These four new stamps celebrate the beauty of mountain flowers. Each Mountain Flora stamp features a different flower: a purple pasqueflower, an orange-red wood lily, a bright yellow alpine buttercup and a dark pink Woods’ rose. The artist’s hand-drawn illustrations, refined digitally, create a block-print aesthetic. The stamps will be issued in booklets of 20 and coils of 3,000 and 10,000. Art director Ethel Kessler designed the stamps with original art by Lili Arnold.
Additional information will be posted below the line, with the newest at the top.
Updated February 16th:
Here are the Scott catalogue numbers for this issue:
Coil stamps, all serpentine die cut 10 vert.
5672 Wood lily,
5673 Alpine buttercup
5674 Woods’ rose
5675 Pasqueflower
a. Horiz. strip of 4, #5672-5675
Note: Plate number strips for the Mountain Flora coils will be listed as strips of 7 and 9 with No. 5675, bearing the plate number, in the center of the strips.
Booklet stamps, all serpentine die cut 10¼x 11 on 2 or 3 sides:
5676 Pasqueflower
5677 Wood lily
5678 Alpine buttercup
5679 Woods’ rose
a. Block of 4, #5676-5679
b. Convertible booklet pane of 20, 5 each #5676-5679
Updated February 16th:
Here is the Digital Color Postmark for this issue: It measures 2.72″ x 1.26″.
There is no pictorial postmark for this issue, just the FIRST DAY OF ISSUE “killer bar.”
Updated February 10th:
On March 14, 2022, in Alpine, WY, the United States Postal Service® will issue the Mountain Flora stamps (Forever® priced at the First-Class Mail® rate) in four designs, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) double-sided booklet (Item 683700), coil of 3,000 stamps (Item 750900), and coil of 10,000 stamps (Item 761100). These stamps will go on sale nationwide March 14, 2022, and must not be sold or canceled before the first-day-of-issue.
Celebrate the beauty of Mountain Flora with four new stamps, each featuring a different flower:
A purple pasqueflower.
An orange-red wood lily.
A bright yellow alpine buttercup.
A dark pink Woods‘ rose.
The artist’s hand-drawn illustrations, refined digitally, create a block-print aesthetic. The cover of the booklet of 20 stamps features a detail from the pasqueflower stamp art. In addition to the booklet, the stamps will also be issued in coils of 3,000 and 10,000. Art director Ethel Kessler designed the stamps with original art by Lili Arnold.
No automatic distribution
How to Order the First-Day-of-Issue Postmark:
Customers have 120 days to obtain the first-day-of-issue postmark by mail. They may purchase new stamps at their local Post Office™ or at The Postal Store® website at 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 – Mountain Flora Stamps
USPS Stamp Fulfillment Services
8300 NE Underground Drive, Suite 300
Kansas City, MO 64144-9900
After applying the first-day-of-issue postmark, the Postal Service™ will return the envelopes through the mail. There is no charge for the postmark up to a quantity of 50. There is a 5-cent charge for each additional postmark over 50. All orders must be postmarked by July 14, 2022.
Issue: Mountain Flora Stamps
Item Number: 750900 Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail Forever
Format: Coil of 3,000 (4 designs)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: March 14, 2022, Alpine, WY 83128
Art Director: Ethel Kessler, Bethesda, MD
Designer: Ethel Kessler, Bethesda, MD
Artist: Lili Arnold, Felton, CA
Modeler: Joseph Sheeran
Manufacturing Process: Offset
Printer: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
Press Type: Muller A76
Stamps per Coil: 3,000
Print Quantity: 12,000,000 stamps
Paper Type: Nonphosphored Type III, Block Tagged
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Colors: Black, Cyan, Magenta, Yellow
Stamp Orientation: Vertical
Image Area (w x h): 0.73 x 0.84 in./18.542 x 21.336 mm
Stamp Size (w x h): 0.87 x 0.98 in./22.098 x 24.892 mm
Plate Size: 594 stamps per revolution
Plate Number: “P” followed by four (4) single digits
Coil Number Frequency: Plate number every 27th stamp below stamp image
Technical Specifications – Coil of 10,000:
Issue: Mountain Flora Stamps
Item Number: 761100 Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail Forever
Format: Coil of 10,000 (4 designs)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: March 14, 2022, Alpine, WY 83128
Art Director: Ethel Kessler, Bethesda, MD
Designer: Ethel Kessler, Bethesda, MD
Illustrator: Lili Arnold, Felton, CA
Modeler: Joseph Sheeran
Manufacturing Process: Offset
Printer: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
Press Type: Muller A76
Stamps per Coil: 10,000
Print Quantity: 30,000,000 stamps
Paper Type: Nonphosphored Type III, Block Tagged
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Processed at: Banknote Corporation of America
Colors: Black, Cyan, Magenta, Yellow
Stamp Orientation: Vertical
Image Area (w x h): 0.73 x 0.84 in./18.542 x 21.336 mm
Stamp Size (w x h): 0.87 x 0.98 in./22.098 x 24.892 mm
Plate Size: 594 stamps per revolution
Plate Number: “P” followed by four (4) single digits
Coil Number Frequency: Plate number every 27th stamp below stamp image
Updated December 11th: Linn’s Stamp News now reports this issue will be delayed until Monday, March 14th, because of paper-supply problems.
Updated December 25th: Linn’s Stamp News reports this issue will be released Thursday, February 17, with no “headquarters” first-day ceremony. The first-day city is Alpine, Wyoming. It will be produced in double-sided booklets of 20 and in coils of 3,000 and 10,000.
The two nondenominated Butterfly Garden Flowers stamps are intended for bulk mailings by authorized nonprofit organizations. Each stamp features one of two flowers that butterflies love to visit: scabiosas or cosmos. Inspired by block-printed textile and pattern design, the artist hand-carved the images into linoleum blocks. After inking the blocks, she pressed them onto paper, scanned the images and added color digitally. Art director Antonio Alcalá designed the stamps with original art by Rigel Stuhmiller.
The Scott catalogue numbers for these stamps are
5664 (5¢) Butterfly Garden Flowers coil stamp – Cosmos
5665 (5¢) Butterfly Garden Flowers coil stamp – Scabiosas
a. Pair, #5664-5665
Additional information will be posted below the line, with the newest at the top.
Updated January 10th:
The issue date is confirmed. From the Postal Bulletin:
On February 1, 2022, in Pine Mountain, GA, the United States Postal Service® will issue the Butterfly Garden Flowers nondenominated, nonprofit organization stamps (5–cent value) in two designs, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) coil of 3,000 stamps (Item 750800) and a PSA coil of 10,000 stamps (Item 761000). These stamps will go on sale nationwide February 1, 2022, and must not be sold or canceled before the first-day-of-issue.
The 2022 Butterfly Garden Flowers issuance features two nondenominated, nonprofit-price stamps intended for bulk mailings by authorized nonprofit organizations. Inspired by block-printed textile and pattern design, the artist hand-carved the images into linoleum blocks. After inking the blocks, she pressed them onto paper, scanned the images into the computer, and added color digitally. Each stamp features an illustration of one of two flowers — scabiosas or cosmos — that butterflies love to visit. Art director Antonio Alcalá designed the stamps with original art by Rigel Stuhmiller (right).
