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:

This semi-postal stamp is rumored for December, replacing the Alzheimer’s semi-postal. It is one of the “discretionary” semi-postals whose subject the USPS is allowed to pick. (An earlier report that it would be announced was in error.)

Updated November 8th: The stamp was finally announced on this date. Large version of the design follows the press release.

[press release]
U.S. Postal Service Announces Healing PTSD Semipostal Fundraising Stamp
Dedication Ceremony Will Be Held Dec. 2

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 Healing PTSD semipostal stamp features a photographic illustration of a green plant sprouting from the ground, which is covered in fallen leaves. The image is intended to symbolize the PTSD healing process. Art director Greg Breeding designed the stamp with original art by Mark Laita.

Tens of millions of Americans will experience PTSD in their lifetimes. Today, the nation is increasingly dedicated to compassionately treating this mental health issue.

While post-traumatic disorders have long been a subject of study, PTSD was not officially added to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, a widely used reference guide published by the American Psychiatric Association, until the late 20th century.

The condition develops in some children and adults who have survived a traumatic event. Experiences such as a natural disaster, car accident, physical or sexual assault, abuse, and combat, among others, can trigger PTSD.

When the Healing PTSD semipostal stamp becomes available, it will be sold for 65 cents. The price includes the first-class single-piece postage rate in effect at the time of purchase plus an amount to fund PTSD research. By law, revenue from sales of the Healing PTSD semipostal stamp — minus the postage paid and the reimbursement of reasonable costs incurred by the Postal Service — will be distributed to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

The Semipostal Authorization Act, Pub. L. 106–253, grants the U.S. Postal Service discretionary authority to issue and sell semipostal stamps to advance such causes as it considers to be ‘‘in the national public interest and appropriate.’’ Under the program, the Postal Service intends to issue semipostal stamps over a 10-year period, with each stamp to be sold for no more than two years. The Alzheimer’s semipostal stamp, issued Nov. 30, 2017, was the first. The Healing PTSD semipostal stamp is the second. Additional discretionary semipostal stamps have not yet been determined.

Under the Act, the Postal Service will consider proposals for future semipostals until May 20, 2023. The Federal Register notice outlining this program can be found at the following url: www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2016-04-20/pdf/2016-09081.pdf.

Proposals will only be considered if they meet all submission requirements and selection criteria. They may be submitted by mail to the following address:

Office of Stamp Services
Attn: Semipostal Discretionary Program
475 L’Enfant Plaza SW, Room 3300
Washington, DC 20260–3501

Suggestions may also be submitted in a single Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) file sent by email to semipostal@usps.gov. Indicate in the Subject Line: Semipostal Discretionary Program.

Further updates will appear below this line, with the most recent at the top:

Updated January 4, 2020: The Scott Catalogue number for this semipostal issue is B7.

Updated December 5th:
Here are the first-day postmarks for this issue: The Digital Color Postmark measures 2.80″ x 1.15″The Pictorial measures 2.73″ x 1.34″

Updated November 18th:

[press release]
U.S. Postal Service Issuing Healing PTSD Semipostal Stamp Dec. 2

What: With this semipostal stamp, the U.S. Postal Service will raise funds to help treat those impacted by post-traumatic stress disorder (PSD). The stamp features a photo illustration of a green plant sprouting from the ground, which is covered in fallen leaves. The image is intended to symbolize the PTSD healing process, growth and hope. Art director Greg Breeding designed the stamp with original art by Mark Laita.

The stamp dedication ceremony is free and open to the public. News of the stamp is being shared with the hashtags #HealingPTSDStamp and #semipostalStamps.

Who:

• Hon. David C. Williams, Vice Chairman, Board of Governors, U.S. Postal Service and Dedicating Official
• Koby J. Langley, Senior Vice President, American Red Cross
• Chuck Denny, Founder, The American Veteran Foundation
• Dan Miller, Wounded Warriors Project
• Donald Tyson, President, Charlotte Chapter, National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)
• Dr. Paula Schnurr, Executive Director, National Center for PTSD
• Maureen O’Boyle, Primetime News Anchor, WBTV, Charlotte, NC, and Emcee

When: Monday, Dec. 2, 2019, at 11:00 a.m. EST

Where: McGlohon Theater at Spirit Square
345 N. College Street
Charlotte, NC 28202

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

Background:
Tens of millions of Americans will experience PTSD in their lifetimes. Today, the nation is increasingly dedicated to compassionately treating this mental health issue.

Many kinds of trauma can lead people to experience persistent symptoms such as intrusive thoughts, nightmares, and difficulty sleeping. Depression, anxiety, and fear can also occur. Though these symptoms may initially interrupt one’s daily life, for most people they typically dissipate over time. However, if these problems continue for more than a month, PTSD may have developed. Symptoms associated with the disorder often can be broken down into four categories: avoidance, hyperarousal, increased negative beliefs and feelings, and reliving.

The two most common treatments for PTSD are medication and psychotherapy, also known as talk therapy. The disorder cuts across demographic lines, though women are at a greater risk than men. Women are more than twice as likely as men to suffer PTSD at some point in their lives.
Sold at a price of 65 cents per First-Class stamp, the PTSD stamp is a semipostal. The price of a semipostal stamp pays for the First-Class single-piece postage rate in effect at the time of purchase plus an amount to fund causes that have been determined to be in the national public interest. By law, revenue from sales (minus postage and the reasonable reimbursement of costs to the Postal Service) is to be transferred to a selected executive agency or agencies. Net proceeds from this stamp will be distributed to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, which oversees the National Center for PTSD.

Updated November 8th: Click here to hear acting Director of USPS Stamp Services Bill Gicker describe for The Virtual Stamp Club the challenges of designing a PTSD stamp, in a 25-second mp3 file.

Updated November 21st:
On December 2, 2019, in Charlotte, NC, the United States Postal Service® will issue the Healing PTSD semipostal stamp (Non-denominated, First-Class Mail® priced at 65 cents) in one design, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 20 stamps (Item 572100). The stamp will go on sale nationwide December 2, 2019, and must not be sold or canceled before the first-day-of-issue.

With this semipostal stamp, the United States Postal Service will raise funds to help treat those impacted by post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The stamp features a photo illustration of a green plant sprouting from the ground, which is covered in fallen leaves. The image is intended to symbolize the PTSD healing process, growth, and hope. Art director Greg Breeding designed the stamp with original art by Mark Laita.

Availability to Post Offices: Item 572100, Healing PTSD Semipostal (Non-denominated, First-Class Mail priced at 65 cents) PSA Pane of 20 Stamps: Stamp Fulfillment Services will make an automatic push distribution to Post Offices of a quantity to cover approximately 30 days of sales.

