United States 2018 - Stamp Releases & Designers

Click on the images to and right click to save. Print quantities of 20 million or less are highlighted in yellow.

I've not been able to post much about United States postal stamp this year. It was a busy year with some unplanned travel and work, but given the regular and detailed updates on usps.com, Linn's and APS, collectors are always able to find the relevant information, unlike India Post stamps. I'm posting print quantities and stamp artist details for all stamps issued in 2018 in the table below. I've noticed that over the last few years the number of stamps with less than 20 million print run has increased a lot, likely reflecting reduced use of stamps and mail. Surprisingly there was no postal stationary released and a butterfly stamp that was previewed last year was not issued this year either. Has that series ended? We'll have to wait to hear from the post office for more details. Let me know in the comments below if anything is missing or you'd like to see something else posted on here.

United States 2017 Stamp Program (Archived)

Click on the images to and right click to save. Print quantities of 20 million or less are highlighted in yellow.

Update (15 Jan 2018): I've been remiss in updating this post for the last several months, but USPS does a good job in providing technical details in the Postal Bulletin so hopefully you've got most of the information from there. Details for all stamps and postal stationary from the last year are below. Three of the stamps issued in the latter half of 2017 were quite low in print run, and collectors may want to keep a few sheets/coils for future - Fr. Ted Hesburgh, National Museum of African American History & Culture and The History of Hockey. I will try to post 2018 details in another post within January. Enjoy.

 Update (10 Jun 2017): Here's an update for the second quarter of 2017. No new postal stationary was issued during the past three months.

Update (04 Mar 2017): Details for stamp issues in March 2017 are also available now. Two postal stationary items have been issued this year and design and print quantity for these two are also being shared below.

Update (18 Jan 2017): Here are details for stamps to be issued in Jan-Feb 2017. New information will be posted as it becomes available, likely in late February. Do check the other blog post for more regular updates and news on this year's stamp issues.

Note: Print quantities of stamp issues highlighted (yellow) are less than 20 Million.

Update (02 Oct 2016): So far, we've seen the release date for Ted Hesburgh stamp. It's supposedly going to be released on 01 Sep 2017. Let's wait and watch. Dates for no other stamps are yet known. We will be posting stamp subjects and relevant discussion in another blog post, but will share the stamp program at least once in a quarter starting Jan-Feb 2017.

Original post: USPS has announced quite a few stamp issues for 2017. More details coming soon!

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Canada-India Joint Issue: Diwali

India Post and Canada Post had been planning on issuing their first ever joint stamps at least since November 2016. India Post's stamp program for 2017 actually listed joint issue with Canada in two themes, but I'm not sure what was the plan for the second theme. Top officials from India Post and Canada Post met in Toronto in February 2017 to put an agreement in place to design and release stamps in September 2017 to celebrate the Hindu festival of lights, Diwali. These stamps were subsequently designed and issued on 21st September. Canada Post had remained silent on the issuance date and designs for these stamps until the day of issue, but the Indian Government had announced the release in the last week of August. The federal government's Cabinet was informed of the joint issue with Canada on 30th August 2017.

Two stamp designs were used by both postal administrations to depict the Diwali festival. Gerald Querubin of Entro Communications designed the Canadian version and Alka Sharma created the art work for the Indian side. Both countries used the same stamp designs and the issuance date for the joint issue. Canada post issued the two stamps as 'Permanent' rate in a booklet of 10 stamps whereas India Post issued one stamps in Rupees 5 and the other one in Rupees 25 denomination. India Post also issued a souvenir sheet that has both the Rupees 5 and 25 stamps. Canada Post issued a Siamese twin souvenir sheet, which contains the Canadian stamp in C$2.50 and the Indian stamp in Rupees 25 denomination. Lowe Martin printed the Canadian stamp booklet and the joint souvenir sheet whereas Security Printing Press, Hyderabad printed the Indian stamps and souvenir sheet.