Item 750800, Coil of 3,000 Stamps
Item 761000, Coil of 10,000 Stamps
No automatic distribution
How to Order the First-Day-of-Issue Postmark:
Customers have 120 days to obtain the first-day-of-issue postmark by mail. Each cover must have sufficient postage to meet First-Class Mail® requirements. They may purchase new stamps at their local Post Office™ or at The Postal Store® website at 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 – Butterfly Garden Flowers 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 June 1, 2022.
[The only first-day postmarks will be the standard FIRST DAY OF ISSUE cancels.]
Technical Specifications (Coil of 3,000):
Issue: Butterfly Garden Flowers Stamps
Item Number: 750800
Denomination & Type of Issue: Nondenominated Nonprofit (5-cent value) Format: Coil of 3,000 (2 designs)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: February 1, 2022, Pine Mountain, GA 31822
Art Director: Antonio Alcalá, Alexandria, VA
Designer: Antonio Alcalá, Alexandria, VA
Artist: Rigel Stuhmiller, Berkeley, CA
Modeler: Sandra Lane/Michelle Finn
Manufacturing Process: Offset
Printer: Banknote Corporation of America
Press Type: Alprinta 74
Stamps per Coil: 3,000
Print Quantity: 60,000,000 stamps
Paper Type: Nonphosphored Type III
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Colors: Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black
Stamp Orientation: Vertical
Image Area (w x h): 0.73 x 0.84 in./ 18.542 x 21.336 mm
Stamp Size (w x h): 0.87 x 0.98 in./22.098 x 24.892 mm
Plate Size: 480 stamps per revolution
Plate Number: “B” followed by four (4) single digits
Coil Number Frequency: Plate number every 24th stamp below stamp image
Technical Specifications (Coil of 10,000):
Issue: Butterfly Garden Flowers Stamps
Item Number: 761000 Denomination & Type of Issue: Nondenominated Nonprofit (5-cent value)
Format: Coil of 10,000 (2 designs)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: February 1, 2022, Pine Mountain, GA 31822
Art Director: Antonio Alcalá, Alexandria, VA
Designer: Antonio Alcalá, Alexandria, VA
Artist: Rigel Stuhmiller, Berkeley, CA
Modeler: Sandra Lane/Michelle Finn
Manufacturing Process: Offset
Printer: Banknote Corporation of America
Press Type: Alprinta 74
Stamps per Coil: 10,000
Print Quantity: 2,250,000,000 stamps
Paper Type: Nonphosphored Type III
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Colors: Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black
Stamp Orientation: Vertical
Image Area (w x h): 0.73 x 0.84 in./ 18.542 x 21.336 mm
Stamp Size (w x h): 0.87 x 0.98 in./22.098 x 24.892 mm
Plate Size: 480 stamps per revolution
Plate Number: “B” followed by four (4) single digits
Coil Number Frequency: Plate numbers every 24th stamp below stamp image
Updated December 25th: Linn’s Stamp News reports this issue will be released Tuesday, February 1, with no “headquarters” first-day ceremony. The first-day city is Pine Mountain, Georgia.
The 45th stamp in the Black Heritage series honors sculptor Edmonia Lewis (circa 1844-1907). As the first African American and Native American sculptor to achieve international recognition, Lewis challenged social barriers and assumptions about artists in mid-19th century America. The stamp art is a casein-on-wood portrait of Lewis, based on a photograph taken in Boston between 1864 and 1871. Art director Antonio Alcalá designed the stamp with original art by Alex Bostic.
The Scott catalogue number for this stamp is 5663.
Additional information will be posted below the line, with the newest at the top.
Updated January 10th:
Here are the first-day postmarks for this issue:The Digital Color Postmark measures 2.70″ x 1.09″ The Pictorial Postmark measures 2.23″ x1.32″ The “Special” postmark which other cities may use, although not on the first-day, measures 2.73″ x 0.93″
Updated December 21th: [press release] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions] U.S. Postal Service Issuing Edmonia Lewis Black Heritage Forever Stamp Jan. 26
WHAT: The 45th stamp in the Black Heritage series honors Edmonia Lewis, the first African American and Native American sculptor to earn international recognition. The stamp art is a casein-paint portrait based on a photograph of Lewis by Augustus Marshall made in Boston between 1864 and 1871.
The Edmonia Lewis stamp will be issued in panes of 20.
The first-day-of-issue event for the Edmonia Lewis Forever stamp is free and open to the public. News of the stamp is being shared with the hashtags #EdmoniaLewis and #BlackHeritageStamps.
WHO: Dr. Joshua D. Colin, Chief Retail and Delivery Officer, U.S. Postal Service and Dedicating Official
RSVP: Dedication ceremony attendees are encouraged to RSVP at: usps.com/edmonialewis.
BACKGROUND: As the first African American and Native American sculptor to earn international recognition, Edmonia Lewis challenged social barriers and assumptions about artists in mid-19th century America.
Born in Greenbush, NY, Lewis spent most of her career in Rome, where her studio became a must-see attraction for American tourists. In addition to portrait busts of prominent people, Lewis’s work incorporated African American themes, including the celebration of newly won freedoms, and sensitively depicted her Native American heritage as peaceful and dignified.
A Roman Catholic, Lewis also received several religious commissions. The work she produced during her prolific career evokes the complexity of her social identity and reflects the passion and independence of her artistic vision.
As the public continues to discover the beautiful subtleties of Lewis’s work, scholars will further interpret her role in American art and the ways she explored, affirmed or de-emphasized her complex cultural identity to meet or expand the artistic expectations of her day.
Updated December 16th from the Postal Bulletin:
On January 26, 2022, in Washington, DC, the United States Postal Service® will issue the Edmonia Lewis stamp (Forever® priced at the First-Class Mail® rate) in one design, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 20 stamps (Item 481600). This stamp will go on sale nationwide January 26, 2022, and must not be sold or canceled before the first-day-of-issue.
The 45th stamp in the Black Heritage series honors sculptor Edmonia Lewis (c.1844–1907). As the first African American and Native American sculptor to earn international recognition, Lewis challenged social barriers and assumptions about artists in mid-19th century America. The stamp features a casein-paint portrait of Lewis based on a photograph made between 1864 and 1871. Art director Antonio Alcalá designed the stamp with art by Alex Bostic.
Automatic distribution.
Special Dedication Postmarks:
Only the following pictorial postmark is permitted for the Edmonia Lewis stamp. The word “Station” or the abbreviation “STA” is required somewhere in the design because it will be a temporary station. Use of any image other than the following special pictorial image is prohibited.
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 – Edmonia Lewis Stamp
USPS Stamp Fulfillment Services
8300 NE Underground Drive, Suite 300
Kansas City, MO 64144-9900
After applying the first-day-of-issue postmark, the Postal Service will return the envelopes through the mail. There is no charge for the postmark up to a quantity of 50. There is a 5-cent charge for each additional postmark over 50. All orders must be postmarked by May 26, 2022.
Technical Specifications are not yet available.
Updated December 11th: Linn’s Stamp News reports this stamp will be issued January 26th with Washington DC as the first-day city.