Sales Policy:
As has been the case with current and previous semipostal stamp issues, all Post Offices must maintain a sufficient inventory level of this item until the stamp is officially withdrawn from sale. The Healing PTSD semipostal stamp is supported by a variety of organizations and individuals who expect the stamp to be available at all Post Offices. If supplies run low, Post Offices must reorder additional quantities using normal ordering procedures.

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 – Healing PTSD Semipostal 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 April 2, 2020.

Technical Specifications:

Issue: Healing PTSD Semipostal Stamp
Item Number: 572100
Denomination & Type of Issue: Non-denominated, First-Class Mail (65 cents)
Format: Pane of 20 (one design)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: December 2, 2019, Charlotte, NC 28204
Art Director: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
Designer: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
Typographer: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
Photographer: Mark Laita, Culver City, CA
Modeler: Joseph Sheeran
Manufacturing Process: Offset, Microprint
Printer: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
Press Type: Muller A76
Stamps per Pane: 20
Print Quantity: 40,000,000 stamps
Paper Type: Nonphosphored Type III, Block Tag
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Processed at: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
Stamp Orientation: Vertical
Image Area (w x h): 0.84 x 1.42 in./21.336 x 36.068 mm
Stamp Size (w x h): 0.98 x 1.56 in./24.892 x 39.624 mm
Full Pane Size (w x h): 6.5 x 7.67 in./165.1 x 194.818 mm
Colors: Black, Cyan, Magenta, Yellow
Plate Size: 240 stamps per revolution
Plate Number: “P” followed by four (4) single digits
Marginal Markings:
Front: • Plate number four corners
Back: • ©2019 USPS • USPS logo • Two barcodes (572100) • Promotional text • Plate position diagram

Updated December 4th:
A computer glitch prevented this stamp from being sold at most post offices on the first day (December 2nd), reports Linn’s Stamp News. When window clerks scanned the bar code into their terminals, they got a message that the code had been rejected.

When the stamp bar codes are scanned, the sales are tracked. This is particularly important for semi-postal issues like PTSD, explains Michael Baadke in Linn’s, because ten cents of the price of each stamp goes toward a charity — in this case, the National Center for PTSD. The problem was cleared up in a few hours, and did not affect stamp sales at the first day ceremony in Charlotte.

This stamp will be issued October 4th in Noblesville, Indiana, at the Indypex World Series of Philately stamp show. Press release below.

Announced July 30th by the USPS:

“The Postal Service continues to honor the sacrifices of the men and women who serve in the U.S. military with the issuance of the Purple Heart Medal 2019 stamp that depicts the medal suspended from its ribbon. This stamp is a redesign of the 2012 Purple Heart Medal stamp and features a purple border matching the brilliant purple of the medal and its ribbon. The type on the stamp — PURPLE HEART, FOREVER, USA — is displayed in red. Ira Wexler photographed the medal. William J. Gicker served as art director with Bryan Duefrene as designer.

“The Postal Service receives no tax dollars for operating expenses and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations.”

New information about this issue will appear below the line, with the most recent at the top.

Updated October 3rd — ceremony information:
[press release]
Honoring the Sacrifices
U.S. Postal Service Dedicates Purple Heart Medal Forever Stamp Oct. 4

What: First-Day-of-Issue dedication ceremony for the Purple Heart Medal Forever Stamp. The event is free and open to the public.

When: Friday, Oct. 4, 2019, 11 a.m. EDT

Where: INDYPEX, Hamilton County Fairgrounds & Exhibition Center
2003 Pleasant St., Noblesville, IN 46060

Who:
Todd Hawkins, Greater Indiana District Manager
Greater Indiana District
United States Postal Service

Christi Johnson-Kennedy, Indianapolis Postmaster
Greater Indiana District
United States Postal Service

Robert G. Zeigler, President
American Philatelic Society

Mike Tomes
Specialist 4th Class, USA
Purple Heart Recipient

Steffani Pieart, Master of Ceremonies
Retail Manager
Greater Indiana District
United States Postal Service

Linda Reid, National Anthem
United States Postal Service

Presentation of Colors by the United States Postal Service Color Guard.

Background: The Postal Service continues to honor the sacrifices of the men and women who serve in the U.S. military.

The Purple Heart is awarded in the name of the president of the United States to members of the military who have been wounded or killed in action.

According to the Military Order of the Purple Heart, an organization for combat-wounded veterans, the medal is “the oldest military decoration in the world
in present use and the first award made available to a common soldier.”

Established by General George Washington during the Revolutionary War, the Badge of Military Merit — a heart made of purple cloth — was discontinued after the war.
In 1932, on the 200th anniversary of Washington’s birth, the decoration was reinstated and redesigned as a purple heart of metal bordered by gold, suspended from a purple and white ribbon.

In the center of the medal is a profile of George Washington beneath his family coat of arms.

The Purple Heart Medal 2019 stamp is a redesign that features a purple border matching the brilliant purple of the medal and its ribbon. Ira Wexler photographed the medal. William J. Gicker served as art director with Bryan Duefrene as designer.

The Purple Heart Medal 2019 stamp is being issued as a Forever stamp in self-adhesive sheets of 20.

Updated September 26th:
Here is the first-day postmarks for this issue: 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″

Updated September 17th:
APS chief content officer Tom Loebig notes that registration is required for Indypex, but not for the stamp ceremony: It’s in a different building. There is no admission charge for either the first-day ceremony nor Indypex itself.

Updated September 9th:
[press release]
Honoring the Sacrifices
U.S. Postal Service Dedicates Purple Heart Medal Forever Stamp Oct. 4

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Postal Service today announced the Purple Heart Medal Forever stamp will be dedicated at INDYPEX sponsored by the Indiana Stamp Club in Noblesville, IN, and go on sale nationwide Oct. 4.

The stamp dedication ceremony will be held at INDYPEX, Hamilton County Fairgrounds and Exhibition Center, 2003 Pleasant St., Noblesville, IN, 46060. The start time will be announced at a later date.

[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 tloebig@stamps.org —VSC]

With this stamp, the Postal Service continues to honor the sacrifices of the men and women who serve in the U.S. military. The Purple Heart is awarded in the name of the president of the United States to members of the military who have been wounded or killed in action. According to the Military Order of the Purple Heart, an organization for combat-wounded veterans, the medal is “the oldest military decoration in the world in present use and the first award made available to a common soldier.”

