Updated April 29th: We expressed surprise that this booklet will not be distributed automatically to post offices. “This is correct,” USPS spokesman Mark Saunders tells The Virtual Stamp Club. “There will not be an automatic distribution for Colorful Celebrations. Booklets are not always automatically distributed to post offices and automatic distributions are based on several different factors. Out of eight stamps issues, two stamp issues (Views of Our Planets & National Parks) will be distributed to post offices. Colorful Celebrations will be available for sale at the 2016 World Stamp Show, online at http://usps.com/shop, or by calling 800-782-6724.”

Updated April 29th: The first day postmarks: The DCP measures 2.93” x 1.40” The pictorial measures 2.70” x 1.43”

These stamps will be issued Friday, June 3, at World Stamp Show-NY 2016.

Updated April 29, 2016, from the Postal Bulletin
On June 3, 2016, in New York, NY, the U.S. Postal Service® will issue the Colorful Celebrations stamps (Forever® priced at 47 cents) in 10 designs, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) double-sided booklet of 20 stamps (Item 681000).

The stamps will go on sale nationwide June 3, 2016.

Celebrate any festive occasion with Colorful Celebrations, a new stamp issuance from the U.S. Postal Service. This booklet of 20 First-Class Mail® Forever stamps includes 10 digitally created designs with eye-popping patterns that showcase geometric shapes, flowers, and birds. The stamp designs come in one of four colors: blue, orange, purple, and fuchsia. Papel picado, an intricate art form that was developed in Mexico, inspired artist Atzin Gaytan’s digitally made stamp art. The Spanish term papel picado translates to “pierced paper.” Sally Andersen-Bruce designed the stamps. Derry Noyes served as the project’s art director.

Initial Supply to Post Offices: Stamp Fulfillment Services will not make an automatic push distribution to Post Offices™. Post Offices may begin ordering stamps prior to the FDOI through SFS Web. [Configuration of the booklet pane above]

How to Order the First-Day-of-Issue Postmark:
Customers have 60 days to obtain the first-day-of-issue postmark by mail. They may purchase new stamps at their local Post Office, at The Postal Store® website at http:⁄⁄www.usps.com⁄shop, or by calling 800-782-6724. They should affix the stamps to envelopes of their choice, address the envelopes (to themselves or others), and place them in a larger envelope addressed to:

Colorful Celebrations Stamps
Special Events Coordinator
380 West 33rd Street
New York, NY 10199-9998

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 3, 2016.

There are six philatelic products for this stamp issue:

• 681006, Press Sheet with Die-cut, $75.20 (print quantity 3,000)
• 681010 Keepsake, $11.95
• 681016 First-Day Cover (set of 10), $9.10
• 681021 Digital Color Postmark (set of 10), $16.20
• 681024 Framed Art, $39.95
• 681030 Ceremony Program (random single), $6.95

Technical Specifications:

Issue: Colorful Celebrations Stamp
Item Number: 681000
Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail Forever
Format: Double-sided Booklet of 20 (10 designs)
Series: N⁄A
Issue Date & City: June 3, 2016, New York, NY 10199
Art Director: Derry Noyes, Washington, DC
Designer: Sally Andersen-Bruce, New Milford, CT
Typographer: Derry Noyes, Washington, DC
Artist: Atzin Gaytan, New Milford, CT
Modeler: Sandra Lane⁄Michelle Finn
Manufacturing Process: Offset, Microprint
Printer: Banknote Corporation of America
Printed at: Browns Summit, NC
Press Type: Alprinta 74
Stamps per Booklet: 20
Print Quantity: 100 million stamps
Paper Type: Phosphor Tagged Paper, Block
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Processed at: Banknote Corporation of America, Browns Summit, NC
Stamp Orientation: Horizontal
Image Area (w x h): 1.05 x 0.77 in.⁄26.67 x 19.56 mm
Stamp Size (w x h): 1.19 x 0.91 in.⁄30.22 x 23.11 mm
Booklet Size (w x h): 2.38 x 5.74 in.⁄60.33 x 145.88 mm
Press Sheet Size (w x h): 9.5 x 11.49 in.⁄ 241.3 x 291.74 mm
Colors: Black, PMS Orange, Fuchsia, Blue, Purple
Plate Size: 800 stamps per revolution
Plate Numbers: “B” followed by five (5) single digits
Marginal Markings: • Plate numbers in peel strip area • © 2016 • USPS in peel strip area

Updated April 1, 2016: From the USPS: We want to clarify that these are illustrations inspired by the traditional art of Papel Picado. They are not cut paper themselves and they do not strictly follow the thematic traditions of the Mexican art form.

From the USPS, March 31, 2016: Celebrate any festive occasion with Colorful Celebrations, a new stamp issuance from the U.S. Postal Service®. The booklet of 20 stamps includes 10 vivid, digitally created designs featuring eye-popping patterns that showcase geometric shapes, flowers, and birds.