The stamps were issued on 21st September, in two ceremonies at the home of the High Commissioner of Canada to India in New Delhi and at the City Hall in Toronto.

Diwali festival is celebrated in the Kartik month of the Hindu calendar. The festival celebrates the triumph of goodness over evil. Goodness is symbolized by light and evil by darkness. Many Hindus, Jains, Sikhs and Buddhists take part in these annual festivities. A few weeks before Diwali all places of worship, work or living are cleaned and decorated. Many communities follow cultural traditions by lighting small oil lamps (called diya), cooking sweets and festival feast and by creating art patters (called rangoli) using paint or flowers. Families and friends also take part in fireworks displays and visit elders to get their blessings. Many businesses prepare new account books and pray for god fortune. Diwali is celebrated based on many historical/mythological events, which vary in different communities. One of the beliefs is that Lord Ram returned home on the day of Diwali, after fourteen years of exile.

One can buy the Indian stamps from ePostOffice and the Candian ones from Canada Post.

United States Stamp Subjects for 2017 (Archived)

Update (15 Jan 2018): Given that not a lot of information was posted here, I'm archiving this post and will not provide any updates here. Let's see if I can do a better job in 2018.

Update (08 April 2017): Two new wedding and celebration stamps will be issued in a ceremony to be held at the Missouri Botanical Gardens in St. Louis on 02nd May 2017. USPS is organizing this event, which is free and open to attend. With this update, issue dates for only 5 of the previously announced stamps are pending. These are listed below.

New Stamp Issue Dates:
02 May - Celebration Corsage (Two Ounce)
02 May - Celebration Boutonniere

Issue Dates Pending:
California Dogface Butterfly
Flowers from the Garden
Have a Ball!
National Museum of African American History & Culture
Sharks

Update (28 Mar 2017): The Postal Service recently added two previously unannounced stamps for issuance in the second quarter. A new Global Forever non-denominated stamp will be dedicated in San Francisco, CA on 28th April. This stamp shows an image of echeveria, a succulent native to the Americas. The second stamp appears to be part of the Fruit-theme definitive series of stamps. It will be issued on 05th May in Acton, MA. This 3 cents stamp shows several strawberries, a white flower, leaves and bulbs from the strawberry plant. This stamp will be issued in coils of 10,000 only.

New Stamp Issue Dates:
28 Apr - Green Succulent Global Forever
05 May - Strawberries (3 cents)

Images for recent stamp dedication ceremonies can be found on the Better Philately twitter feed (click here to follow).

Update (18 Mar 2017): Several stamps have been issued by USPS in February and March. Details for these stamp issues can be found in another blog post. Dates for stamp releases in Q2/Q3 were recently provided by USPS to philately media and those are listed below.

New Stamp Issue Dates:
11 Apr - Robert Panara (Two Ounces)
20 Apr - Delicosio (6 designs)
23 May - Henry David Thoreau
12 Jul - Andrew Wyeth (12 designs)
03 Aug - Protect Pollinators (5 designs)
01 Sep - Fr. Ted Hesburgh
04 Oct - 'The Snowy Day' (4 designs)
05 Oct - Christmas Carols (4 designs)

Update (22 Jan 2017): Two high denomination stamps should have been put for sale today, but were not to be found on USPS.com. Both, the Priority Mail and Priority Mail Express stamps were available for pre-order in panes of 4 each, last two weeks. These stamps should likely be available at the post offices and online tomorrow onward. No dedication ceremonies are planned for these two issues. First-class mail rates are going up 2 cents from 47 to 49 cents from today. Booklets panes of 20 will now cost $9.80 and increase of 40 cents from the previous $9.40 rate. The only other changes appear to be in the priority mail rates, which will be covered with the two new stamps. We've updated the details for January and February 2017 stamp issues in another blog post. Click here to check it out. As soon as more information on the issue dates or new subjects becomes available, we will share it here.