Established by General George Washington during the Revolutionary War, the Badge of Military Merit — a heart made of purple cloth — was discontinued after the war. In 1932, on the 200th anniversary of Washington’s birth, the decoration was reinstated and redesigned as a purple heart of metal bordered by gold, suspended from a purple and white ribbon. In the center of the medal is a profile of George Washington beneath his family coat of arms.

The Purple Heart Medal 2019 stamp is a redesign that features a purple border matching the brilliant purple of the medal and its ribbon. Ira Wexler photographed the medal. William J. Gicker served as art director with Bryan Duefrene as designer.

The Purple Heart Medal 2019 stamp is being issued as a Forever stamp in self-adhesive sheets of 20. This Forever stamp is always 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.

The Postal Service receives no tax dollars for operating expenses and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations.

Updated August 29th:
Still no first-day date, but other information is in the Postal Bulletin. Foster Miller in The Stamp Collecting Forum expects the first-day to be October 4 or 5, since the Indypex stamp show (World Series of Philately) is being held in Noblesville October 4-6.

In October 2019, in Noblesville, IN, the United States Postal Service will issue the Purple Heart Medal 2019 stamp (Forever priced at the First-Class Mail rate) in one design, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive pane of 20 stamps (Item 120700). The stamp will go on sale nationwide October 2019, and must not be sold or canceled before the first-day-of-issue, which will be announced in a future Postal Bulletin.

The Postal Service continues to honor the sacrifices of the men and women who serve in the U.S. military with the issuance of the Purple Heart Medal 2019 stamp, which depicts the medal suspended from its ribbon. This stamp is a redesign of the 2012 Purple Heart Medal stamp and features a purple border matching the brilliant purple of the medal and its ribbon. The type on the stamp, “PURPLE HEART, FOREVER, USA,” is displayed in red. Ira Wexler photographed the medal. William J. Gicker served as art director with Bryan Duefrene as the designer.

Availability to Post Offices: Item 120700, Purple Heart Medal 2019 (Forever Priced at the First-Class Mail Rate) Pane 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 – Purple Heart Medal 2019 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. The postmark date will be announced in a future Postal Bulletin.

Technical Specifications:

Issue: Purple Heart Medal 2019 Stamp
Item Number: 120700
Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail Forever
Format: Pane of 20 (1 design)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: October 2019, Noblesville, IN 46060
Art Director: William J. Gicker, Washington, DC
Designer: Bryan Duefrene, Washington, DC
Typographer: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
Photographer: Ira Wexler, Braddock Heights, MD
Modeler: Sandra Lane/Michelle Finn
Manufacturing Process: Offset, Microprint
Printer: Banknote Corporation of America
Press Type: Alprinta 74
Stamps per Pane: 20
Print Quantity: 400,000,000 stamps
Paper Type: Phosphor Tagged Paper, Block Tagged
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Processed at: Banknote Corporation of America
Colors: Pantone 266, Pantone 1805, Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black
Stamp Orientation: Vertical
Image Area (w x h): 0.73 x 0.84 in/18.542 x 21.336 mm
Overall Size (w x h): 0.87 x 0.98 in/22.098 x 24.892 mm
Full Pane Size (w x h): 5.3 x 4.88 in/134.62 x 123.952 mm
Plate Size: 400 stamps per revolution
Plate Numbers: “B” followed by six (6) single digits
Marginal Markings:
Front: Header: Purple Heart: The Medal for the Combat Wounded • Plate numbers in four corners
Back: ©2019 USPS • USPS logo • Two barcodes (120700) • Plate position diagram • Promotional text

Announced March 12th:

Halloween has long been a holiday that lets us delight in the things that scare us. With the approach of autumn, Spooky Silhouettes stamps will offer fun, frightful scenes that symbolize this annual celebration. Four stamps feature digital illustrations in which traditional Halloween motifs are rendered as black silhouettes in eerily backlit windows. Artist Tyler Lang created the artwork. Art Director Greg Breeding designed the stamps.

No date or first-day city were given. Further updates will appear below, in order announced.

Updated December 5th:
The Scott catalogue numbers for this issue are:
5420 (55¢) Spooky Silhouettes – Cat and Raven
5421 (55¢) Spooky Silhouettes – Ghosts
5422 (55¢) Spooky Silhouettes – Spider and Web
5423 (55¢) Spooky Silhouettes – Bats
a. Block of 4, #5420-5423

Updated September 26th:
Here are the first day postmarks for this issue:The Digital Color Postmark for this issue measures 2.37″ x 1.49″ The B&W pictorial postmark measures 2.96″ x 1.48″

On October 11, 2019, the United States Postal Service will issue the Spooky Silhouettes stamps (Forever® priced at the First-Class Mail rate) in four designs, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 20 stamps (Item 572200). The stamps will go on sale nationwide October 11, 2019, and must not be sold or canceled before the first-day-of-issue. The Spooky Silhouettes pane of 20 stamps may not be split and the stamps may not be sold individually.

Halloween has long been a holiday that lets us delight in the things that scare us. As autumn approaches, these new stamps offer fun, frightful scenes that symbolize this annual celebration. Four stamps feature digital illustrations in which traditional Halloween motifs are rendered as black silhouettes in eerily backlit windows. Artist Tyler Lang created the artwork. Art director Greg Breeding designed the stamps.

Availability to Post Offices: Item 572200 Spooky Silhouettes (Forever Priced at the First-Class Mail Rate) PSA Pane of 20 Stamps. Stamp Fulfillment Services will make an automatic push distribution to Post Offices of a quantity to cover approximately 30 days of sales.

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 – Spooky Silhouettes 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. The deadline is February 11, 2020.

Technical Specifications:

Issue: Spooky Silhouettes Stamps
Item Number: 572200
Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail Forever
Format: Pane of 20 (4 designs)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: October 11, 2019, Milford, NH 03055
Art Director: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
Designer: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
Typographer: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
Artist: Tyler Lang, Milwaukie, OR
Modeler: Joseph Sheeran
Manufacturing Process: Flexographic, Rainbow Foil
Printer: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
Press Type: Arsoma EM 410
Stamps per Pane: 20
Print Quantity: 40,000,000 stamps
Paper Type: Nonphosphored Type III, Block Tag
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Processed at: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
Stamp Orientation: Vertical
Image Area (w x h): 0.73 x 1.05 in./18.542 x 26.67 mm
Stamp Size (w x h): 0.91 x 1.19 in./23.114 x 30.226 mm
Full Pane Size (w x h): 5.3625 x 6.5 in./136.208 x 165.1 mm
Press Sheet Size (w x h): 21.45 x 13.375 in./ 544.83 x 339.725 mm
Colors: PMS Cool Grey 6, PMS 266C Purple, PMS 032C Red, PMS 1585C Orange, PMS 388C Yellow, Black
Plate Size: 160 stamps per revolution
Plate Number: “P” followed by six (6) single digits
Marginal Markings:
Front: Header: Spooky Silhouettes • Plate numbers in bottom two corners
Back: ©2019 USPS • USPS logo • Two barcodes (572200) • Promotional text • Plate position diagram

Updated September 10th:

These stamps will be issued October 11th in Milford, NH.

