Stamp Announcement 24-22: Shaker Design Stamps (2024)

Stamp Announcement 24-22: Shaker Design Stamps

© 2023 USPS

On June 20, 2024, in Pittsfield, MA, the United States Postal Service^® will issue the Shaker Design stamps (Forever^® priced at the First-Class Mail^® rate) in 12 designs, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 12 stamps (Item 581400). These stamps will go on sale nationwide June 20, 2024, and must not be sold or canceled before the first-day-of-issue. The Shaker Design commemorative pane of 12 stamps must not be split and the stamps must not be sold individually.

Issued to coincide with the 250th anniversary of the arrival of the first Shakers in America, these stamps celebrate the refined, timeless beauty of Shaker design. From modest oval boxes to furniture, textiles, and even architecture, the Shakers imbued everything they made with uncommon grace. These 12 stamps feature photographs of items that highlight the core elements of Shaker design: simplicity and utility. Art director Derry Noyes designed the stamps with existing photographs by Michael Freeman. The selvage features a black-and-white photograph of Brother Ricardo Belden (1868–1958) in his workshop at Hanco*ck Shaker Village in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. It was taken by Samuel Kravitt circa 1935.

Availability to Post Offices: Item 581400, Shaker Design (Forever Priced at the First-Class Mail Rate) Pane of 12 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/sfsweb. Post Offices may begin ordering stamps before the first-day-of-issue through SFS Web; offices must also check the amount they will receive on their automatic push distribution.

Special Dedication Postmarks

Only the following pictorial postmark is permitted for the Shaker Design stamps. The word “Station” or the abbreviation “STA” is required somewhere in the design because it will be a temporary station. Use of any image other than the following special pictorial image is prohibited.

Guidelines for Finalizing Shaker Design Stamps Pictorial Postmark Art

To finalize the Shaker Design stamps pictorial postmark art, insert the date, city, state, and ZIP Code™ of the physical location of your event adjacent to the stamp image. Overall dimensions of the pictorial postmark must not exceed 4 inches (horizontally) by 2 inches (vertically). Collectors prefer the dimensions 3-1/2 inches by 1 inch.

The Postal Service™ must make all special postmarks known to collectors through advance publicity in the Postal Bulletin. Therefore, all special dedication cancellations must be reported to Stamp Services 4 weeks before the event using PS Form 413, Pictorial Postmark Announcement/Report. To get a copy of the form, go to blue.usps.gov/formmgmt/forms/ps413.pdf.

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 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 – Shaker Design Stamps
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 20, 2024.

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 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.

— Stamp Services,
Marketing, 5-16-24