Announced September 23rd. Updates will appear in reverse chronological order (that is, most-recent first) below the line after the press release.
[press release]
Holiday Wreaths Adorn Forever Stamps
New offerings will be among several holiday-themed stamps this year
WASHINGTION — The U.S. Postal Service announced today that this year’s contemporary holiday stamps will highlight wreaths to welcome the season. The Holiday Wreaths Forever stamps will be issued later this fall, providing plenty of time for mailing greeting cards. Details will be announced soon. These stamps will be among several holiday-themed stamps that will be available this year.
Displayed on a door, in a window or over a mantel, wreaths are symbols of joy and celebration, inviting the spirit of the season into the home.
Inspired by the holiday decorating traditions of early America, the four wreaths featured on these stamps are classic yet contemporary. Their designs create feelings of warmth and welcome. Wreaths are often made from materials easily found during the winter months, including pinecones, dried flowers and berries.
Here’s more information about each wreath:
- (top left) The ribbon leaf wreath is inspired by French floral art. Aspidistra leaves, folded and manipulated to resemble ribbons, create a long-lasting wreath.
- (top right) Gilded pinecones and magnolia pods grace the wreath trimmed with cranberry red ribbon.
- (lower left) Red and gold ribbon adorns the wreath made from gilded dried hydrangea, eucalyptus and nandina foliage, red berries, and small ornaments.
- (lower right) The woodland bush ivy and red winterberry wreath presents a classic red and green palette.
Add these elegant stamps to your cards and letters to share holiday greetings with family and friends.
Antonio Alcalá served as the art director for these stamps and designed them with floral artist Laura Dowling. Dowling designed the wreaths for the stamps, which were photographed by Kevin Allen.
USPS will issue the Holidays Wreaths in booklets of 20. These Forever stamps will always be equal in value to the current First-Class Mail 1-ounce price.
Customers may purchase stamps and other philatelic products through The Postal Store at usps.com/shop, by calling 800-STAMP24 (800-782-6724), by mail through USA Philatelic, or at Post Office locations nationwide.
Updated October 11th :
This issue has been assigned the following Scott catalogue numbers:
5424 (55¢) Christmas Wreaths – Aspidistra Leaf Wreath
5425 (55¢) Christmas Wreaths – Wreath Made of Gilded Pine Cones and Magnolia Pods
5426 (55¢) Christmas Wreaths – Wreath Made of Gilded Hydrangea, Eucalyptus, Nandina and Ribbon
5427 (55¢) Christmas Wreaths – Wreath Made of Woodland Bush Ivy and Red Winterberry
a. Block of 4, #5424-5427
b. Convertible booklet pane of 20, 5 each #5424-5427
Updated October 11th from the Postal Bulletin:
On October 25, 2019, in Freeport, ME, the United States Postal Service® will issue the Holiday Wreaths stamps (Forever® priced at the First-Class Mail® rate) in four designs, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) booklet of 20 stamps (Item 682400). The stamps will go on sale nationwide October 25, 2019, and must not be sold or canceled before the first-day-of-issue.
Art director Antonio Alcalá designed the stamps with floral artist Laura Dowling. The wreaths were made by Dowling and photographed by Kevin Allen.
Availability to Post Offices: Item 682400, Holiday Wreaths (Forever Priced at the First-Class Mail Rate) PSA Double-sided Booklet of 20 Stamps: Stamp Fulfillment Services will not make an automatic push distribution to Post Offices.
How to Order the First-Day-of-Issue Postmark:
Customers have 120 days to obtain the first-day-of-issue postmark by mail. They may purchase new stamps at their local Post Office™ or at The Postal Store® website at usps.com/shop. They must affix the stamps to envelopes of their choice, address the envelopes (to themselves or others), and place them in a larger envelope addressed to:
FDOI – Holiday Wreaths 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 February 25, 2020.
Technical Specifications:
Issue: Holiday Wreaths Stamps
Item Number: 682400
Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail Forever
Format: Double-sided Booklet of 20, (4 designs)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: October 25, 2019 Freeport, ME 04032
Art Director: Antonio Alcalá, Alexandria, VA
Designer: Antonio Alcalá, Alexandria, VA
Designer: Laura Dowling, Alexandria, VA
Typographer: Antonio Alcalá, Alexandria, VA
Photographer: Kevin Allen
Modeler: Sandra Lane/Michelle Finn
Manufacturing Process: Offset
Printer: Banknote Corporation of America
Press Type: Alprinta 74
Stamps per Booklet: 20
Print Quantity: 350,000,000
Paper Type: Phosphor Tagged Paper, Block Tagged
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Processed at: Banknote Corporation of America
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
Full Booklet Size (w x h): 5.52 x 1.96 in./140.208 x 49.784 mm
Colors: Pantone 186, Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black
Plate Size: 960 stamps per revolution
Plate Numbers: “B” followed by five (5) single digits
Marginal Markings: Header. “Holiday Wreaths: 20 First-Class™ Forever® Stamps” • USPS logo • ©2019 USPS in peel strip area
• Barcode • Promotional text in peel strip area • Plate number in peel strip area
Here are the first-day cancels for this issue:
The Digital Color Postmark measures 2.97″ x 1.22″ 
The B&W Pictorial measures 2.67″ x 1.38″
Updated October 7th: Date and first-day ceremony location.
