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News about APNSS and plate number singles
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UPCOMING EVENTS
Always: Orders taken for the 2026 edition of Hebert's Catalog of Plate Number Singles.
Now: Renew your APNSS dues if your mailing label expiration date says December 2025 or earlier.
At shows: APNSS membership application forms will be available at the Midwest Stamp Dealers Association (MSDA) shows in suburban Chicago, at other shows in northwest/west suburbs of Chicago, and in Countryside, a southwest suburb, as well as at Milwaukee, Wisconsin area shows. These shows are frequently attended by several dealers with good stock of classic and modern plate number material.
December 2025: Plate Numbers (APNSS newsletter) issue #6 for 2025
May 23-30, 2026: APNSS plans to have a booth at the Boston 2026 Philatelic Exhibition at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center.
May 2026: APNSS plans to hold a membership meeting and presentation at Boston 2026. Members, guests and new members are invited to attend.
NOVEMBER 2025
** NEW ** November 10: USPS has announced the preliminary stamp program for 2026. Details on the New Issues for 2026 page.
** NEW ** November 1: The "Plate Number Single of the Month" for November is Scott 3546, the 34¢ Thanksgiving stamp from 2001. It was popular enough to require two printings, with plate numbers P1111 and P2222, but not popular enough that USPS has issued another Thanksgiving stamp since..
OCTOBER 2025
** NEW ** October 31: The October issue of Plate Numbers is in the mail or email inbox for all members.
** NEW ** October 28: New Scott numbers announced for recent 2025 issues. Additional details on the New Issues - 2025 page.
October 1: The "Plate Number Single of the Month" for October is Scott 5423, the (55¢) Forever Bats stamp from the four-design Spooky Silhouettes issue of 2019. The same P111111 plate number also appears on the imperforate (die cutting omitted) variety, Scott 5423 var.
SEPTEMBER 2025
September 30: New Scott numbers announced for recent 2025 issues. Additional details on the New Issues - 2025 page.
September 15: APNSS board members Chris Principe and Rick Burdsall are moderating the new Plate Numbers and Marginal Markings topic on the APS stamp hub. Plate number collectors can share info, ask questions, and share our experiences with collecting plate number singles and other marginal markings. Join us at stampschool.org.
September 3: In honor of Labor Day, the "Plate Number Single of the Month" for September is Scott 1082, the 3¢ Labor Day stamp. The design features a mosaic in the AFL-CIO headquarters building. The stamp was issued in Camden, New Jersey, on September 3, 1956, which was Labor Day that year. As virtually all post offices are closed on federal holidays, the First Day of Issue cancellations dated September 3 are unusual, and at least two types are known. Some collectors like to buy new stamps on their first day of issue, then obtain cancels in other cities related to the topic, such as the city where labor leader Samuel Gompers was b orn, or the headquarters city of a different labor union. That would have been nearly impossible for this issue, as most such requests would have been dated September 4 when all post offices were open.
The stamp illustrated does not have perforations because it is not the final stamp as issued, but rather a proof from the proof sheet held in the National Postal Museum's archives. Proof sheets assist with quality control, such as ensuring there are no plate flaws, the correct plate number was assigned, and they are satisfied that the color planned for the issue looks good in the final product. An example of the actual stamp can be found here along with other 3¢ plate number singles from the 1950's.
AUGUST 2025
August 31: The August issue of Plate Numbers is in the mail or email inbox for all members.
August 31: New Scott numbers announced for recent 2025 issues. Additional details on the New Issues - 2025 page.
Sunday, August 17: Day 4 of the APS Stamp Show, Schaumburg, Illinois. Stop by the APNSS booth for a chat.
Saturday, August 16, 12 noon - 1:00. APNSS membership meeting at APS Stamp Show, Schaumburg H meeting room, informal gathering, presentation, door prize!
Saturday, August 16: Day 3 of the APS Stamp Show, Schaumburg, Illinois. Stop by the APNSS booth for a chat.
Friday, August 15: Day 2 of the APS Stamp Show, Schaumburg, Illinois. Stop by the APNSS booth for a chat.
August 14: Despite numerous announcements that the post card rate after the July rate hikes would be 62¢, it turns out they only raised it five cents (same as the first class rate), to 61¢.