[press release]
Cats, Bats and Spiders, Oh My!
Spooky Silhouettes Forever Stamps to be Released in Time for Halloween

WHAT: The Postal Service issues four Forever stamps in time for Halloween. The Spooky Silhouettes stamps feature digital illustrations with Halloween motifs rendered as black silhouettes in eerily backlit windows. The images include a cat with an arched back beneath a raven perched on a bare tree branch, all against a yellowish-green background; two ghosts against an orange background; a spider and a web against a red background; and three bats against a purple background.

News of the stamps is being shared with the hashtag #HalloweenStamps.

WHO: Marc McCrery, vice president of mail entry and payment technology, U.S. Postal Service

WHEN: Friday, Oct. 11 at 5 p.m. EDT

WHERE: Milford Pumpkin Festival
Emerson Park Stage
6 Mont Vernon St.
Milford, NH 03055

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

WHY: As autumn approaches, these new stamps offer fun, frightful scenes that symbolize Halloween. With customs and traditions that vary widely by community, Halloween now inspires parades and carnivals, corn mazes, haunted houses, neighborhood and school parties, pumpkin festivals, and even pumpkin catapulting. Halloween remains a much-anticipated celebration of the macabre in the face of approaching winter.

Artist Tyler Lang worked with art director and designer Greg Breeding to create these stamps, which will be available for purchase Oct. 11. Additional details will be provided before the ceremony date.

Announced March 12th:

With this pane of 16 stamps, the Postal Service brings Tyrannosaurus rex to life — some 66 million years after its demise. One design illustrates a face-to-face encounter with a T. rex approaching through a forest clearing; another shows the same young adult T. rex with a young Triceratops — both dinosaurs shown in fossil form. The third and fourth stamps depict a newly hatched T. rex covered with downy feathers and a bare-skinned juvenile T. rex chasing a primitive mammal. The “Nation’s T. rex,” the young adult depicted on two of the stamps, was discovered on federal land in Montana and is one of the most studied and important specimens ever found. Its remains will soon be on display at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C. Art director Greg Breeding designed the stamps with original artwork by Julius T. Csotonyi, a scientist and paleoartist.

These stamps will be issued August 29, 2019 in Washington DC. Further updates will appear below, in order announced.

The Scott catalogue numbers for this issue are 5410-5413.

Important Update, May 15th:
The issue has been delayed. From the USPS:

“Hi, Good Afternoon. Due to a scheduling conflict, the previously announced first-day-of-issue ceremony for the Tyrannosaurus Rex Forever stamps is being rescheduled from June 28 to possibly the last two weeks of August. We will announce the specific date and more details about the event as information becomes available. The location for this event will remain at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C. We apologize and deeply regret any inconvenience this change may have caused.”

Updated June 24th:

[press release]
U.S. Postal Service Issuing Tyrannosaurus Rex Forever Stamps Aug. 29

What: With this pane of 16 stamps, the Postal Service brings Tyrannosaurus rex to life — some 66 million years after its demise.

The stamp dedication ceremony is free and open to the public. News of the stamp is being shared with the hashtag #USPSTRexStamps.

Who:
• Isaac Cronkhite, chief human resources officer and executive vice president, U.S. Postal Service and dedicating official

• Kirk Johnson, director, Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History

• Julius Csotonyi, paleoart and scientific illustration, T-Rex stamp artist, and creator and contributor to new Smithsonian Dinosaur exhibit

• Matthew Carrano, curator of “Dinosauria,” Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History

When: Thursday, Aug. 29, 2019, at 11:00 a.m. EDT

Where:
Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History
Baird Auditorium
10th Street and Constitution Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20560

Background:
Tyrannosaurus rex dominated the tail end of the dinosaur age. A recent surge in discoveries has revolutionized our understanding of the fierce carnivore.

Four dynamic designs on a pane of 16 stamps depict the awe-inspiring dinosaur in growth stages from infancy to adulthood.

One design illustrates a face-to-face encounter with a T. rex approaching through a forest clearing; another shows the same young adult T. rex with a young Triceratops — both dinosaurs shown in fossil form.

The third and fourth stamps depict a newly hatched T. rex covered with downy feathers and a bare-skinned juvenile T. rex chasing a primitive mammal.

“The Nation’s T. rex,” the young adult depicted on two of the stamps, was discovered on federal land in Montana and is one of the most studied and important specimens ever found. Its remains are now exhibited at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of Natural History in Washington, DC. Art director Greg Breeding designed the stamps with original artwork by scientist and paleoartist Julius T. Csotonyi.

The Tyrannosaurus Rex stamps are being issued as Forever stamps. 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 August 6th:
RSVP: Dedication ceremony attendees are encouraged to RSVP at usps.com/trex.

From the Postal Bulletin:

On August 29, 2019, in Washington, DC, the United States Postal Service® will issue the Tyrannosaurus Rex stamps (Forever® priced at the First-Class Mail® rate) in four designs, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive pane of 16 stamps (Item 479200). The stamps will go on sale nationwide August 29, 2019, and must not be sold or canceled before the first-day-of-issue. The Tyrannosaurus Rex pane of 16 stamps may not be split and the stamps may not be sold individually.

The Postal Service™ brings Tyrannosaurus rex to life some 66 million years after its demise with four designs, which include:

• A face-to-face encounter with a T. rex approaching through a forest clearing,
• The same young adult T. rex with a young Triceratops shown in fossil form,
• A newly hatched T. rex covered with downy feathers, and
• A bare-skinned juvenile T. rex chasing a primitive mammal.

The “Nation’s T. rex,” the young adult depicted on two of the stamps, was discovered on federal land in Montana and is one of the most studied and important specimens ever found. Its remains are on display at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C. Art director Greg Breeding designed the stamps with original artwork by scientist and paleoartist Julius T. Csotonyi.

Availability to Post Offices, Item 479200, Tyrannosaurus Rex (Forever Priced at the First-Class Mail Rate) Commemorative Pane of 16 Stamps: Stamp Fulfillment Services will make an automatic push distribution to Post Offices of a quantity to cover approximately 30 days of sales.