The two new Love stamps celebrate the joy that flowers bring. Inspired by old European folk art, the stamps feature digital illustrations with similar designs: three round, stylized blooms ranging symmetrically along the top, with smaller round blossoms in each of the lower corners. The background color of one stamp is powder blue, and the other is coral. Twisting vines, which hold small multi-petaled flowers, form abstract heart shapes. The letters of the word “LOVE” are interspersed among the decorative vines. Bailey Sullivan designed the stamps and created the original art. Greg Breeding was the art director.
The Scott catalogue numbers for this issue are:
5660 (58¢) Love – blue gray background
a. Imperforate
5661 (58¢) Love – pink background
a. Imperforate
b. Horiz. or vert. pair, #5660-5661
c. Imperforate horiz. or vert. pair, #5660a-5661a
Additional information will be posted below the line, with the newest at the top.
Updated December 9th:
Here are the first-day postmarks for this issue (you can click on these pictures for larger versions):The Digital Color Postmark measures 2.37″ x 1.09″.The pictorial postmark measures 2.47″ x 0.94″.
Updated December 9th: [press release] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions] Romance Blooms on Postal Service’s New Love Forever Stamps U.S. Postal Service Love Series Celebrates the Beauty and Delight of Flowers
WHAT:Love flourishes anew in 2022 with the Postal Service’s issuance of Forever stamps depicting the simple floral charms of old European folk art as part of the popular series of Love stamps.
News of the two stamps is being shared with the hashtag #LoveStamps.
WHO: Pritha Mehra, chief information officer and executive vice president, U.S. Postal Service
WHEN: Friday, Jan. 14, 2022, at 11 a.m. ET
WHERE:Romeo Masonic Lodge 41
231 N. Main St.
Romeo, MI 48065
RSVP:Dedication ceremony attendees are encouraged to RSVP at usps.com/lovestamps.
BACKGROUND: The Postal Service has captured the delight and exuberance of love since its first stamp in the Love series, issued in 1973. For this year’s Love stamps, illustrator Bailey Sullivan based her designs on old European folk art. These stamps, with their colorful blooms and curling vines, are beautiful additions to the series.
Released early in the year for use on Valentine’s Day, the stamps are also perfect any time to add floral flair to letters, birthday or graduation cards, baby shower invitations, thank-you notes — the uses are limitless. The colorful stamps will add charm and whimsy to any correspondence.
Updated December 3rd:
On January 14, 2022, in Romeo, MI, the United States Postal Service® will issue the Love 2022 stamps (Forever® priced at the First-Class Mail® rate) in two designs, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 20 stamps (Item 578200). These stamps will go on sale nationwide January 14, 2022, and must not be sold or canceled before the first-day-of-issue.
The two new Love 2022 stamps with similar designs feature graphic illustrations of flowers inspired by old European folk art. Twisting vines, which hold small petaled flowers form abstract heart shapes. The word “Love” is interspersed among the decorative vines. The background of one stamp is powder blue, the other stamp is coral. Greg Breeding was art director; Bailey Sullivan created the original art and designed the stamps.
Item 578200, Love 2022 (Forever Priced at the First-Class Mail Rate), Pane of 20 Stamps: No automatic distribution.
How to Order the First-Day-of-Issue Postmark:
Customers have 120 days to obtain the first-day-of-issue postmark by mail. They may purchase new stamps at their local Post Office™ or at The Postal Store® website at 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 – Love 2022 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 May 14, 2022.
The Postal Service continues its tradition of celebrating the U.S. flag with this stamp, which will be available in panes of 20, booklets of 20, and coils of 100, 3,000 and 10,000. The stamp art is a painting of three flags in a circular formation, reminiscent of the 50 flags encircling the Washington Monument. The artist used three photographs of the same flag taken seconds apart as reference and stitched together the images into a single composition. Laura Stutzman was the stamp designer and illustrator. Ethel Kessler was the art director.
Additional information will be posted below the line, with the newest at the top.
Updated February 9th:
Here are the Scott catalogue numbers for this issue:
• 5654 (58¢) Flags, serpentine die cut 11¼x11, microprinted “USPS” above lower connector on flagpole at left (Banknote printing)
• 5655 (58¢) Flags coil stamp, serpentine die cut 10¾ vert., microprinted “USPS” above lower connector on flagpole at left, stamps not adjacent on coil roll with backing paper taller than stamp (Banknote printing)
• 5656 (58¢) Flags coil stamp, serpentine die cut 11 vert., microprinted “USPS” above lower connector on flagpole at left, stamps adjacent on coil roll with backing paper same height as stamp (Banknote printing)
• 5657 (58¢) Flags coil stamp, serpentine die cut 9½ vert., microprinted “USPS” above lowest blue flag field, stamps adjacent on coil roll with backing paper same height as stamp (Ashton-Potter printing)
• 5658 (58¢) Flags booklet stamp, serpentine die cut 11¼x10¾ , microprinted “USPS” above lower connector on flagpole at left (Banknote printing)
a. Convertible booklet pane of 20
• 5659 (58¢) Flags booklet stamp, serpentine die cut 11¼x10¾ , microprinted “USPS” above lowest blue flag field (Ashton-Potter printing)
a. Convertible booklet pane of 20
Updated December 9th:
Here is the Digital Color Postmark for this issue: It measures 2.95″ x 1.38″. There is no pictorial postmark. Instead, the B&W hand cancel is the FIRST DAY OF ISSUE “killer bar.”
Updated December 3rd:
On January 9, 2022, in Findlay, OH, the United States Postal Service® will issue the U.S. Flags 2022 stamp (Forever® priced at the First-Class Mail® rate) in one design, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 20 stamps (Item 121700), a PSA Double-sided Booklet of 20 stamps (Item 683600), a PSA Coil of 100 stamps (Item 740400), a PSA Coil of 3,000 stamps (Item 750700), and a PSA Coil of 10,000 stamps (Item 760900). This stamp will go on sale nationwide January 9, 2022, and must not be sold or canceled before the first-day-of-issue.
The Postal Service™ continues its tradition of celebrating the U.S. flag with this new stamp in panes of 20, booklets of 20, and coils of 100, 3,000, and 10,000. The stamp art is a painting of three flags in a circular formation, reminiscent of the 50 flags encircling the Washington Monument. The artist used three separate photographs of the same flag taken seconds apart as reference and stitched together the images into a single composition. Laura Stutzman was the stamp designer and illustrator. Ethel Kessler was the art director.
Item 121700, U.S. Flags 2022 (Forever Priced at the First-Class Mail rate), Pane of 20 Stamps: No automatic distribution.
Item 683600, U.S. Flags 2022 (Forever Priced at the First-Class Mail rate), Booklet of 20 Stamps: No automatic distribution.
Item 740400, U.S. Flags 2022 (Forever Priced at the First-Class Mail rate), Coil of 100 Stamps: No automatic distribution.
Item 750700, U.S. Flags 2022 (Forever Priced at the First-Class Mail rate), Coil of 3,000 Stamps: No automatic distribution.
Item 760900, U.S. Flags 2022 (Forever Priced at the First-Class Mail rate), Coil of 10,000 Stamps: No automatic distribution.
How to Order the First-Day-of-Issue Postmark:
Customers have 120 days to obtain the first-day-of-issue postmark by mail. They may purchase new stamps at their local Post Office™ or at The Postal Store® website at 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 – U.S. Flags 2022 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 9, 2022.
