14, 2026, and must not be sold or canceled before the first-day-of-issue. The Bald Eagle: Hatchling to Adult commemorative pane of 20 stamps must not be split and the stamps must not be sold individually.
In 2026, the U.S. Postal Service honors the bald eagle, our national bird, with five new stamps. The stamp designs, created by noted ornithologist and illustrator David Allen Sibley feature realistic paintings of bald eagles at five different stages of life. The selvage shows a photograph of an adult eagle with two hatchlings in a nest, taken by Craig Goodwin. Art director Derry Noyes designed the stamps and pane.

Automatic distribution.

How to Order the First-Day-of-Issue Postmark:
The first-day-of-issue postmark is a postmark notating the day a stamp is first authorized for use by the Postal Service™. Customers have 120 days to obtain the first-day-of-issue postmark by mail. All requests for first-day-of-issue postmarks (Traditional or Digital Color Postmark) must be sent to the following address with the choice of Traditional or Digital Color Postmark identified. All orders must be postmarked by September 14, 2026.

FDOI – Bald Eagle: Hatchling to Adult Stamps
USPS Stamp Fulfillment Services
8300 NE Underground Drive, Suite 300
Kansas City, MO 64144-9900

Technical details are not yet available.

Updated February 25^th:
The National Eagle Center is located in Wabasha. Wikipedia page. Official website. As of this date, there is no mention of the stamps on its website.

Updated February 17^th:
These stamps will be issued May 14 in Wabasha, Minn.

From the USPS on October 29, 2025:

With these stamps, the Postal Service celebrates the 100th anniversary of Route 66, the legendary highway that originally stretched about 2,400 miles from Chicago to Los Angeles. Dubbed “The Mother Road” by author John Steinbeck, Route 66 forever changed how Americans travel and became a symbol of freedom and adventure. The pane of 16 stamps includes photographs by David Schwartz from each of the eight states Route 66 passes through, with each one repeated twice. The selvage features a photo by Schwartz of the open road rolling through hills in Crookton, AZ, along the longest continuous drivable stretch of Route 66 in the state.

More details will be posted below the line, with the most recent information at the top.

Updated July 8^th:
Here are the Scott catalogue numbers for this issue:
6074-81 Route 66
6074 Munger Moss Motel
6075 Ford Model A
6076 Oil Capital Motel
6077 Grants Cafe Sign
6078 Conoco Tower Station
6079 Kan-O-Tex Gas Pump
6080 motel sign
6081 Beverly Hills City Hall

Updated April 15^th:
Technical Specifications:

Issue: Route 66 Stamps
Item Number: 488400
Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail Forever®
Format: Pane of 16 (8 designs)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: May 5, 2026, Phoenix, AZ 85026
Art Director: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
Designer: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
Existing Photos: David Schwartz, Lakewood, OH
Modeler: Daryl DeMont
Manufacturing Process: Offset
Printer: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
Press Type: Muller A76
Stamps per Pane: 16
Print Quantity: 26,000,000 stamps
Paper Type: Nonphosphored Type III, Block Tag Applied
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Colors: Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black
Stamp Orientation: Square
Image Area (w x h): 1.0850 x 1.0850 in. / 27.5590 x 27.5590 mm.
Overall Size (w x h): 1.2250 x 1.2250 in. / 31.1150 x 31.1150 mm.
Full Pane Size (w x h): 8.0500 x 5.9300 in. / 204.4700 x 150.6220 mm.
Press Sheets Size (w x h): 24.6500 x 12.1100 in. / 626.1100 x 307.5940 mm.
Plate Size: 192 stamps per revolution
Plate Number: “P” followed by four (4) single digits
Marginal Markings:
Front: ROUTE 66 Road Sign
Back: ROUTE 66 Road Sign • Descriptive Text • Map of United States identifying Route 66 and locations • © 2025 USPS • USPS logo • Two barcodes (488400) • Plate position diagram (6) • Promotional text

Updated April 3^rd:
Here are the first-day postmarks for this issue: The Digital Color Postmark measures 2.65″ x 1.33″The Pictorial Postmark measures 2.39″ x 1.24″

Surprisingly, there is no “special” postmark for local post offices to use. Or not yet.

From the Postal Bulletin:

On May 5, 2026, in Phoenix, AZ, the United States Postal Service® will issue the Route 66 stamps (Forever® priced at the First-Class Mail® rate), in eight designs, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 16 stamps (Item 488400). These stamps will go on sale nationwide May 5, 2026, and must not be sold or canceled before the first-day-of-issue. The Route 66 commemorative pane of 16 stamps must not be split and the stamps must not be sold individually.

For a century, drivers have hit the open road chasing the American Dream along Route 66, the legendary highway that originally stretched about 2,400 miles from Chicago to Los Angeles. Established on November 11, 1926, Route 66 forever changed how Americans travel and became a symbol of freedom and adventure. Eight different photographs, featured twice on the stamp pane, show a site from each state that Route 66 runs through. The selvage features a photograph of Route 66 stretching into the distance in Arizona, capturing the sense of possibility the open road inspires. Art director Greg Breeding designed the stamps and stamp pane with existing photographs by David Schwartz.

Automatic distribution.

How to Order the First-Day-of-Issue Postmark:
The first-day-of-issue postmark is a postmark notating the day a stamp is first authorized for use by the Postal Service™. Customers have 120 days to obtain the first-day-of-issue postmark by mail. All requests for first-day-of-issue postmarks (Traditional or Digital Color Postmark) must be sent to the following address with the choice of Traditional or Digital Color Postmark identified. All orders must be postmarked by September 5, 2026.

FDOI – Route 66 Stamps
USPS Stamp Fulfillment Services
8300 NE Underground Drive, Suite 300
Kansas City, MO 64144-9900

Technical details are not yet available.