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 – Tyrannosaurus Rex Stamps
USPS Stamp Fulfillment Services
8300 NE Underground Drive, Suite 300

Kansas City, MO 64144-9900After 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 29, 2019.

Technical Specifications:

Issue: Tyrannosaurus Rex Stamps
Item Number: 479200
Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail Forever
Format: Pane of 16 (4 designs)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: August 29, 2019, Washington, DC 20066
Art Director: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
Designer: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
Typographer: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
Artist: Julius Csotonyi, Vancouver, British Columbia
Modeler: Sandra Lane/Michelle Finn
Manufacturing Process: Flexo, Lenticular
Printer: Banknote Corporation of America
Press Type: Gallus RCS
Stamps per Pane: 16
Print Quantity: 50,000,000 stamps
Paper Type: Phosphor, Block Tagged
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Processed at: Banknote Corporation of America
Colors: Black, Yellow, Rubine Red, Cyan
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): 7.9 x 7.15 in/200.66 x 181.61 mm
Press Sheet Size (w x h): 14.3 x 23.7 in/363.22 x 601.98 mm
Plate Size: 96 stamps per revolution
Plate Numbers: “B” followed by four (4) single digits
Marginal Markings:
Front: Header: TYRANNOSAURUS REX • Plate numbers in bottom 2 corners
Back: ©2019 USPS • USPS Logo • Two barcodes (479200) • Plate position diagram • Promotional text

Updated August 8th:
Here are the first-day cancels for this issue:The Digital Color Postmark measures 2.98″x1.29″ The B&W pictorial postmark measures 2.87″ x 1.27″

Announced March 12th:

The Postal Service honors Sesame Street as one of the most influential and beloved children’s television shows. For the last 50 years, it has provided educational programming and entertainment for generations of children throughout the country and around the world. The stamp art features photographs of 16 Muppets from Sesame Street — Big Bird, Ernie, Bert, Cookie Monster, Rosita, The Count, Oscar the Grouch, Abby Cadabby, Herry Monster, Julia, Guy Smiley, Snuffleupagus, Elmo, Telly, Grover and Zoe. Art Director Derry Noyes designed the stamps.

No date or first-day city were given. Further updates will appear below, in order announced.

According to Wikipedia, “Sesame Street” debuted on November 10, 1969. The show’s 50th anniversary press release says 50th-anniversary episode is planned for November 2019. The show’s website also has an anniversary page.

Updated May 23rd:

[press release]
Sesame Street Stamps
Iconic Show’s 50th Anniversary Celebrated by the U.S. Postal Service

What: The U.S. Postal Service honors Sesame Street, the influential and beloved children’s television show. For 50 years, the series has provided educational programming and entertainment for generations of children throughout the country and around the world.

The first day of issue event for the Sesame Street Forever stamps will be held immediately preceding one festival stop on the Sesame Street Road Trip, a celebration of the show’s golden anniversary that will be held in 10 cities across the United States. News of the release is being shared on social media with the hashtag #Sesame50.

When: Saturday, June 22, 2019 at 9:30 a.m. EDT

Where:
Lafayette Park
1592 Antietam Avenue
Detroit, MI 48207

RSVP: RSVP required for attendance at: www.usps.com/sesamestreet
Space is limited.

Background: The first episode of Sesame Street aired on Nov. 10, 1969. From the beginning, Sesame Street was like no other children’s program. Human characters, often children themselves, interacted with the Muppets of Sesame Street.

Arranged in horizontal rows, the stamps showcase 16 of the Muppets characters that appear on Sesame Street — Big Bird, Ernie, Bert, Cookie Monster, Rosita, The Count, Oscar the Grouch, Abby Cadabby, Herry Monster, Julia, Guy Smiley, Snuffleupagus, Elmo, Telly, Grover, and Zoe. Images of nine of the characters appear on the right side of the pane underneath the iconic Sesame Street sign. The back of the pane displays the Sesame Street 50th anniversary artwork.

Sesame Street stamps are being issued as Forever stamps. Forever stamps will always be equal in value to the current First-Class Mail 1-ounce price.

All postage stamps are available for purchase at Post Offices locations, online at usps.com and by toll-free phone order at 1-800 STAMP-24.

From the June 6th Postal Bulletin:

On June 22, 2019, in Detroit, MI, the United States Postal Service® will issue the Sesame Street stamps (Forever® priced at the First-Class Mail® rate) in 16 designs, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive pane of 16 stamps (Item 479500). The stamps will go on sale nationwide June 22, 2019, and must not be sold or canceled before the first-day-of-issue. The Sesame Street pane of 16 stamps may not be split and the stamps may not be sold individually.

In 2019, the Postal Service™ honors Sesame Street, the influential and beloved children’s television show. For the last 50 years, Sesame Street has provided educational programming and entertainment for generations of children throughout the country and around the world. The stamp art features photographs of 16 of the Sesame Street muppets:

• Row 1: Big Bird, Ernie, Bert, and Cookie Monster.
• Row 2: Rosita, The Count, Oscar the Grouch, and Abby Cadabby.
• Row 3: Herry Monster, Julia, Guy Smiley, and Snuffleupagus.
• Row 4: Elmo, Telly, Grover, and Zoe.

Images of nine of the characters appear on the right side of the pane underneath the iconic Sesame Street sign. The back of the pane displays the Sesame Street 50th anniversary artwork. Art director Derry Noyes designed the stamps.

Availability to Post Offices: Item 479500, Sesame Street (Forever Priced at the First-Class Mail Rate) Commemorative Pane of 16 Stamps : Stamp Fulfillment Services will make an automatic push distribution to Post Offices of a quantity to cover approximately 30 days of sales.

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 – Sesame Street 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 October 22, 2019.

