Announced October 23, 2023:
The year 2024 will mark the 250th anniversary of the arrival of the first Shakers in the United States. Shaker communities made much of what they needed for daily life themselves, including furniture, fabrics, communal buildings and houses. These 12 stamps feature beautiful photographs of items that highlight the core elements of Shaker design: simplicity and utility. Derry Noyes, an art director for USPS, designed the stamps with existing photographs by Michael Freeman.
Further information will be posted below the line, with the newest information at the top.
Updated May 16th:
On June 20, 2024, in Pittsfield, MA, the United States Postal Service® will issue the Shaker Design stamps (Forever® priced at the First-Class Mail® rate) in 12 designs, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 12 stamps (Item 581400). These stamps will go on sale nationwide June 20, 2024, and must not be sold or canceled before the first-day-of-issue. The Shaker Design commemorative pane of 12 stamps must not be split and the stamps must not be sold individually.
Issued to coincide with the 250th anniversary of the arrival of the first Shakers in America, these stamps celebrate the refined, timeless beauty of Shaker design. From modest oval boxes to furniture, textiles, and even architecture, the Shakers imbued everything they made with uncommon grace. These 12 stamps feature photographs of items that highlight the core elements of Shaker design: simplicity and utility. Art director Derry Noyes designed the stamps with existing photographs by Michael Freeman. The selvage features a black-and-white photograph of Brother Ricardo Belden (1868–1958) in his workshop at Hancock Shaker Village in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. It was taken by Samuel Kravitt circa 1935.
Item 581400, Pane of 12: automatic distribution
How to Order the First-Day-of-Issue Postmark:
Customers have 120 days to obtain the first-day-of-issue postmark by mail. They may purchase new stamps at their local Post Office® or at The Postal Store® website at store.usps.com/store/home. They must affix the stamps to envelopes of their choice, address the envelopes (to themselves or others), and place them in a larger envelope addressed to:
FDOI – Shaker Design 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 20, 2024.
Technical Specifications:
Issue: Shaker Design Stamps
Item Number: 581400
Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail Forever
Format: Pane of 12 (12 designs)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: June 20, 2024, Pittsfield, MA 01201
Art Director: Derry Noyes, Washington, DC
Designer: Derry Noyes, Washington, DC
Existing Photos: Michael Freeman
Existing Photo: Samuel Kravitt
Modeler: Joseph Sheeran
Manufacturing Process: Offset
Printer: Ashton Potter
Press Type: Muller A76
Stamps per Pane: 12
Print Quantity: 18,000,000
Paper Type: Nonphosphored Type III, Block Tagged
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Colors: Black, Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, PMS 490C, PMS 1797C, PMS 4645C, PMS 4675C
Stamp Orientation: Vertical
Image Area (w x h): 1.0850 x 1.4200 in. / 27.5590 x
36.0680 mm
Overall Size (w x h): 1.2250 x 1.5600 in. / 31.1150 x
39.6240 mm
Full Pane Size (w x h): 8.4400 x 6.6000 in. / 214.3760 x
167.6400 mm
Press Sheets Size (w x h): 20.0500 x 25.5700 in. / 509.2700 x
649.4780 mm
Plate Size: 108 stamps per revolution
Plate Number: “P” followed by eight (8) single digits
Marginal Markings:
Front: Header: Shaker Design • Plate number in bottom two corners
Back: © 2023 USPS • USPS logo • Two barcodes (581400) • Plate position diagram (9) • Promotional text
Here are the first-day postmarks for this issue:
The Digital Color Postmark measures 2.71″ x 1.06″
The pictorial postmark measures 2.54″ x 1.25″
Updated April 17th:
These stamps will be available online for pre-ordering on May 20. USPS collectibles have been added to the U.S. 2024 Stamp Program listing for this issue (“USPS Order Numbers”).
Updated February 23rd:
These stamps will be issued June 20 in Pittsfield, Mass. That is the site of the Hancock Shaker Village, an open-air museum. Wikipedia. National Park Service.
