Announced November 1, 2021:
The Postal Service continues its tradition of celebrating the U.S. flag with this stamp, which will be available in panes of 20, booklets of 20, and coils of 100, 3,000 and 10,000. The stamp art is a painting of three flags in a circular formation, reminiscent of the 50 flags encircling the Washington Monument. The artist used three photographs of the same flag taken seconds apart as reference and stitched together the images into a single composition. Laura Stutzman was the stamp designer and illustrator. Ethel Kessler was the art director.
Additional information will be posted below the line, with the newest at the top.
Updated February 9th:
Here are the Scott catalogue numbers for this issue:
• 5654 (58¢) Flags, serpentine die cut 11¼x11, microprinted “USPS” above lower connector on flagpole at left (Banknote printing)
• 5655 (58¢) Flags coil stamp, serpentine die cut 10¾ vert., microprinted “USPS” above lower connector on flagpole at left, stamps not adjacent on coil roll with backing paper taller than stamp (Banknote printing)
• 5656 (58¢) Flags coil stamp, serpentine die cut 11 vert., microprinted “USPS” above lower connector on flagpole at left, stamps adjacent on coil roll with backing paper same height as stamp (Banknote printing)
• 5657 (58¢) Flags coil stamp, serpentine die cut 9½ vert., microprinted “USPS” above lowest blue flag field, stamps adjacent on coil roll with backing paper same height as stamp (Ashton-Potter printing)
• 5658 (58¢) Flags booklet stamp, serpentine die cut 11¼x10¾ , microprinted “USPS” above lower connector on flagpole at left (Banknote printing)
a. Convertible booklet pane of 20
• 5659 (58¢) Flags booklet stamp, serpentine die cut 11¼x10¾ , microprinted “USPS” above lowest blue flag field (Ashton-Potter printing)
a. Convertible booklet pane of 20
Updated December 9th:
Here is the Digital Color Postmark for this issue:
It measures 2.95″ x 1.38″. There is no pictorial postmark. Instead, the B&W hand cancel is the FIRST DAY OF ISSUE “killer bar.”
Updated December 3rd:
On January 9, 2022, in Findlay, OH, the United States Postal Service® will issue the U.S. Flags 2022 stamp (Forever® priced at the First-Class Mail® rate) in one design, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 20 stamps (Item 121700), a PSA Double-sided Booklet of 20 stamps (Item 683600), a PSA Coil of 100 stamps (Item 740400), a PSA Coil of 3,000 stamps (Item 750700), and a PSA Coil of 10,000 stamps (Item 760900). This stamp will go on sale nationwide January 9, 2022, and must not be sold or canceled before the first-day-of-issue.
The Postal Service™ continues its tradition of celebrating the U.S. flag with this new stamp in panes of 20, booklets of 20, and coils of 100, 3,000, and 10,000. The stamp art is a painting of three flags in a circular formation, reminiscent of the 50 flags encircling the Washington Monument. The artist used three separate photographs of the same flag taken seconds apart as reference and stitched together the images into a single composition. Laura Stutzman was the stamp designer and illustrator. Ethel Kessler was the art director.
- Item 121700, U.S. Flags 2022 (Forever Priced at the First-Class Mail rate), Pane of 20 Stamps: No automatic distribution.
- Item 683600, U.S. Flags 2022 (Forever Priced at the First-Class Mail rate), Booklet of 20 Stamps: No automatic distribution.
- Item 740400, U.S. Flags 2022 (Forever Priced at the First-Class Mail rate), Coil of 100 Stamps: No automatic distribution.
- Item 750700, U.S. Flags 2022 (Forever Priced at the First-Class Mail rate), Coil of 3,000 Stamps: No automatic distribution.
- Item 760900, U.S. Flags 2022 (Forever Priced at the First-Class Mail rate), Coil of 10,000 Stamps: 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 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 – U.S. Flags 2022 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 May 9, 2022.
Technical Specifications – Pane of 20:
Issue: U.S. Flags 2022 Stamp
Item Number: 121700
Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail Forever
Format: Pane of 20 (1 design)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: January 9, 2022, Findlay, OH 45840
Art Director: Ethel Kessler, Bethesda, MD
Designer: Laura Stutzman, Mountain Lake Park, MD
Illustrator: Laura Stutzman, Mountain Lake Park, MD
Modeler: Sandra Lane/Michelle Finn
Manufacturing Process: Offset, Microprint
Printer: Banknote Corporation of America
Press Type: Gallus RCS
Stamps per Pane: 20
Print Quantity: 50,000,000
Paper Type: Phosphor Tagged Paper, Block Tagged
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Stamp Orientation: Vertical
Image Area (w x h): 0.73 x 0.84 in./18.542 x 21.336 mm
Stamp Size (w x h): 0.87 x 0.98 in./22.098 x 24.892 mm
Pane Size (w x h): 5.35 x 4.93 in./135.89 x 125.222 mm
Colors: Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black
Plate Size: 120 stamps per revolution
Plate Number: “B” followed by four (4) single digits
Marginal Markings:
Front: Plate number in four corners
Back: ©2021 USPS • Barcode • USPS Logo • 2 barcodes (121700) • Plate position diagram (6) • Promotionl text
