Republic of China (Taiwan) Tainan county 400 years souvenir sheet,
2024-02-22.
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U.S. Postal Service Reveals Stamps for 2024 - Newsroom - About.usps.com.
My thoughts on the 2024 USPS stamps that have just been released-
The US Flag stamps look very similar to the 42c flags stamps issued back in 2008
The Floral Geometry $1 stamp was expected to be issued sooner or later, the USPS needed to exhaust their stock of the $1 Statue of Freedom stamp first, this is a nice stamp and it’s large and can be used with some other stamps to meet the international postcard rate, which is very exciting.
I like the images used on the Priority and Express Mail stamps but disappointed to see the former style of these stamps discontinued, I liked the artwork from the various National Parks that were depicted.
The low denomination Flower stamps look great and I’m thankful that they’ll be issued in sheets of 20, which should be easy for everyone to purchase. With the low denomination fruit stamps, only the 4c Blueberries and 5c Grapes were issued in sheets, with the 1c Apples, 2c Lemons, and 3c Strawberries only being issued in rolls of 3k and 10k, making it difficult to buy smaller quantities. I like that with the low denomination, we can use a nice combination of stamps to hit the international or domestic postcard rate. I also like that the artwork sort of resembles the Vintage Seed Packet Forever stamps issued back in 2013, combining these on a postcard to meet the international rate would look very nice.
I’m surprised that they’re already putting out another Presort stamp because we just got the Flag on Barn stamp about 2 years ago, so they must have sold through those quickly. This design isn’t particularly special so I’ll stock up on additional Flag on Barn stamps to use as 10c makeup stamps.
I think the Pinback button and Save Sea Turtles stamps look great and look forward to those being available.
The Horses, Bluegrass Music, and Autumn Colors are also exciting and will look great on postcards.
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Yay for the single sheets on all denominations! Though would it kill them to issue an 7c and/or 9c? With the upcoming rate hike, we’re going back to 2x Forevers + 19c. I’d prefer to use a different stamp instead of 2x 10c.
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That would certainly be convenient but unlikely to ever happen due to the limited uses for it, especially with the rate changing so often. I was surprised when they put out the 40c Fox stamps last year because it was an unusual denomination. Most of the previous generation of low denomination stamps- 1c Tiffany Lamp, 2c Navajo Jewelry, 3c Silver Coffeepot, 4c Chippendale Chair, 5c Toleware, and 10c clock, were issued in the early 2000s when postage rates were increasing by 1-3c annually. The need for these makeup rate stamps was largely eliminated when they started making all first class stamps as Forever Stamps and even more so when they started making stamps for Postcard, Additional Ounce, 2oz, 3oz, Nonmachinable, Global, etc. I think that with the low denomination stamps becoming less necessary with the introduction of Forever stamps, the USPS just didn’t run out of stock, which is why the 1c Lamp, 2c Navajo Jewelry, and 3c Silver Coffeepot are all still available in sheet format on the USPS website because they simply never ran out, which I assume is why the 1c, 2c, and 3c Fruit stamps were never issued in sheet format- they just weren’t necessary. I suspect that the inventory of these older stamps is finally running low, which is why they’re printing more, and just chose to print new design for all of the low denominations at once.
I don’t think they’d ever print the 7c or 9c unless they expected the rates to remain constant for at least a few years, but even then it would still be unlikely because they’d prefer for us to just use the global forever stamps or overpay and do 2 forevers + additional ounce.
With that being said, there is another way for it to happen- stamps intended for collectors. The USPS is allowed to issue stamps that are geared towards collectors and not intended to be used for mailing. They’re of course still allowed to be used for mailing, but are more appealing to collectors. One example is the Washington 2006 stamp expo souvenir sheet, featuring 3 stamps- one each in $1, $2, $5. High value stamps like that are frequently used by businesses, like book sellers, who need to mail packages etc, but having to buy several small sheets with multiple denominations on each is largely impractical for business mail, it’s much easier for them to purchase sheets with several of the same stamps at once. In 1998, the USPS did a souvenir sheet commemorating the original Trans-Mississippi stamps. It was a sheet of 9 stamps denominated as 1c, 2c, 4c, 5c, 8c, 10c, 50c, $1, and $2. So if they did something like that again, a 7c and 9c could theoretically happen. Very unlikely though, sadly.
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I hope to see ALL of these stamps in 2024 from the US. Gorgeous! Thank you @kanosis for sharing. @delda, did you see this post?
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Here are all the issues we know of so far (from the press release) in case some Postcrossers outside of the US are not able to open the link.
There will be additional press releases with new stamp announcements in the coming months. This is just the first set.
For myself, I’m most excited about the hummingbirds, manatees, and sea turtles!
Lunar New Year ∙ Year of the Dragon
The fifth of 12 stamps in the latest Lunar New Year stamp series celebrates the Year of the Dragon.