Issue: U.S. Flags 2022 Stamp
Item Number: 740400 Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail Forever
Format: Coil of 100 (1 design)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: January 9, 2022, Findlay, OH 45840
Art Director: Ethel Kessler, Bethesda, MD
Designer: Laura Stutzman, Mountain Lake Park, MD
Illustrator: Laura Stutzman, Mountain Lake Park, MD
Modeler: Joseph Sheeran
Manufacturing Process: Offset, Microprint
Printer: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
Press Type: Muller A76
Stamps per Coil: 100
Print Quantity: 1,625,000,000 stamps
Paper Type: Nonphosphored Type III, Block Tag
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Colors: Black, Cyan, Magenta, Yellow
Stamp Orientation: Vertical
Image Area (w x h): 0.84 x 0.73 in./21.336 x 18.542 mm
Stamp Size (w x h): 0.98 x 0.87096 in./24.892 x 22.122 mm
Plate Size: 744 stamps per revolution
Plate Number: “P” followed by four (4) single digits
Coil Number Frequency: Plate number every 31st stamp below stamp image
Technical Specifications — Coil of 100 BCA:
Issue: U.S. Flags 2022 Stamp
Item Number: 740400 Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail Forever
Format: Coil of 100 (1 design)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: January 9, 2022, Findlay, OH 45840
Art Director: Ethel Kessler, Bethesda, MD
Designer: Laura Stutzman, Mountain Lake Park, MD
Illustrator: Laura Stutzman, Mountain Lake Park, MD
Modeler: Sandra Lane/Michelle Finn
Manufacturing Process: Offset, Microprint
Printer: Banknote Corporation of America
Press Type: Alprinta 74
Stamps per Coil: 100
Print Quantity: 1,625,000,000 stamps
Paper Type: Phosphor Tagged Paper, Block Tag
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Colors: Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black
Stamp Orientation: Vertical
Image Area (w x h): 0.73 x 0.84 in./18.542 x 21.336 mm
Stamp Size (w x h): 0.87 x 0.98 in./22.098 x 24.892 mm
Plate Size: 744 stamps per revolution
Plate Number: “B” followed by four (4) single digits
Coil Number Frequency: Plate number every 31st stamp below stamp image
Technical Specifications — Coil of 3,000:
Issue: U.S. Flags 2022 Stamp
Item Number: 750700 Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail Forever
Format: Coil of 3,000 (1 design)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: January 9, 2022, Findlay, OH 45840
Art Director: Ethel Kessler, Bethesda, MD
Designer: Laura Stutzman, Mountain Lake Park, MD
Illustrator: Laura Stutzman, Mountain Lake Park, MD
Modeler: Sandra Lane/Michelle Finn
Manufacturing Process: Offset, Microprint
Printer: Banknote Corporation of America
Press Type: Alprinta 74
Stamps per Coil: 3,000
Print Quantity: 15,000,000 stamps
Paper Type: Phosphor Tagged Paper, Overall
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Colors: Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black
Stamp Orientation: Vertical
Image Area (w x h): 0.73 x 0.84 in./18.542 x 21.336 mm
Stamp Size (w x h): 0.87 x 0.98 in./22.098 x 24.892 mm
Plate Size: 540 stamps per revolution
Plate Number: “B” followed by four (4) single digits
Coil Number Frequency: Plate number every 27th stamp below stamp image
Technical Specifications — Coil of 10,000:
Issue: U.S. Flags 2022 Stamp
Item Number: 760900 Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail Forever
Format: Coil of 10,000 (1 design)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: January 9, 2022, Findlay, OH 45840
Art Director: Ethel Kessler, Bethesda, MD
Designer: Laura Stutzman, Mountain Lake Park, MD
Illustrator: Laura Stutzman, Mountain Lake Park, MD
Modeler: Sandra Lane/Michelle Finn
Manufacturing Process: Offset, Microprint
Printer: Banknote Corporation of America
Press Type: Alprinta 74
Stamps per Coil: 10,000
Print Quantity: 100,000,000 stamps
Paper Type: Phosphor Tagged Paper, Overall
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Colors: Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black
Stamp Orientation: Vertical
Image Area (w x h): 0.73 x 0.84 in./18.542 x 21.336 mm
Stamp Size (w x h): 0.87 x 0.98 in./22.098 x 24.892 mm
Plate Size: 540 stamps per revolution
Plate Number: “B” followed by four (4) single digits
Coil Number Frequency: Plate number every 27th stamp below stamp image
The new 4-cent Blueberries stamp will be available for sale in panes of 20 and coils of 3,000 and 10,000. The stamp features a pen, ink and watercolor illustration of a cluster of blueberries and leaves. Blueberries will join other similarly designed low-denomination stamps available separately for purchase: 1-cent Apples, 2-cent Meyer Lemons, 3-cent Strawberries, 5-cent Grapes and 10-cent Pears. Art director Derry Noyes designed the stamps using existing illustrations by John Burgoyne.
Additional information will be posted below the line, with the newest at the top.
Updated February 9th:
Here are the Scott catalogue numbers:
• 5652 4c Blueberries, serpentine die cut 11¼x11
• 5653 4c Blueberries coil stamp, serpentine die cut 10¾ vert.
Updated December 16th:
Paper type corrected for all three varieties in “Technical Specifications.”
Updated December 9th:
Only the FIRST DAY OF ISSUE cancel is available for this issue.
Updated December 3rd:
On January 9, 2022, in Blue Hill, ME, the United States Postal Service® will issue the 4-cent denominated Blueberries stamp in one design, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 20 stamps (Item 121600), a PSA Coil of 3,000 stamps (Item 750600), and a PSA Coil of 10,000 stamps (Item 760800). This stamp will go on sale nationwide January 9, 2022, and must not be sold or canceled before the first-day-of-issue.
Blueberries, a new 4-cent definitive stamp, will be available for sale in panes of 20 and coils of 3,000 and 10,000. The stamp features a pen, ink, and watercolor illustration of a cluster of blueberries and leaves. Art director Derry Noyes designed this stamp using an existing illustration by John Burgoyne.
Item 121600, Blueberries, 4 Cents, Pane of 20 Stamps: No automatic distribution.
Item 750600, Blueberries, 4 Cents, Coil of 3,000 Stamps: No automatic distribution.
Item 760800, Blueberries, 4 Cents, Coil of 10,000 Stamps: No automatic distribution.
How to Order the First-Day-of-Issue Postmark:
Customers have 120 days to obtain the first-day-of-issue postmark by mail. Each cover must have sufficient postage to meet First-Class Mail® requirements. They may purchase new stamps at their local Post Office™ or at The Postal Store® website at 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 – Blueberries 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 9, 2022.