Updated March 11^th:
[ceremony details] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions]
Route 66 Stamps To Be Issued at National Postal Forum

What: The U.S. Postal Service will commemorate Route 66 on that historic highway’s centennial with a set of eight stamps. The first-day-of-issue event will be held at the National Postal Forum, also known as the NPF, at the Phoenix Convention Center. The NPF is the mailing and shipping industry’s premier educational venue, trade show and networking event.

The first-day-of-issue event is free and open to the public, and will be held in the convention center’s lobby, so there is no need to purchase tickets to the NPF to attend the unveiling. News of the stamps is being shared with the hashtag #Route66Stamps.

Who: Jeffery A. Adams, USPS corporate communications vice president
Rod Reid, United States Route 66 Centennial Commission, chairman
David J. Schwartz, the stamps’ photographer

When: Tuesday, May 5, 2026, at 9:15 a.m. Mountain

Where:
National Postal Forum
Phoenix Convention Center
100 N. 3rd Street
Phoenix, AZ 85004

RSVP: Attendees are encouraged to register at: usps.com/route66stamps.

Background: For a century, drivers have hit the open road chasing the American dream along Route 66, the legendary highway that originally stretched about 2,400 miles from Chicago to Los Angeles. Dubbed “The Mother Road” by author John Steinbeck, Route 66 forever changed how Americans travel and became a symbol of freedom and adventure. Route 66 was established on Nov. 11, 1926, connecting rural communities across eight states. During the Great Depression, people seeking better opportunities drove Route 66 west, and it became a symbol of postwar optimism. Along the route, mom-and-pop cafes, drive-in restaurants, souvenir shops, curiosities, motels and gas stations with neon signs highlighted the journey.

The Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956 provided funding for a new interstate highway system, and Route 66 was gradually replaced. Route 66 still unites the country with its call for adventure in pursuit of freedom and possibility on the open road.

Eight different photographs, featured twice on the stamp pane, show a site from each state that Route 66 runs through. The selvage features a photograph of Route 66 stretching into the distance in Arizona, capturing the sense of possibility the open road inspires. Greg Breeding, an art director for USPS, designed the stamps and stamp pane using existing photographs by David J. Schwartz.

Updated February 17^th:
These stamps will be issued May 5 in Phoenix.

Updated November 25^th:

As requested by VSC member J.G. Haught, and provided by USPS spokesman Jim McKean:

In the first and third rows, the Route 66 shield is in the top left corner of each stamp, with “USA” running vertically below it in white. “FOREVER” is in the bottom right corner. From left to right:

• A turquoise 1957 Chevy Bel Air is parked in front of the Munger Moss Motel, built in 1946 in Lebanon, Missouri;
• a Ford Model A drives along a brick-paved segment of Route 66 in Auburn, Illinois;
• the replica Oil Capital Motel neon sign at sunrise at the Cyrus Avery Plaza Southwest in Tulsa, Oklahoma, featuring signs that originally stood along the road in Tulsa;
• the Grants Cafe neon sign, originally from Grants, New Mexico, now held at Glorieta Station in Albuquerque, New Mexico, a few blocks from Route 66.

In the second and fourth rows, the Route 66 shield is in the top right corner of each stamp, with “USA” running vertically below it in white. From left to right:

• The Tower Station and U-Drop Inn Café glows at night in Shamrock, Texas;
• a restored Kan-O-Tex pump in Galena, Kansas;
• Motel sign in Yucca, Arizona;
• Beverly Hills City Hall, built in 1932 in Beverly Hills, California.

From the USPS on October 29, 2025:

Commemorating the 250th anniversary of the United States, this pane pays tribute to 25 individuals whose ideas, leadership and sacrifices were vital to achieving American independence and shaping the new nation. Representing a range of roles and perspectives, from political thinkers and military leaders to writers, diplomats and everyday citizens, the honorees reflect the collective effort that defined the Revolution. Ethel Kessler, an art director for USPS, designed the pane, which features original artwork by 13 contemporary artists.

More details will be posted below the line, with the most recent information at the top.

Updated June 4^th:
As mentioned on March 31 (below), there was a “dedication” ceremony for this issue at Boston 2026 on Friday, May 29, and the postmark below was available, with “May 29, 2026” and “Boston MA 02205.”You can submit covers for this cancellation for up to 60 days to this address:

Dedication – Figures of the American Revolution Stamps
SFS Stamp Fulfillment Services
8300 NE Underground Drive, Suite 300
Kansas City, MO 64144-9900

I’m not sure about that first line, but it should get the idea across.

Updated April 15^th:
Technical Specifications:

Issue: Figures of the American Revolution Stamps
Item Number: 488300
Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail Forever®
Format: Pane of 25 (25 designs)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: April 10, 2026, Washington, DC 20066
Art Director: Ethel Kessler, Bethesda, MD
Designer: Ethel Kessler, Bethesda, MD
Artist: Alex Bostic, Starkville, MS
Artist: Julia Bottoms, Buffalo, NY
Artist: Marc Burckhardt, Austin, TX
Artist: Michael J. Deas, New Orleans, LA
Artist: Sharon Irla, Tallahquah, OK
Artist: Gary Kelley, Cedar Falls, IA
Artist: Juliana Kolesova
Artist: Kam Mak, Brooklyn, NY
Artist: Tim O’Brien, Brooklyn, NY
Artist: Karla Ortiz, San Francisco, CA
Artist: Dale Stephanos, Foxboro, MA
Illustrator: Roberto Parada, Arlington, VA
Modeler: Sandra Lane / Michelle Finn
Manufacturing Process: Offset / Flexographic
Printer: Banknote Corporation of America
Press Type: Gallus RCS
Stamps per Pane: 25
Print Quantity: 18,125,000 stamps
Paper Type: Phosphor, Block Tag
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Colors: Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black
Stamp Orientation: Vertical
Image Area (w x h): 0.8400 x 1.4200 in. / 21.3360 x 36.0680 mm.
Overall Size (w x h): 0.9800 x 1.5600 in. / 24.8920 x 39.6240 mm.
Full Pane Size (w x h): 7.5000 x 10.3750 in. / 190.5000 x 263.5250 mm.
Press Sheets Size (w x h): 15.0000 x 20.7500 in. / 381.0000 x 527.0500 mm.
Plate Size: 100 stamps per revolution
Plate Number: “B” followed by four (4) single digits
Marginal Markings:
Front: Header: FORGING AMERICA’S BOLD NEW BEGINNING THROUGH COURAGE, LEADERSHIP, AND SACRIFICE • Plate number in bottom two corners of pane
Back: © 2025 USPS • USPS logo • Two barcodes (488300) • Plate position diagram (4) • Promotional text

Updated March 31^st:
There will be a special dedication of these stamps at Boston 2026, 11 a.m. on Friday, May 29, on the Show Floor Stage of Exhibit Hall A.

Updated March 10^th:
Here are the first-day postmarks for this issue: The Digital Color Postmark measures 2.64″ x 1.14″The Pictorial Postmark measures 2.53″ x 1.20″. Surprisingly, there is no “Special” postmark for use by local post offices.

Updated March 6^th:

[ceremony details] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions]
A Revolutionary Moment in Time Is Coming to First-Class Mail

What: An event 250 years in the making. The U.S. Postal Service will release commemorative stamps honoring 25 individuals whose actions helped shape the outcome of the American Revolution.

The pane of 25 Forever stamps includes portraits of individuals arranged in five rows of five.

Ethel Kessler, an art director and designer for USPS, and illustrator Tim O’Brien created the pane using portraits made especially for the Postal Service by a dozen artists.

The first-day-of-issue interactive event for the Figures of the American Revolution commemorative stamps is free and open to the public. News of the stamps is being shared with the hashtag #FiguresRevolutionStamps.

Who: Art director, Ethel Kessler
Artists, Dale Stephanos, Tim O’Brien, Marc Burckhardt, and Kam Mak

When: April 10, 2026, 11 a.m. ET through Sunday, April 12.

Where: :
Smithsonian National Postal Museum
2 Massachusetts Ave. NE
Washington, DC 20002

RSVP: Attendees are encouraged to RSVP at usps.com/figuresrevolutionstamps

Background:
Support for American independence came from all levels of society. These stamps celebrate 25 people whose actions helped shape the American Revolution. The images depict various women and men, including Native Americans and African Americans. The portraits reflect just a small handful out of many who were instrumental in helping to achieve the nation’s independence.

From the Postal Bulletin:
On April 10, 2026, in Washington, DC, the United States Postal Service® will issue the Figures of the American Revolution stamps (Forever® priced at the First-Class Mail® rate), in 25 designs, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 25 stamps (Item 488300). These stamps will go on sale nationwide April 10, 2026, and must not be sold or canceled before the first-day-of-issue. The Figures of the American Revolution commemorative pane of 25 stamps must not be split and the stamps must not be sold individually.

As part of a broader initiative to celebrate 250 years of American independence, USPS issues this special pane of stamps featuring original portraits of 25 individuals whose vision, leadership, and sacrifices helped define the American Revolution. Each portrait draws on a historical image of the person. Beneath each portrait appears the person’s name and a short identifying line. An image of the American flag is layered behind the portraits, providing a unifying backdrop. The block of stamps is set on a larger background that features an image of the Declaration of Independence. At the top of the pane, a line of text reads, “FORGING AMERICA’S BOLD NEW BEGINNING THROUGH COURAGE, LEADERSHIP, AND SACRIFICE.” Art director Ethel Kessler designed the stamp pane with original paintings by 12 different artists.

Automatic distribution.

How to Order the First-Day-of-Issue Postmark:
The first-day-of-issue postmark is a postmark notating the day a stamp is first authorized for use by the Postal Service™. Customers have 120 days to obtain the first-day-of-issue postmark by mail. All requests for first-day-of-issue postmarks (Traditional or Digital Color Postmark) must be sent to the following address with the choice of Traditional or Digital Color Postmark identified. All orders must be postmarked by August 10, 2026.

FDOI Figures of the American Revolution Stamps
SFS Stamp Fulfillment Services
8300 NE Underground Drive, Suite 300
Kansas City, MO 64144-9900

Technical Details are not yet available.

Updated February 17^th:
These stamps will be issued April 10 in Washington, DC.

Here’s what the pane, with selvage, will look like:

Here’s a list of the 25 people:

• • Abigail Adams
  • John Adams
  • Abwalongdongwas
  • James Armistead
  • Cornplanter
  • John Dickinson
  • Benjamin Franlin
  • Elizabeth Freeman
  • Bernardo de Galvez
  • Nathaniel Greene
  • Alexander Hamilton
  • Lemuel Haynes
  • Patrick Henry
  • John Jay
  • Thomas Jefferson
  • Thaddeus Kosciuszko
  • Marquis de Lafayette
  • James Madison
  • Thomas Payne
  • Esther de Berdt Reed
  • Paul Revere
  • Deborah Sampson
  • Baron von Steuben
  • Mercy Otis Warren
  • George Washington

From the USPS on October 29, 2025:

For millions of Americans, the beach is the ultimate vacation. Derry Noyes, an art director for USPS, says these stamps were inspired by her annual summertime trips to beaches in New England. “These little snapshots are reminiscent of those experiences — a break from busy lives and demands throughout the year,” she says. Noyes was drawn to the vitality and “fresh, bold spontaneity” that Gregory Manchess brings to the oil paintings shown on the stamps. “He captures the essence of the subject, even at a very small scale,” she says. “Greg has managed to make these scenes instantly recognizable with just the right amount of visual information.”

