{"id":20062,"date":"2025-12-27T11:03:41","date_gmt":"2025-12-27T16:03:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/virtualstampclub.com\/lloydblog\/?p=20062"},"modified":"2025-12-27T11:03:41","modified_gmt":"2025-12-27T16:03:41","slug":"revised-us-first-day-postmark-guidelines","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/virtualstampclub.com\/lloydblog\/?p=20062","title":{"rendered":"Revised US First-Day Postmark Guidelines"},"content":{"rendered":"

Nothing major, but in the December 27, 2025, issue of the Postal Bulletin<\/em>, the entry for the 2026 Love stamps has slightly-revised guidelines for obtaining first-day postmarks by mail:
\nChange of language:<\/p>\n

Traditional Black and White Postmarks:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Customers may purchase new stamps at their local Post Office\u2122 or at The Postal Store\u00ae website at usps.com\/shop. They must affix the stamps to envelopes of their \"\"<\/a>choice, address envelopes (to themselves or others), and place them in a larger envelope and mail to the above address.<\/p>\n

After applying the first-day-of-issue postmark, the Postal Service\u2122 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.<\/p>\n

Customers can also submit collectable paper items or memorabilia of their choice \"\"<\/a>for a black and white cancellation. The request should include packaging large enough to accommodate their cancelled items along with sufficient postage affixed for the return of their postmarked item.<\/p>\n

If the cancelled item is not mailable by First-Class, and return packaging with postage is not provided, the order must include a way to contact the customer for payment to return cancelled items. Payment for quantities greater than 50 cancels and\/or postage for shipping must be submitted by check, money order, or credit card.<\/p>\n

Digital Color Postmarks:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Only select stamp issues offer a digital color postmark. Digital color postmarks can only be affixed to paper products. Customers may submit #6 or #10 envelopes \"\"<\/a>constructed of paper rated as \u201claser safe.\u201d The Postal Service\u2122 recommends envelopes of 80-pound Accent Opaque, acid-free, 9\/16-inch side seams with no glue on the flap. The maximum size of all digital color postmarks is 2 inches (vertically) by 4 inches (horizontally). Allow sufficient space on the envelope to accommodate the postmark. Do not use self-adhesive labels for addresses on the envelope. Two test envelopes must be included. There is a 50-cent charge per postmark at the time of servicing. Customers must submit a check, money order, or credit card for payment.<\/p>\n

The Postal Service reserves the right to not accept hand-painted and other cachet \"\"<\/a>envelopes that are not compatible with our digital color postmark equipment. The Postal Service also reserves the right to substitute traditional black rubber postmarks if use of non-specified envelopes results in poor image quality or damage to equipment.<\/p>\n

Customers must affix the stamps to the envelopes and address them to themselves or others for return through the mail. Or they may include an additional self-addressed return envelope, large enough to accommodate their canceled items, with sufficient postage affixed for return of their postmarked items.<\/p>\n

All first-day postmarks:<\/strong><\/p>\n

After applying the first-day-of-issue postmark, the Postal Service will return the envelopes to the customer by U.S. Mail\u00ae.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Nothing major, but in the December 27, 2025, issue of the Postal Bulletin, the entry for the 2026 Love stamps has slightly-revised guidelines for obtaining first-day postmarks by mail: Change of language: Traditional Black and White Postmarks: Customers may purchase … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4,47],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-20062","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-usps-news","category-first-day-covers"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/virtualstampclub.com\/lloydblog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20062","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/virtualstampclub.com\/lloydblog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/virtualstampclub.com\/lloydblog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/virtualstampclub.com\/lloydblog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/virtualstampclub.com\/lloydblog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=20062"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/virtualstampclub.com\/lloydblog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20062\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":20063,"href":"https:\/\/virtualstampclub.com\/lloydblog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20062\/revisions\/20063"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/virtualstampclub.com\/lloydblog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=20062"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/virtualstampclub.com\/lloydblog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=20062"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/virtualstampclub.com\/lloydblog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=20062"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}