Issue: Blueberries Stamp
Item Number: 750600
Denomination & Type of Issue: 4-cent Denominated, Mail-use Format: Coil of 3,000 (1 design)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: January 9, 2022, Blue Hill, ME 04614
Art Director: Derry Noyes, Washington, DC
Designer: Derry Noyes, Washington, DC
Existing Art: John Burgoyne, West Barnstable, MA
Modeler: Sandra Lane/Michelle Finn
Manufacturing Process: Offset, Microprint
Printer: Banknote Corporation of America
Press Type: Alprinta 74
Stamps per Coil: 3,000
Print Quantity: 9,000,000 stamps
Paper Type: Nonphosphored Type III
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Colors: Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black, Pantone 535, Pantone 5415
Stamp Orientation: Vertical
Image Area (w x h): 0.73 x 0.84 in./18.542 x 21.336 mm
Stamp Size (w x h): 0.87 x 0.98 in./22.098 x 24.892 mm
Plate Size: 540 stamps per revolution
Plate Number: “B” followed by six (6) single digits
Coil Number Frequency: Plate number every 27th stamp below stamp image
Technical Specifications — Coil of 10,000:
Issue: Blueberries Stamp
Item Number: 760800
Denomination & Type of Issue: 4-cent Denominated, Mail-use
Format: Coil of 10,000 (1 design)
Series: N/A Issue Date & City: January 9, 2022, Blue Hill, ME 04614
Art Director: Derry Noyes, Washington, DC
Designer: Derry Noyes, Washington, DC
Existing Art: John Burgoyne, West Barnstable, MA
Modeler: Sandra Lane/Michelle Finn
Manufacturing Process: Offset, Microprint
Printer: Banknote Corporation of America
Press Type: Alprinta 74
Stamps per Coil: 10,000
Print Quantity: 200,000,000 stamps
Paper Type: Nonphosphored Type III
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Colors: Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black, Pantone 535, Pantone 5415
Stamp Orientation: Vertical
Image Area (w x h): 0.73 x 0.84 in./18.542 x 21.336 mm
Stamp Size (w x h): 0.87 x 0.98 in./22.098 x 24.892 mm
Plate Size: 540 stamps per revolution
Plate Number: “B” followed by six (6) single digits
Coil Number Frequency: Plate number every 27th stamp below stamp image
The third of 12 stamps in the latest Lunar New Year stamp series celebrates the Year of the Tiger. Calling to mind the elaborately decorated masks used in the dragon or lion dances often performed in Lunar New Year parades, this three-dimensional mask depicting a tiger is a contemporary take on the long tradition of paper-cut folk art crafts created during this auspicious time of year. The tiger mask design incorporates colors and patterns symbolic to the holiday. Art director Antonio Alcalá designed the stamp and pane with original art by Camille Chew.
The Scott catalogue number for this stamp is 5662.
Additional information will be posted below the line, with the newest at the top.
Updated January 10th:
Here are the first-day postmarks for this issue:The Digital Color Postmark measures 2.97″ x 1.43″ The Pictorial Postmark measures 2.35″ x 1.23″
Updated December 16th from the Postal Bulletin:
On January 20, 2022, in New York, NY, the United States Postal Service® will issue the Lunar New Year — Year of the Tiger stamp (Forever® priced at the First-Class Mail® rate) in one design, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 20 stamps (Item 481500). This stamp will go on sale nationwide January 20, 2022, and must not be sold or canceled before the first-day-of-issue. The Lunar New Year — Year of the Tiger commemorative pane of 20 stamps may not be split and the stamps may not be sold individually.
In 2022, the Postal Service™ will issue the third of 12 stamps in its third Lunar New Year series. The Year of the Tiger begins February 1, 2022, and ends on January 21, 2023. 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 tiger is a contemporary take on the long tradition of paper-cut folk art crafts created during this auspicious time of year. Simplified illustrations of the 12 zodiac animals form vertical lines on the left and right sides of the stamp pane. Art director Antonio Alcalá designed this stamp issuance with original artwork by Camille Chew.
No automatic distribution.
How to Order the First-Day-of-Issue Postmark:
Customers have 120 days to obtain the first-day-of-issue postmark by mail. They may purchase new stamps at their local Post Office™ or at The Postal Store® website at 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 – Lunar New Year — Year of the Tiger 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 20, 2022.
Updated December 16th: [press release] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions] Tiger, Tiger Burning Bright!
WHAT: The U.S. Postal Service celebrates the Lunar New Year with the release of the Year of the Tiger Forever stamp. The Year of the Tiger begins Feb. 1, 2022 and ends Jan. 21, 2023.
News of the stamp is being shared with the hashtag #LunarNewYearStamp.
WHO: The Honorable Ronald A. Stroman, Member,
United States Postal Service Board of Governors
TICKETS: This is a ticketed event. To facilitate contract tracing if necessary, tickets must be obtained from Peter Norton Symphony Space. Information on how to obtain free tickets and other information can be found here.
VENUE PROTOCOL: Everyone entering the building is required to show proof of full vaccination and state-issued I.D. Peter Norton Symphony Space will not accept negative test results in lieu of proof of full vaccination. More information can be found on their website.
BACKGROUND: The tiger is the third of the 12 zodiac animal signs associated with the Chinese lunar calendar. As with other zodiac signs, personality traits and other attributes are often associated with people born in the year of a particular animal. Those born during the Year of the Tiger may be seen as brave, confident and well-liked by others. Blue, orange and gray are lucky colors for Tigers, and yellow lilies and cineraria flowers may also bring good luck.
Art director Antonio Alcalá designed the stamp with original art by Camille Chew.
The Year of the Tiger stamp is being issued in panes of 20. This Forever stamp will always be equal in value to the current First-Class Mail 1-ounce price.
Lunar New Year is one of the most important holidays of the year for many Asian communities around the world and is primarily celebrated by people of Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, Tibetan, Mongolian, Malaysian and Filipino heritage. Across these varied cultures, many traditions exist for ringing in a new year of good luck and prosperity.
Customers may purchase stamps and other philatelic products through the Postal Store at usps.com/shopstamps, by calling 844-737-7826, by mail through USA Philatelic, or at Post Office locations nationwide.
The Postal Service generally receives no tax dollars for operating expenses and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations.
Updated December 11th: Linn’s Stamp News reports this stamp will be issued January 20th with New York City as the location.
Updated December 3rd:
VSC member Foster Miller reports in VSC’s Facebook Group that this stamp is expected in mid- to late-January. The Lunar New Year begins February 1.
Quick summary: Year of the Tiger, Pete Seeger, pioneering marine biologist Eugenia Clark, Washington Post publisher Katherine Graham, women’s rowing (four designs), Native American/African American sculptor Edmonia Lewis for the Black Heritage series, National Marine Sanctuaries (16 stamps), pony cars (Mustang, Challenger, Camaro, Cougar, Javelin), elephants (1 stamp), Native American modernist artist George Morrison (5 stamps), Mighty Mississippi (10 stamps),, Title IX (the civil rights law that prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in any educational program or activity), cryptology, blackberries, and assorted flowers.