More details will be posted below the line, with the most recent information at the top.

Updated May 29^th:
The Scott catalogue numbers for this issue are

• 6070 Sand Castle
• 6071 Seagull
• 6072 Bicycle
• 6073 Person Reading

Updated April 30^th:
Technical Specifications:

Issue: A Day at the Beach Stamps
Item Number: 685900
Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail Forever®
Format: Double-sided Booklet of 20 (4 designs)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: April 24, 2026, Burlingame, CA 94011
Art Director: Derry Noyes, Washington, DC
Designer: Derry Noyes, Washington, DC
Artist: Gregory Manchess
Modeler: Sandra Lane / Michelle Finn
Manufacturing Process: Offset
Printer: Banknote Corporation of America
Press Type: Alprinta 74
Stamps per Booklet: 20
Print Quantity: 125,000,000
Paper Type: Phosphor, Block Tag
Colors: Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Stamp Orientation: Vertical
Image Area (w x h): 0.7700 x 1.0500 in. / 19.5580 x 26.6700 mm.
Stamp Size (w x h): 0.9100 x 1.1900 in. / 23.1140 x 30.2260 mm.
Booklet Size (w x h): 5.7600 x 2.3800 in. / 146.3040 x 60.4520 mm.
Plate Size: 800 stamps per revolution
Plate Number: “B” followed by four (4) single digits
Marginal Markings: Header: A Day at the Beach • Twenty First-Class™ Forever® Stamps • © 2025 USPS in peel strip area • Barcode • USPS logo • Promotional text • Plate number in peel strip area

Updated March 30^th:
Here are the first-day postmarks for this issue: The Digital Color Postmark measures 3.0″ x 1.4″ There is no pictorial postmark for this issue. However, there will be a show cancel (WESTPEX) for that date.

Updated March 26^th:
Although the first-day postmarks were shown in the Postal Bulletin a week ago, I’m told they are not yet finalized and so the larger, clearer versions are not yet available for us.

Updated March 19^th:
On April 24, 2026, in Burlingame, CA, the United States Postal Service® will issue the A Day at the Beach 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 685900). These stamps will go on sale nationwide April 24, 2026, and must not be sold or canceled before the first-day-of-issue.

A Day at the Beach celebrates the simple joys of a coastal escape with four new stamps in a booklet of 20. One stamp captures the magic of a sandcastle taking shape, another shows a seagull perched on a wooden piling, a third features a bicycle parked near the shore, and a fourth portrays a reader lounging under a colorful beach umbrella. Artist Gregory Manchess used oil on board to create the art. Art director Derry Noyes designed the stamps.

No automatic distribution.

How to Order the First-Day-of-Issue Postmark:
The first-day-of-issue postmark is a postmark notating the day a stamp is first authorized for use by the Postal Service™. Customers have 120 days to obtain the first-day-of-issue postmark by mail. All requests for first-day-of-issue postmarks (Traditional or Digital Color Postmark) must be sent to the following address with the choice of Traditional or Digital Color Postmark identified. All orders must be postmarked by August 24, 2026.

FDOI – A Day at the Beach Stamps
USPS Stamp Fulfillment Services
8300 NE Underground Drive, Suite 300
Kansas City, MO 64144-9900

Technical specifications are not yet available.

Updated February 17^th:
These stamps will be issued April 24 in Burlingame, Calif., with a local ceremony (WESTPEX stamp show).

From the USPS on October 29, 2025:

Available in booklets of 20, this issuance offers the public an attractive stamp for mail use and pays homage to the sunflower, prized by both gardeners and pollinators as a dependable source of nectar and seeds for birds, bees and butterflies. Illustrator Nancy Stahl, who has created more than 40 stamp designs for the Postal Service, says she used as few colors as possible to enhance the brilliance of the sunflowers within the small frame of the stamp. Greg Breeding, an art director for USPS, designed the stamp using Stahl’s original digital art.

More details will be posted below the line, with the most recent information at the top.

Updated February 10^th:
Here are the first-day postmarks for this issue: The Digital Color Postmark measures 2.99″ x 1.44″There is no Pictorial Postmark for this issue, just the FDOI “killer bars.”

Updated February 5^th:
Surprisingly, according to the Postal Bulletin, there will be a Digital Color Postmark for this issue.

On March 14, 2026, in Strongsville, OH, the United States Postal Service® will issue the Sunflowers stamp (Forever® priced at the First-Class Mail® rate), in one design, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) double-sided booklet of 20 stamps (Item 685800). This stamp will go on sale nationwide March 14, 2026, and must not be sold or canceled before the first-day-of-issue.

This new stamp, available in a booklet of 20, highlights the beauty of sunflowers. The stamp is a stylized illustration of four sunflowers with blossoms rendered in gold and brown and leaves and stems in shades of green against a pale yellow background. Art director Greg Breeding designed the stamp with original art by Nancy Stahl.

Item 685800, Sunflowers (Forever Priced at the First-Class Mail Rate) Double-sided booklet of 20 Stamps

No automatic distribution.

How to Order the First-Day-of-Issue Postmark:
The first-day-of-issue postmark is a postmark notating the day a stamp is first authorized for use by the Postal Service™. Customers have 120 days to obtain the first-day-of-issue postmark by mail. All requests for first-day-of-issue postmarks (Traditional or Digital Color Postmark) must be sent to the following address with the choice of Traditional or Digital Color Postmark identified. All orders must be postmarked by July 14, 2026.