Papel picado, an intricate art form that was developed in Mexico, served as the inspiration for the stamp art. The Spanish term translates to “pierced paper.” Crafted with sharp tools and layers of tissue paper, papel picado designs often include birds, flowers, and religious iconography. The elaborate decorations are hung during holidays, weddings, birthdays, and other festivities.

Colorful Celebrations is being issued as a First-Class Mail® Forever® booklet of 20. These Forever stamps will always be equal in value to the current First-Class Mail one-ounce price.

The USPS’ full name for this issue: “Honoring Extraordinary Heroism: The Service Cross Medals.”

The stamps were issued Monday, May 30th, at World Stamp Show-NY 2016.

The unveiling at the first day ceremony May 30th: Left to right: David E. Williams, Chief Operating Officer and Executive Vice President, USPS; Captain Thomas Morkan, Deputy Commander, Sector New York, U.S. Coast Guard; Kristin Seaver, Chief Information Officer and Executive Vice President, USPS; Lilliam Rodriguez, Postmaster, Bronx, NY; Greg Breeding, USPS Art Director for this issue.

[press release]
Postal Service Salutes Military Service Cross Recipients on Memorial Day with Forever Stamps

NEW YORK CITY — On Monday, May 30, the national day of remembrance for those who died while serving their nation, the U.S. Postal Service honored military service members who have been awarded one of the four Service Cross Medals — the Army Distinguished Service Cross, the Navy Cross, which includes the Marine Corps, the Air Force Cross and the Coast Guard Cross.

The Memorial Day first-day-of-issue dedication ceremony for the Honoring Extraordinary Heroism: The Service Cross Medals Forever stamps took place at New York City’s Jacob K. Javits Convention Center as part of the world’s largest stamp show that only takes place in the United States once a decade, World Stamp Show-NY 2016. More than 250,000 visitors are expected to attend this week-long event. The public is asked to share the news on social media using the hashtag #ServiceCrossStamps.

U.S. Coast Guard New York Sector Deputy Commander Captain Thomas Morkan joined U.S. Postal Service Chief Information Officer and Executive Vice President Kristin Seaver in dedicating the stamps .

“Story after story, act after act reveals a new profile in courage and a spirit of American greatness that has defined this nation from the very beginning,” said Seaver (photo right). “These medals — and these stamps — pay homage to such heroic actions and dedication to duty.”

“It takes extraordinary heroism to be awarded such a decoration and frequently it requires the ultimate sacrifice,” said Morkan (photo left). “That type of sacrifice, that willingness to lay your life on the line for your country is what we as a nation pause to reflect upon and to pay homage to on Memorial Day. It is a great day for parades and celebrations and backyard barbeques with family and friends — but it is also the day that we honor those who since the war of independence have done what needed to be done.

Their willingness to hazard all, to pay any price, to never tire, to never cease to struggle is why we are a free and proud people, citizens of the greatest nation on this earth. That struggle is never ending. Service men and women are in harm’s way today at this very moment. As you enjoy your barbeque and the company of family and friends, I ask that you spare a few moments to honor those who so willingly make it possible.”

Updated April 29th: A look at the full pane of stamps: Updated April 29th: The first day postmarks: The DCP measure 1.81” x 1.50” The pictorial postmark measures 2.76 x 1.32” The special dedication postmarks measure 2.98” x 1.48”

Updated April 29th, from the Postal Bulletin:
On May 30, 2016, in New York, NY, the U.S. Postal Service® will issue Honoring Extraordinary Heroism: The Service Cross Medals stamps (Forever® priced at 47 cents) in four designs, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) souvenir sheet of 12 stamps (Item 561100). Honoring Extraordinary Heroism: The Service Cross Medals souvenir sheet of 12 stamps may not be split, and the stamps may not be sold individually.

The stamps will go on sale nationwide May 30, 2016.

This issuance continues a Postal Service™ tradition of honoring the bravery and achievements of members of the U.S. Armed Forces. Previous issuances have depicted the highest military decoration for valor in combat: the Medal of Honor. These new stamps recognize the next highest tier of military decorations for valor: the Distinguished Service Cross (Army), Navy Cross (Navy and Marine Corps), Air Force Cross, and Coast Guard Cross. Each stamp consists of a photograph of one of the four medals suspended from a ribbon and shown against a dark blue backdrop. There are a total of 12 stamps on the pane, shown in two rows. These decorations are awarded for acts of extraordinary heroism in which an individual braved enemy fire, made bold decisions, and took selfless actions to rescue or protect fellow service members. Art director Greg Breeding designed the stamps and stamp pane, working with photographs of the medals by Richard Frasier.

Initial Supply to Post Offices: Item 561100, $5.64, Honoring Extraordinary Heroism: The Service Cross Medals (Forever priced at 47 cents) Commemorative PSA Souvenir Sheet of 12 Stamps

Stamp Fulfillment Services will not make an automatic push distribution to Post Offices™. Post Offices may begin ordering stamps prior to the FDOI through SFS Web.

There are special dedication postmarks.