[press release] Royal Mail Announces Young Artist Finalists In Heroes’ Stamp Competition Secures Guinness World Records® Title For Largest Postage Stamp Design Competition Competition for UK children to design stamps marking the amazing work of key workers and others during the pandemic received 606,049 entries
Royal Mail has announced details of the 120 regional finalists in its Heroes of the Pandemic stamp design competition
from North East
Each of the 120 regional finalists will receive £100 in gift vouchers and £100 for their school
Entries were submitted from 7,479 schools, helping Royal Mail to secure the Guinness World Records title for Largest postage stamp design competition
The competition was open to UK children aged 4-14 to design a stamp to celebrate their ‘heroes of the pandemic’
Eight designs will be chosen as part of a special set of stamps
The designs highlight the amazing work played by key workers and others in keeping the UK connected during these unprecedented times
Only five times in Royal Mail’s 500-year history have designs created by children been used on stamps; 1966; 1981; 1992; 2013; and 2017
The winners will follow in the footsteps of highly acclaimed children’s illustrators who have designed stamps in the past, such as: Quentin Blake; Nick Park; and Axel Scheffler
Royal Mail has announced 120 regional finalists in its stamps design competition to celebrate the heroes of the pandemic.
from London
The 120 regional finalists will each receive £100 in gift vouchers and £100 for their school and will go forward to the next stage of the competition with a chance that their design will appear on a stamp next year.
All 120 images can be viewed or downloaded by region:
The announcement comes as Royal Mail secured a Guinness World Records® title of Largest postage stamp design competition, which received an incredible 606,049 entries. An astonishing 7,479 schools submitted entries.
The previous highest number of entries received for a stamp design competition was 239,374, achieved for Royal Mail’s Christmas Stamp Design Competition held in 2013.
Royal Mail’s Heroes of the Pandemic stamp competition is now officially:
Guinness World Records
Largest postage stamp design competition
from Wales
The largest postage stamp design competition consisted of 606,049 completed submissions and was achieved by Royal Mail Group Limited and iChild Limited (both UK), London, UK, on 1 July 2021.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: “It is of great credit to the children of this country that in world record breaking numbers they picked up their paintbrushes, pens and paints and paid artistic tribute to the heroes of our coronavirus response.
“Their brilliant efforts represent the collective gratitude of the nation to everyone who went above and beyond during the pandemic.
“Congratulations to all those who have made it to the next round and thank you to everyone who has taken part and to the teams at Royal Mail for managing this record number of entries.”
from Scotland
Simon Thompson, Royal Mail CEO, said: “We would like to thank all of the 606,049 children who submitted such brilliant designs to the competition. We have been amazed and impressed by the sheer volume of entries. And to have achieved a Guinness World Records title in the process shows how much the UK’s children value those heroes who have kept the nation moving during such a difficult period. To the 120 regional finalists – Well Done! We are really looking forward to seeing the winning eight designs!”
To arrive at the 120 regional finalists, a network of judges, consisting of current and retired art teachers, evaluated each of the 606,049 entries. Over a three-month period, the best entries from Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and England were chosen from each age group.
From the 120 regional finalists, a special panel of judges will now determine the winning 24 regional designs in November.
from Northern Ireland
From these 24 entries, eight winning images will be chosen as official Royal Mail stamps. They will then appear on millions of items of mail across the UK when they are issued in the Spring of 2022.
The competition was open to UK schoolchildren to mark the important role played by key and frontline workers, as well as others, during the pandemic. Children, aged 4 to 14, were given the chance to design an official Royal Mail stamp as part of a special set of eight. Children were asked to think about who their hero or heroes were, and to design a stamp in their honour.
The designs received celebrate a wide range of heroes, including: NHS workers; mums; dads; carers; refuse collectors; cleaning staff; teachers; su
from East of England
permarket workers; public transport staff; delivery drivers and, indeed, postmen and postwomen. Also depicted on
the designs were many volunteers who have helped in their local communities or raised money for charity, such as Captain Sir Tom Moore.
As with all Special Stamps issued by Royal Mail, the final eight stamps will be sent to Her Majesty The Queen before they can be printed and issued.
Only five times in the company’s 500-year history have children designed official Royal Mail stamps: 1966; 1981; 1992; 2013; and 2017.
The winners will follow in the footsteps of highly acclaimed children’s illustrators who have designed stamps in the past, such as: Quentin Blake; Nick Park; and Axel Scheffler.
Updated September 28, 2022: [press release] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions] Stamps capture Indigenous artists’ visions for truth and reconciliation Four-stamp issue features work of First Nations, Inuit and Métis artists
OTTAWA – Canada Post unveiled [28 September] four new stamps that encourage awareness and reflection on the tragic legacy of Indian residential schools and the need for healing and reconciliation. The stamps – being released September 29 in connection with the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on September 30 – are the first in an annual series showcasing the visions of First Nations, Inuit and Métis artists for the future of truth and reconciliation.
Between the 1830s and 1990s, more than 150,000 First Nations, Inuit and Métis children across Canada were taken from their families and sent to federally created Indian residential schools. They were stripped of their languages, cultures and traditions. Children endured unsafe conditions, disease, and physical, sexual and emotional abuse while at the church-run schools. Thousands of them never made it home. Residential school Survivors continue to experience trauma from their time at the institutions, and that has been passed down to successive generations.
The four-stamp issue will help Canadians reflect on the injustices and trauma that have been inflicted on generations of First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples and calls attention to the responsibility all Canadians have in reconciliation. The stamps are cancelled in Brantford, Ontario, the site of the Mohawk Institute, whose opening in the early 1830s made it Canada’s first Indian residential school. The Indigenous languages found on the stamps represent the language and dialect of the artists who created the work.
Jackie Traverse, First Nations artist (Lake St. Martin, Manitoba) – Anishinaabe, Ojibwe
“This image represents seeds of change. Here we have man and woman, the Elders, their children and their grandchildren. I’ve put the (unofficial) national flower, the bunchberry, in the centre to represent Canada, with the roots from the seeds reaching to the past. For all of us to experience a good harvest we need to share the sun, water and the land. This is how we bring forth good crops and ensure everyone has the harvest of tomorrow.”
Traverse’s mother died at a young age and her siblings were apprehended in the Sixties Scoop. She grew up in one of Winnipeg’s toughest neighbourhoods. Traverse is a multi-disciplined Indigenous artist who works in several media, from oil and acrylic paintings to mixed media, stop-motion animation and sculpture. She draws inspiration from her Indigenous culture and her experiences as an Indigenous woman living in Winnipeg. Her work speaks to the realities of being an Indigenous woman.
Gayle Uyagaqi Kabloona, Inuit artist – Qamani’tuaq (Baker Lake), Nunavut
“I believe each group within Canada has a different responsibility for reconciliation. For Indigenous People, our responsibility is to ourselves and to others within our communities: learning or passing on our language and culture that was attacked only one generation ago. I created a woman lighting a qulliq (QUL-liq), the traditional Inuit stone lamp used for heat and light to signify caretaking. This woman is carrying on in her culture as she has always done, taking care of herself and others and healing.”
Originally from Baker Lake, Nunavut, Kabloona comes from a family of renowned Inuit artists. Art is how she connects with others within her culture, showcases her Inuit heritage, and expresses her Indigenous identity. Kabloona’s work puts a modern take on traditional Inuit imagery, and strong women frequently make appearances in her art. She co-founded a small group ceramics studio and has taught art as therapy at an addictions healing centre for Inuit, located in Ottawa. Last year, Kabloona was awarded a residency at the Art Gallery of Guelph, working with an Inuit curator, and created a new piece to be shown alongside her grandmother’s and great-grandmother’s artwork from the gallery’s collection.