Love
The 2024 Love stamp features a stylized bird in flight bearing a message of love in its beak. Made of four geometric shapes shown against a rich red background, the white bird carries a pink envelope sealed with a red heart. Antonio Alcalá, an art director for USPS, designed this stamp with an original digital illustration by Katie Kirk.
U.S. Flags
The Postal Service continues its tradition of celebrating the U.S. flag with these stamps, available in booklets of 20 and in coils of 100, 3,000 and 10,000.
Constance Baker Motley
The 47th stamp in the Black Heritage series honors Constance Baker Motley (1921–2005), the first African American woman known to have argued a case before the United States Supreme Court and the first to serve as a federal judge.
$1 Floral Geometry
In 2024, a new Floral Geometry stamp, denominated at $1, will be available for purchase. The stamp will complement the similarly designed $2 and $5 stamps issued in 2022 and the $10 stamp issued in 2023.
Pillars of Creation (Priority Mail)
Captured by the James Webb Space Telescope, this extremely high-definition infrared image shows the magnificent Pillars of Creation formation within the Eagle Nebula.
Cosmic Cliffs (Priority Mail Express)
This remarkable image from the James Webb Space Telescope is a digitally colored depiction of the invisible bands of mid-infrared light emitted by the Cosmic Cliffs of the Carina Nebula.
Low Denomination Flowers (1, 2, 3, 5 and 10 cents)
A new series of low denomination stamps will debut in 2024. Each stamp will showcase a different flower design: 1-cent fringed tulip, 2-cent daffodils, 3-cent peonies, 5-cent red tulips and 10-cent poppies and coneflowers.
Save Manatees
The Save Manatees stamp will be issued to create awareness about the threats posed to this beloved marine mammal. Human vigilance is crucial for its protection — both to minimize motorboat strikes and to maintain the aquatic plants on which the manatee feeds in the warm coastal waters in and around Florida.
Underground Railroad
From the time slavery was introduced to the Colonies until it was abolished in 1865, enslaved people tried to escape. This stamp issuance commemorates the Underground Railroad, as their resistance efforts became known. The pane of 20 stamps features 10 sepia-toned portraits of men and women who escaped slavery and/or helped others escape: Catharine Coffin, Frederick Douglass, Thomas Garrett, Laura Haviland, Lewis Hayden, Harriet Jacobs, William Lambert, Jermain Loguen, William Still and Harriet Tubman. Below each portrait are eight lines of text: BLACK/WHITE; COOPERATION; TRUST/DANGER; FLIGHT/FAITH; COURAGE/RISK; DEFIANCE/HOPE; UNDERGROUND; RAILROAD/USA.
Radiant Star
Radiant Star will be a new presorted standard stamp intended for bulk mailers and will be sold in self-adhesive coils of 3,000 and 10,000.
Wedding Blooms
This 2-ounce floral stamp can be used to accommodate the weight of heavy invitations for birthdays, weddings, anniversaries and other celebrations; oversized greeting cards; and small gifts that require extra postage.
Celebration Blooms
Similar in design to the 2-ounce Wedding Blooms stamp, this floral Forever stamp can be used on the RSVP envelopes often enclosed with wedding invitations.
Garden Delights
These stamps will be available for mailers who enjoy adorning their cards and letters with beautiful stamps depicting nature scenes. In each of the four photographs, a different female ruby-throated hummingbird hovers next to either a zinnia, cigar flower, spotted touch-me-not or sunflower.
Saul Bellow
The 34th issuance in the Literary Arts series honors novelist Saul Bellow (1915-2005). Winner of three National Book Awards, a Pulitzer Prize and the Nobel Prize, Bellow is widely regarded as one of the greatest authors of the 20th century.
Pinback Buttons
These vibrant stamps will add cheer and whimsical flair to cards and envelopes. The pane of 20 stamps features 10 typographic designs by 10 different artists in their unique styles, each with a single word as the prominent element — smile (Don Clark), hello! (Tré Seals), peace (Jay Fletcher), love (Juan Carlos Pagan), fun (Gia Graham), sweet (Jeff Rogers), yes! (Ryan Feerer), cheers! (Lisa Congdon), kudos! (DKNG Studios) and happy (Gina Triplett). The round shape of the stamps, as well as shadowing and reflection effects, give the appearance of three-dimensional pinback buttons.
Protect Sea Turtles
This issuance encourages the protection of sea turtles, one of the oldest groups of animals on Earth. These ancient mariners can migrate long distances, sometimes crossing entire oceans. The pane of 18 stamps features close-up photographs of six species — the loggerhead, leatherback, hawksbill, Kemp’s ridley, olive ridley and green sea turtle — that depend on U.S. coastal waters for foraging and migratory habitats during various stages of their life. All six are listed and protected under the Endangered Species Act.