[press release]
Holiday Wreaths Featured on Postage Stamps
WHAT: The U.S. Postal Service ushers in the holiday season with four new stamps in a booklet of 20 featuring festive wreaths. Displayed on a door, in a window, or over a mantel, wreaths are symbols of joy and celebration, inviting the spirit of the season to enter the home.
The first-day-of-issue event for the Holiday Wreaths Forever stamps is free and open to the public. News of the stamp is being shared with the hashtag #HolidayStamps.
WHO: Megan J. Brennan, Postmaster General and CEO, U.S. Postal Service
WHEN: Friday, Oct. 25, 2019 at 11 a.m. ET
WHERE:
L.L. Bean Flagship Store
95 Main Street
Freeport, ME 04032
RSVP: Dedication ceremony attendees are encouraged to rsvp at: usps.com/holidaystamps
Background: Inspired by the holiday decorating traditions of early America, the four wreaths featured on these stamps are classic yet contemporary. Their designs create feelings of warmth and welcome. Wreaths are often made from materials easily found during the winter months.
The ribbon leaf wreath is inspired by French floral art. Aspidistra leaves, folded and manipulated to resemble ribbons, create a long-lasting wreath.
Gilded pinecones and magnolia pods grace the wreath trimmed with cranberry red ribbon.
Red and gold ribbon adorns the wreath made from gilded dried hydrangea, eucalyptus and nandina foliage, red berries, and small ornaments.
The woodland bush ivy and red winterberry wreath presents a classic red and green palette.
Add these elegant stamps to your cards and letters to share holiday greetings with family and friends.
Antonio Alcalá served as the art director of the project and designed the stamps with floral artist Laura Dowling. Dowling designed the wreaths for the stamps, which were photographed by Kevin Allen.
Customers may purchase stamps and other philatelic products through The Postal Store at usps.com/shop, by calling 800-STAMP24 (800-782-6724), by mail through USA Philatelic, or at Post Office locations nationwide.
Updated September 26th: Better-quality image is above and here: 
A global superstar, Elton John is one of the most successful recording artists of all time and has, over his 50-year career, achieved one diamond, 38 platinum or multi-platinum and 26 gold albums. He has been awarded 13 Ivor Novellos, five Grammys and the Grammy Legend Award, five BRITS, including the first BRITS Icon Award, an Academy Award, a Tony Award and a Golden Globe.
He has been deeply influential to successive generations of songwriters. His work has been covered by hundreds of artists in different genres, from Ed Sheeran to Aretha Franklin to Lady Ga Ga.
Elton John, said: “To say I was surprised when Royal Mail got in touch, is an understatement. Never did I think I’d appear on a stamp! It’s wonderful, a great honour.”
The stamps and a range of unique collectible products including frames and prints are available from 
platinum, and 26 gold albums, over 50 Top 40 hits, and he has sold more than 300 million records worldwide. He holds the record for the biggest-selling single of all time, “Candle in the Wind 1997”, which sold over 33 million copies. Diamonds the Ultimate Greatest Hits album, reached the Top 5 of the UK album charts on its release in November 2017, becoming Elton’s 40th UK Top 40 album in the process. This release celebrated 50 years of his song writing partnership with Bernie Taupin. August 2018 saw Elton named as the most successful male solo artist in Billboard Hot 100 chart history, having logged 67 entries, including nine No. 1s and 27 Top 10s.
Elton announced the Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour at New York’s Gotham Hall in January 2018. Encompassing 5 continents, and over 350 dates, this 3-year-long tour started in September 2018 and marks his retirement from touring after more than 50 years on the road. In May 2019 it was named Billboard’s Top Rock Tour. To date, Elton has delivered more than 4,000 performances in more than 80 countries since launching his first tour in 1970. 2019 has already seen the release of ‘Rocketman’, a fantasy musical motion picture of his life and his autobiography Me will be published later in the year.
Among the many awards and honours bestowed upon him are six GRAMMYs, including a GRAMMY Legend award, a Tony and an Oscar, a Best British Male Artist BRIT Award, induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Songwriters Hall of Fame, the Kennedy Center Honor, Legend of Live Award, 13 Ivor Novello Awards between 1973 and 2001and a knighthood from HM Queen Elizabeth II for “services to music and charitable services.”
more products: 
be presented in two Miniature Sheets
host to the 2019 men’s and 2017 women’s tournaments. The paintwork will be in place for three months and will be complemented by a permanent gold plaque
The men’s Miniature Sheet comprises four stamps; each capturing a moment of celebration following England’s thrilling World Cup Final victory against New Zealand at Lord’s Cricket Ground.