Kim Gullion Stewart, Métis artist – Athabasca, Alberta (currently lives in Pinantan Lake, British Columbia)
“Flowers in Métis art remind people to live in a symbiotic way with land, waterways, ecosystems and one another. In this piece I have placed beaded flowers on top of contour lines representing the Rocky Mountains, twisty lines for rivers and dashes demarking political territories. While maps like this one are a two-dimensional record of historical process and places, they are incomplete until they include elements that are important to the people who are Indigenous on this continent.”
Gullion Stewart was born in Athabasca, Alberta. Her father’s heritage connects her to the Métis homeland of Red River, Man. She creates metaphorical meaning by connecting Métis cultural art forms (hide tanning, beading, quillwork) with contemporary and graphic art forms. In her art, she searches to uncover the depths of her Métis identity and learn Métis knowledge systems that have been hidden, lost or adapted as a survival mechanism. She is inspired by what Métis leader Louis Riel (1844-85) once said: “My people will sleep for 100 years, but when they awake it will be the artists who give them their spirit back.”
Blair Thomson, artist and graphic designer
“A pair of bold hands are held over the eyes and human face. Intended to be cross-representative — those of Indigenous Peoples/Survivors, covering their face in sadness, pain, memories, and those of the settler, masking their view of reality and shame. Tears stream from between the fingers. The background further connects to the school windows, looking out and dreaming of home. The eyes looking out from behind the hands reinforce the message that settlers must ‘never look away again.’”
Thomson is founder and creative director of Believe in, a design practice with studios in Canada and the United Kingdom. A harmony between strategic foundation, unique ideas and beautiful outcomes lies at the heart of his approach and creative processes. His work is multi-award winning and has been featured in many leading design publications worldwide. Thomson is the collector, archivist and historian responsible for Canada Modern (an archive of modernist, Canadian graphic design from 1960-85).
Stamps and collectibles are available at canadapost.ca and postal outlets across Canada.
[en Francais pour les médias d’information] Timbres illustrant les visions d’artistes autochtones sur la vérité et la réconciliation Émission de quatre timbres mettant en vedette des œuvres d’artistes inuit, métis et des Premières Nations
OTTAWA – Aujourd’hui, Postes Canada a dévoilé quatre nouveaux timbres qui suscitent sensibilisation et réflexion sur l’histoire tragique des pensionnats autochtones et le besoin de guérison et de réconciliation. Ces timbres seront émis le 29 septembre, la veille de la Journée nationale de la vérité et de la réconciliation, et constituent le premier volet d’une série annuelle illustrant la vision d’artistes inuit, métis et des Premières Nations sur la vérité et la réconciliation.
Des années 1830 à 1990, plus de 150 000 enfants inuit, métis et de Premières Nations de partout au pays ont été arrachés des bras de leur famille pour être envoyés dans des pensionnats autochtones créés par le gouvernement fédéral et dirigés par le clergé. Des milliers d’entre eux n’en sont jamais revenus. Dans ces établissements aux conditions non sécuritaires et propices à la maladie, on leur interdisait de parler leur langue maternelle. En plus d’être dépouillés de leur culture et de leurs traditions spirituelles, ces enfants ont subi des sévices physiques, sexuels et émotionnels, dont les traumatismes se font encore sentir chez les survivants et leur descendance.
Cette émission de quatre timbres invite les membres de la population à réfléchir aux injustices et aux traumatismes vécus par des générations de Premières Nations, d’Inuit et de Métis, et à assumer leurs responsabilités en ce qui a trait à la réconciliation. Les timbres sont oblitérés à Brantford, en Ontario, là où était situé le Mohawk Institute, dont l’ouverture au début des années 1830 en a fait le premier pensionnat autochtone du Canada. Par ailleurs, les timbres comportent des mots dans les langues traditionnelles et les dialectes régionaux des artistes qui ont créé les illustrations.
Jackie Traverse, artiste des Premières Nations (Lake St. Martin, Manitoba) – Anishinaabe, ojibwée
« Cette illustration représente l’espoir du changement. On peut y voir un homme et une femme (les aînées), leurs enfants et leurs petits-enfants. Au centre, le quatre-temps, notre fleur nationale non officielle, avec ses racines qui plongent vers le passé. Elle représente le Canada. L’image nous rappelle que pour que nous puissions tous profiter de récoltes abondantes aujourd’hui et demain, nous devons partager le soleil, l’eau et la terre. »
Jackie Traverse, artiste multidisciplinaire, grandit dans un des quartiers les plus durs de Winnipeg. Sa jeunesse est empreinte de tragédies : sa mère meurt très jeune, et ses frères et sœurs sont enlevés durant la rafle des années 1960. L’artiste utilise le multimédia, la peinture acrylique et à l’huile, l’animation image par image et la sculpture pour créer des œuvres dont elle puise l’inspiration dans sa culture et sa réalité de femme autochtone vivant à Winnipeg.
Gayle Uyagaqi Kabloona, artiste inuk – Qamani’tuaq (Baker Lake, Nunavut)
« Je crois que chaque groupe au Canada a une responsabilité différente en ce qui a trait à la réconciliation. En tant que peuples autochtones, nous avons une responsabilité envers nous-mêmes et les gens de nos communautés : apprendre ou enseigner nos langues et nos cultures qui ont été attaquées il n’y a de cela qu’une génération. J’ai créé l’image d’une femme qui allume une kudlik [ou qulliq], une lampe de pierre traditionnelle inuite servant à se réchauffer et à s’éclairer, ici symbole de compassion. Cette femme vit selon sa culture comme elle l’a toujours fait, guérissant et prenant soin d’elle-même et des autres. »
Originaire de Baker Lake, au Nunavut, Gayle Uyagaqi Kabloona est issue d’une famille d’artistes inuit renommés. L’art lui permet de faire briller son patrimoine inuit, de nouer des liens avec les autres en faisant rayonner sa culture et d’exprimer son identité autochtone. Elle aime moderniser un visuel traditionnellement inuit, et les vedettes de ses œuvres sont souvent des femmes fortes. Elle a fondé un atelier de céramique avec un petit groupe de personnes et enseigne l’art comme thérapie dans un centre de guérison pour les Inuit aux prises avec un problème de dépendance situé à Ottawa. L’an dernier, l’artiste a obtenu une résidence à l’Art Gallery of Guelph, en collaboration avec un conservateur inuit, et a produit une nouvelle création qui sera présentée aux côtés des œuvres de sa grand-mère et de son arrière-grand-mère.
Kim Gullion Stewart, artiste métisse – Athabasca, Alberta (elle vit à Pinantan Lake, en Colombie-Britannique)
« Les fleurs perlées rappellent la nécessité de vivre en symbiose avec la terre, les cours d’eau, les écosystèmes et les uns avec les autres. Sur ce motif, j’ai placé des fleurs perlées sur le tracé des montagnes Rocheuses, les lignes sinueuses qui représentent les rivières et les pointillés qui délimitent les territoires politiques. Bien que les cartes comme celle-ci constituent une archive bidimensionnelle de lieux et de processus historiques, elles sont incomplètes jusqu’à ce qu’elles intègrent des éléments importants pour les peuples indigènes du continent. »
Kim Gullion Stewart est née à Athabasca, en Alberta. Les racines de son père la relient à la patrie métisse de la rivière Rouge, au Manitoba. Elle crée des significations métaphoriques en reliant des procédés artistiques métis (tannage des peaux, perlage, courtepointe) à des procédés artistiques contemporains et graphiques. Sa démarche artistique la pousse à puiser dans les profondeurs de son identité métisse et à réapprendre des systèmes de connaissances métis qui ont été cachés, perdus ou adaptés aux fins de survie. « Les miens dormiront pendant 100 ans, et quand ils se réveilleront, ce seront les artistes qui leur rendront leur esprit. » Cette citation de Louis Riel (1844-1885) est une grande source d’inspiration pour Kim Gullion Stewart.