While discussing new issues, it's worth noting that the CSAC stamp subject list that was leaked on Washington Post in 2014 still continues to provide enough hints about potential stamp issues. Many of the stamp subjects disclosed for issuance in 2017 were mentioned in some form on that list. Below are the subjects that were on the leaked list and the ones that remain as potential topics. Stamps issued over the past 3 years (2014-16) are not shown.

Update (06 Jan 2017): The Post Office announced five new stamp subjects for issuance in 2017 on 28th December 2016. These are listed below. Issue dates for many of the Q1 2017 stamps were known as of 05th Jan 2017, covering about half of the stamp subjects announced by USPS so far. Two other make-up denominations under the Fruit definitive series were also announced. No dedication ceremonies are planned for the high denomination stamps on 22nd January. Dedication ceremonies for most other stamps are planned in places associated with the stamp subject or at stamp shows. The stamp on Oscar de la Renta will be issued during the New York Fashion Week, WPA Posters at Hyde Park and JFK stamp in Boston.

Additional stamp subjects:
Gateway Arch (Priority Mail Express, $23.75)
Grapes (5c)
Lili'Uokalani Gardens (Priority Mail, $6.65)
Oscar de la Renta (Pane of 11 designs)
Patriotic (USA) Nonprofit
Pears (10c)
Azulillo Stamped Card

New Stamp Issue Dates:
22 Jan - Gateway Arch (Priority Mail Express, $23.75)
22 Jan - Lili'Uokalani Gardens (Priority Mail, $6.65)
10 Feb - Patriotic (USA) Nonprofit
16 Feb - Oscar de la Renta (Pane of 11 designs)
18 Feb - Uncle Sam's Hat (Additional Ounce)
20 Feb - John F. Kennedy
24 Feb - Grapes (5c)
01 Mar - Nebraska 1867 Statehood
03 Mar - Barn Swallow Stamped Envelope
07 Mar - WPA Posters (10 designs)
23 Mar - Pears (10c)
31 Mar - Mississippi 1817 Statehood

FDOI Ceremony Announcement for Year of Rooster Stamp on 05th Jan 2017

Update (23 Dec 2016): Issue dates for two more stamps was provided in the latest Postal Bulletin by USPS. The U. S. Flag Forever stamp will be dedicated on 27th January at Norcross, GA during the Southeastern Stamp Expo. This stamp will be issued in  booklets of 10, 18 and 20 as well as a Coil of 100 stamps. Both, BCA and Ashton Potter will print the booklets of 10 and 20 and the Coil stamps, but details for the ATM booklet pane were not yet available. The next day, on 28th Jan, the Postcard-rate stamp on Seashells will be issued in San Diego, CA likely during a stamp show as well. These stamps in 4 designs will be made available in panes of 20 and in coils of 100 stamps.

27 Jan - U. S. Flag
28 Jan - Seashells (4 designs)

Update (17 Dec 2016): A couple of other stamp issue dates have become available. The stamp on Dorothy Height will be issued on 01st February in Washington, DC. Release dates for Andrew Wyeth and Father Ted Hesburgh stamps are now known as well. The pane of 12 stamps on Andrew Wyeth will be dedicated at the Brandywine River Museum of Art, PA on 12th July, as reported on ARTFIXdaily. United States Postal Service also revised the design because one of the stamps (bottom right) was repeated twice in the original art work shared on 22nd November. See the original and the revised designs below. Issue date for Fr. Hesburgh was announced on Notre Dame's Facebook page and via a press release.

ARTFIXdaily link - http://www.artfixdaily.com/artwire/release/6046-usps-to-mark-centennial-of-andrew-wyeths-birth-with-12-forever%C2%AE-s

Notre Dame Press Release - http://news.nd.edu/news/notre-dames-father-john-jenkins-responds-to-a-postage-stamp-to-honor-father-hesburgh/

01 Feb - Dorothy Height (40th stamp in Black Heritage series)
12 Jul - Andrew Wyeth
Sep ('Fall 2017') - Father Ted Hesburgh

Update (10 Dec 2016:): Issue dates for the first two stamps have been announced in the latest Postal Bulletin. See the dates below. The Lunar New Year stamp will be issued at the Wing Luke Museum of Asian Pacific American Experience in Seattle, WA and the Love Skywriting stamp will be issued at the Planes of Fame Air Museum in Chino, CA.