Technical Specifications:

Issue: Sesame Street Stamps
Item Number: 479500
Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail Forever
Format: Pane of 16 (16 designs)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: June 22, 2019, Detroit, MI 48233
Art Director: Derry Noyes, Washington, DC
Designer: Derry Noyes, Washington, DC
Typographer: Derry Noyes, Washington, DC
Modeler: Joseph Sheeran
Manufacturing Process: Offset
Printer: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
Press Type: Muller A76
Stamps per Pane: 16
Print Quantity: 62,000,000 stamps
Paper Type: Nonphosphored Type III, Block Tag
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Processed at: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
Stamp Orientation: Vertical
Image Area (w x h): 0.73 x 1.05 in./18.542 x 26.67 mm
Stamp Size (w x h): 0.91 x 1.19 in./23.114 x 30.226 mm
Full Pane Size (w x h): 6.96 x 5.2 in./176.784 x 132.08 mm
Press Sheet Size (w x h): 14.045 x 26 in./ 356.743 x 660.4 mm
Colors: Black, Cyan, Magenta, Yellow
Plate Size: 240 stamps per revolution
Plate Number: “P” followed by four (4) single digits
Marginal Markings:
Front: Header: “Sesame Street Logo” • Plate number one corner
Back: Sesame Street — 50 Years and Counting logo • ©2019 USPS • USPS logo • two barcodes (479500)
• Promotional text • Plate position diagram

Here are the first-day postmarks for this issue:The Digital Color Postmark measures 2.98″x1.41″The B&W pictorial measures 2.41″x1.44″

Updated August 7th:
Here are the Scott catalogue numbers for this issue:
5394 pane of 16
a. Big Bird
b. Ernie
c. Bert
d. Cookie Monster
e. Rosita
f. The Count
g. Oscar the Grouch
h. Abby Cadabby
i. Herry Monster
j. Julia
k. Guy Smiley
l. Snuffleupagus
m. Elmo
n. Telly
o. Grover
p. Zoe

[press release]
U.S. Postal Service Reveals Additional Stamps for 2019
Sesame Street, Tyrannosaurus Rex and Spooky Silhouettes Coming Soon

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Postal Service today announced three additional stamp subjects for 2019. More details, including dates and locations for the first-day-of-issue ceremonies, will be coming soon.

Click on the issue titles to go to the specific VSC pages for each issue.

Sesame Street
The Postal Service honors Sesame Street as one of the most influential and beloved children’s television shows. For the last 50 years, it has provided educational programming and entertainment for generations of children throughout the country and around the world. The stamp art features photographs of 16 Muppets from Sesame Street — Big Bird, Ernie, Bert, Cookie Monster, Rosita, The Count, Oscar the Grouch, Abby Cadabby, Herry Monster, Julia, Guy Smiley, Snuffleupagus, Elmo, Telly, Grover and Zoe. Art Director Derry Noyes designed the stamps.

Tyrannosaurus Rex
With this pane of 16 stamps, the Postal Service brings Tyrannosaurus rex to life — some 66 million years after its demise. One design illustrates a face-to-face encounter with a T. rex approaching through a forest clearing; another shows the same young adult T. rex with a young Triceratops — both dinosaurs shown in fossil form. The third and fourth stamps depict a newly hatched T. rex covered with downy feathers and a bare-skinned juvenile T. rex chasing a primitive mammal. The “Nation’s T. rex,” the young adult depicted on two of the stamps, was discovered on federal land in Montana and is one of the most studied and important specimens ever found. Its remains will soon be on display at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C. Art director Greg Breeding designed the stamps with original artwork by Julius T. Csotonyi, a scientist and paleoartist.

Spooky Silhouettes
Halloween has long been a holiday that lets us delight in the things that scare us. With the approach of autumn, Spooky Silhouettes stamps will offer fun, frightful scenes that symbolize this annual celebration. Four stamps feature digital illustrations in which traditional Halloween motifs are rendered as black silhouettes in eerily backlit windows. Artist Tyler Lang created the artwork. Art Director Greg Breeding designed the stamps.

Announced January 29th:
“The Postal Service honors the nation’s brave and loyal military working dogs with this new booklet of 20 stamps. Each block of four stamps features one stamp of each of the following breeds — German shepherd, Labrador retriever, Belgian Malinois and Dutch shepherd — that commonly serve in America’s armed forces. The background of each stamp features a detail of a white star. A star appears in the center of each block. The stylized digital illustrations are in red, white, blue and gold to represent the American flag and patriotism. The art was created by DKNG Studios. Art director Greg Breeding designed the stamps.”

Further updates will appear below, in order announced.

Updated March 29th:
These stamps will be issued Thursday, August 1, in Omaha, Nebraska, coinciding with the first day of APS StampShow 2019 in that city.

From the June 20th Postal Bulletin:

On August 1, 2019, in Omaha, NE, the United States Postal Service® will issue the Military Working Dogs stamps (Forever® priced at the First-Class Mail® rate) in four designs, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive commemorative booklet of 20 stamps (Item 680300). The stamps will go on sale nationwide August 1, 2019, and must not be sold or canceled before the first-day-of-issue. The Military Working Dogs booklet of 20 stamps may not be split and the stamps may not be sold individually.

The Postal Service™ honors the nation’s brave and loyal military working dogs with this new booklet of 20 stamps. Each block of four stamps features one of each of the following breeds serving in America’s armed forces:

• German shepherd,
• Labrador retriever,
• Belgian Malinois, and
• Dutch shepherd.

The background of each stamp features a detail of a white star. A star appears in the center of each block. The stylized digital illustrations are in red, white, blue, and gold to represent the American flag and patriotism. The art was created by DKNG Studios. Art director Greg Breeding designed the stamps.

Availability to Post Offices: Item 680300, Military Working Dogs (Forever Priced at the First-Class Mail Rate) Commemorative Booklet of 20 Stamps: Stamp Fulfillment Services will make an automatic push distribution to Post Offices of a quantity to cover approximately 30 days of sales.

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 – Military Working Dogs 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 1, 2019.

Technical Specifications:

Issue: Military Working Dogs Stamps
Item Number: 680300
Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail Forever
Format: Commemorative Booklet of 20 (4 designs)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: August 1, 2019, Omaha, NE 68108
Art Director: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
Designer: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
Typographer: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
Artist: DKNG Studios, Los Angeles, CA
Modeler: Sandra Lane/Michelle Finn
Manufacturing Process: Offset
Printer: Banknote Corporation of America
Press Type: Alprinta 74
Stamps per Booklet: 20
Print Quantity: 150,000,000 stamps
Paper Type: Phosphor Tagged Paper, Block Tag
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Processed at: Banknote Corporation of America
Stamp Orientation: Horizontal and Vertical
Image Area (h x w): 1.085 x 1.42 in./27.559 x 36.068 mm
Image Area (w x h): 1.42 x 1.085 in./36.068 x 27.559 mm
Stamp Size (h x w): 1.225 x 1.56 in./31.115 x 39.624 mm
Stamp Size (w x h): 1.56 x 1.225 in./39.624 x 31.115 mm
Full Booklet Size (w x h): 12 x 4 in./304.8 x 101.6 mm
Press Sheet Size (w x h): 24 x 12 in./609.6 x 304.8 mm
Colors: 8382 Gold, Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black
Plate Size: 240 stamps per revolution
Plate Numbers: “B” followed by five (5) single digits
Marginal Markings: Cover: USPS logo • Twenty First-Class Forever stamps • MILITARY WORKING DOGS • Barcode • Plate number in fold • ©2019 USPS in fold • Promotional text in fold

Updated June 25th:
[press release]
Recognizing Four-Legged Heroes
U.S. Postal Service Honors Military Working Dogs on Forever Stamps

What: The U.S. Postal Service honors the nation’s brave and loyal canines with the Military Working Dogs Forever stamps. In this booklet of 20, each block of four stamps features one stamp of each of the following breeds—German Shepherd, Labrador Retriever, Dutch Shepherd and Belgian Malinois —that commonly serve in America’s armed forces. News of the stamps are being shared with the hashtag #MilitaryDogsStamps.