Each sheet will include two 1st Class stamps, alongside two £1.60 value stamps and retail at £4.60. Fans can pre-order the stamps now; online at 
Royal Mail has also decorated 15 special edition postboxes at each venue used in the tournament to mark the historic achievement of both England teams. The first postbox painted was outside Lord’s Cricket Ground where both sold-out finals were held.
Bristol County Ground – Bristol
Glen Affric in Inverness-shire, is managed by Forestry and Land Scotland and is a fragment of the once extensive Caledonian Forest. Its rugged Scots pines and graceful birches are the signature trees in a landscape where forest, lochs, river and mountains combine to create the perfect Highland setting, which is breath-taking at any time of year but especially when the birches take on their golden apparel.
Sherwood Forest in Nottinghamshire is famous for its rich assemblage of ancient oak trees, such as the Major Oak. The atmospheric image on the stamp shows a fine stand of conifers in the early morning light, reflecting the mixed planting found across the whole forest.
Managed by the Forest Service Northern Ireland, Glenariff Forest Park in County Antrim, boasts a beautiful mixture of views and trails that allow the visitor to enjoy a wide variety of walks and activities. Probably the most spectacular of these is the Waterfall Walk, a steep path up the vertical sides of the gorge and along elevated boardwalks taking in a succession of dramatic and world-famous waterfalls.
Westonbirt, The National Arboretum is the Forestry Commission’s flagship collection of trees in England. First created by the wealthy Holford family almost 200 years ago, it is one of the most beautiful and diverse botanical collections in the world. The 600-acre (243ha) site with 17 miles (27km) of paths showcases 3,000 tree species, including the Japanese maples seen on the stamp in autumnal colours.
Located near Dolgellau in the Snowdonia National Park, Coed y Brenin is now one of the flagship forests of Natural Resources Wales. Commercial softwood forestry across some 7,650 acres (3,093ha) of Forest Park combines with recreational facilities for mountain-bikers and a network of spectacular scenic trails for hikers, based around the impressive visitor centre.
Kielder Forest in Northumberland is the largest human-made forest in Britain, stretching 250 square miles (647sq km); around 75 per cent is covered by trees. The Forestry Commission harvests around 500,000 cubic metres of timber here each year. The felled areas are replanted using a mixture of conifer and broadleaf trees, and parts are left open to create a diversity of habitats.
Royal Mail has revealed eight colourful and engaging illustrations, depicting and capturing the spirit of well-known, and some not so well-known, annual customs that take place around the UK. The stamps celebrate the eclectic mix of annual customs and festivals that take place across the UK. Royal Mail worked with award-winning folklorist Steve Roud on the stamp issue
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Postal Service today announced that a semipostal stamp to help raise funds for those diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is being issued Dec. 2 at McGlohon Theater at Spirit Square in Charlotte, NC.
The Digital Color Postmark measures 2.80″ x 1.15″
The Pictorial measures 2.73″ x 1.34″
The Republic’s English-language website can be found 
It measures 2.72″ x 1.48″. There is no DIgital Color Postmark for this issue. There is, however, a “special” postmark other post offices may use in connection with this issue: 
It measures 2.89″ x 1.15″
[American Philatelic Society chief content officer Thomas Loebig says the ceremony’s start time is 11 a.m. One of the speakers will be APS president Bob Zeigler, an Indianapolis resident [shown on the left]. “If anyone knows of a Purple Heart recipient in the Indianapolis area, please connect me with them,” he posted on Facebook. “I’d like to make sure they are part of the ceremony.” His email address is 
Unfortunately, some populations are threatened by habitat loss and human activity – making conservation efforts critical to their survival. The Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) has assessed polar bears and western populations of the grizzly bear as being of special concern. Polar bears are affected significantly by the loss of sea ice due to climate change, while grizzlies are dwindling in number due to human encroachment.
The 
Found in coastal regions of British Columbia, the 
the world for more than 20 years capturing award-winning images.
[The link directly to the Bears stamps is 
Here is the press sheet for this issue: 
Here is the Official First Day Covers: 
Here is the pane of stamps: 
Here is the booklet version:
Australia Post Philatelic Manager Michael Zsolt said the stamp release celebrates the magnitude of the occasion but also Australia’s small but significant part in it.
was used for descent to the lunar surface and served as a base while the astronauts were on the Moon.
With around 600 million people watching on television, he climbed down the ladder and proclaimed: “That’s one small step for [a] man, one giant leap for mankind.”
medallion cover, and four booklets of 10 x $1 self-adhesive stamps.