05 Jan - Celebrating New Year - Year of the Rooster (Lunar New Year series)
07 Jan - Love Skywriting

Update (22 Nov 2016): Additional stamp subjects were announced by USPS today. With this update the Postal Service has revealed 26 stamp subjects with a total of 78 stamp designs.

Andrew Wyeth (Souvenir Sheet of 12 designs)
Celebration Boutonniere
Celebration Corsage
Christmas Carols (4 designs)
Dorothy Height (Black Heritage Series)
Have a Ball! (8 designs)
Henry David Thoreau
Mississippi 1817 (Statehood Series)
Nebraska 1867 (Statehood Series)
Protect Pollinators (5 designs)
Robert Panara (Distinguished American Series)
'The Snowy Day' (4 designs)

Original Post (02 Oct 2016): The following stamp subjects and associated images have been announced by the Postal Service. This information was made available in the public domain via a press release on 20 Sep 2016. This blog post will be used to provide updates and other information for our readers for all stamp subjects for 2017. Another blog post will list the stamp issues once all the relevant information for printing and designs are available. Do continue to follow both the posts regularly once the new year begins. Until then, enjoy the upcoming holiday season and keep collecting.

Barn Swallow Stamped Envelope
California Dogface Butterfly (7th in a series)
Celebrating New Year - Year of the Rooster (Lunar New Year series)
Delicosio (6 designs) - Latin American and Caribbean cuisine
Father Ted Hesburgh (Birth Centenary)
Flowers from the Garden (4 designs)
John F. Kennedy (Birth Centenary)
Love Skywriting (Love series)
National Museum of African American History and Culture
Seashells (4 designs)
Sharks (5 designs)
Uncle Sam's Hat
U. S. Flag
WPA Posters (10 designs)

It appears that the Flowers of the Garden, Delicosio and WPA Posters could be issued at 'booklet' panes of 20, Uncle Sam's Hat, Seashells and U. S. Flag could come in rolls and others appear to be issued as panes of 20, except for the Lunar New Year stamp.

Stamp Issue Updates for 2016

Update (02 Oct 2016): This could be the last update for the year. A few minor adjustments were made to the stamp release dates. Another change for the Christmas (15th. c. Florentine) from 11 to 18 Oct, but the city of release remained unchanged (Washington DC). The Hanukkah stamp will now be released on 01 Nov in Boca Raton, FL and the Christmas (Nativity) stamp on 03 Nov in Washington, DC. At this point, it is believed the entire stamp program is known for the year. See the release dates for all the stamp below. Surprisingly, little to no postal stationery was released over the entire year. Signs of times to come? The other blog post with details on the stamp printing and designers will be updated soon.

Update (05 Sep 2016): Another stamp issue has been added for release this year. It's a greeting card-rate stamp in the butterfly series (sixth in the series). A 68c stamp non-machinable rate stamp on Eastern Tailed-Blue butterfly will be released in 2016. Although a special rate stamp, it will remain valid 'forever' for it's intended use. No release date or place of issue has been announced yet.

Update (28 Aug 2016): CSAC and United States Postal Service have heard all your voice. A new postage stamp will be issued on 05 October to celebrate Diwali, a Hindu festival. Petitions for this stamp subject have been made for over 10 years and a decision was eagerly awaited by the Indian American community. It's a highlight for this blog because of it's focus on India Post and USPS, and because Diwali brings both the countries and it's culture together. The stamp featuring a traditional lamp called 'diya' was designed by Greg Breeding using a photograph by Sally Anderson-Bruce. William Gicker was the art director for this project. The stamp will be released  at the Indian Consulate in New York. Diwali will be celebrated on 29-30 October this year. In other news, dates for a few stamp issues have been adjusted and release locations updated as well. These updates and the high level stamp program is below. Happy Diwali and Happy Collecting!