FDOI – Sunflowers Stamp
USPS Stamp Fulfillment Services
8300 NE Underground Drive, Suite 300
Kansas City, MO 64144-9900

Technical details are not yet available.

Updated December 12^th:
This stamp will be issued Saturday, March 14, at the Garfield-Perry Stamp Show in Strongville, OH, a Cleveland suburb.

From the USPS on October 29, 2025:

Low and slow: that’s the lowrider. Outfitted with smaller-than-factory wheels, a fancy paint job and a special hydraulic system, these customized automobiles trace their roots to the 1940s-era working-class Mexican American/Chicano communities of the American Southwest. Five models grace the stamps: a blue 1946 Chevrolet Fleetline named Let the Good Times Roll/Soy Como Soy; a blue 1958 Chevrolet Impala named Eight Figures; a red 1963 Impala named El Rey; an orange 1964 Impala named the Golden Rose; and a green 1987 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme named Pocket Change. The Gothic-style typography and the pinstriping on the stamps and pane evoke the detailed decoration that is a hallmark of the most celebrated lowrider cars. Antonio Alcalá, an art director for USPS, designed the stamps using photographs by Philip Gordon and Humberto “Beto” Mendoza.

More details will be posted below the line, with the most recent information at the top.

Updated February 10^th:
Here are the first-day postmarks for this issue: The Digital Color Postmark measures 2.97″ x 1.10″The Pictorial Postmark measures 2.75″ x 1.03″ There is a “special” postmark for this issue, which measures 2.74″ x 1.25″

Updated February 6^th:
[ceremony details] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions]
U.S. Postal Service Showcases New Lowriders Stamps

What: The U.S. Postal Service will issue Lowriders, a set of new commemorative postage stamps.

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

Who: Gary Barksdale, chief postal inspector, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, will serve as the dedicating official.

When: Friday, March 13, 2026, at 11 a.m. PDT

Where: Logan Heights Library
567 S. 28th St.
San Diego, CA 92113

RSVP: Attendees are encouraged to register at https://www.usps.com/lowridersstamps.

Background: Low and slow: that’s the lowrider. When in motion, these customized automobiles appear to glide over the road surface, only to suddenly levitate and bounce up and down. These new stamps celebrate the lowrider culture that is rooted in 1940s-era working-class Mexican American/Chicano communities throughout the American Southwest.

Lowriders are viewed as rolling canvases of stylized art, meant to be displayed in public spaces. The stamps feature photographs of five different lowriders, richly adorned with dazzling paint jobs, luxurious interiors, and customized to hop, bounce and cruise over the road surface.

The five models that grace the stamps are pictured from top left: a blue 1958 Chevrolet Impala named “Eight Figures”; an orange 1964 Chevrolet Impala named “The Golden Rose”; a green 1987 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme named “Pocket Change”; a blue 1946 Chevrolet Fleetline named “Let the Good Times Roll/Soy Como Soy”; and a red 1963 Chevrolet Impala named “El Rey.”

Antonio Alcalá, an art director for USPS, designed the stamps using existing photographs by Humberto “Beto” Mendoza (“Eight Figures,” “El Rey,” “The Golden Rose”) and Philip Gordon (“Let the Good Times Roll/Soy Como Soy,” “Pocket Change”). Danny Alvarado added the pinstriping on the stamps.

The Lowriders stamps will be issued in panes of 15. As Forever stamps, they will always be equal in value to the current First-Class Mail 1-ounce price.

Updated February 5^th:
On March 13, 2026, in San Diego, CA, the United States Postal Service® will issue the Lowriders stamps (Forever® priced at the First-Class Mail® rate), in five designs, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 15 stamps (Item 488200). These stamps will go on sale nationwide March 13, 2026, and must not be sold or canceled before the first-day-of-issue. The Lowriders commemorative pane of 15 stamps must not be split and the stamps must not be sold individually.

With this issuance the Postal Service™ celebrates the lowrider car culture that is rooted in the working-class Mexican American/Chicano communities throughout the American Southwest. A pane of 15 stamps features photographs of five different lowriders, customized not just to hop, bounce, and glide over the road surface, but also richly adorned with dazzling paint jobs and luxurious interiors. Art director Antonio Alcalá designed the stamps using existing photographs by Humberto “Beto” Mendoza and Philip Gordon. Danny Alvarado added the pinstriping.

Item 488200, Lowriders (Forever Priced at the First-Class Mail Rate) Pane of 15 Stamps

Automatic distribution.

How to Order the First-Day-of-Issue Postmark:
The first-day-of-issue postmark is a postmark notating the day a stamp is first authorized for use by the Postal Service. Customers have 120 days to obtain the first-day-of-issue postmark by mail. All requests for first-day-of-issue postmarks (Traditional or Digital Color Postmark) must be sent to the following address with the choice of Traditional or Digital Color Postmark identified. All orders must be postmarked by July 13, 2026.

FDOI Lowriders Stamps
USPS Stamp Fulfillment Services
8300 NE Underground Drive, Suite 300
Kansas City, MO 64144-9900

Technical details are not yet available.

Updated January 14^th:
From the USPS’ StampsForever.com site:
“The USPS actually designed these lowrider stamps to be one-third wider than the usual commemorative size, to include as much detail as possible. To that end, the Postal Service even employed renowned pinstripe artist Danny Alvarado to help design the corner of each stamp and selvage connected to it.”

Updated December 12^th:
These stamps will be issued Friday, March 13, in San Diego, CA. See comments below for speculation on why San Diego.