How to Order the First-Day-of-Issue Postmark:
Customers have 60 days to obtain the first-day-of-issue postmark by mail. They may purchase new stamps at their local Post Office, at The Postal Store® website at http:⁄⁄www.usps.com⁄shop, or by calling 800-782-6724. They should affix the stamps to envelopes of their choice, address the envelopes (to themselves or others), and place them in a larger envelope addressed to:

Honoring Extraordinary Heroism:
The Service Cross Medals Stamps
Special Events Coordinator
380 West 33rd Street
New York, NY 10199-9998

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 30, 2016.

There are six philatelic products for this stamp issue:

• 561106, Press Sheet with Die-cut, $67.68 (print quantity 3,000)
• 561110 Keepsake (set of 4), $12.95
• 561116 First-Day Cover (set of 4), $3.64
• 561121 Digital Color Postmark (set of 4), $6.48
• 561124 Framed Art, $39.95
• 561130 Ceremony Program (random single), $6.95

Technical Specifications:

Issue: Honoring Extraordinary Heroism: The Service Cross Medals Stamp
Item Number: 561100
Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail Forever
Format: Souvenir Sheet of 12 (4 designs)
Series: N⁄A
Issue Date & City: May 30, 2016, New York, NY 10199
Designer: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
Art Director: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
Typographer: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
Photographer: Richard Frasier, Vienna, VA
Modeler: Sandra Lane⁄Michelle Finn
Manufacturing Process: Offset, Microprint
Printer: Banknote Corporation of America
Printed at: Browns Summit, NC
Press Type: Alprinta 74
Stamps per Pane: 12
Print Quantity: 20,400,000 stamps
Paper Type: Phosphor Tagged Paper, Block
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Processed at: Banknote Corporation of America, Browns Summit SC
Colors: Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black, PMS 10128⁄Gold
Stamp Orientation: Vertical
Image Area (w x h): 0.84 x 1.42 in.⁄21.34 x 36.07 mm
Overall Size (w x h): 0.98 x 1.56 in.⁄24.89 x 39.62 mm
Full Pane Size (w x h): 7.5 x 5.5 in.⁄190.50 x 139.70 mm
Press Sheets Size (w x h): 22 x 22.5 in.⁄558.30 x 571.50 mm
Plate Size: 144 stamps per revolution
Plate Numbers: N⁄A
Marginal Markings:
Back: © 2016 USPS • USPS logo • Plate position diagram • Barcode (561100) in lower left corner of pane • Promotional text

From the USPS, March 31, 2016: This issuance continues a Postal Service™ tradition of honoring the bravery and achievements of members of the U.S. Armed Forces. Previous issuances have depicted the highest military decoration for valor in combat: the Medal of Honor. These new stamps recognize the second highest decoration: the Distinguished Service Cross (Army), Navy Cross (Navy and Marine Corps), Air Force Cross, and Coast Guard Cross.

The criteria for awarding each of these four medals are similar. In the official language authorized by congressional legislation, they are given for extraordinary heroism not justifying the award of a Medal of Honor:

• While engaged in an action against an enemy of the United States;
• While engaged in military operations involving conflict with an opposing foreign force; or
• While serving with friendly foreign forces engaged in an armed conflict against an opposing armed force in which the United States is not a belligerent party.

The Distinguished Service Cross was the first of these awards to be established, in 1918, followed the next year by the Navy Cross. The Air Force Cross was instituted in 1960, following the creation of the Air Force as a separate military service independent from the Army. The Coast Guard Cross was only recently instituted, in 2010, to recognize its members for qualifying actions taken when not operating under the Department of the Navy or during military operations against international terrorists. This decoration is yet to be awarded.

Many recipients of these awards died or were severely wounded as a result of the heroic actions for which they were honored, while a number of others died in subsequent battles before receiving the award for their earlier actions. Many recipients rescued wounded service members or drew enemy fire to buy time for others to regroup or be rescued. Some continued fighting despite their own wounds. According to official accounts, all braved enemy fire, made bold decisions, and took selfless actions to rescue or protect their fellow service members. These medals pay homage to such heroic actions and dedication to duty.

Updated October 4th: The Scott Catalogue number for this issue is 5105.

Updated September 1st: By the USPS:

There was a misprint on the Henry James First-Day Cover, which has been corrected. Customers receiving the misprint can exchange it for a corrected copy at no charge or keep it and order a corrected copy. Both versions are available for sale to the public.
The item numbers for each are as follows:

• The misprinted version — item 119417.
• The corrected version — item 119416

To order either of these First-Day Covers, customers should call 800-STAMP-24 (800-782-6724).

Updated July 22nd: Two of the credits were corrected by the USPS. The listings below have been changed.

Updated July 3rd: Here is the Digital Color Postmark for this issue: Updated June 23rd:
On July 31, 2016, in Dulles, VA, the U.S. Postal Service will issue the Henry James three ounce rate mail use stamp (Non-denominated priced at 89 cents) in one design, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 20 stamps (Item 119400).

The stamp will go on sale nationwide July 31, 2016.

