Announced November 1, 2021:
The two new Love stamps celebrate the joy that flowers bring. Inspired by old European folk art, the stamps feature digital illustrations with similar designs: three round, stylized blooms ranging symmetrically along the top, with smaller round blossoms in each of the lower corners. The background color of one stamp is powder blue, and the other is coral. Twisting vines, which hold small multi-petaled flowers, form abstract heart shapes. The letters of the word “LOVE” are interspersed among the decorative vines. Bailey Sullivan designed the stamps and created the original art. Greg Breeding was the art director.
The Scott catalogue numbers for this issue are:
5660 (58¢) Love – blue gray background
a. Imperforate
5661 (58¢) Love – pink background
a. Imperforate
b. Horiz. or vert. pair, #5660-5661
c. Imperforate horiz. or vert. pair, #5660a-5661a
Additional information will be posted below the line, with the newest at the top.
Updated December 9th:
Here are the first-day postmarks for this issue (you can click on these pictures for larger versions):
The Digital Color Postmark measures 2.37″ x 1.09″.
The pictorial postmark measures 2.47″ x 0.94″.
Updated December 9th:
[press release] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions]
Romance Blooms on Postal Service’s New Love Forever Stamps
U.S. Postal Service Love Series Celebrates the Beauty and Delight of Flowers
WHAT: Love flourishes anew in 2022 with the Postal Service’s issuance of Forever stamps depicting the simple floral charms of old European folk art as part of the popular series of Love stamps.
News of the two stamps is being shared with the hashtag #LoveStamps.
WHO: Pritha Mehra, chief information officer and executive vice president, U.S. Postal Service
WHEN: Friday, Jan. 14, 2022, at 11 a.m. ET
WHERE: Romeo Masonic Lodge 41
231 N. Main St.
Romeo, MI 48065
RSVP: Dedication ceremony attendees are encouraged to RSVP at usps.com/lovestamps.
BACKGROUND: The Postal Service has captured the delight and exuberance of love since its first stamp in the Love series, issued in 1973. For this year’s Love stamps, illustrator Bailey Sullivan based her designs on old European folk art. These stamps, with their colorful blooms and curling vines, are beautiful additions to the series.
Released early in the year for use on Valentine’s Day, the stamps are also perfect any time to add floral flair to letters, birthday or graduation cards, baby shower invitations, thank-you notes — the uses are limitless. The colorful stamps will add charm and whimsy to any correspondence.
Updated December 3rd:
On January 14, 2022, in Romeo, MI, the United States Postal Service® will issue the Love 2022 stamps (Forever® priced at the First-Class Mail® rate) in two designs, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 20 stamps (Item 578200). These stamps will go on sale nationwide January 14, 2022, and must not be sold or canceled before the first-day-of-issue.
The two new Love 2022 stamps with similar designs feature graphic illustrations of flowers inspired by old European folk art. Twisting vines, which hold small petaled flowers form abstract heart shapes. The word “Love” is interspersed among the decorative vines. The background of one stamp is powder blue, the other stamp is coral. Greg Breeding was art director; Bailey Sullivan created the original art and designed the stamps.
Item 578200, Love 2022 (Forever Priced at the First-Class Mail Rate), Pane of 20 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 – Love 2022 Stamps
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 14, 2022.
Technical Specifications:
Issue: Love 2022 Stamps
Item Number: 578200
Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail Forever
Format: Pane of 20 (2 designs)
Series: Love
Issue Date & City: January 14, 2022, Romeo, MI 48065
Art Director: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
Designer: Bailey Sullivan, Brooklyn, NY
Illustrator: Bailey Sullivan, Brooklyn, NY
Modeler: Sandra Lane/Michelle Finn
Manufacturing Process: Offset
Printer: Banknote Corporation of America
Press Type: Alprinta 74
Stamps per Pane: 20
Print Quantity: 150,000,000 stamps
Paper Type: Phosphor Tagged Paper, Block Tag
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Colors: Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black
Stamp Orientation: Horizontal
Image Area (w x h): 1.05 x 0.77 in./26.67 x 19.558 mm
Overall Size (w x h): 1.19 x 0.91 in./30.226 x 23.114 mm
Full Pane Size (w x h): 5.76 x 5.55 in./146.304 x 140.97 mm
Press Sheet Size (w x h): 23.040 x 11.1 in./585.216 x 281.94 mm
Plate Size: 320 stamps per revolution
Plate Number: “B” followed by four (4) single digits in four corners
Marginal Markings:
Front: Plate number in 4 corners
Back: ©2021 USPS • USPS Logo • Two barcodes (578200) • Plate position diagram (8) • Promotional text
