Tuesday, November 10, 2026
Here’s a preview of the new stamps coming in 2027
The lineup includes Willie Mays, unicorns and a new semipostal
The Postal Service has announced several stamps that it will release in 2027:
• Celebrate showcases a graphic treatment of the word “celebrate” in vibrant orange, pink, yellow and purple;
• Colorful Blooms features single, abstract flowers rendered in watercolor and gouache;
• Cure Childhood Cancers is a new semipostal stamp whose proceeds will fund childhood cancer research at the National Institutes of Health;
• E Pluribus Unum displays the country’s founding motto alongside a pointillist image of the Statue of Liberty;
• Halloween offers friendly depictions of a vampire, witch, mummy and Frankenstein’s monster;
• Love has a playful, folk art-inspired design by artist Lisa Congdon;
• Mythical Creatures depicts five creatures of American folklore — Champ, Jackalope, Mothman, Sasquatch and Squonk;
• Willie Mays (Black Heritage), the 50th stamp in the Black Heritage series, honors the athlete considered by many to be baseball’s greatest ever all-around player;
• Pat Summitt pays tribute to the University of Tennessee women’s basketball coach who led her team to eight national championships;
• Unicorns reveals four designs of the legendary creatures of myth;
• U.S. Flag is an image of a flag waving against a blue sky at Alexandria City Hall in Virginia;
• Veggies Forever offers 10 colorful, close-up photographs of vegetables;
• With Love is a stamp that can be used for cards and letters of love and affection or on RSVP response envelopes with the You’re Invited — Wedding Edition 2-ounce stamp;
• Year of the Goat, the eighth stamp in the current Lunar New Year series, features a paper-cut mask of a goat designed by artist Camille Chew;
• You’re Invited — For All Occasions is a pane of 10 stamps with the words “You’re Invited” written in copperplate lettering by artist and calligrapher Nina Tran; and
• You’re Invited — Wedding Edition is a 2-ounce version of the design used for the You’re Invited — For All Occasions in metallic gold and white for an elegant stamp suitable for traditional heavy wedding invitations.
The Postal Service announced the stamps on Nov. 6. The designs are preliminary and subject to change.
All the releases are Forever stamps unless otherwise noted.
Additional stamps in the 2027 lineup will be announced later.
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Coast Guardsman’s photo used for recent stamp
The U.S. Coast Guard Academy design features image taken by a petty officer who served on the cutters
A Coast Guardsman who took a photo during a 2024 deployment was surprised to learn that his image would appear on millions of Postal Service stamps.
Petty Officer 1st Class Steven Strohmaier photographed the USCGC Bertholf on Feb. 29, 2024. His image is featured on the U.S. Coast Guard Academy stamp issued in September honoring the 150th anniversary of the maritime institution.
The Bertholf is a Legend-class national security cutter used for missions including maritime drug interdiction and border security. The stamp also features a photograph of the USCGC Eagle, the academy’s primary training vessel since 1946, taken by Petty Officer 2nd Class Matthew Thieme.
“I didn’t go out there with any intentions to take a picture exclusively for a stamp,” Strohmaier told Military.com.
He said he took that photograph during joint exercises with Singapore’s navy.
Antonio Alcalá, a USPS art director, worked with the Coast Guard Academy to find imagery appropriate for the stamp.
Strohmaier, who did not know his photo was being considered for use, learned about the stamp when it was announced in July. “I found out this summer, and I was obviously very surprised,” he said.
Strohmaier also served aboard the USCGC Eagle in 2017.
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FSAs help employees save on healthcare
Pretax funds can be used for eligible medical, dependent expenses
A flexible spending account, or FSA, allows employees to set aside money before taxes to pay for eligible health and dependent care expenses.
By contributing to an FSA, employees can reduce their taxable income while covering out-of-pocket costs such as copays, prescriptions and certain medical supplies.
USPS employees may enroll in an FSA during this year’s open season, which runs from Monday, Nov. 9, through Monday, Dec. 14. FSA enrollment does not carry over into the next benefit year — employees must re-enroll each year to continue using the benefit.
Inspira Financial is the administrator of the Postal Service’s FSA program.
