In this episode, we get an exclusive dive into the world of stamp selection. Not only do we get a sneak peek into the stunning designs of the new stamps, but we also unravel the intriguing stories behind them. Join us for an episode filled with artistry, history, and the magic behind our iconic stamps with Lisa Bobb-Semple, the Postal Service's Stamp Services Director.
This week on Mailin' It, we get an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at the meticulous process of choosing the annual stamp lineup and what makes this year's collection truly extraordinary. In the studio with us, is someone at the heart of all things stamps, Lisa Bobb-Semple, the Postal Service's Stamp Services Director. Join us as we dive into the intricacies of the stamp selection process, including the committee's anonymous voting system and the quest for new ideas. Get ready for a stamp-tastic journey!
Karla Kirby
Hello and welcome to Mailin’ It, the official podcast of the United States Postal Service. I'm Karla Kirby.
Jonathan Castillo
And I'm Jonathan Castillo. Karla, the topic of today's episode has become something of a tradition for the podcast. Every year around this time, we take a deep dive into the coming years lineup of new stamps. It's always one of my favorite episodes because we not only review this year's stamps, we also get to hear some of the interesting stories behind them.
Karla Kirby
I'm looking forward to this episode too, because in the studio today we have Lisa Bobb-Semple. The Postal Service's stamp services director and Lisa is going to give us something of a behind the scenes look at how Postal chooses its annual stamp lineup and what makes this year's crop really special. Welcome to Mailin’ It, Lisa.
Lisa Bobb-Semple
Thank you.
Jonathan Castillo
Great to see you again, Lisa, and thanks for coming on the podcast, of course. Now, since the last time you and I saw each other, you got some pretty big news, I think, right? You were named the Director of Stamps Services in November, correct?
Lisa Bobb-Semple
That's correct. So I was acting in the position from around June or so through November and then was permanently appointed to the position in November.
Jonathan Castillo
Well, I think this is a great opportunity to introduce you to our audience and for us to learn more about what stamp services actually does. Now, correct me if I'm wrong, but I heard a rumor a lot of your staff works out of a cave in Kansas City, right?
00:01:43:10 - 00:02:18:11
Lisa Bobb-Semple
That is correct. So we have about 156. Don't quote me on the exact number. Our folks in Kansas City, in the cave, that's where our fulfillment services team operates, as well as the team responsible for producing the stamps. The cave is actually a limestone building about 150 feet below ground, and it's a perfect operation to have there because of the temperature and humidity within the caves, because it helps the stamps to really be able to be stored longer.
In addition to being in the Kansas City, in the in the caves. I also have oversight of our team headquarters, the stamp services team. And then we also have a small fulfillment team out in Dallas, Virginia.
Karla Kirby
Well, that seems like very interesting but different locations that you're working out of. So I've always admired the thought and the creativity that goes into the stamp lineup. And I know it normally takes years for a stamp to go from a basic idea or description to an actual product. Can you tell us a little bit about how that process works?
Lisa Bobb-Semple
Sure. So if you think about it, I think what does that show how a bill becomes a bill. It's sort of how a stamp becomes a stamp, Right. So we get submissions from the public, lots of submissions from the public each year. And those submissions are then shared with a group called the Citizens Stamps Advisory Committee. They're known as CSAC for short. CSAC meets every quarter and reviews all of the stamp submissions by the public.
They really think seriously about these stamps suggestions, stamp topics. They debate the stamps assessing stamp topic and then they finally put them for a vote. And once those stamps are voted, and the ones that actually have a 50% vote are then put on the calendar for essentially for development. So I have a team at headquarters and they actually work with the Citizen Stamps Advisory Committee reviewing all of the stamps suggestions going through the process.
And now once we have the stamps that we are going to produce, we then work with the art directors and artists actually produce what the stamp looks like. Then they develop the stamp itself. We go through a creative process to be able to look at this stamp, go through several rounds of creative, and then once we get final approval on that and we actually take it to the PMG for that for final approval, then my team is responsible for all of the working with the printers to actually print the stamp and then also fulfill the stamps to both consumers as well as the post office locations.