Thursday, August 14: Day 1 of the APS Stamp Show, Schaumburg, Illinois. Stop by the APNSS booth for a chat.
August 13: Set up APNSS booth at the APS Stamp Show, Schaumburg, Illinois, 2:00 - 7:00.
August 11: New plate numbers announced for 2025 issues. Additional details on the New Issues - 2025 page.
August 1: The "Plate Number Single of the Month" for August is Scott 4738, the $5.60 Arlington Green Covered Bridge priority mail stamp issued in 2013. I grew up just across the border from Arlington, Vermont, in a small upstate New York town, but as soon as you say the words "New York" it's hard to get some listeners away from thoughts of Brooklyn and Broadway. Or their concept of "upstate" is either Yonkers or the Finger Lakes, when Montreal is actually closer.
The stamp says "Arlington Green Bridge," but the locals know it simply as the bridge on the green, as it's right next to the chapel on the green. And it's actually in West Arlington, not Arlington. I lived close enough to bicycle to it, although I rarely did this due to the high population of very large and very fast dogs along the route that liked to chase bicycles. It wasn't the closest covered bridge. It was 80 feet long, but not the longest. It was over 17 feet wide, but not the widest. It was built in 1852, very old but not the oldest. But it was the prettiest, and unlike most covered bridges, there are no trees or steep banks blocking your view from any angle. I've walked across it, driven across it, climbed under it, canoed under it, tubed under it, and swum under it.
The stylized stamp shows the view from the north, and the artist took some liberties with a frame of maple leaves in fall colors from a non-existent tree, cutting the signs from two to one and omitting the steel cables that help hold nearly all New England covered bridges in place during storms. Together with the Chapel on the Green in the background and the 1792 Inn on the Green next door to that, it's a scene that would make Norman Rockwell proud -- in fact, the inn was once his home and the bridge was the view from his kitchen window.
The bridge was all original materials, never having been strenghtened with any 20th century reinforcement. In 2011, Hurricane Irene flooded the Battenkill River and the water level and fast-rushing debris knocked the bridge off its abutments. But it was so sturdily built that there was very little actual damage. Within a few months it had been restored to its original location, on new abutments, with repairs matching the original materials, and open to traffic again. Additional details on the New Issues - 2013 webpage.
JULY 2025
July 15: New plate numbers and new Scott numbers announced for 2025 issues. Additional details on the New Issues - 2025 page.
July 3: New images have been added for PNS of the Cigar Tax revenue stamps including from proofs held in the Smithsonian's National Postal Museum archives. Additional details on the Revenues - Cigars page.
July 1: The "Plate Number Single of the Month" for July is BEP plate number 1. The bank note companies had originally assigned a "plate number 1" for each stamp issue, then higher numbers as they created more plates. Later, American Bank Note Company assigned sequential numbers under their contract, trying not to re-use any numbers. When the Bureau of Engraving and Printing took over the printing of U.S. stamps in 1894, they decided to keep the sequential numbering scheme. BEP plate number 1 was assigned to the new small 2¢ Washington definitive with triangles. Plate 1 printed Scott 248, 249 and 250, depending on the ink color. For today's modern self-adhesive stamps, private security printers have returned to the practice of assigning, say, P1111 to the first printing of each issue. Additional details on the First Bureau Series webpage.
JUNE 2025
June 28: The June issue of Plate Numbers is in the mail or email inbox for all members.
June 25: A number of new examples have been added to the web page illustrating how other countries treat plate numbers. Check them out on the Plate Numbers - Foreign page.
June 1: New images have been added for PNS of the Cigar Tax revenue stamps. Additional details on the Revenues - Cigars page.
June 1: The "Plate Number Single of the Month" for June is the 1991 New York duck stamp. Most states issue state-level permit stamps for fishing, or for hunting waterfowl, deer, elk, moose and even bears. The vast majority have serial numbers rather than true plate numbers. Exceptions are the 1989-1991 New York duck hunting stamps. For three years, New York duck stamps were printed by the British security printer House of Questa, which assigned multiple representative plate numbers in the colors used to print the stamps. Additional details on the State Ducks page.
MAY 2025
May 9: New plate numbers and new Scott numbers announced for 2025 issues. Additional details on the New Issues - 2025 page.
May 8: An additional E-Stamp pane of 1 variety of the 2024 duck stamp has been reported, but it is without plate numbers. Scott has assigned catalog number RW91B.
May 1: The "Plate Number Single of the Month" for May is the 2025 Express Mail stamp. With a $31.40 denomination, it is the highest value U.S. postage stamp ever issued, surpassing the price of the 2024 Express Mail stamp. Additional details on the New Issues - 2025 and Modern High Values pages.
APRIL 2025
April 30: The April issue of Plate Numbers is in the mail or email inbox for all members.
April 18: New images have been added for PNS of the Snuff Tax revenue stamp proofs held in the Smithsonian's National Postal Museum collection. Additional details on the Revenues - Snuff page.
April 10: After promising no price hikes for the immediate future, USPS just announced that the first class rate will be increased to 78¢, an increase of 5¢, effective July 13. The Additional Ounce price will increase from 28¢ to 29¢, making a 2-ounce letter $1.07. Postcards will increase from the current 56¢ to 62¢, a 10.7% hike. The international rate will increase from $1.65 to $1.70. The proposed changes still need to be approved by the Postal Rate Commission. Additional Flag stamps and other issues are expected.
April 5: New plate numbers and new Scott numbers announced for 2025 issues. Additional details on the New Issues - 2025 page.
April 1: Additional details for FE Oleomargarine and Butter Tax stamps added to the new Revenues - Oleomargarine page.
MARCH 2025
March 31: New images have been added for PNS of the Prominent Americans proofs held in the Smithsonian's National Postal Museum collection. Additional details on the Prominent Americans page.
March 30: New images have been added for PNS of the Postal Savings and War Savings proofs held in the Smithsonian's National Postal Museum collection. Additional details on the Postal Savings page.
March 29: New images have been added for PNS of the Tobacco Tax revenue stamp proofs held in the Smithsonian's National Postal Museum collection. Additional details on the Revenues - Tobacco page.
March 28: New images have been added for PNS of the Cigar Tax revenue stamp proofs held in the Smithsonian's National Postal Museum collection. Additional details on the Revenues - Cigars page.
March 27: New images have been added for PNS of the Snuff Tax revenue stamp proofs held in the Smithsonian's National Postal Museum collection. Additional details on the Revenues - Snuff page.
March 26: New images have been added for PNS of the Cigarette Tax revenue stamp proofs held in the Smithsonian's National Postal Museum collection. Additional details on the newly created Revenues - Cigarettes page.
March 25: New images have been added for PNS of the Stock Transfer Tax and Silver Tax revenue stamp proofs held in the Smithsonian's National Postal Museum collection. Additional details on the Revenues - Stock page.
March 24: New images have been added for PNS of the wine, beer and fermented malt liquor tax revenue stamp proofs held in the Smithsonian's National Postal Museum collection. Additional details on the Revenues - Alcohol page.
March 23: New images have been added for PNS of the 4¢ commemorative issues of the late 1950s. from proofs held in the Smithsonian's National Postal Museum collection. Additional details on the 4-cent Commemoratives page.
FEBRUARY 2025
February 28: Additional details and proof images added to the Prominent Americans page.
February 22: New images have been added for PNS images for back-of-the-book issues. Additional details for PS Postal Savings, S Savings and WS War Savings stamps on the the Postal Savings page. Additional details for TC Cigar tax, Cigarette tax and related issues on the new Revenues - Cigar page. Additional details for TF Tobacco stamps, Narcotics stamps and related issues on the redesigned Revenues - Tobacco page. Additional details for TE Snuff stamps on the new Revenues - Snuff page. Additional details on RE Wine stamps, REA Beer and Fermented Malt Beverage stamps, Bottle stamps, Warehouse Alcohol Transfer stamps, Lock Seals and related alcohol tax stamps on the Revenues - Alcohol page. Additional details for FE Oleomargarine and Butter Tax stamps added to the recently added Revenues - Oleomargarine page. Additional details for RF Playing Card stamps, RK/RL Customs Fee stamps and other unusual tax paid revenue issues on the Revenues - Other page.