From the USPS on October 29, 2025:

Quiltmaker Harriet Powers (1837-1910), who learned to sew while enslaved on a plantation near Athens, GA, stitched works that are celebrated as masterpieces of American folk art and storytelling. Derry Noyes, an art director for USPS, designed the stamps and pane using details from Powers’s 1898 “Pictorial Quilt,” with its biblical scenes and depictions of local lore.

More details will be posted below the line, with the most recent information at the top.

Updated February 13^th:
Finally!

[ceremony details] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions]
Harriet Powers Stamps To Be Issued February 28

What: The U.S. Postal Service will commemorate quiltmaker Harriet Powers (1837–1910) with four new stamps. Powers was a formerly enslaved woman who stitched works that are celebrated as masterpieces of American folk art and storytelling.

The ceremony for the stamps is free and open to the public. News of the stamp is being shared with the hashtag #HarrietPowersStamps.

Who: Lisa Bobb-Semple, director of Stamp Services, USPS

When: Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. EST

Where:
Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH)
Black History Month Celebration (ASALH Luncheon requires separate ticket)

JW Marriott, Washington DC
Capitol Ballroom (D&E)
1331 Pennsylvania Avenue NW,
Washington, DC 20004

RSVP: Attendees are encouraged to register at: usps.com/harrietpowersstamps

Background: Born Oct. 29, 1837, on a plantation near Athens, GA, the future quilter is believed to have learned to sew as a child. At 18, she married Armstead Powers, an enslaved farmhand. They would go on to have nine children. After emancipation, they bought four acres in nearby Sandy Creek, GA, where they raised cotton and vegetables.

Along the way, Harriet Powers began creating quilts and completed at least five. Of the five, it is known that two are referred to as story quilts because each of their panels features a pieced, appliquéd, and embroidered scene from a familiar story drawn from local lore or the Bible.

In 1886, Powers entered her “Bible Quilt” in a local fair, most likely the second annual Northeast Georgia Fair, in Athens. There, a young white art teacher named Jennie Smith fell in love with it and tried to purchase it. Powers initially turned her down but sold her the quilt a few years later.

Smith displayed the piece in the Negro Building of the 1895 Cotton States and International Exposition in Atlanta, and several Atlanta University faculty wives were so impressed they decided to commission a new quilt from Powers as a gift for the vice president of the university board, Charles Cuthbert Hall. The “Pictorial Quilt,” completed in 1898, remained in the Hall family for 62 years.

Derry Noyes, an art director for USPS, had worked on previous stamps featuring quilts but never thought of these works of fabric art as canvases for telling stories. “This is what is extraordinary about Harriet Powers’s quilts,” she said. Noyes chose details that would hold up well at stamp size and still communicate the stories Powers was trying to tell, and looked for variety and color combinations that worked well together.

Each of the four stamps in the pane of 20 features a panel selected from Powers’s “Pictorial Quilt.” Noyes took a novel approach to arranging the panels. “I wanted the pane to look as if there were more than just four different scenes,” she said. “By changing the starting order at the beginning of each row I was able to create the impression of a multitude of scenes.”

Powers’s other existing work, the “Bible Quilt,” now belongs to the Smithsonian National Museum of American History. The donor shipped it to the museum in 1968 through the U.S. Mail.

The Harriet Powers stamps are being issued as Forever stamps and will always be equal to the current First-Class Mail 1-ounce price.

Updated January 30^th:
Courtesy Clarence McKnight:

Updated January 25^th:
From the Postal Bulletin:
On February 28, 2026, in Washington, DC, the United States Postal Service® will issue the Harriet Powers stamps (Forever® priced at the First-Class Mail® rate), in four designs, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 20 stamps (Item 488100). These stamps will go on sale nationwide February 28, 2026, and must not be sold or canceled before the first-day-of-issue. The Harriet Powers commemorative pane of 20 stamps must not be split and the stamps must not be sold individually.

With this issuance, the U.S. Postal Service honors quiltmaker Harriet Powers (1837–1910), a formerly enslaved woman who stitched works that are celebrated as masterpieces of American folk art and storytelling. The stamps feature details from four of the 15 panels that make up the “Pictorial Quilt,” which she completed in 1898. Each stamp features a pieced, appliquéd, and embroidered scene from a familiar story drawn from local lore or the Bible. Art director Derry Noyes designed the stamps and stamp pane.

Automatic distribution.

How to Order the First-Day-of-Issue Postmark:
The first-day-of-issue postmark is a postmark notating the day a stamp is first authorized for use by the Postal Service. Customers have 120 days to obtain the first-day-of-issue postmark by mail. All requests for first-day-of-issue postmarks (Traditional or Digital Color Postmark) must be sent to the following address with the choice of Traditional or Digital Color Postmark identified. All orders must be postmarked by June 28, 2026.

FDOI – Harriet Powers Stamps
USPS Stamp Fulfillment Services
8300 NE Underground Drive, Suite 300
Kansas City, MO 64144-9900

Technical Specifications are not yet available.

Updated January 22^nd:
Here are the first-day postmarks for this issue: The Digital Color Postmark measures 2.96″ x 1.26″ The Pictorial Postmark measures 2.74″ x 1.07″ The Special Postmark measures 2.88″ x 0.93″

Updated December 12^th:
These stamps will be issued Saturday, February 28, in Washington, DC.

From the USPS on October 29, 2025:

In 2026, USPS will honor the Year of the Horse with the seventh stamp in the current Lunar New Year series. Lunar New Year — also referred to as Chinese New Year or Spring Festival — is one of the most widely celebrated cultural holidays in the world. Beginning in 2020, the Postal Service introduced its latest Lunar New Year stamp series, the third in the organization’s history. This collection features paper-cut masks by artist Camille Chew depicting each of the 12 animals of the Chinese zodiac. Antonio Alcalá, an art director for USPS, designed the stamp using a photograph of the mask by Sally Andersen-Bruce. The Lunar New Year: Year of the Horse stamp will be issued Feb. 3 in Houston.

More details will be posted below the line, with the most recent information at the top.

Updated March 3^rd:
The Scott catalogue number for this issue is 6054.

Updated January 14^th:
[ceremony details] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions]
USPS Announces Ceremony for Lunar New Year Stamp

What: The U.S. Postal Service celebrates the Lunar New Year with the release of the Year of the Horse stamp. The Year of the Horse begins Feb. 17, 2026, and ends Feb. 5, 2027.

The first-day-of-issue event for the Forever stamp will be in Houston and is free and open to the public. News of the stamp is being shared with the hashtags #LunarNewYearHorse and #LunarNewYearStamp.

Customers can preorder Lunar New Year: Year of the Horse stamps on usps.com and they will be shipped on Feb. 3, 2026.

Who: David Steiner, postmaster general and chief executive officer of the U.S. Postal Service, will be the dedicating official

Gary Poon, chief executive officer, Chinese Community Center

Luis M. Chen, chef and content creator

When: Tuesday, Feb. 3, at 11 a.m. Central

Where:
Chinese Community Center
9800 Town Park Drive
Houston, TX 77036

RSVP: Attendees are encouraged to register at usps.com/lunarnewyearhorse.

Background: Lunar New Year — also referred to as the Chinese New Year or Spring Festival — is one of the most widely celebrated cultural holidays in the world.

Parades, fireworks and festivals mark the holiday in Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean and other East and Southeast Asian communities across America.

In 2020, the Postal Service introduced its third — and current — Lunar New Year stamp series. This is the seventh Forever stamp in that series, which will continue through 2031 with stamps for the Year of the Ram, Monkey, Rooster, Dog and Boar.

Two previous award-winning Lunar New Year series ran from 1992-2004 and from 2008-2019 and showcased the art of Clarence Lee and Kam Mak, respectively.

The Year of the Horse stamp features a colorful three-dimensional mask depicting a frontal view of the face of a horse. Antonio Alcalá, an art director for USPS, designed the stamp with original art by Camille Chew. Calling to mind the elaborately decorated masks used in the dragon or lion dances often performed during Lunar New Year parades, Chew’s designs are a contemporary take on the long tradition of paper-cut folk-art crafts created during this auspicious time of year.

Chew constructed the mask out of hand-printed paper, then cut, scored and folded it into shape. She then embellished the mask with acrylic paint and other paper elements, such as flowers and tassels, and covered the back of the mask in a layer of papier-mâché. The mask was then photographed on a white background for this series.

Updated January 8^th:

Technical Specifications:

Issue: Lunar New Year • Year of the Horse Stamp
Item Number: 487900
Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail Forever®
Format: Pane of 20 (2 designs)
Series: Lunar New Year
Issue Date & City: February 3, 2026, Houston, TX 77201
Art Director: Antonio Alcalá, Alexandria, VA
Designer: Antonio Alcalá, Alexandria, VA
Artist: Camille Chew, Providence, RI
Modeler: Sandra Lane / Michelle Finn
Manufacturing Process: Offset, Foil Stamping, Flexographic, Microprint
Printer: Banknote Corporation of America
Press Type: Gallus RCS
Stamps per Pane: 20
Print Quantity: 20,000,000 stamps
Paper Type: Phosphor, Block Tag
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Colors: Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black, PMS 7579 C, PMS 7563 C, Kurz Luxor 413, Kurz Luxor 361
Stamp Orientation: Vertical
Image Area (w x h): 0.8400 x 1.4200 in. / 21.3360 x 36.0680 mm.
Overall Size (w x h): 0.9800 x 1.5600 in. / 24.8920 x
39.6240 mm.
Full Pane Size (w x h): 7.2500 x 8.5000 in. / 184.1500 x 215.9000 mm.
Press Sheet Size (w x h): 14.6250 x 17.1250 in. / 371.4750 x 434.9750 mm.
Plate Size: 80 stamps per revolution
Plate Number: “B” followed by six (6) single digits
Marginal Markings:
Front: Header: LUNAR NEW YEAR • YEAR OF THE HORSE • Plate number in bottom two corners of pane
Back: ©2025 USPS • USPS logo • Two barcodes (487900) • Plate position diagram (4) • Promotional text

Updated December 29^th:
Here are the first-day postmarks for this issue:The Digital Color Postmark measures 3.0″ x 1.5″The Pictorial Postmark measures 2.41″ x 1.22″

Updated December 27^th:
On February 3, 2026, in Houston, TX, the United States Postal Service® will issue the Lunar New Year • Year of the Horse stamp (Forever® priced at the First-Class Mail® rate), in one design, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 20 stamps (Item 487900). This stamp will go on sale nationwide February 3, 2026, and must not be sold or canceled before the first-day-of-issue. The Lunar New Year • Year of the Horse commemorative pane of 20 stamps must not be split and the stamps must not be sold individually.

In 2026, the U.S. Postal Service will issue the 7th of 12 stamps in its latest Lunar New Year series. The Year of the Horse begins February 17, 2026, and concludes on February 5, 2027. Calling to mind the elaborately decorated masks used in the dragon or lion dances often performed in Lunar New Year parades, this 3-dimensional mask depicting a horse is a contemporary take on the long tradition of paper-cut folk-art crafts created during this time of year. Art director Antonio Alcalá designed this stamp issuance with original artwork by Camille Chew and photography by Sally Andersen-Bruce.

Item 487900, Pane of 20 Stamps

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 – Lunar New Year • Year of the Horse 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 June 3, 2026.

Technical details will appear in a future edition of the Postal Bulletin.