Karla Kirby
So when you think about that particular process, really how many stamps make the cut when you talk about ones that get published each year?
Lisa Bobb-Semple
Yeah. So we generally have about 25 to 30 or so commemorative stamps each year. Now, sometimes when a stamp suggestion comes in, it's not like that stamp will become a stamp the next year. It could take a year, two years, three years. We're generally working several years out, though, so it does take a little while.
But you might have stamps that come in that are voted on. Yes. But then we may not actually have them in fully developed or available until several years out. But generally, again, it's about a three year process between working with legal and then when we have to work with the estates to get everything, vetted, approved, etc..
Jonathan Castillo
Well, I think it's phenomenal that we offer such a wide variety of stamps, right? It really gives people a chance to share a little bit of their personality with the person that they're sending mail to. Of course, you still have a lot of work to do after the topics are voted on. Right. So what happens next?
Lisa Bobb-Semple
Yep. So after the topics are voted on, then we would we meet and work with the art directors and artists who really have experience in developing creative for a stamp that can be a in a small size, if you will, you know, of shape or form. We then have to do, once we have the creative process fulfilled, we then have to go through a pretty stringent legal process to get the stamp approved.
I would say the legal folks are probably one of my best friends actually, in the building, right. Because we have to go through quite a process to get those stamps reviewed and approved. Once those stamps are legally approved, we then take them to the PMG for final approval. And then after that, we go through the process of working with the printers to print the stamps and then get them out into the public for circulation through the post office or being able to have them available for customers and businesses to order.
Jonathan Castillo
If I may, there are other types of products maybe like inspired off of the stamps. I think I've seen like programs, portfolios, things of that nature, right?
Lisa Bobb-Semple
That is very true. So we in addition to having the stamps itself, we have stamp inspired products. So even beyond just a regular like you said, programs, think about note cards, think about, you know, book markers. So we really try to think about based on the topic of the stamp, what other products do we think the public might like that goes along with that.
And so I actually didn't even know before I joined that we had stamp inspired upon us. I think that's a really unique aspect of our stamp program to be able to develop only stamps, but also products that are exciting to be able to share with the public.
Jonathan Castillo
Right? And I bet philatelists appreciate that a lot as well.
Lisa Bobb-Semple
They do. And even affinity groups as well too, particularly if you have a stamp. That's a pretty cool idea that people may not necessarily be stamp lovers per se, but they love the subject, they love the content. So they're buying their products because of they’re inspired by that.
Jonathan Castillo
I'd like to follow up on something that you said about the artists and the art directors who designed the stamps. How are they chosen?
Lisa Bobb-Semple
So we have about four art directors that we work with. They've been on our team for many years, actually, and then the art directors then work with the artists to be able to review their artist's work. We look and see, based on the stamp that we're looking at, developing samples of work that the artists have done and be able to say, Yes, we think this artist would be perfect for this particular stamp.
And so based off of that, then that's how we then determine what artists will work on what stamp. It's definitely a joint process with art directors.
Karla Kirby
So very interesting process. So to put a little context around this, for the artists and directors who are contracted to or selected to design the stamps, is there is this a paid are they doing this for the exposure? How does that work?
Lisa Bobb-Semple
I think it's probably a combination. I've heard that a lot of these artists, it's actually an honor for them to be asked to actually develop a stamp. Now we can’t do it for free. So there is actually a payment, but I think it's also just a really great honor as well, too.
Karla Kirby
And so when we look at the process in total, kind of again, bringing more context to it, except in special cases, the Postal Service generally receives no direct taxpayer funds for operating expenses. Stamp sales are very important, of course, to the Postal Service because we are primarily self-funded.
Lisa Bobb-Semple
Exactly.
Karla Kirby
Can you give us a sense of how much revenue from stamps comes into the Postal Service?
Lisa Bobb-Semple
Sure. So we sold about $3.9 billion in revenue for stamps and we actually had 10.6 billion stamps in circulation last year or that we sold last year in terms of number of stamps out there.
Jonathan Castillo
Now, I understand there will be about 30 new designs issued in 2024. Why don't we start by highlighting some of the, you know, the designs that fall under the history and heritage category?
Lisa Bobb-Semple
Sure. So we have a Lunar New Year stamp. We've been doing that for several years. This is the fifth of a 12 stamps in the letter. And the latest is the Lunar New Year stamp Year of the Dragon. There's a 3D mask depicting a dragon, and it incorporates colors and patterns with symbolic meaning.
We also have the Black Heritage Series, and this year we're featuring Constance Baker Motley. She is the 47th stamp in the Black Heritage Series, and she is the first to serve as a federal judge. And then we also are excited to announce the Underground Railroad. This stamp commemorates the Underground Railroad, but also the people who played an important role in defying slavery.
Their stamp would include such folks as Frederick Douglass, Harriet Tubman, who many folks are familiar with, but also several others that folks may not be familiar with.
Karla Kirby
So I think people are really going to like these. It sounds like we have a very interesting lineup. You know, I've noticed that astronomy is often also a popular theme for stamps. What do we have on tap for this year?
Lisa Bobb-Semple
Well, we have Pillars of Creation, and that's our priority mail stamp. There's also the Cosmic Cliff's, which is our priority Mail Express stamp. And that's from the James Webb Space Telescope. It's a digitally colored depiction of the light emitted by a cloud of gas and dust. And that's about 7500 light years away.
Jonathan Castillo
You know, I've actually seen those stamps and they are absolutely stunning. Tons of color and incredible attention to detail. Some stamp designs are just for fun, right? So what can we look forward to this year in that category?
Lisa Bobb-Semple
So a couple of my favorites, and I know I probably shouldn't say I have favorites, so but we have the pin back buttons and this is actually a stamp that features ten round typographic designs by different artists. And they're stamps that have words like Hello, there's a love one. There was a kudos one, so that really has different messaging on there, which I think is a pretty cool idea.
And we're looking at where we can doing some creative, interesting, fun designs and treatment of that stamp. I'll leave it at that. And then we also have Dungeons and Dragons. So this year marks the 50th anniversary of that popular game. And so I'm really excited about what we're doing for the Dungeons and Dragons stamp. Did you play Dungeons and Dragons, by the way, Jonathan?
Jonathan Castillo
How did you know? How did you know Lisa? Yes, I did. I'm so excited for these.
Karla Kirby
I think that Dungeons and Dragons stamps are going to be a huge hit. We have a lot of people that played I myself did, you know, a little bit. But clearly you were more into it. Jonathan, you know, what are some other designs and themes that you'd like to highlight from this list for 2024?
Lisa Bobb-Semple
Sure. So Animals is always a popular stamp. So we have a couple of animals this year that we're going to be featuring. There are save the manatees, There is protect sea turtles. And there are also stamps about horses. Who knew horses were so exciting? But they are. We also have on the sports side, John Wooten has one coming out.
And then we have another one that we're working on right now that will be hopefully announced shortly. On the arts side, we have a tribute to author Saul Bellow and then also the artist Ansel Adams and also bluegrass music. And then we also have our typical love stamp. The love stamp this year features a stylized bird in flight bearing a message of love in its beak.
And then, of course, we have to have the holidays. So we'll have the Christmas stamp, the Hanukkah stamp and the Kwanzaa stamp coming out new this year because we change the design every two years on the holiday stamps, on those particular stamps, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa.
Jonathan Castillo
Well, a lot of great stamps coming out to look forward to this year, no doubt about it. But, Lisa, you know, I don't know if you know this or not, but on this podcast, Karla and I like to ask the really tough, hard hitting question. So I've got one for you today. Are you ready?
Lisa Bobb-Semple
I'm ready. Give it to me.
Jonathan Castillo
Which stamps are you most excited about for 2024?