The 31st stamp in the Literary Arts series honors Henry James (1843–1916), a towering figure in American literature. In novels and stories that often explored the complex interplay between Americans and Europeans, James sought to portray the intricacies of society and the inner lives of his characters with exquisite realism, an intellectual and artistic achievement that earned him a reputation as one of the greatest writers America has ever produced. The stamp features an original painting. On the left is a portrait of Henry James based on a 1906 photograph by Alvin Langdon Coburn; on the right side, behind James, is a vignette showing a man and a woman in a small boat, an artistic interpretation of the climactic scene from James’s 1903 novel, The Ambassadors. The words “THREE OUNCE” on this stamp indicate its usage value. Like a Forever® stamp, this stamp will always be valid for the price printed on it. The artist for this stamp was Kate Sammons; the art director was Antonio Alcalá.

Stamp Fulfillment Services will not make an automatic push distribution to Post Offices. Post Offices may begin ordering stamps prior to the FDOI through SFS Web.

How to Order the First-Day-of-Issue Postmark:
Customers have 60 days to obtain the first-day-of-issue postmark by mail. They may purchase new stamps at their local Post Office, at The Postal Store® website at http:⁄⁄www.usps.com⁄shop, or by calling 800-782-6724. They should affix the stamps to envelopes of their choice, address the envelopes (to themselves or others), and place them in a larger envelope addressed to:

Henry James Stamp
Special Events
22403 Randolph Drive
Dulles, VA 20103-9998

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 1, 2016.

There are four philatelic products for this stamp issue:

• 119406, Press Sheet with Die-cut, $106.80 (print quantity 1,000)
• 119410 Digital Color Postmark Keepsake, $19.95
• 119416 First-Day Cover, $1.33
• 119421 Digital Color Postmark, $2.04

Technical Specifications:

Issue: Henry James Stamp
Item Number: 119400
Denomination & Type of Issue: Three ounce rate, Non-denominated, Mail use
Format: Pane of 20 (1 design)
Series: Literary Arts
Issue Date & City: July 31, 2016, Dulles, VA 20103
Designer: Kate Sammons, Los Angeles, CA
Art Director: Antonio Alcalá, Alexandria, VA
Typographer: Kate Sammons, Los Angeles, CA
Artist: Kate Sammons, Los Angeles, CA
Modeler: Sandra Lane⁄Michelle Finn
Manufacturing Process: Offset, Microprint
Printer: Banknote Corporation of America
Printed at: Browns Summit, NC
Press Type: Alprinta 74
Stamps per Pane: 20
Print Quantity: 20 million stamps
Paper Type: Phosphor Tagged Paper, Overall
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Processed at: Banknote Corporation of America, Browns Summit SC
Colors: Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black, PMS 129⁄Yellow
Stamp Orientation: Horizontal
Image Area (w x h): 0.84 x 1.42 in.⁄21.34 x 36.07 mm
Overall Size (w x h): 0.98 x 1.56 in.⁄24.89 x 39.62 mm
Full Pane Size (w x h): 5.92 x 7.24 in.⁄150.37 x 183.90 mm
Press Sheets Size (w x h): 21.72 x 11.84 in.⁄551.69 x 300.73 mm
Plate Size: 240 stamps per revolution
Plate Numbers: “B” followed by five (5) single digits
Marginal Markings:
Front: Plate numbers in four corners of pane
Back: © 2015 USPS • USPS logo • Plate position diagram • Barcode (119400) in upper right and lower left corners of pane • Promotional text

Updated June 10th, from the USPS: This stamp will be issued Sunday, July 31st, without a first-day ceremony. The postmark will read Dulles, VA 20103.

From the USPS, March 31, 2016: The 31st stamp in the Literary Arts series honors Henry James (1843–1916), a towering figure in American literature. In novels and stories that often explored the complex interplay between Americans and Europeans, James sought to portray the intricacies of society and the inner lives of his characters with exquisite realism, an intellectual and artistic achievement that earned him a reputation as one of the greatest writers America has ever produced.

Henry James was born in New York City on April 15, 1843. His four siblings included William James, who would become one of the most influential American psychologists and philosophers, and Alice James, who would be recognized posthumously as a perceptive diarist. Their father was a wealthy philosopher and mystic who insisted that his children be intellectually stimulated. He took the entire family to Europe for three years in 1855, when James was 12, and returned with them for a second yearlong trip from 1859 to 1860, an unconventional education that immersed them in galleries, museums, and theaters.

In 1861, James began to study law at Harvard, but he soon committed himself to a literary life. His first known published work, a theater review, appeared in a Boston newspaper in 1863, followed by his first short story in a monthly magazine in 1864. He was soon writing for such prominent national journals as The Atlantic Monthly and The Nation even as he traveled in Europe, sometimes for several years at a time, penning travel pieces, short stories, and two novels before settling permanently in London in 1876.

By this point, James had begun to explore one of his major preoccupations, which came to be known as “the international theme”: the drama that results, both comic and tragic, when Americans encounter Europe—or, sometimes, when Europeans travel or live in America. James’s first major novel, The American, serialized in 1876 and 1877, took up this theme, dramatizing the experiences of an American businessman in Paris whose ignorance and energy clash with the murky complexity of European aristocracy.