Blair Thomson, artiste et graphiste
« L’illustration présente des mains superposées à un visage humain. Ces mains représentent deux points de vue : celui des colons, qui masquent la réalité et leur honte, et celui des peuples autochtones, qui couvrent leur visage de tristesse, de douleur et de souvenirs. Des larmes coulent entre les doigts. L’arrière-plan rappelle les fenêtres des pensionnats à travers lesquelles les enfants regardaient en rêvant de retourner chez eux. Les yeux derrière les mains réitèrent que les colons ne doivent plus jamais détourner le regard. »
Blair Thomson est le fondateur et le directeur de création de Believe in, une agence de conception dont les ateliers se situent au Canada et au Royaume-Uni. La démarche artistique de Monsieur Thomson cherche à harmoniser fondements stratégiques, idées uniques et résultats magnifiques. Maintes fois primées, ses œuvres ont également été publiées dans de nombreuses publications de conception de renom partout sur la planète. Il est le collectionneur, l’archiviste et l’historien responsable de Canada Moderne, une archive du graphisme canadien moderne de 1960 à 1985.
Les timbres et les articles de collection sont en vente sur postescanada.ca et dans les comptoirs postaux partout au pays.
[press release from September 27, 2021] Canada Post to issue new Truth and Reconciliation stamp in 2022 Annual stamp issue to help raise awareness and support spirit of healing
OTTAWA – In keeping with its commitment to the principles of truth and reconciliation, Canada Post is working with Indigenous experts to issue a Truth and Reconciliation stamp in 2022 – the first in what will be an annual series.
The stamp will be issued each year in connection with the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, a new federal day of commemoration on September 30 (held for the first time in 2021) to honour the lost children and survivors of residential schools, their families and communities. The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation also coincides with Orange Shirt Day, a national movement that began in 2013 to honour the more than 150,000 First Nations, Inuit and Métis children who were sent to residential schools. The annual stamp issue will help raise awareness about Indigenous truth and reconciliation and support a spirit of healing.
“Canada Post has a long history of sharing important Canadian stories through its stamp program. As a national storyteller and a public institution in virtually every community across Canada, we are committed to supporting the principles of truth and reconciliation,” says Doug Ettinger, President and CEO of Canada Post.
“As a country, it is part of our collective duty to acknowledge and honour the experiences of Indigenous peoples and to move forward together, in a spirit of healing. We hope this annual stamp series can help facilitate that.”
Canada Post has launched several initiatives and will launch others to mark the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and support the principles of truth and reconciliation:
On September 29 and 30, Canada Post employees are invited to wear orange shirts to work.
Beginning in 2022, the Canada Post Community Foundation will award an annual Signature Grant of $50,000 to a national organization that offers programming anchored in the principles of truth and reconciliation and that supports Indigenous children and youth across the country. In 2021, the Foundation awarded 17 grants, totalling approximately $270,000, to programs that support Indigenous youth.
Most of Canada Post’s operations, including all corporate post offices, will be closed September 30 to observe the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.
From September 24 to 30, Canada Post’s head office in Ottawa is being illuminated with orange light to commemorate the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. [see photo above]
In November 2020, the Corporation launched its Indigenous and Northern Reconciliation Strategy. To read more about the strategy, click here.
[en Francais pour les médias d’information] Postes Canada émettra un nouveau timbre consacré à la vérité et à la réconciliation en 2022 L’émission annuelle permettra de sensibiliser le public à la cause dans un esprit de guérison
OTTAWA – Suivant son engagement à l’égard des principes de vérité et de réconciliation, Postes Canada collabore avec des experts autochtones pour émettre un timbre consacré à la vérité et à la réconciliation en 2022, le premier d’une série annuelle.
Un timbre sera émis chaque année à l’occasion de la Journée nationale de la vérité et de la réconciliation, un nouveau jour férié fédéral de commémoration qui a lieu le 30 septembre (et tenu pour la première fois en 2021). Cette journée rend hommage aux enfants disparus et aux survivants des pensionnats autochtones, ainsi qu’à leurs familles et leurs communautés. Elle coïncide avec la Journée du chandail orange, un mouvement national qui a commencé en 2013 pour rendre hommage aux quelque 150 000 enfants inuit, métis et des Premières Nations qui ont été envoyés dans les pensionnats. Cette émission aidera à sensibiliser les gens à la vérité et à la réconciliation avec les Autochtones dans un esprit de guérison.
« Postes Canada fait connaître depuis longtemps des histoires canadiennes importantes grâce à son programme des timbres-poste. À titre de conteur national et d’institution publique présente dans pratiquement toutes les collectivités du Canada, la Société est déterminée à appuyer les principes de vérité et de réconciliation », souligne Doug Ettinger, président-directeur général de Postes Canada.
« En tant que pays, nous avons le devoir collectif de reconnaître les expériences, de rendre hommage au vécu des peuples autochtones et d’aller de l’avant ensemble, dans un esprit de guérison. Nous espérons que cette série de timbres annuelle nous aidera à y parvenir. »
Postes Canada a lancé plusieurs initiatives et en lancera d’autres pour souligner la Journée nationale de la vérité et de la réconciliation, et pour appuyer les principes de vérité et de réconciliation :
Les 29 et 30 septembre, le personnel de Postes Canada est invité à porter un chandail orange au travail.
À compter de 2022, la Fondation communautaire de Postes Canada accordera une subvention annuelle Signature de 50 000 $ à un organisme national qui offre des programmes basés sur les principes de vérité et de réconciliation, et qui vient en aide aux enfants et aux jeunes autochtones partout au pays. En 2021, la Fondation a accordé 17 subventions totalisant environ 270 000 $ à des programmes qui soutiennent les jeunes Autochtones.
Postes Canada suspendra la plupart de ses activités et tous les bureaux de poste de la Société seront fermés le 30 septembre afin de souligner la Journée nationale de la vérité et de la réconciliation.
Du 24 au 30 septembre, le siège social de Postes Canada à Ottawa est illuminé en orange.
En novembre 2020, la Société a lancé sa stratégie de réconciliation avec les communautés autochtones et du Nord. Apprenez-en davantage sur la stratégie.
These four new stamps celebrate the beauty of mountain flowers. Each Mountain Flora stamp features a different flower: a purple pasqueflower, an orange-red wood lily, a bright yellow alpine buttercup and a dark pink Woods’ rose. The artist’s hand-drawn illustrations, refined digitally, create a block-print aesthetic. The stamps will be issued in booklets of 20 and coils of 3,000 and 10,000. Art director Ethel Kessler designed the stamps with original art by Lili Arnold.
It measures 2.72″ x 1.26″.
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:
Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail Forever
Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail Forever
Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail Forever
Updated December 25th:
