Stamp Services

Stamp Announcement 19-19: USS Missouri Stamp

©2018 USPS

On June 11, 2019, in Honolulu, HI, the U.S. Postal Service^® will issue the USS Missouri stamp (Forever^® priced at the First-Class Mail^® rate) in one design, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive pane of 20 stamps (Item 478700). The stamp will go on sale nationwide June 11, 2019, and must not be sold or canceled before the first-day-of-issue.

The U.S. Postal Service celebrates USS Missouri (BB-63), America’s last battleship, with the issuance of a commemorative stamp in 2019, coinciding with the 75th anniversary of the Missouri’s commissioning on June 11, 1944. The stamp art depicts the Missouri in the disruptive camouflage she wore from her commissioning until a refit in early 1945. The Missouri earned numerous combat awards and citations during her decades of service, which include World War II, the Korean War, and Operation Desert Storm. She played a momentous role when she hosted the ceremony marking Japan’s surrender and the end of World War II. Designed by art director Greg Breeding, the stamp features a digital illustration by Dan Cosgrove.

Availability to Post Offices: Item 478700, USS Missouri (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 are 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 – USS Missouri 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 October 11, 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, 5-9-19