James truly asserted the importance of the international theme with his 1878 story “Daisy Miller.” A study of the problems that occur when people confuse manners with morals, “Daisy Miller” tells the story of an American girl who rebels against local customs while traveling in Europe, with fatal consequences. By contrasting innocent American willfulness with the judgments of Europeans and American expatriates, James highlights the complex ways Americans and Europeans misunderstand each other. A transatlantic sensation, “Daisy Miller” was controversial among Americans, some of whom questioned James’s patriotism and objected to the book for its portrayal of young American women. Today “Daisy Miller” remains perhaps James’s most widely read work and an accessible, compelling introduction to the late 19th-century culture clash he depicted so meticulously.

In this early phase of James’s career, his interest in the international theme culminated in The Portrait of a Lady. Serialized in magazines before being published as a book in 1881, the novel tells the story of Isabel Archer, a spirited American woman in England who rejects would-be suitors, valuing her freedom above all, before entering into an ill-fated marriage. Praised for its complex, realistic presentations of its characters’ inner lives, The Portrait of a Lady portrays American expatriates corrupted and undone by Europe and has been praised for showing the price of experience and the disillusionment and personal disaster that can result when an American zeal for freedom is intertwined with naiveté and pride.

As his career progressed, James explored a wide array of themes and subject matter. He was particularly interested in the relationships between fathers and daughters, and his 1880 novel Washington Square, marked by short, clear scenes, strong characters, and heightened dialogue, remains a memorable account of a father and a daughter locked in an irresolvable battle of wills. James also used fiction to portray the women’s movement in the United States in The Bostonians and, in an unusual departure, to dramatize anarchist terrorism in working-class London in The Princess Casamassima.

During the 1890s, James explored the literary potential of ghost stories, portraying the supernatural with eerie, sinister subtlety. “The Turn of the Screw,” published in 1898, is the most memorable of his several supernatural tales. The novella is narrated by a governess who investigates two ghostly figures that seem particularly interested in the children in her care. Masterfully imbued with a sense of dread as well as a deliberate ambiguity that has challenged and unnerved readers for more than a century, “The Turn of the Screw” still prompts debate about the nature of the unnamed evil the ghosts represent and the reliability of the narrator herself.

In the final phase of his career, James returned to the international theme, crafting several novels that showcase his writing and his intellect at their most mature—and their most demanding. Like his understanding of the cultural interplay between Americans and Europeans, the prose in these novels is often dauntingly complex, reflecting James’s attempt to observe human behavior closely and convey his characters’ inner lives in minute detail. In his 1902 novel The Wings of the Dove, a young American heiress in England stricken with a fatal illness is taken advantage of by the people around her. In James’s 1903 masterpiece The Ambassadors, a middle-aged American man travels to Europe at the behest of his fiancée, presumably to rescue her son from a woman she believes must be bad for him. After exploring a dizzying social world that challenges and changes him, the novel’s protagonist finds himself affirming the importance of living as fully as possible.

James’s last major novel, The Golden Bowl, focuses on a close-knit American father and daughter in Europe who both marry at the same time without knowing that their spouses have been lovers—and may still be. Some readers have criticized the novel for being slow and overly analytical, while others have argued that it repays the patient reader with its delicacy, representing the brilliant final expression of James’s lifelong effort to dramatize the intricacies of human experience.

All in all, James’s literary output was prodigious: 20 complete novels, more than 100 shorter pieces of fiction, several plays, and hundreds of shorter works and articles, including travel observations, literary criticism, and theater reviews.

James’s 1884 essay “The Art of Fiction” remains a particularly memorable touchstone in literary criticism that illuminates his own sense of purpose. In this engaging and enthusiastic essay, James insists that being faithful to reality is vital, and that writers and artists should work to understand life. He further argues that the novel is a legitimate art form to be judged by the standards the writer establishes. Protesting censorship and prudishness, he defends the right of women to write about serious subjects and insists that novelists should not feel restricted either in their choice of subject matter or in their approach to it; they should be judged only by the execution.

Frustrated by American neutrality as World War I raged, James expressed his support for England in July 1915 by becoming a British subject. In December 1915, he suffered a debilitating stroke. One month later, he received the Order of Merit from the King of England; it was delivered to him at his bedside. He died in London on February 28, 1916, shortly before his 73rd birthday.

During James’s lifetime, readers were often drawn to his novels and short stories for their accounts of passionate friendships, love affairs, and marriages that were unhappy and rife with conflict; his contemporaries also admired his realistic and thoughtful portrayals of women, especially strong, autonomous heroines failed by men and betrayed by other women. His eye for human nature has stood the test of time; interest in his work surged in the 1930s and continues to this day. His novels and stories inspired numerous stage and radio adaptations, followed more recently by major television versions and Hollywood films, confirming that our distance from the bygone cosmopolitan society he described makes the human conflicts he explored no less relevant, illuminating, and engaging.