February 16: John Himes of PNC3 reports the discovery of a new dummy/test coil stamp that was apparently put into use in 2016. It has been submitted to Scott for assignment of a new catalog number. Additional details on the Dummy and Test Stamps page.
JANUARY 2025
January 16: Additional details for FE Oleomargarine and Butter Tax stamps added to the new Revenues - Oleomargarine page.
January 15: As announced in Plate Numbers, election results for APNSS officers and directors. Juan Riera elected as president; Morgan Christian elected as vice president; Rick Burdsall re-elected as secretary and treasurer; Eric Chaulsett, James Cochrane and Steve Shulkin re-elected and Dan Ehrenfried and Chris Principe elected as directors at large. All terms run to December 2027.
January 10: APNSS attends the Wisconsin-Illinois Stateline stamp show in Kenosha, Wisconsin.
DECEMBER 2024
December 30: New images have been added for PNS images for back-of-the-book issues. Additional details for PS Postal Savings, S Savings and WS War Savings stamps on the the Postal Savings page. Additional details for TC Cigar tax, Cigarette tax and related issues on the new Revenues - Cigar page. Additional details for TF Tobacco stamps and related issues on the redesigned Revenues - Tobacco page. Additional details for TE Snuff stamps on the new Revenues - Snuff page. Additional details on RE Wine stamps, REA Beer and Fermented Malt Beverage stamps, Bottle stamps, Warehouse Alcohol Transfer stamps, Lock Seals and related alcohol tax stamps on the Revenues - Alcohol page. Additional details for RF Playing Card stamps, FE Oleomargarine Tax stamps and other unusual tax paid revenue issues on the Revenues - Other page.
December 1: Ballots are in the mail for election of APNSS officers and directors for three-year terms through Dec. 31, 2027.
NOVEMBER 2024
November 30: New images have been added for PNS of forerunners of Canal Zone Official stamps. Additional details on the Canal Zone page for overprints of U.S. stamps, and on the Canal Zone 2 page for examples on Canal Zone regular issues and airmail issues.
November 29: New images have been added for PNS of Lock Seals. Additional details on the Revenues - Alcohol page.
November 28: New images have been added for PNS of Tobacco Strip stamps. Additional details on the Revenues - Tobacco page.
November 11: APNSS member Andrew S. Kelley received the Walter W. Hopkinson Literature Award for the best article or series of articles appearing in United States Specialist in 2023. Additional info on the Publications page.
November 6: Dues notices for 2025 are in the mail for renewing your APNSS membership for 2025.
November 5: New images have been added for PNS of the 1962 "Sixth and a Half Bureau Series" issues, including PNS from proof sheets held in the Smithsonian's National Postal Museum collection. Additional details on the 1962 Series page.
November 3: New images have been added for PNS of the 1958-62 4¢ commemoratives, including PNS from proof sheets held in the Smithsonian's National Postal Museum collection. Additional details on the Four Cent Commemoratives page.
OCTOBER 2024
October 31: The October issue of Plate Numbers is in the mail or email inbox for all members.
October 31: New images have been added for PNS of the 1950s 3¢ commemoratives, including PNS from proof sheets held in the Smithsonian's National Postal Museum collection. Additional details on the 1950s Commemoratives page.
October 24: New images have been added for PNS of the 1940s commemoratives, including PNS from proof sheets held in the Smithsonian's National Postal Museum collection. Additional details on the 1940s Commemoratives page.
October 22: New images have been added for PNS of the 1898 First Bureau series proof sheets held in the Smithsonian's National Postal Museum collection. Additional details on the First Bureau page.
October 21: New images have been added for PNS of the Trans-Mississippi series proof sheets held in the Smithsonian's National Postal Museum collection. Additional details on the Trans-Mississippi page.
October 20: New images have been added for PNS of the Second Bureau series proof sheets held in the Smithsonian's National Postal Museum collection. Additional details on the Second Bureau page.
October 15: The $5 Floral Geometry stamp issued in 2022 has been reprinted. Plate number B2222 was assigned to the reprint. Foster Miller made the discovery and reported it to Linn's Stamp News, which made the announcement in the October 14, 2024 edition as well as online. Additional details on the New Issues - 2022 page.
October 14: New images have been added for PNS of the Pan-American Exposition proofs held in the Smithsonian's National Postal Museum collection. Additional details on the Pan-Americans page.
