GRAND RAPIDS, MI — The U.S. Postal Service today gave New York City two stamps of approval by announcing the stamp show of the decade — as well as the world’s largest — in the Big Apple, May 28 through June 4 next year. The Postal Service celebrated this news by dedicating the World Stamp Show-NY 2016 Forever stamps today.

The stamps, reminiscent of classic engraved 19th-century stamps and banknotes, were dedicated at the American Philatelic Society StampShow 2015 in Grand Rapids, Mich.

More than 250,000 visitors are expected to enjoy eight days of amazing stamp-related displays next spring at the Javits Convention Center. Admission to the show is free.

“No wonder this once-a-decade international exhibition is often referred to as the ‘Olympics’ of stamps,” said U.S. Postal Service Great Lakes Area, Greater Michigan District Manager Chuck Howe. “With the issuance of the World Stamp Show New York 2016 Forever stamp, the Postal Service proudly continues its 100-year tradition of celebrating these exhibitions in the United States.”

Joining Howe in dedicating the stamps were World Stamp Show-NY 2016 President Wade Saadi; U.S. Postal Service Citizen’s Stamp Advisory Committee Chairwoman Janet Klug and U.S. Postal Service Director, Stamp Services (Acting) Mary-Anne Penner.

“The dedication of these two stamps in the year preceding World Stamp Show-NY 2016 is a very exciting event for the hobby and the Exhibition,” said Saadi. “Our thanks to the U.S. Postal Service for their partnership and support.”

The 300,000-square-foot bourse, the philatelic word for marketplace, will be jam-packed with more than 200 dealers selling and buying stamps, covers, collections and other stamp-related items and supplies. The U.S. Postal Service and some 50 postal bureaus from around the world will be selling their latest stamp issuances.

Exhibitions of enthralling stamp rarities on loan to the show will share space with competitive exhibits vying for medals and prizes. The eight-day event features theme days that focus on subjects such as the United Nations, postal history and stamp collecting, diversity, topical collecting, children of the world and America the beautiful. First-Day-of-Issue events will take place during the show.

Designing the World Stamp Show-NY 2016 Forever stamps
Art director Antonio Alcalá of Alexandria, VA, worked with graphic artist Michael Dyer of Brooklyn, NY, to create a stunning and classic stamp that is sure to become a collectible for all who love stamps and their history.

The design of the 20 eye-catching stamps features intricate patterns of lines and ornamentation inspired by the U.S. Newspaper and Periodical stamps of 1865. A touch of patriotic color — 10 stamps are blue and 10 are red — emphasizes the location of this international exhibition: the United States. The circle in the center of the stamp design displays a five-pointed star. Text surrounding the circle reads “2016 World Stamp Show” and “New York City.” The header on the stamp sheet reads: “JOIN US FOR A WONDERFUL WEEK AT WORLD STAMP SHOW-NY 2016.”  Text on the back of the sheet provides details about the show.

More Than a Century of Tradition
World Stamp Show-NY 2016 continues a 100-year tradition of once-a-decade international philatelic exhibitions held in the United States. During that time, the Postal Service and its predecessor, the Post Office Department, have celebrated these exhibitions by issuing stamps and souvenir sheets specially designed for the stamp-collecting world.
The U.S. hosted its first exhibition in 1913, but the earliest stamp issuance was a pane of 25 stamps featuring the Battle of White Plains that was issued on Oct. 18, 1926, to commemorate the second exhibition. Text on that pane reads: “International Philatelic Exhibition, Oct. 16th to 23rd 1926, New York, N.Y. U.S.A.”

On May 9, 1936, a souvenir sheet of four stamps commemorated the Third International Philatelic Exhibition. The souvenir sheet celebrating the Centenary International Philatelic Exhibition (1947) also commemorated the 100th anniversary of the nation’s first postage stamp. Like clockwork, there were new stamps every 10 years heralding shows with names such as FIPEX (1956), SIPEX (1966), Interphil (1976), AMERIPEX (1986) and Pacific ’97 (1997).

The most recent international exhibition held in the U.S. was in Washington, DC in 2006. The Postal Service commemorated that show with a miniature souvenir sheet featuring three stamps — $1 Lincoln Memorial, $2 U.S. Capitol and $5 Head of Freedom, Capitol Dome — each originally issued in 1923.

Ordering First-Day-of-Issue Postmarks
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 usps.com/shop or by calling 800-STAMP-24. 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:

World Stamp Show Stamps
Manager
PO Box 999818
Grand Rapids, MI 49599-9818

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. For more than 50, customers have to pay five cents each. All orders must be postmarked by October 19, 2015.

Ordering First-Day Covers
The Postal Service also offers first-day covers for new stamp issues and Postal Service stationery items postmarked with the official first-day-of-issue cancellation. Each item has an individual catalog number and is offered in the quarterly USA Philatelic catalog, online at usps.com/shop or by calling 800-782-6724. Customers may request a free catalog by calling 800-782-6724 or writing to:

U.S. Postal Service
Catalog Request
PO Box 219014
Kansas City, MO 64121-9014

Philatelic Products
This stamp issue has eight philatelic products:

589906, Press Sheet with Die-cut, $58.80 (print quantity 1,000).
589908 , Press Sheet without Die-cut, $58.80 (print quantity 1,500).

589910, Keepsake, $13.95.

589916 , First-Day Cover, set of 2, $1.86.

589921 , Digital Color Postmark, set of 2, $3.28.

589930, Ceremony Program (random), $6.95.
589931, Stamp Deck Card, $.95.
589932, Stamp Deck Card/Digital Color Postmark (random), $1.99.

The Postal Service receives no tax dollars for operating expenses and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations.

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