To the great benefit of generations of writers and readers, he also inspired the adjective “Jamesian”—a word that sometimes refers to the work of his brother, psychologist and philosopher William James, but just as often describes the virtues of Henry James’s writing: the intricacy and delicacy of his language, the depth of his insights into human behavior, and his commitment to showing things as they are, in all their challenging complexity.

The words “THREE OUNCE” on this stamp indicate its usage value. Like a Forever® stamp, this stamp will always be valid for the rate printed on it.

Updated October 13th: According to the October 13th Postal Bulletin, local post offices may now order this souvenir sheet for sale, although they may not sell less than the entire product.

Updated May 14th: Here are the first day postmarks: Both postmarks measure 2.81” x 1.50″.

Updated May 11th, from the Postal Bulletin:
In the article “Stamp Announcement 16-18: Classics Forever Stamps, in Postal Bulletin 22440 (4-28-16, page 51), the following information has been updated:

The Classics Forever stamps will be available for purchase at the World Stamp Show on June 1, 2016. The stamps can also be purchased through the following channels: The Postal Store® website at www.usps.com⁄shop or our toll-free number, 800-782-6724. These stamps will not be available for purchase at Postal Retail Units.

Technical Specifications:

Issue: Classics Forever
Item Number: 586800
Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail Forever®
Format: Souvenir Sheet of 6 stamps (6 designs)
Series: N⁄A
Issue Date & City: June 1, 2016, New York, NY 10199
Designer: Antonio Alcalá, Alexandria, VA
Art Director: Antonio Alcalá, Alexandria, VA
Typographer: Antonio Alcalá, Alexandria, VA
Modeler: Sandra Lane⁄Michelle Finn
Manufacturing Process: Intaglio, Offset
Printer: Banknote Corporation of America
Printed at: Browns Summit, NC
Press Type: Alprinta 74
Stamps per Pane: 6
Print Quantity: 18 million stamps
Paper Type: Phosphor Tagged Paper, Block
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Processed at: Banknote Corporation of America, Browns Summit SC
Colors: PMS 9180⁄Cream, 4545⁄Beige, 7528⁄Tan, 7530⁄Gray, 488⁄Flesh, Warm Gray 8⁄Gray, Intaglio Black, Intaglio Blue
Stamp Orientation: Vertical
Image Area (w x h): 0.77 x 1.05 in.⁄19.56 x 26.67 mm
Overall Size (w x h): 0.91 x 1.19 in.⁄23.11 x 30.22 mm
Full Pane Size (w x h): 4.75 x 6.5 in.⁄120.65 x 165.10 mm
Press Sheets Size (w x h): 24.25 x 13.125 in.⁄615.95 x 333.38 mm
Plate Size: 60 stamps per revolution
Plate Numbers: None
Marginal Markings – Back: © 2016 USPS • USPS logo • Plate position diagram • Barcode (586800) in upper right and lower left corners of pane • Promotional text

Updated May 5th: The final design:

Updated April 29th, from the Postal Bulletin: [still no illustration -VSC]
On June 1, 2016, in New York, NY, the U.S. Postal Service® will issue the Classics Forever stamps (Forever® priced at 47 cents) in six designs, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) souvenir sheet of six stamps (Item 586800). The Classics Forever souvenir sheet of six stamps may not be split, and the stamps may not be sold individually.

The Classics Forever stamps, which will appear in the May 12, 2016 edition of the Postal Bulletin (PB 22441), will go on sale nationwide June 1, 2016.

This souvenir sheet is issued in celebration of the long history of U.S. postage stamps — and in appreciation of stamp collectors and philatelists everywhere. The elaborately designed sheet features new versions of six of America\u0027s earliest and most alluring stamps, now issued as Forever stamps to make them easily distinguishable from the mid 19th-century originals. The intaglio-printed designs featured are George Washington (1851, originally 12 cents), Benjamin Franklin (1851, originally one cent), George Washington (1860, originally 24 cents), George Washington (1860, originally 90 cents), Abraham Lincoln (1866, originally 15 cents), and Benjamin Franklin (1861, originally one cent). The selvage is composed of postal cancellations and script from envelopes contemporaneous with the stamps. These elements are arranged on a buff-colored background with a textured look to evoke stationery of the period. An inner border evoking star-spangled patriotic bunting also bears the title “Classics Forever” at top and bottom and the words “The Classic Era” on either side. Eric Madsen created the artwork for the selvage. Art director Antonio Alcalá designed the issuance.

Initial Supply to Post Offices: Item 586800, $2.82, Classics Forever (Forever priced at 47 cents) Commemorative PSA Souvenir Sheet of Six Stamps

There will be no initial supply to Post Offices™ as these stamps will only be available for ordering through The Postal Store® website at http:⁄⁄www.usps.com⁄shop, by calling 800-782-6724, or at the World Stamp Show.