01 Oct - Kwanzaa at Charleston, SC (Previously, 07 Oct at New York, NY)
05 Oct - Diwali at New York, NY (Previously unannounced)
11 Oct - Christmas (15th c. Florentine) at Washington, DC (Previously 07 Oct at New York, NY)

Update (06 Aug 2016): This post had not been updated in the last few months, mainly because USPS did a good job disseminating information to philatelists and there were other posts on this blog that contained new on recent stamp issues, especially the ones released during the World Stamp Show in New York. At this point, dates for all known stamps for 2016 have been announced. The last one to be announced was for the 1 cent Apples definitive stamp (12 Aug 2016 release date). Following stamp issues were added beyond the ones made known earlier. The updated stamp program is posted below as well. As mentioned earlier, the detailed version of the stamp program will be posted in another blog.

04 Aug - Songbirds in Snow (4 designs)
19 Aug - Patriotic Spiral (1 design)
06 Oct - Holiday Window Views (4 designs)
07 Oct - Wonder Woman (4 designs) - Golden Age, Silver Age, Bronze Age & Modern Age

Here's the stamp issue program, in an easy to read set of two images (03 Apr 2016).

Moving the detailed schedule to a new post (04 Mar 2016).

Update (27 Feb 2016): Added dates for Indiana Statehood, Holiday stamps (4 issues), Jaime Escalante and Soda Fountain Favorites (to be release in Nashville, TN).

Date	Issue Description	Format
07-Jun	Indiana Statehood	Pane of 20
May	Repeal of the Stamp Act, 1766	Pane of 10
May	NY2016 Souvenir Sheets (2 designs)	2 Panes of 12 each
May	Views of Our Planets (8 designs)	Pane of 16
May	Pluto - Explored (2 designs)	Souvenir Sheet of 4
TBD	Apples (1c)	N/A
07-Oct	Christmas (15th c. Florentine)	Pane of 20
06-Oct	Christmas (Nativity)	Pane of 20
TBD	Eid Greetings	Pane of 20
19-Feb	Grapes (5c)	Coil of 10k
06-Oct	Hanukkah	Pane of 20
TBD	Jack O'Lanterns (4 designs)	Pane of 20
13-Jul	Jaime Escalante	Pane of 20
07-Oct	Kwanzaa	Pane of 20
TBD	Pets (20 designs)	Booklet of 20
TBD	Pickup Trucks (4 designs)	Booklet of 20
TBD	Shirley Temple	Pane of 20
30-Jun	Soda Fountain Favorites (5 designs)	Booklet of 20
TBD	Star Quilts (Presorted First Class, 2 designs)	Coils of 3k/10k
TBD	Star Trek (4 designs)	Pane of 20

Update (13 Feb 2016): Just separating out Q1 2016 from the remaining months. This should help keep a track of the issues until March and then add on as more first day of issue dates are available. Happy Collecting!

Date	Issue Description	Format
March?	Indiana Statehood	Pane of 20
May	Repeal of the Stamp Act, 1766	Pane of 10
May	NY2016 Souvenir Sheets (2 designs)	2 Panes of 12 each
May	Views of Our Planets (8 designs)	Pane of 16
May	Pluto - Explored (2 designs)	Souvenir Sheet of 4
TBD	Apples (1c)	N/A
TBD	Christmas (15th c. Florentine)	Pane of 20
TBD	Christmas (Nativity)	Pane of 20
TBD	Eid Greetings	Pane of 20
19-Feb	Grapes (5c)	N/A
TBD	Hanukkah	Pane of 20
TBD	Jack O'Lanterns (4 designs)	Pane of 20
TBD	Jaime Escalante	Pane of 20
TBD	Kwanzaa	Pane of 20
TBD	Pets (20 designs)	Booklet of 20
TBD	Pickup Trucks (4 designs)	Booklet of 20
TBD	Shirley Temple	Pane of 20
TBD	Soda Fountain Favorites (5 designs)	Booklet of 20
TBD	Star Quilts (Presorted First Class, 2 designs)	Coils of 3k/10k
TBD	Star Trek (4 designs)	Pane of 20

