Some U.S. issue dates set; more Fruit stamps planned

By Michael Baadke

The United States Postal Service has announced issue dates and locations for several U.S. stamps that will be issued during the first three months of 2017.

In addition, two new listings for familiar definitive stamps were included on the list, apparently signaling that new varieties of the Fruit definitive series are on the way.

The two high-value definitive stamps in the American Landmarks series — the $6.65 Liliuokalani Gardens stamp and the $23.75 Gateway Arch stamp — will be issued without ceremony on Jan. 22. Collectors will find that first-day postmarks for both will be offered from Kansas City, Mo., rather than Hilo, Hawaii, and St. Louis, Mo., where these American landmarks are respectively located.

The USA Star nonprofit coil stamp will be issued Feb. 10 in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

The 11-stamp set honoring fashion designer Oscar de la Renta will be issued during New York Fashion Week on Feb. 16 in New York, N.Y.

The Uncle Sam’s Hat nondenominated (21¢) additional ounce stamp will be issued Feb. 18, in Mesa, Ariz., which coincides with the Aripex stamp show and exhibition taking place in that city Feb. 17-19.

President’s Day, Feb. 20, is the announced issue date for the John F. Kennedy forever stamp, with a ceremony in Boston, Mass.

The forever stamp commemorating 150 years of Nebraska statehood is scheduled to appear March 1 in Lincoln, Neb.; the Mississippi Statehood stamp will be issued at the end of the same month, on March 31, in Gulfport, Miss.

The Barn Swallow stamped envelopes will be issued March 3 in Reno, Nev., presumably in conjunction with the American Philatelic Society’s annual winter show, Ameristamp Expo 2017, taking place in Reno March 3-5.

The WPA Posters set of 10 stamps will be issued March 7 in Hyde Park, N.Y.

The Postal Service also notes that a 5¢ Grapes stamp and a 10¢ Pears stamp are also planned; the 5¢ stamp on Feb. 24 in Grapevine, Texas, and the 10¢ stamp March 23 in Cleveland, Ohio. Coil stamps for these subjects were issued in the early months of 2016 (Scott 5038-5039). The format for the 2017 varieties was not revealed.