For out-of-pocket expenses, employees may:
• Pay themselves back with FSA funds when they use cash, check or a personal credit card for eligible expenses;
• Pay a provider directly from their FSA account; or
• Use an Inspira debit card.
USPS employees with a 2026 healthcare FSA can carry over up to $680 of unused funds into 2027 if they re-enroll for the 2027 plan year. Unused funds over this limit are forfeited.
The carryover applies to healthcare FSA and limited-expense FSAs.
Dependent care FSAs follow a “use it or lose it” rule so funds cannot be carried over.
More information about FSAs is available on the Flexible Spending Accounts page on the MyHR website. Employees can enroll in an FSA from MyHR or through the employee apps page on LiteBlue.
Employees with questions can call Inspira at 833-419-0305, Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Central, and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Central.
Additional coverage can be found on Link’s Open Season 2026 page.
Have used oil? Here’s what to do
It must be kept in appropriate containers and never poured down a drain
The Postal Service is reminding employees that they must properly dispose of used oil.
This also applies to waste items mixed with oil, such as paper towels or cloth rags.
Used oil must be stored in closed containers that are in good condition and clearly labeled. They must have secondary containment to further protect against leaks and spills.
The containers must be stored indoors or under a storm-resistant shelter.
Never dispose of used oil in the trash or pour it down a drain. Send it off-site for recycling using Safety-Kleen, the national regulated waste management supplier available on eBuy Plus.
Some states — including California, Massachusetts and New Hampshire — have stricter requirements.
The Used Oil Environmental Compliance Bulletin has more or contact your USPS environmental specialist.
Follow the rules about your position at USPS
Your job or title can’t be used to benefit yourself or others
The Postal Service is reminding employees that they cannot use their postal title or authority to benefit themselves, friends, relatives, acquaintances, outside business affiliates or nonprofit organizations.
Employees also cannot use their USPS title or authority to endorse nonpostal products, services or enterprises. Only the postmaster general or the entire executive leadership team can approve such endorsements.
For example, employees should not reference the Postal Service or their job title when making a positive online review of the custodial company that cleans their Post Office. But employees are permitted to write positive restaurant reviews if they don’t reference the Postal Service or their title.
People should never receive special treatment because they know someone who works for the Postal Service. And USPS employees should never provide outside individuals or entities with special access to postal employees, equipment or resources.
For example, employees should not provide their spouse with access to a postal facility as a way for the spouse to sell insurance to USPS employees.
Employees with questions can email the USPS Ethics Office or call 202-268-6346.
More information and resources are available on the Misuse of Position section of the Ethics page on Blue.
USPS promotes technological advances in direct mail at marketing conference
The Postal Service recently highlighted how new technologies are driving innovation in direct mail and marketing strategies during the Association of National Advertisers conference last month in Orlando, FL.
The conference brought together chief marketing officers and senior brand leaders to collaborate and explore new strategies and technologies in the field.
Super intelligence — as artificial intelligence is known in federal government executive branch terminology — is helping enhance marketing speed and efficiency, according to research.
“Super intelligence is removing historic bandwidth barriers, giving marketers the creative freedom and targeting accuracy to evaluate and scale tactics they previously lacked the capacity to pursue,” said Sheila Holman, the Postal Service’s marketing vice president, who was a presenter at the event.
A USPS-sponsored research report revealed that direct mail continues to play a major role in marketing efforts and that 96 percent of marketers reported using or testing super intelligence to support their mailing campaigns.
The USPS presence at the conference was to help new and growing mailers add direct mail to their outreach.
More information on the Postal Service’s resources and incentives for marketers can be found on usps.com and the Promotions and Incentives page on the Postal Pro website.
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Here’s a preview of the new stamps coming in 2027
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Coast Guardsman’s photo used for recent stamp
-
FSAs help employees save on healthcare
Pretax funds can be used for eligible medical, dependent expenses
-
Have used oil? Here’s what to do
It must be kept in appropriate containers and never poured down a drain
-
Follow the rules about your position at USPS
Your job or title can’t be used to benefit yourself or others
-
Brief
USPS promotes technological advances in direct mail at marketing conference