Update (30 Dec 2015 & 23 Jan 2016): USPS appears to have provided a major update to the stamp issues for 2016 a couple days ago over a call with stamp news editors. This information actually enables to move to the tabular format for stamp releases in 2016. Information for print quantity, printer, designers and city of release will be added later. Among the new subjects introduced in this recent update, quite a few (highlighted in red below) were mentioned in the Washington Post's leaked CSAC stamp list. The Grapes and Pears stamps are considered as the '5 & 10 cent low denomination designs'; Views of Our Planets could be the 'Solar System' from the CSAC list.

Date	Issue Description	Format
12-Jan	Quilled Paper Heart	Pane of 20
17-Jan	Columbia River Gorge ($22.95)	Pane of 10
17-Jan	La Cueva Del Indio ($6.45)	Pane of 10
29-Jan	Botanical Art (10 designs)	Booklets of 10 & 20
22-Feb	The Moon (Global Forever)	Pane of 10
29-Jan	United States Flag	Booklets of 10, 20 & Coil of 100 (SSP)
29-Jan	United States Flag	Booklet of 10 & Coil of 100 (APU)
2-Feb	Richard Allen	Pane of 20
5-Feb	Celebrating Lunar New Year	Pane of 12
29-Mar	Sarah Vaughan	Pane of 16
March	Indiana Statehood	Pane of 20
May	Repeal of the Stamp Act, 1766	Pane of 10
May	NY2016 Souvenir Sheets (2 designs)	2 Panes of 12 each
May	Views of Our Planets (8 designs)	Pane of 16
May	Pluto - Explored (2 designs)	Souvenir Sheet of 4
TBD	Apples (1c)	N/A
TBD	Christmas (15th c. Florentine)	Pane of 20
TBD	Christmas (Nativity)	Pane of 20
TBD	Eid Greetings	Pane of 20
TBD	Grapes (5c)	N/A
TBD	Hanukkah	Pane of 20
TBD	Jack O'Lanterns (4 designs)	Pane of 20
TBD	Jaime Escalante	Pane of 20
TBD	Kwanzaa	Pane of 20
17-Jan	Pears (10c)	Coil of 10k
TBD	Pets (20 designs)	Booklet of 20
TBD	Pickup Trucks (4 designs)	Booklet of 20
TBD	Shirley Temple	Pane of 20
TBD	Soda Fountain Favorites (5 designs)	Booklet of 20
TBD	Star Quilts (Presorted First Class, 2 designs)	Coils of 3k/10k
TBD	Star Trek (4 designs)	Pane of 20

Original Post
The new year will soon be here. USPS has already announced several stamp issues. This list includes some stamp subjects from the Washington Post leaked stamp list.

Adding stamp release dates below as they are announced or confirmed.

United States Stamp Issues in 2016:

January 12 - Quilled Paper Heart

January 29 - Botanical Art (Booklet of 20)
February 02 - Richard Allen

February 05 - Year of the Monkey

March 29 - Sarah Vaughan

May - NY2016 Souvenir Sheet

May - Repeal of the Stamp Act, 1766

Indiana Statehood

Jaime Escalante

Pets (Booklet of 20)

Other potential subjects for 2016 (CSAC leaked list from The Post):

A Leon Higginbotham, Jr.

Barn Swallow Envelope

Biplane Stamped Card

Columbia River Gorge

Common Buckeye Butterfly

Elizabeth Taylor

Henry James

Mushrooms

NPS

Sesame Street

Skywriting

X-Ray Flowers

Yes,Virginia