This issue was announced by the USPS on December 13th:
This stamp honors prolific children’s book author and illustrator Tomie dePaola (1934-2020), whose extraordinarily varied body of work encompasses folktales and legends, informational books, religious and holiday stories, and touching autobiographical tales. The stamp art features a detail from the cover of “Strega Nona” (1975), the Caldecott Honor winning first book in the series. Set in southern Italy, the gently humorous story focuses on Strega Nona, “Grandma Witch,” who uses magic to help with matters of the heart and to cure her neighbors’ ills. Art director Derry Noyes designed the stamp with Tomie dePaola’s original art.
We will post additional information as we get it below the line, with the most recent information at the top.
Updated June 6th:
The Scott catalogue number for this issue is 5797 and 5797a for the imperforate version.
Updated March 24th from the Postal Bulletin:
On May 5, 2023, in Manchester, NH, the United States Postal Service® will issue the Tomie dePaola stamp (Forever® priced at the First-Class Mail® rate) in one design, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 20 stamps (Item 483600). This stamp will go on sale nationwide May 5, 2023, and must not be sold or canceled before the first-day-of-issue.
This stamp honors prolific children’s book author and illustrator Tomie dePaola (1934–2020), whose extraordinarily varied body of work encompasses folktales and legends, informational books, religious and holiday stories, and touching autobiographical tales. The stamp art features a detail from the cover of Strega Nona (1975), the Caldecott Honor-winning first book in the series. The story focuses on Strega Nona, “Grandma Witch,” who uses magic to help with matters of the heart and to cure her neighbors’ ills. The cover shows Strega Nona carrying her magic pasta pot. Art director Derry Noyes designed the stamp with Tomie dePaola‘s original art.
No automatic 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 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 – Tomie dePaola 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 September 5, 2023.
Technical Specifications:
Issue: Tomie dePaola Stamp
Item Number: 483600
Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail Forever
Format: Pane of 20 (1 design)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: May 5, 2023, Manchester, NH, 03103
Art Director: Derry Noyes, Washington, DC
Designer: Derry Noyes, Washington, DC
Existing Art: Tomie dePaola
Modeler: Ty Schroeder
Manufacturing Process: Offset, Microprint
Printer: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd (APU)
Press Type: Muller A76
Stamps per Pane: 20
Print Quantity: 22,000,000 stamps
Paper Type: Nonphosphored Type III, Block Tagged
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Colors: Black, Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Pantone 7584C, Pantone 624C
Stamp Orientation: Horizontal
Image Area (w x h): 1.42 x 1.085 in / 36.068 x 27.559 mm
Overall Size (w x h): 1.56 x 1.225 in / 39.624 x 31.115 mm
Full Pane Size (w x h): 7.24 x 7.90 in / 183.896 x 200.66 mm
Press Sheets Size (w x h): 22.75 x 27 in / 577.85 x 685.80 mm
Plate Size: 180 stamps per revolution
Plate Number: “P” followed by six (6) single digits in two corners
Marginal Markings:
Front: Header: Tomie • Plate number in bottom 2 corners
Back: ©2022 USPS • USPS logo • Two barcodes (483600) • Plate position diagram (9) • Promotional text