Lisa Bobb-Semple
Oh, Jonathan, that's like asking which kid's your favorite? And I can’t. They're all of my favorites. They really are. What I love about the stamp program is we really do try to provide a variety of stamps for the American public. So if you like animals, we have stamps for you. If you like games, we have stamps for you.
If you're a sports fan, we have stamps for you. So bottom line, they're all my favorites.
Karla Kirby
So, Lisa, thank you for joining us today. Jonathan, I definitely have picked up a wealth of information… Excited about this 2024 lineup. Before we let you go, anything else you want to share with us or with our listeners about the lineup for 2024?
Lisa Bobb-Semple
Not necessarily about that lineup per se, but what I really want to share - and one of the things that I've really come to appreciate having stepped into this role for the last couple of months - is really about this idea about stamps and the stories behind the stamps. And I really didn't think about it, like I said, until, you know, being in this position.
But it really is amazing to me how a little stamp has such a significant story when a stamp is recommended by the public. There's a story behind why that stamp was suggested, why some is recommending that story. If you think about a stamp, we had a 2023 stamp called Life Magnified. When you look at the stamp itself, you think, well, this is actually showing a little microscopic aspects of elements in the atmosphere, but you wouldn't think about when you see the stamp itself or where it started from.
So my whole point there is the creative process in and of itself has a really intriguing story about how the stamp went through that process and what the rendition of the stamp looks like once the artist gets that stamp. And then when you go to an event and particularly if it's what we call a face stamp where a person is honored, you hear the stories about that person and what stamps, what role stamps played in their life and what it means for their family and friends to have their relatives honored as a stamp and as the whole story around that as well, too.
And then finally, a lot of times folks are buying stamps because it has a meaning. Or there as an affinity or they like animals or they're like this particular, you know, person they were commemorating. So there's always a story around why they're buying that stamp. And when they choose to put the stamp on the mail piece, why they're choosing that, because it represents who they are.
So there are many stories wrapped up around stamps and what stamps mean, both from the very beginning process as to why one is requesting that stamp through to the end, where one determines what stamps they put on their mail piece. And I feel like that's a really beautiful thing about our stamps program and what a little stamp can do in terms of having so many intertwining stories.
Jonathan Castillo
So, Lisa, we've talked about all these exciting new stamps for 2024. When can, you know customers get these stamps?
Lisa Bobb-Semple
Actually, what happens is once we develop the stamp, we actually put work together with our events team on how and when we're going to roll out the stamp. So we have plan throughout the year. First day of issuance events and we determine when's the appropriate time to actually unveil, if you will, or reveal that particular stamp. So we have events planned throughout the year where we send out invites and the public is always welcome to attend.
And at those events we typically unveil the stamps we unveil both the stamps and the stamp related products. We do a ceremony, if you will, that really releases the stamp and that kicks off the launch of the stamp. Like I said, we do that throughout the year. So there are multiple events happening throughout the country where we reveal the stamp.
But if you don't attend the event, you can always buy your stamp at the postal store or go into our post offices or available at many post offices throughout the country. Sometimes they may not have them if they're out of stock, for example, because somebody, you know, brought the stamp. But typically they can be purchased in the post office.
And most of those post offices, as well as online.
Karla Kirby
If you want to attend an event since they're open to the public. When are those notices made available? Where would one go to get that information?
Lisa Bobb-Semple
So we typically plan the events about a year out and in roughly a month or so before the actual event happens, invitations go out. We do a press release and announcements so that the public know about these events and they can register to attend those various events. At those events, we typically unveil the stamp and then we also have products available there as well too.
This year we're looking at doing things differently where some of the events we're going to be really creative, where it makes sense for those events to really be able to unveil and reveal those stamps that are coming out.
Karla Kirby
So sounds like information that our listeners need. Definitely. Please visit at USPS.com for the new stamps. Also to see announcements about where and when these various stamps will roll out. So if you want to guarantee that you get the stamp that you're looking for, right. So the best bet would be to go to USPS.com.
Lisa Bobb-Semple
Exactly. Go to the postal store, purchase your stamp on there.
Jonathan Castillo
Lisa, where can customers go to learn more about stamps?
