From the U.S. Postal Service announcement on October 22, 2019:
The Postal Service celebrates the exotic beauty of orchids with 10 new stamps in booklets of 20 and coils of 3,000 and 10,000. Each stamp features a photograph of one of nine species that grow wild in the United States: Cypripedium californicum, Hexalectris spicata, Cypripedium reginae, Spiranthes odorata, Triphora trianthophoros, Platanthera grandiflora, Cyrtopodium polyphyllum, Calopogon tuberosus and Platanthera leucophaea. Orchids also have common names, with some plants having several different names in popular use. Art director Ethel Kessler designed the stamps with existing photographs by Jim Fowler.
Additional information will be posted below the line, with the most recent at the top.
Updated April 4th:
The Scott catalogue numbers for this issue are:
Coil version:
5435 Platanthera grandiflora, serpentine die cut 10¾ vert.
5436 Cyrtopodium polyphyllum, serpentine die cut 10¾ vert.
5437 Calopogon tuberosus, serpentine die cut 10¾ vert.
5438 Spiranthes odorata, serpentine die cut 10¾ vert.
5439 Triphora trianthophorus (two flowers), serpentine die cut 10¾ vert.
5440 Cypripedium californicum, serpentine die cut 10¾ vert.
5441 Hexalectris spicata, serpentine die cut 10¾ vert.
5442 Cypripedium reginae, serpentine die cut 10¾ vert.
5443 Platanthera leucophaea, serpentine die cut 10¾ vert.
5444 Triphora trianthophorus (one flower), serpentine die cut 10¾ vert.
a. Horiz. strip of 10, #5435-5444
Booklet version:
5445 Triphora trianthophorus (two flowers), serpentine die cut 10¾x11 on 2 or 3 sides
5446 Cypripedium californiacum, serpentine die cut 10¾x11 on 2 or 3 sides
5447 Hexalectris spicata, serpentine die cut 10¾x11 on 2 or 3 sides
5448 Cypripedium reginae, serpentine die cut 10¾x11 on 2 or 3 sides
5449 Spiranthes odorata, serpentine die cut 10¾x11 on 2 or 3 sides
5450 Platanthera leucophaea, serpentine die cut 10¾x11 on 2 or 3 sides
5451 Triphora trianthophorus (one flower), serpentine die cut 10¾x11 on 2 or 3 sides
5452 Platanthera grandiflora, serpentine die cut 10¾x11 on 2 or 3 sides
5453 Cyrtopodium polyphyllum, serpentine die cut 10¾x11 on 2 or 3 sides
5454 Calopogon tuberosus, serpentine die cut 10¾x11 on 2 or 3 sides
a. Block of 10, #5445-5454
b. Convertible booklet pane of 20, 2 each #5445-5454
Updated March 2nd:
VSC member Mike DePaz at the first day ceremony.
A large cover created by DePaz containing all the stamps in both the booklet and coil formats, with autographs of ceremony participants, plus the first-day ceremony program.
Jim Fowler, the photographer of the images used on the stamps, holds DePaz’s jumbo FDC.
Someone canceling covers at the ceremony site. Photographs courtesy Mike DePaz.
Updated January 21st: Here are the first-day postmarks for this issue:
The Digital Color Postmark measures 2.38″ x 1.46″
