Stamp Announcement 18-35: Hanukkah 2018 Stamp

©2018 USPS

On October 16, 2018, in Newport, RI, the U.S. Postal Service^® will issue the Hanukkah 2018 stamp (Forever^® priced at the First-Class Mail^® rate) in one design, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive pane of 20 stamps (Item 565600). The stamp will go on sale nationwide October 16, 2018, and must not be sold or cancelled before the first-day-of-issue.

The U.S. Postal Service and Israel Post join together to celebrate Hanukkah, a joyous Jewish holiday. The stamp features a papercut design of a 9-branch menorah used during the holiday. Drawing on Jewish papercutting traditions, the artist based her design on Hanukkah themes and references from ancient texts. Behind the menorah, the artist cut a design reminiscent of the shape of an ancient oil jug to represent the heart of the Hanukkah miracle. Meant to last one day, the sacred oil burned for eight. On each side of the design are two broken oil jugs and two dreidels — spinning tops used in the modern Hanukkah game. The plant twining along the sides is a pomegranate; both the flowers and the fruit are seen in the twisting branches. Art director Ethel Kessler designed the stamp with original art by Tamar Fishman.

Availability to Post Offices: Item 565600, Hanukkah 2018 (Forever Priced at the First-Class Mail Rate) Commemorative Pane of 20 Stamps

Stamp Fulfillment Services will make an automatic push distribution to Post Offices of a quantity to cover approximately 30 days of sales. Distribution quantities for the automatic push distribution will be available by logging on to SFS Web at sfsweb.usps.gov. Post Offices may begin ordering stamps on the first-day-of-issue through SFS Web; offices must also check the amount they will receive in their automatic push distribution.

How to Order the First-Day-of-Issue Postmark

Customers have 120 days to obtain the first-day-of-issue postmark by mail. They may purchase new stamps at their local Post Office™ or at The Postal Store^® website at usps.com/shop. They must affix the stamps to envelopes of their choice, address the envelopes (to themselves or others), and place them in a larger envelope addressed to:

FDOI – Hanukkah 2018 Stamp
USPS Stamp Fulfillment Services
8300 NE Underground Drive, Suite 300
Kansas City, MO 64144-9900

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 February 16, 2019.

How to Order 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 USA Philatelic publication and online at usps.com/shop. Customers may register to receive a free USA Philatelic publication online at usps.com/philatelic.

Locally produced items are not authorized. Only merchandise that has been approved and assigned an item number by Headquarters Retail Marketing may be produced and sold.

— Stamp Services, Marketing, 9-13-18