As reported on PostalNews.com and The Virtual Stamp Club, the USPS has provided a sneak preview of its first class 2011 USPS stamps program.
The U.S. Postal Service will continue its release of collectible postage stamps in the Black Heritage, Hollywood Legends, Lunar New Year, Christmas, Holiday Contemporary, American Treasures, Flags of Our Nation, Latin Music Legends, and Literary Arts series. Additionally, a new series, the Civil War, debuts this year.
USPS Black Heritage Barbara Jordan Stamp
In 2011, the USPS will honor former Congresswoman Barbara Jordan. With the 34th stamp in the Black Heritage commemorative stamps series, the Jordan stamp picks up where the Oscar Micheaux stamp left off in 2010. One of the longest-running and most popular series in USPS history, Black Heritage shows no signs of slowing down.
USPS Legends of Hollywood Gregory Peck Stamp
Following their successful 2010 Katharine Hepburn issue, the USPS continues its popular Legends of Hollywood series by honoring the career of Gregory Peck. The stamp design will include a still from Peck's Oscar-winning performance as Atticus Finch in To Kill a Mockingbird.
USPS Edward Hopper American Treasures Stamp
As reported in the March 23, 2009 issue of Linn's Stamp News, the intended release of the 2009 Edward Hopper stamp, featuring his painting The Long Leg, was canceled due to economic reasons. This much-deserved stamp will instead be issued as part of the USPS 2011 stamp program.
The Hopper painting features a scene off Provincetown, Massachusetts with a lighthouse in the background. Lighthouse enthusiasts, and especially collectors of lighthouse philately, were greatly disappointed in the 2009 cancellation. The return of the Hopper stamp will be greeted with much enthusiasm.
First Class USPS Stamps for 2011
As in previous years, the first stamp release of 2011 will be the latest issue in the Lunar New Year series. This year's Lunar New Year stamp design features the Year of the Rabbit. The remaining stamp releases for 2011 include a wide variety of topics and one "repeat" stamp (Edward Hopper).
- Lunar New Year - Year of the Rabbit
- Black Heritage - Barbara Jordan
- Kansas Statehood
- Ronald Reagan
- Garden of Love - a set of 10 flower stamps
- Jazz
- Legends of Hollywood - Gregory Peck
- Helen Hayes - The "First Lady of Theater"
- The Civil War, 1861 - souvenir sheet of stamps and the first in a five-year series
- Indianapolis 500
- Owney the Postal Dog
- American Treasures - Edward Hopper, The Long Leg - the stamp that was canceled in 2009
- Mercury Project & MESSENGER Mission - a set of 2 stamps, one featuring Alan Shepard
- U.S. Merchant Marine - a block of 4 stamps featuring historic vessels
- American Scientists - Melvin Calvin, Asa Gray, Maria Goeppert Mayer, and Severo Ochoa
- Latin Music Legends - Tito Puente, Carmen Miranda, Selena, Carlos Gardel, and Celia Cruz
- Romare Bearden - set of 4 stamps
- Pioneers of American Industrial Design - set of 12 stamps
- Flags of our Nation - set #5 in the series
- Literary Arts - Mark Twain
- Christmas - Madonna of the Candelabra
- Holiday Contemporary - Holiday Baubles
The stamp year will again close with new Christmas and Holiday Contemporary releases.
USPS Rates to Rise in 2011
The 2011 postage stamps will, most likely, display a value of 46 cents instead of the current 44 cents for first-class postage stamps.
The U.S. Postal Service has proposed a postage stamp price increase to take effect on 2 January, 2011. The cost of stamps will rise from 44 cents to 46 cents, but first-class Forever postage stamps purchased prior to the increase will be good for mailing one-ounce letters after the rate change takes place.