October 12: New images have been added for PNS of the Presidential Series proofs held in the Smithsonian's National Postal Museum collection. Additional details on the Prexy page.
October 10: New images have been added for PNS of the Famous American proof sheets held in the Smithsonian's National Postal Museum collection. Additional details on the Famous Americans page.
October 6: New plate numbers and new Scott numbers announced for 2024 issues. Additional details on the New Issues - 2024 page.
October 1: USPS announces that it does NOT plan a semi-annual first class rate increase for January 2025, and may not require one in July 2025. However, they have also said they plan to raise rates 5 times in the next 3 years, so this apparently is only an interruption in their semi-annual rate increase schedule. Stay tuned.
SEPTEMBER 2024
September 6: New plate numbers and new Scott numbers announced for 2024 issues, including for the low-denomination Flowers. Additional details on the New Issues - 2024 page.
AUGUST 2024
August 17: APNSS membership meeting, 3:00 PM Saturday at the APS show in Hartford. Rick Burdsall presented an updated version of "They Messed it Up How?" illustrating plate number assignment and execution goofs over the years.
August 15-18: APNSS hosts a booth at the APS Great American Stamp Show (GASS) in Hartford, Connecticut. Several APNSS members stopped by to visit and chat.
JULY 2024
July 27: New plate numbers and new Scott numbers announced for 2024 issues. While Scott has announced plate numbers for new commemoratives, they are still not available for the Flags coils and booklets and for the low-denomination Flowers. Additional details on the New Issues - 2024 page.
July 14: New USPS rate hike takes effect: 73¢ first class, up 5¢; 56¢ postcard rate, up 3¢, $1.65 global airmail rate, up 10¢. The Media Mail rate applicable for mailing the Hebert's Catalogue of Plate Number Singles increases from $7.83 to $8.38, up 55¢.
JUNE 2024
June 24: The June issue of Plate Numbers is in the mail or email inbox for all members.
June 23: New plate numbers and new Scott numbers announced for 2024 issues. Additional details on the New Issues - 2024 page.
MAY 2024
May 25: New plate numbers and new Scott numbers announced for 2024 issues. Additional details on the New Issues - 2024 page.
APRIL 2024
April 11: USPS proposes new rate hikes for July: 73¢ first class, up 5¢; 56¢ postcard rate, up 3¢, $1.65 global airmail rate, up 10¢.
April 8: New plate numbers and new Scott numbers announced for 2024 issues. Additional details on the New Issues - 2024 page.
MARCH 2024
March 21: The March issue of Plate Numbers is in the mail or email inbox for all members. This issue includes a mail auction of duck stamp plate number items. Closing date for bids is April 20. Tie bids go to the earliest postmark or email (dates reconciled for fairness).
March 19: New plate numbers and new Scott numbers announced for early 2024 issues. Additional details on the New Issues - 2024 page.
March 17: Scott REA99, the 33-1/3¢ or 1/3 barrel Beer stamp, Scott REA85 with 1914 surcharge, has been reported with plate number xx221. The discovery copy is shown on the Revenues - Alcohol page illustrating PNS examples of various wine, cordial and beer stamps.
FEBRUARY 2024
February 10: The (5¢) Patriotic Block reprint with plate number B222 has a wide 2023 date and has been assigned a major Scott number, 5756A. Additional details on the New Issues - 2023 page.
February 9: New plate numbers and new Scott numbers announced for early 2024 issues. Additional details on the New Issues - 2024 page.
JANUARY 2024
January 21: First class rate change to 68¢. The Media Mail rate applicable for mailing the Hebert's Catalogue of Plate Number Singles increases from $7.67 to $7.83.
In this spot, we used to have a link where you could sign up with a free service to have an email sent to you automatically whenever the APNSS website was updated. The company that provided that service, ChangeDetection, has been absorbed by VisualPing. Now, rather than signing up on the site you want to monitor, you sign up directly with them and specify the url of the site you want to monitor. It's still free [as of July 2025], at least for a reasonable number of messages each month, so go to VisualPing.io and sign up for www.APNSS.org. Or choose another web monitoring service -- there are lots of them out there. But don't miss out when there's news about plate numbers!
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This page last updated November 13, 2025.
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