How to Order the First-Day-of-Issue Postmark:
Customers have 60 days to obtain the first-day-of-issue postmark by mail. They may purchase new stamps through The Postal Store website at http:⁄⁄www.usps.com⁄shop, or by calling 800-782-6724. They should affix the stamps to envelopes of their choice, address the envelopes (to themselves or others), and place them in a larger envelope addressed to:

Classics Forever Stamps
Special Events Coordinator
380 West 33rd Street
New York, NY 10199-9998

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 1, 2016.

There are six philatelic products for this stamp issue:

• 586806, Press Sheet with Die-cut, $28.20 (print quantity 8,000)
• 586810 Keepsake, $15.95
• 586816 First-Day Cover (set of 6), $5.46
• 586821 Digital Color Postmark (set of 6), $9.72
• 586824 Framed Art, $39.95
• 586830 Ceremony Program (random single), $6.95

Technical details for Classics Forever stamps will appear in the May 12, 2016 edition of the Postal Bulletin (PB 22441).

From the USPS, March 31, 2016: This souvenir sheet features new versions of six of America’s earliest and most alluring stamps, now issued as Forever® stamps to make them easily distinguishable from the mid-19th-century originals. America’s early stamps presented a new means of honoring the Revolution’s heroes. The 1851 George Washington and Benjamin Franklin stamps were issued when dramatically reduced rates made the mail more accessible to a growing, migrating population. (These are represented on the top row of the souvenir sheet.) The quick public appreciation of their beautifully engraved portraiture also made stamps a perfect mode of tribute to Abraham Lincoln, martyred just after guiding the Union to victory in the Civil War.

Whether a collector is interested in the great Americans depicted, the artistry, the printing technology of the day, the quirks and evolution of historical postal practices, or the communications enabled by the originals, there is something for everyone in these beautifully evocative stamps.

1851 George Washington, originally 12 cents
Several unusual aspects attract collectors to the George Washington stamp released in 1851. Although its original 12-cent denomination paid the way for certain heavy domestic letters sent afar, such use was uncommon and the rationale for a stamp of this particular value is not well understood. Envelopes bearing this Washington stamp tend to carry it in combination with other denominations or, more often, paired to cover the 24-cent rate for letters to the United Kingdom. The 12-cent stamp was sometimes cut in half to pay six cents of postage until the practice of using bisected stamps was prohibited.

Three printing plates were evidently created, but no trace remains of the second plate nor of any stamps printed by it. The tight spacing on the first plate was typical of the imperforate stamps it produced. Stamps from this plate were eventually perforated, with the perforations violating the edges of the design. The individual stamp images on the plate labeled “Plate 3” were spaced to accommodate perforation once that innovation came to U.S. stamps.

1851 Benjamin Franklin, originally one cent
Only George Washington has been honored on more U.S. stamps than Benjamin Franklin. The Franklin stamp introduced in 1851 was commonplace in its original use, sold for a penny, affixed to advertising circulars and local letters, and printed in great quantities. Although a single stamp design was intended, advanced collectors differentiate many types. Intricate engraved designs were not consistently transferred to the printing plates, so the scrolled ornamentation varies in detail from stamp to stamp. As plates wore, fine features became muted, then were re-emboldened as engravers scraped out grooves. Tiny curls appeared in some fraction of stamps— believed to be artifacts of fine threads left behind by printers’ polishing cloths. Ink batches ranged from pale blue to indigo. Perforations were added in 1857. By studying such variations, some experienced and keen-eyed philatelists can assign a single stamp to its corresponding plate and to the specific position on that plate’s grid of 200 stamps. These variations also help collectors narrow the stamp’s period of origin within the decade-long press run. This stamp-collecting specialty, known as plating, requires time, patience, and the resources to obtain abundant stamps. Collectors who plate this stamp have kept it in high demand.

The profile of Franklin was engraved for Toppan, Carpenter, Casilear & Co., the printing firm that held the exclusive stamp-printing contract for a decade starting in 1851. The likeness is based on a bust carved by French sculptor Jean-Jacques Caffiéri, a likeness Franklin himself favored. Fittingly, this complex stamp honoring the nation’s first Postmaster General continues to captivate the most advanced collectors.

1860 George Washington, originally 24 cents
The need for a 24-cent denomination, previously met by doubling the 12-cent Washington stamp, was realized in 1860 with another stamp honoring Washington. This was the first U.S. stamp issued exclusively with perforations. Like the 12-cent stamp of 1851, this engraved likeness is based on Gilbert Stuart’s iconic Washington portraiture. Here Washington faces a bit to the viewer’s right, a mirror image of the original Stuart portrait. Ink colors vary and are referred to by collectors as lilac and grey-lilac. Some stamps exist in red-lilac but were never in circulation. Those are believed to be printer’s proofs.

Though the entire press run of 1860 Washington stamps was modest—estimated at about 736,000—a great many went unsold and were recalled by the Post Office Department, then destroyed.