From the USPS on October 29, 2025:

The 49th Black Heritage stamp commemorates Phillis Wheatley (circa 1753-1784), the first author of African descent in the American Colonies to publish a book. As an enslaved woman with an education and prominent social connections, Wheatley occupied a unique and remarkable place in Colonial Boston, and she is often called “the mother of African American literature.” Antonio Alcalá, an art director for USPS, designed the stamp with a portrait of Wheatley by internationally acclaimed artist Kerry James Marshall. The Phillis Wheatley stamp will be issued Jan. 29 in Boston.

More details will be posted below the line, with the most recent information at the top.

Updated March 3^rd:
The Scott catalogue number for this issue is 6053.

Updated January 8^th:

Technical Specifications:

Issue: Phillis Wheatley Stamp
Item Number: 487800
Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail Forever®
Format: Pane of 20 (1 design)
Series: Black Heritage
Issue Date & City: January 29, 2026, Boston, MA 02205
Art Director: Antonio Alcalá, Alexandria, VA
Designer: Antonio Alcalá, Alexandria, VA
Existing Art: Kerry James Marshall, Chicago, IL
Modeler: Joseph Sheeran
Manufacturing Process: Offset, Microprint
Printer: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
Press Type: Muller A76
Stamps per Pane: 20
Print Quantity: 25,000,000 stamps
Paper Type: Nonphosphored Type III
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Colors: Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black
Stamp Orientation: Vertical
Image Area (w x h): 0.8400 x 1.4200 in. / 21.3360 x 36.0680 mm.
Overall Size (w x h): 0.9800 x 1.5600 in. / 24.8920 x 39.6240 mm.
Full Pane Size (w x h): 6.0000 x 8.5000 in. / 152.4000 x 215.9000 mm.
Press Sheet Size (w x h): 12.0000 x 25.7500 in. / 304.8000 x 654.0500 mm.
Plate Size: 240 stamps per revolution
Plate Number: “P” followed by four (4) single digits
Marginal Markings:
Front: Plate number in bottom two corners of pane
Back: © 2025 USPS • USPS logo • Two barcodes (487800) • Plate position diagram (6) • BLACK HERITAGE, Celebrating Phillis Wheatley, 49th IN A SERIES • Promotional text

Updated January 2^nd:
[ceremony details] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions]
USPS Honors Phillis Wheatley, First Published African American Poet, With 49th Black Heritage Stamp

What: The U.S. Postal Service is honoring Phillis Wheatley (1753-1784), the first author of African descent in the American Colonies to publish a book, with the 49th stamp in the Black Heritage series.

The first-day-of-issue event for the Phillis Wheatley Black Heritage stamp is free and open to the public. News of the stamp is being shared with the hashtag#BlackHeritageStamp.

When: Thursday, Jan. 29, 2026, at 11 a.m. EST

Where:
Old South Meeting House
310 Washington St.
Boston, MA 02108

RSVP: Attendees are encouraged to register at https://www.usps.com/philliswheatleystamp

Background: Born in West Africa and brought to Boston on a slave ship, Phillis Wheatley was enslaved but educated in the Wheatley household. Wheatley published her first collection, “Poems on Various Subjects, Religious and Moral,” in 1773. This collection showcased her impressive mastery of various poetic forms, including hymns, elegies, and narrative verse, securing her place in history. Freed from slavery that same year, she went on to correspond with figures such as George Washington, who praised her poetic talent.

Wheatley’s legacy continues to inspire generations, earning her the title “the mother of African American literature.” Before the Civil War, abolitionists used her accomplishments to affirm the intellectual capability of people of African descent and argue against slavery. Today schools, libraries, community centers and university buildings across the country have been named for Wheatley, and she has been the subject of numerous inspirational books for children. In 2003, a statue of the poet was included in a new Boston Women’s Memorial. The first full-length scholarly biography of Wheatley was published in 2011, with a second biographical study published in 2023, part of an ongoing effort to recognize her resilience in adversity.

Antonio Alcalá, an art director for USPS, designed the stamp using an existing portrait by Kerry James Marshall.

The Phillis Wheatley stamp will be issued in panes of 20. As a Forever stamp, it will always be equal in value to the current First-Class Mail 1-ounce price.

Updated December 29^th:
Here are the first-day postmarks for this issue:The Digital Color Postmark measures 2.68″ x 1.50″The Pictorial Postmark measures 2.75″ x 1.07″There is a Special Postmark for this issue. It measures 2.68″ x 1.20″

Updated December 27^th:
On January 29, 2026, in Boston, MA, the United States Postal Service® will issue the Phillis Wheatley stamp (Forever® priced at the First-Class Mail® rate), in one design, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 20 stamps (Item 487800). This stamp will go on sale nationwide January 29, 2026, and must not be sold or canceled before the first-day-of-issue.

The 49th Black Heritage stamp honors poet Phillis Wheatley (ca 1753–1784), the first author of African descent in the American colonies to publish a book. Her 1773 book, Poems on Various Subjects, Religious and Moral, showcased her ease with a wide range of genres, including hymns, elegies, philosophical poems, and narrative poems. After her death, abolitionists and emancipationists invoked her accomplishments to appeal to a shared humanity across racial divisions and to argue for the intellectual ability of people of African descent. She is often known as “the mother of African American literature.” The stamp art features a black-and-white, ink-on-paper portrait of Wheatley by Kerry James Marshall, who imagines her later in life, working on her second, unpublished book of poems. Antonio Alcalá served as art director.

Item 487800, Pane of 20 Stamps

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 – Phillis Wheatley 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 May 29, 2026.

Technical details will appear in a future edition of the Postal Bulletin.

Updated December 12^th:
This stamp will be issued Thursday, January 29, as stated above.