Winter Whimsy stamps conclude 2024 U.S. stamp program Oct. 10 in Park City, Utah

By Charles Snee

The United States Postal Service will conclude its 2024 stamp program on Oct. 10 when it issues four stamps picturing geometric patterns that look like snowflakes by artist Bailey Sullivan.

According to the Postal Service, the new nondenominated (73¢) Winter Whimsy forever special stamps are to be issued in Park City, Utah, without an official first-day ceremony.

USPS media representative Leisha Palmore-Drummond told Linn’s Stamp News that no local first-day events are planned for the Winter Whimsy stamps.

Production details published in the Sept. 5 issue of the Postal Bulletin state that Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. of Williamsville, N.Y., printed 220 million Winter Whimsy stamps (55 million of each design) that were finished into 11 million double-sided panes of 20 for sale at post offices and other outlets authorized to sell U.S. postage stamps.

The large print run indicates that the Winter Whimsy stamps are likely to carry a substantial number of letters and other mail items to their destinations during the active holiday mailing season.

A plate number consisting of the letter “P” (shorthand for Ashton Potter) followed by four digits appears on one of the peel strips on the pane. The four digits represent the four Pantone Matching System colors used to print the stamps. The names of those colors are given in the technical details box on page 12.

For convenience, the peel strips can be removed to facilitate folding the pane into a compact form that is easily carried in a wallet or purse. However, collectors prefer to display double-sided panes intact, without any folding.

“The four new stamps … celebrate the winter season with lacy, symmetrical graphic forms inspired by snowflakes,” the Postal Service said in the Sept. 5 Postal Bulletin. “Each stamp in the block of four includes a unique design in white against a background of a single rich color — either navy, teal, tan, or dark blue-green.”

Postal Service art director Greg Breeding designed the Winter Whimsy stamps using Sullivan’s original artwork.

Linn’s asked Breeding about his experience working with Sullivan.

“I first had the opportunity to work with Bailey on two LOVE stamp issuances,” Breeding said.

The stamps Breeding refers to are the 2021 Love stamp (Scott 5543) and the pair of 2022 Love stamps (5660-5661). Sullivan displays images of the stamps on her page hosted on the Dribbble website.

“What drew me to her was her completely unique illustration style and her fresh color palette,” Breeding explained. “But what’s more, she has so much creative elasticity that there’s almost nothing she couldn’t create brilliantly.”

Breeding indicated that he and Sullivan set out to create stamps with a fresh approach to winter.

“For this assignment we worked to imagine new ways of illustrating the winter season without directly invoking the holidays,” Breeding said. …

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