Lisa Bobb-Semple
I'm glad you asked that question, Jonathan. Please follow us on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube, on X - formerly known as Twitter, and feel free to follow me on LinkedIn as well too. But by following us, you'll be able to find out more about our stamps program. Our stamps coming out, and share your thoughts and feedback and ideas with us as well, too.
Jonathan Castillo
Well, Lisa, you know, I just want to say thank you for being on the podcast. It was great speaking with you today. And I just want to say again, once again, congratulations on your position.
Lisa Bobb-Semple
Thank you, Jonathan, Karla. It was great to be here. Appreciate it.
Karla Kirby
Jonathan, it's time for another Did You Know segment where we talk about interesting Postal Service facts that most people probably don't know. Why don't you get us started this time?
Jonathan Castillo
Happy to. Did you know that railway mail clerks had one of the toughest and most dangerous jobs in the post office department?
Karla Kirby
Why was that?
Jonathan Castillo
Well, you have to think back to the 1860s when the first U.S. railway post office route was created between then and 1971, when they stopped having railway routes, railway mail clerks not only needed the brains to memorize complicated mail sorting schemes, they also had to have the brawn to work, elbow to elbow in fast moving rail cars that sometimes didn't even stop at stations for delivery.
Karla Kirby
Okay, so if they didn't stop, how did they make the deliveries?
Jonathan Castillo
In those cases, they would have to toss pouches of mail out an open train door while also snagging pouches of outgoing mail that hung next to the track.
Karla Kirby
Well, I must say it sounds efficient, but definitely dangerous.
Jonathan Castillo
Well, not surprisingly, there was a high risk of severe injury for workers, especially if a train derailed or a sudden movement caused a clerk to lose their balance. As if that wasn't dangerous enough, railway mail clerks in the 1920s also carried government issued pistols to discourage would-be mail thieves from targeting their trains. In fact, at one time there was an entire section in the Postmaster General Annual report devoted to reporting railway and mail service casualties.
Karla Kirby
Wow. You definitely made the case that it was a difficult and dangerous job. My Did You Know, is actually related to yours. Did you know that the son of one of those railway mail clerks was responsible for one of the greatest achievements in the history of American chemistry?
Jonathan Castillo
That's so cool. I love it when our Did You Know’s are related.
Karla Kirby
Percy Julian pioneered the synthesis of medicinal drugs in the mid-1900’s. His groundbreaking discovery was using steroids and plants to synthesize human hormones that led to the development of several important drugs to treat inflammation. Percy was also the oldest son of James Julian. A career postal worker, James, whose parents had been enslaved, was born in Alabama in 1871.
He worked as a letter carrier at the Montgomery Post office. When Percy was born in 1899, James would later land a higher paying job as a railway mail clerk. In 1905, he held that job for more than 25 years. Percy was honored with a commemorative postage stamp in 1993. He became the 16th honoree in the Black Heritage Stamp Series.
Jonathan Castillo
What a great way to remember Percy and his work. And in a way, paid tribute to his father's work for the post office. And that wraps up this edition of Did You Know.
What a great episode today, Karla. We got to meet the new director of Stamps Services. We learned about the stamp caves in Kansas, a little about a little bit about the stamp creation process.
And we got a behind the scenes sneak peek into the new stamps for 2024. I think even if you're not a philatelist, I'd say this is going to be a pretty, pretty, pretty cool year for stamps.
Karla Kirby
Definitely the 2024 lineup is definitely exciting. Dungeons and Dragons. I definitely was excited to hear about this cave. I never knew about that. I always learn something new during the podcast. Lisa was a great guest. We hope to have her back and definitely, if nothing else, that you took away from the episode for our listeners. You can get stamps at USPS.com.You can get them at your local post office. But either way, get the stamps.
Well, that's all for this episode of Mailin’ It. Don't forget to subscribe to Mailin’ It wherever you get your podcasts to make sure you don't miss any episodes, and follow along on Instagram @USPostal Service, X - formerly known as Twitter @USPS and on Facebook.