Announced October 23, 2023:

This stamp issuance celebrates America’s love of horses. Once instrumental in the early economic development of the United States, horses are now valued athletes and loyal companions, and are important in law enforcement, forestry, entertainment, equine therapy and cattle ranching. This pane of 20 stamps features five photographs of beautiful equines, each in profile. The selvage showcases a sixth horse. Derry Noyes, an art director for USPS, designed these stamps with existing photographs by Stephanie Moon and Karen Wegehenkel.

Further information will be posted below the line, with the newest information at the top.

Updated May 17^th:
[media advisory] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions]
Horses Gallop Into Limelight With New Postage Stamps To Debut at Pony Express Re-Ride

What: The U.S. Postal Service will release Horses, a set of five new stamps that pay tribute to the unwavering loyalty, tireless dedication and wild beauty of America’s equines.

The first-day-of issue ceremony will be held before the start of the 164th Pony Express Re-Ride. USPS will help cheer on participants as they set off on the 1,966 mile run from St. Joseph, MO to Sacramento, CA. The ceremonial event is free and open to the public. News of the stamps is being shared with the hashtag #HorsesStamps.

More information about the Pony Express Re-Ride, including the 2024 Re-Ride schedule, can be found at https://nationalponyexpress.org/re-ride/current-reride/.

Who: Jamiel Freeman, postmaster, St. Joseph, MO

Pam Dixon Simmons, president, National Pony Express Association

Gary Chilcote, Missouri State president, National Pony Express Association

When: Monday, June 17, 2024, at 2 p.m. Central

Where:
Patee House Museum
1202 Penn St.
St. Joseph, MO 64503

RSVP: 164th Commemorative Pony Express Re-Ride Attendees are encouraged to register at: usps.com/horsesstamps.

Background: Once vital to the early economic development of the United States, horses are now valued for their roles in sports and recreation, beloved as companions, and admired for their timeless beauty.

The pane of 20 stamps features five photographs of individual horses. Three of the five appear in their natural environments against a background of green foliage: a gray-maned dappled white stallion; a horse with a russet coat, copper mane and white facial markings; and a golden chestnut with a chalky white mane. A horse with a brown spotted coat and light-colored mane is standing against a snowy wooded background, and a chestnut horse with a white blaze is photographed against a simple black background. The selvage depicts a chestnut horse with a black muzzle and mane peering out of a Dutch barn window.

Derry Noyes, an art director for USPS, designed the stamps using existing photographs by Stephanie Moon and Karen Wegehenkel.

Updated May 16^th:
On June 17, 2024, in St. Joseph, MO, the United States Postal Service® will issue the Horses stamps (Forever® priced at the First-Class Mail® rate) in five designs, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 20 stamps (Item 485200). These stamps will go on sale nationwide June 17, 2024, and must not be sold or canceled before the first-day-of-issue. The Horses commemorative pane of 20 stamps must not be split and the stamps must not be sold individually.

This issuance of 20 stamps pays tribute to horses. Five new stamps feature five photographs of individual horses. Known for their loyalty, industriousness, and steadfast character, horses were instrumental in the early economic development of the United States. Today, these valued athletes and loyal companions also work in law enforcement, forestry, entertainment, equine therapy, and cattle ranching. Art director Derry Noyes designed the stamps with existing photographs by Stephanie Moon and Karen Wegehenkel. The selvage features the title of the issuance and showcases a photograph of another horse taken by Stephanie Moon.

Item number 485200, Pane of 20: 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 – Horses 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 17, 2024.

Technical Specifications:

Issue: Horses Stamps
Item Number: 485200
Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail Forever
Format: Pane of 20 (5 designs)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: June 17, 2024, St. Joseph, MO 64501
Art Director: Derry Noyes, Washington, DC
Designer: Derry Noyes, Washington, DC
Existing Photo: Karen Wegehenkel
Existing Photos: Stephanie Moon
Existing Photo: Stephanie Moon
Modeler: Sandra Lane / Michelle Finn
Manufacturing Process: Offset
Printer: Banknote Corporation of America
Press Type: Alprinta 74
Stamps per Pane: 20
Print Quantity: 30,000,000
Paper Type: Phosphor, Block Tag
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Colors: Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black, PMS 476C
Stamp Orientation: Horizontal
Image Area (w x h): 1.4200 x 1.0850 in. / 36.0680 x
27.5590 mm
Overall Size (w x h): 1.5600 x 1.2250 in. / 39.6240 x
31.8770 mm
Full Pane Size (w x h): 7.2400 x 9.4500 in. / 183.8960 x
240.0300 mm
Press Sheets Size (w x h): 19.1500 x 22.2200 in. / 486.4100 x
564.3880 mm
Plate Size: 120 stamps per revolution
Plate Number: “B” followed by five (5) single digits in bottom two corners
Marginal Markings:
Front: Header: HORSES • Plate number in bottom two corners
Back: © 2023 USPS • USPS logo • Two barcodes (485200) • Plate position diagram (6) • Promotional text

Updated April 17^th:
These stamps will be available online for pre-ordering on May 17. USPS collectibles have been added to the U.S. 2024 Stamp Program listing for this issue (“USPS Order Numbers”).

Updated February 23^rd:
These stamps will be issued June 17 in St. Joseph, Missouri. The Pony Express Museum is located there.