1860 George Washington, originally 90 cents
Washington is honored once again on the 90-cent issue of 1860. The engraved portrait on this rarity, widely considered one of the most beautiful stamps of the period, is based on a John Trumbull painting, made circa 1792, that portrays General Washington in 1776. Trumbull had served as a personal aide to Washington during the Revolution and went on to share an artists’ studio with Gilbert Stuart. At 90 cents, this was by far the highest denomination to date, a stamp meant to facilitate large international mailings.

The useful life of this stamp was less than a year. Mail service between the Union and the Confederacy ended as the Southern states seceded. A grace period during which older stamps could be traded for the new 1861 issues was cut short as tensions escalated into civil war. All stamps issued prior to the summer of 1861 were deemed invalid. The tactic of demonetizing the older issues rendered stockpiled stamps worthless and prevented black-market sales by Southerners to Northerners, transactions that would have helped to bankroll the Rebel cause. Following the war, piles of these obsolete stamps kept by Southern postmasters found their way to dealers. An unusual consequence of this is that mint-condition examples remain more common than genuinely used ones, so collectors must be wary to avoid faked cancellations on this 90-cent Washington, and authenticate its provenance.

1866 Abraham Lincoln, originally 15 cents
In a single momentous week in April 1865, Robert E. Lee surrendered at Appomattox Court House and Lincoln was assassinated. The Post Office Department honored the martyred president with a grey-black 15-cent stamp. Issued in 1866, it is considered by many collectors to be the world’s first mourning stamp. Although it was not officially designated as anything other than a general release, the intent behind its issuance was unquestionable, as no previous stamp had been released so quickly after the death of its subject.

The beautifully engraved likeness is based on a photograph by Christopher Smith German, whose studios were located in Lincoln’s hometown of Springfield, Illinois. The source photograph is one of the first in which Lincoln, then president-elect, revealed his newly grown beard.

It is a lesser-known aspect of Lincoln’s career that he, like Benjamin Franklin, served as a postmaster. Legend has it that young postmaster Lincoln would deliver mail—stashed in his hat—as he crossed paths with residents of New Salem, Illinois. His tenure as a village postmaster was less illustrious than Franklin’s national position, but the job familiarized Lincoln, then in his mid-twenties, with local citizens whose trust he earned in his position as postmaster and whose support he would come to rely upon as a politician.

1861 Benjamin Franklin, originally one cent
When pre-Civil War stamps were demonetized, replacements were needed. The National Bank Note Company won the exclusive contract to engrave and print stamps in 1861, a contract previously held by the firm of Toppan, Carpenter, Casilear & Company. National Bank Note produced a striking new design for the one-cent Benjamin Franklin stamp, released August 1861. Its portrait was based on a bust by French sculptor Jean-Antoine Houdon. The stamp was printed in an inadvertent variety of blues including shades that collectors describe as bright, deep, pale, and milky.

Dozens of other Franklin stamps have followed, as the U.S. Postal Service® takes great pride in its own Founding Father. Franklin was a communications genius who revolutionized mail service in the Colonies, served as the new nation’s first Postmaster General, surveyed routes, standardized postal rates, and greatly sped delivery. His creation of a postal system safe from British control was among his greatest contributions to the American Revolution.

Stamps of this 1861 release are the oldest U.S. stamps still valid for use on mail, but the famously frugal-minded Franklin would undoubtedly advise against using the valuable originals for postage.

From a webconference with USPS Stamp Services on Thursday, March 31st at 3 pm EDT. Spelling and typos don’t count!

From a press release just issued: “WASHINGTON — The U.S. Postal Service will begin celebrating the National Park Service’s Aug. 25 centennial just in time for summer vacation letter writing by issuing a pane of stunning Forever stamps depicting 16 examples of our national treasures on June 2.” The design reveals will begin Monday April 4th. Dedication ceremonies at Parks – not decided yet whether those will be on the first days or not.

Honoring Extraordinary Heroism: The Service Cross Medals. 4 stamps, 12 on a sheet. Monday, May 30.

Classics Forever: Forever-stamp souvenir sheet reproduces 6 classic stamps from mid 1800s. Wednesday, June 1. Colorful Celebrations: 4 colors, intricate art form, 10 different designs. Friday, June 3. Henry James, Literary Arts, 3-ounce rate. All but James will be issued at World Stamp Show-NY 2016

The WSS folio (2 sheets of 12 packaged together) May 28th Saturday. The two panes will be attached, somewhat like the Medal of Honor issues, but not folded. Not as big as MOH was.

Sunday May 29th for Repeal

Pluto and Planets both on Tuesday, May 31st.

Mary-Anne Penner: As of right now, the first-day cancellations for all issues will be available every day of the show.

National Parks will be issued June 2nd at WSS.

Eid June 10th Dearborn, MI.

No date whatsoever for Pets at this point. Could not say whether May is still the target.

Issues at WSS: No-die-cut press sheets available? Mary-Anne Penner says no decisions have been made.

No preorders for stamp products any more, except for the actual stamps. New policy.

No T-shirt for Sarah Vaughan, as there was for other Music Icon stamps. A non-stamp product like that would have to have a separate retail agreement (with rights-holders?)

No NDC sheets for Shirley Temple.