Who: David C. Williams, Vice Chairman, U.S. Postal Service Board of Governors

When: Thursday, Aug. 1, at 12 noon CDT

Where: American Philatelic Society Stamp Show
CHI Health Center Omaha
455 N. 10th Street
Omaha, NE 68102

Background: Brave and loyal military working dogs are essential members of America’s armed forces. Courageous canines have aided U.S. soldiers in World War I, World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, and the Afghanistan and Iraq wars. Today, the 341st Training Squadron at Lackland Air Force Base just outside of San Antonio, TX, trains American military working dogs and their handlers.

Dozens of dog breeds have served in the U.S. armed forces, but over time the number has decreased significantly. Modern military working dogs are predominantly Belgian Malinois, German Shepherds and Dutch Shepherds. Labrador Retrievers are often trained as specialized search dogs.

The background of each stamp features a detail of a white star. A star appears in the center of each block. The stylized digital illustrations are in red, white, blue and gold to represent the American flag and patriotism. The art was created by DKNG Studios. Art director Greg Breeding designed the stamps. The Military Working Dogs stamps are being issued as Forever stamps and 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 catalog or at Post Office locations nationwide.

Updated July 4th:
Here are the first-day postmarks for this issue:The Digital Color Postmark measures 2.57″x1.41″ The B&W pictorial postmark measures 2.93″x1.48″

Announced January 29th:“This issuance honors artist Ellsworth Kelly (1923–2015). Kelly pioneered a distinctive style of abstraction based on real elements reduced to their essential forms. His artworks include paintings, sculpture and works on paper. The 20 stamps on the pane feature 10 pieces, each represented twice: Yellow White (1961), Colors for a Large Wall (1951), Blue Red Rocker (1963), Spectrum I (1953), South Ferry (1956), Blue Green (1962), Orange Red Relief (for Delphine Seyrig) (1990), Meschers (1951), Red Blue (1964) and Gaza (1956). A detail from Blue Yellow Red III (1971) appears in the selvage. Derry Noyes served as art director and designer for this issuance.”

These stamps will be issued May 31, 2019 in Spencertown NY, about 12 miles from Stockton, Mass.. Further updates will appear below, in order announced.

The Scott catalogue numbers for this issue are:
5382 Yellow White
5383 Colors for a Large Wall
5384 Blue Red Rocker
5385 Spectrum I
5386 South Ferry
5387 Blue Green
5388 Orange Red Relief (for Delphine Seyrig)
5389 Meschers
5390 Red Blue
5391 Gaza
a. Block of 10, #5382-5391

Updated April 25th:

[press release]
U.S. Postal Service Honors the Art of Ellsworth Kelly with Stamps

What: The U.S. Postal Service will celebrate the career of artist Ellsworth Kelly with the issuance of 10 stamps celebrating his talent as a painter and sculptor. With these stamps, the Postal Service showcases examples of his wide-ranging body of work.
The first-day-of-issue event is free and open to the public. News of the stamp is being shared with the hashtags #EllsworthKelly and #EllsworthKellyStamps.

Who: Steven W. Monteith, vice president, marketing, U.S. Postal Service
Jack Shear, Ellsworth Kelly Foundation

When: Friday, May 31, 2019, at 11 a.m. EDT

Where: Ellsworth Kelly Studio
Spencertown, NY 12165

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

Background:
Characterized by precise shapes rendered in bold, flat colors, Ellsworth Kelly’s art encompasses painting, sculpture and works on paper, drawing on careful observations of light and shadow, negative space and line and form. In painting shapes—like a tennis court, a smokestack on a tugboat, or the roof of a barn—as flat planes of color, Kelly removed their dimensionality and turned reality into abstraction. He was also one of the first artists to create shaped canvases and to integrate art with modern architecture, taking great care about the size of a painting, its boundaries, and its placement in relation to the walls and floor.

The 20 stamps on the sheet feature 10 of Kelly’s artworks, each represented twice: “Yellow White” (1961), “Colors for a Large Wall” (1951), “Blue Red Rocker” (1963), “Spectrum I” (1953), “South Ferry” (1956), “Blue Green” (1962), “Orange Red Relief” (for Delphine Seyrig) (1990), “Meschers” (1951), “Red Blue” (1964), and “Gaza” (1956). A detail from “Blue Yellow Red III” (1971) appears in the selvage.

Art Director Derry Noyes designed the stamps.

The Ellsworth Kelly stamps are being issued as Forever stamps and 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 April 27th:

From the Postal Bulletin:

On May 31, 2019, in Spencertown, NY, the United States Postal Service will issue the Ellsworth Kelly stamps (Forever priced at the First-Class Mail rate) in 10 designs, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive pane of 20 stamps (Item 478600). The stamps will go on sale nationwide May 31, 2019, and must not be sold or canceled before the first-day-of-issue. The Ellsworth Kelly pane of 20 stamps may not be split and the stamps may not be sold individually.

This stamp issue honors artist Ellsworth Kelly (1923–2015). Kelly pioneered a distinctive style of abstraction based on real elements reduced to their essential forms. His artworks include paintings, sculpture, and works on paper. The 20 stamps on the pane feature 10 pieces, each represented twice:

• Yellow White (1961),
• Colors for a Large Wall (1951),
• Blue Red Rocker (1963),
• Spectrum I (1953),
• South Ferry (1956),
• Blue Green (1962),
• Orange Red Relief (for Delphine Seyrig) (1990),
• Meschers (1951),
• Red Blue (1964), and
• Gaza (1956).

A detail from Blue Yellow Red III (1971) appears in the selvage. Derry Noyes served as art director and designer for this issuance.

Availability to Post Offices: Stamp Fulfillment Services completed an automatic push distribution to Post Offices of a quantity to cover approximately 30 days of sales.

There is a special dedication postmark available for this issue: 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 – Ellsworth Kelly 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 September 30, 2019.

