© 2023 USPS
On September 25, 2024, in Pittsburgh, PA, the United States Postal Service® will issue the Kwanzaa stamp (Forever® priced at the First-Class Mail® rate), in one design, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 20 stamps (Item 581600). This stamp will go on sale nationwide September 25, 2024, and must not be sold or canceled before the first-day-of-issue.
In 2024, the Postal Service™ issues its tenth stamp in celebration of Kwanzaa, the Pan-African holiday that brings family, community, and culture together for many African Americans over 7 days, from December 26 to January 1, each year. The stylized stamp design was inspired by a live performance during a Kwanzaa event as witnessed by the artist. Rendered as a digital collage, the artwork depicts three young performers: a male drummer and, behind and to either side of him, two female dancers. Art director Ethel Kessler designed the stamp with original artwork by Ekua Holmes.
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/sfsweb. Post Offices may begin ordering stamps before the first-day-of-issue through SFS Web; offices should also check the amount they will receive on their automatic push distribution.
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 store.usps.com/store/home. 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 – Kwanzaa 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 January 25, 2025.
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 catalog and online at store.usps.com/store/home. Customers may register to receive a free USA Philatelic catalog 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.
Issue:
|
Kwanzaa Stamp
|
Item Number:
|
581600
|
Denomination &
Type of Issue:
|
First-Class Mail Forever
|
Format:
|
Pane of 20 (1 design)
|
Series:
|
N/A
|
Issue Date & City:
|
September 25, 2024, Pittsburgh, PA 15290
|
Art Director:
|
Ethel Kessler, Bethesda, MD
|
Designer:
|
Ethel Kessler, Bethesda, MD
|
Artist:
|
Ekua Holmes, Boston, MA
|
Modeler:
|
Joseph Sheeran
|
Manufacturing Process:
|
Offset, Microprint
|
Printer:
|
Ashton Potter
|
Press Type:
|
Muller A76
|
Stamps per Pane:
|
20
|
Print Quantity:
|
12,000,000
|
Paper Type:
|
Nonphosphored Type III, Block Tag Applied
|
Adhesive Type:
|
Pressure-sensitive
|
Colors:
|
Black, Cyan, Magenta, Yellow
|
Stamp Orientation:
|
Vertical
|
Image Area (w x h):
|
0.8180 x 1.0500 in. / 20.7770 x
26.6700 mm
|
Overall Size (w x h):
|
0.9100 x 1.1900 in. / 23.1140 x
30.2260 mm
|
Full Pane Size (w x h):
|
5.5500 x 5.7600 in. / 140.9700 x
146.3040 mm
|
Plate Size:
|
320 stamps per revolution
|
Plate Number:
|
“P” followed by four (4) single digits in four corners
|
Marginal Markings:
|
Front:
|
Plate number in four corners
|
Back:
|
© 2023 USPS • USPS Logo • Two barcodes (581600) • Plate position diagram (8) • Promotional text
|
— Stamp Services,
Marketing, 8-22-24