Shaker Design
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.
Horses
This stamp issuance celebrates America’s love of horses.
Bluegrass
Bluegrass music combines elements of country music, sacred songs, string band music, the blues and traditions of Scotland and Ireland into a style that is uniquely American. The stamp art showcases a graphic design that includes four of the string instruments typically used by bluegrass bands: guitar, fiddle, five-string banjo and mandolin. Antonio Alcalá, an art director for USPS, designed the stamp with original art by Heather Moulder.
First Continental Congress, 1774
In 2024, the Postal Service commemorates the 250th anniversary of the First Continental Congress. Made up of delegates from 12 of the 13 Colonies, the First Continental Congress convened in 1774 to decide how the Colonies should respond to increasing threats to their freedom.
Autumn Colors
The radiant beauty of fall will be celebrated with 10 new stamps in a pane of 20, featuring a portfolio of brilliant photographs taken in a variety of locations around the United States.
Christmas Madonna and Child
A new traditional Christmas stamp will be issued in 2024 featuring the Madonna and Child from the Workshop of Sassoferrato. Giovanni Battista Salvi da Sassoferrato (1609-1685), gained popularity for his modestly scaled depictions of the Madonna and Child.
Hanukkah
A new stamp celebrating the joyous Jewish holiday of Hanukkah will be issued in 2024. The art is a graphic depiction of a hanukiah, the nine-branch candelabra used only at Hanukkah, with all candles lighted, signifying the last evening of the holiday. The artwork is created mostly in blue and white, common Hanukkah colors.
Kwanzaa
The Postal Service will issue its 10th stamp celebrating Kwanzaa in 2024. Observed from Dec. 26 to Jan. 1, the annual pan-African holiday brings together family, community and culture.
Winter Whimsy
Four new stamps in a booklet of 20 celebrate the winter season with lacy, symmetrical graphic forms inspired by snowflakes. Each stamp in the block of four includes a unique design in white against a background of a single color: navy blue, teal, tan or dark blue-green.
Here is the Press Release with full details about each stamp. U.S. Postal Service Reveals Stamps for 2024 - Newsroom - About.usps.com
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not my most favourite designs this lunar new year series, but still I look forward to it. And it fits the drangon theme better than all the other up to now in my opinion. Also really look forward to the pillars of creation and hummingbirds.
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Yes, that’s the price for Priority Mail Flat Rate Envelope and Priority Mail Express Flat Rate Envelope. A rough equivalent to that in China would be the EMS service. It’s more expensive than regular mail of course, but still very competitive compared to other commercial deliveries like the UPS or Fedex.
(For these trackable services, most day-to-day users would print a label themselves or at the post office. The label will include postage paid, sender and recipient addresses, and tracking number and tracking barcode all in 1 piece of paper. But yes, these stamps are available if you really want to use stamps)
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Pity,those stamps were so beautiful,But really expensive for philately.
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The special stamps of “Year of Jiachen” (甲辰年) are designed by Wang Huming (王虎鸣), a famous stamp designer. It inherits the overall style of the zodiac series of stamps and is based on solid and auspicious. There are two stamps of this set, the first one is called “Tianlong Xingjian” (天龙行健) and the second one is called “Chenlong Xianrui” (辰龙献瑞). The first picture of the stamp comes from the Kowloon Wall, and the second picture is taken from the traditional auspicious pattern “Lucky Dragon Arch Wall”. The two stamps use the classic colors like red, gold and black, reflecting the elegance, nobleness, auspiciousness and joy.
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@Tet-san
The dragon is Mushu from Mulan (Disney animated film). XD XD XD
Um, be VERY CAREFUL about comments regarding Thai stamps…
That one happens to be from a series of sketches made by HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn. It features a Naga. Criticism of any kind of ANYTHING concerning the Thai Royal Family is lese majeste and there are very strict laws concerning that. You do not have to be in Thailand to come under fire by Royal Thai Police when it comes to lese majeste. This has included authors in France, Australia, the U.S., movies such as “The King And I”, and – yes – comments (spoken or written) made about stamps portraying members of the Thai Royal Family as well as designed by them… One major stamp collecting periodical is currently involved in a lawsuit brought about due to a similar comment two years ago.
I have lived in Thailand for almost 20 years now and the lese majeste laws are still a serious part of day to day life…
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If anyone is interested, my 2024 Calendar of new stamps page has been up for about a week now. It’s a chronological list of the announced new stamps for next year. Clicking on an issue name will take you directly to the images of those particular stamps. The Philatelic Pursuits site also has schedules, images, and articles detailing many other stamps from 2023 and earlier.
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I have an online post showing the Year of the Dragon stamps – so far only 12 entities have announced details (and still waiting for the Philippines designs) but update it every time a new one is announced.
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