Technical Specifications:

Issue: Ellsworth Kelly Stamps
Item Number: 478600
Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail Forever
Format: Pane of 20 (10 designs)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: May 31, 2019, Spencertown, NY 12165
Art Director: Derry Noyes, Washington, DC
Designer: Derry Noyes, Washington, DC
Typographer: Derry Noyes, Washington, DC
Existing Art: Ellsworth Kelly
Modeler: Sandra Lane/Michelle Finn
Manufacturing Process: Offset
Printer: Banknote Corporation of America
Press Type: Alprinta 74
Stamps per Pane: 20
Print Quantity: 20,000,000 stamps
Paper Type: Phosphor, Block Tag
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive adhesive
Processed at: Banknote Corporation of America
Colors: Pantone Black 6, Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black
Stamp Orientation: Vertical
Image Area (w x h): 1.085 x 1.42 in./27.559 x 36.068 mm
Overall Size (w x h): 1.225 x 1.56 in./31.115 x 39.624 mm
Full Pane Size (w x h): 9.28 x 7.08 in./235.712 x 179.832 mm
Press Sheets Size (w x h): 18.685 x 21.49 in./474.6 x 545.847 mm
Plate Size: 120 stamps per revolution
Plate Numbers: “B” followed by five (5) single digits
Marginal Markings:
Front: Header: Ellsworth Kelly 1923–2015
• Plate number in bottom two corners of pane
Back: ©2019 USPS • USPS logo • 2 barcodes (478600) • Plate position diagram
• Promotional text

Here are the first-day cancels for this issue:The Digital Color Postmark for this issue measures 2.94″x1.19″ The B&W pictorial postmark measures 2.61″ x 0.88″ The “special” postmark for this issue measures 2.43″ x 1.29″

Announced January 29th:“This issuance honors extraordinary tennis champion Maureen Connolly Brinker (1934–1969). The stamp art features an oil-on-linen painting of the tennis star by Gregory Manchess. Based on a black-and-white photograph taken in 1952, the portrait is a colorful interpretation of Connolly hitting a low volley. Nicknamed “Little Mo,” the 5-foot-4-inch dynamo used powerful groundstrokes to become the first woman to win all four major tennis tournaments in a calendar year. Art director Derry Noyes designed the stamp.”

No date or first-day city were given. Further updates will appear below, in order announced.

Updated January 30th:
This stamp will be issued April 23rd in Dallas.

Updated March 14th:

[press release]
“Little Mo” Poised to Grace Forever Stamp
Postal Service Honors 1950s Tennis Champ Maureen Connolly Brinker

What: The U.S. Postal Service honors the legacy of the extraordinary tennis champion Maureen Connolly Brinker (1934–1969) with the issuance of the “Little Mo” Forever stamp. The first-day-of-issue event is free and open to the public. News of the stamp is being shared with the hashtags #LittleMoStamp and #TennisStamps.

Who: Janice D. Walker, Vice President, Corporate Communications, U.S. Postal Service will be the dedicating official.

When: Tuesday, April 23, 2019,11 a.m. CDT

Where: Southern Methodist University Tennis Complex
5669 N. Central Expressway
Dallas, TX 75205

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

Background:
In the early 1950s, extraordinary tennis champion Maureen Connolly Brinker dominated her sport. Nicknamed “Little Mo,” the 5-foot-4-inch dynamo used powerful groundstrokes to become the first woman to win all four major tennis tournaments in a calendar year.

In 1953, she became the first woman to capture the single-season Grand Slam of tennis, winning the Australian Championships, the French Championships, Wimbledon and the U.S. Championships. Along the way, she dropped only a single set. Since then, no American singles player has won all four majors in a calendar year; only two men and three women in total have achieved that feat. After her playing career, Connolly Brinker coached tennis and wrote articles about the game she once dominated. In 1968, she was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame.

The stamp art features an oil-on-linen painting of the tennis star by Gregory Manchess. Based on a black-and-white photograph taken in 1952, the portrait is a colorful interpretation of Connolly hitting a low volley. Art director Derry Noyes designed the stamp.

The “Little Mo” stamp is being issued as a Forever stamp and will always be equal in value to the current First-Class Mail 1-ounce price.

Updated March 15th:

From the Postal Bulletin:

On April 23, 2019, in Dallas, TX, the U.S. Postal Service® will issue the “Little Mo” stamp (Forever® priced at the First-Class Mail® rate) in one design, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive pane of 20 stamps (Item 478800). The stamp will go on sale nationwide April 23, 2019, and must not be sold or canceled before the first-day-of-issue.

This stamp honors extraordinary tennis champion Maureen Connolly Brinker (1934–1969). The stamp art features an oil-on-linen painting of the tennis star by Gregory Manchess. Based on a black-and-white photograph taken in 1952, the portrait is a colorful interpretation of Connolly hitting a low volley. Nicknamed “Little Mo,” the 5-foot-4-inch dynamo used powerful groundstrokes to become the first woman to win all four major tennis tournaments in a calendar year. Art director Derry Noyes designed the stamp.

Availability to Post Offices: Item 478800, “Little Mo” (Forever Priced at the First-Class Mail Rate) Commemorative Pane of 20 Stamps: Stamp Fulfillment Services will 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 – “Little Mo” 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 August 23, 2019.

Technical Specifications:

Issue: “Little Mo” Stamp
Item Number: 478800
Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail Forever
Format: Pane of 20 (one design)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: April 23, 2019, Dallas, TX 75260
Art Director: Derry Noyes, Washington, DC
Designer: Derry Noyes, Washington, DC
Typographer: Derry Noyes, Washington, DC
Artist: Gregory Manchess, Fort Thomas, KY
Modeler: Sandra Lane/Michelle Finn
Manufacturing Process: Offset, Microprint
Printer: Banknote Corporation of America
Press Type: Alprinta 74
Stamps per Pane: 20
Print Quantity: 20,000,000 stamps
Paper Type: Phosphor, Block Tag
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Processed at: Banknote Corporation of America
Colors: Warm Gray 9, Custom Blue, Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black
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): 5.92 x 7.7 in./150.368 x 195.58 mm
Press Sheets Size (w x h): 11.84 x 23.1 in./300.74 x 586.74 mm
Plate Size: 240 stamps per revolution
Plate Numbers: “B” followed by four (4) single digits
Marginal Markings:
Front: Header: “Little Mo” Maureen Connolly Brinker • Plate number in bottom two corners of pane
Back: ©2019 USPS • USPS logo • 2 barcodes (478800) • Plate position diagram • Promotional text

Updated March 20th:
Here are the first-day cancels for this issue: The Digital Color Postmark measures 2.82″x1.49″ The B&W pictorial measures 2.98″x1.04″ The “special” postmark, for use by other post offices, measures 2.88″x0.88″