Posted on October 29, 2025 by VSC

From the USPS on October 29, 2025:

The buffalo’s epic story has played an enduring role in shaping America’s identity. Honoring our national mammal while saluting historic philately, this unique stamp features a contemporary photograph of a bison, inset with artwork evoking a 1923 stamp issued when the species was beginning to rebound from near extinction. Greg Breeding, an art director for USPS, designed the stamp using Tom Murphy’s existing photograph and artwork from the century-old stamp, now printed in intaglio.

More details will be posted below the line, with the most recent information at the top.

Updated July 15th:

Technical Specifications:

Issue: American Bison Stamp

Item Number: 488800

Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail Forever®

Format: Pane of 16 (1 design)

Series: N/A

Issue Date & City: May 25, 2026, Boston, MA 02205

Art Director: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA

Designer: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA

Existing Photo: Tom Murphy

Modeler: Daryl DeMont

Manufacturing Process: Offset, Microprint

Printer: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)

Press Type: Muller A76

Stamps per Pane: 16

Print Quantity: 24,000,000 stamps

Paper Type: Nonphosphored Type III, Block Tagged

Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive

Colors: Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black

Stamp Orientation: Horizontal

Image Area (w x h): 1.6370 x 1.0850 in. / 41.5800 x 27.5590 mm.

Overall Size (w x h): 1.7770 x 1.2250 in. / 45.1360 x 31.1150 mm.

Full Pane Size (w x h): 8.7600 x 7.3400 in. / 222.5040 x 186.4360 mm.

Press Sheets Size (w x h): 26.2800 x 22.5200 in. / 667.5120 x 572.0080 mm.

Plate Size: 144 stamps per revolution

Plate Number: “P” followed by four (4) single digits

Marginal Markings:

Front: Header: AMERICAN BISON • BOSTON 2026 WORLD STAMP SHOW • Plate number in bottom two corners of pane

Back: © 2025 USPS • USPS logo • Two barcodes (488800) • Plate position diagram (9) • Promotional text

Updated July 8th:

The Scott catalogue number for this issue is 6099.

Updated April 20th:

Here are the first-day postmarks for this issue:The Digital Color Postmark for this issue measures 2.81″ x 1.50″The Pictorial Postmark measures 2.41″ x 1.27″

Updated April 15th:

On May 25, 2026, in Boston, MA, the United States Postal Service® will issue the American Bison stamp (Forever® priced at the First-Class Mail® rate), in one design, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 16 stamps (Item 488800). This stamp will go on sale nationwide May 25, 2026, and must not be sold or canceled before the first-day-of-issue.

This stamp celebrates our national mammal, the American bison, commonly known as the buffalo. Overlaying a contemporary photograph of the animal is artwork recalling a buffalo stamp issued in 1923. The photograph, taken by Tom Murphy, shows a wild buffalo in profile, seen grazing within Yellowstone National Park. The issuance title, “AMERICAN BISON,” appears on the selvage and under it, “BOSTON 2026 WORLD STAMP SHOW,” where the stamp will be issued in May 2026. Art director Greg Breeding designed the stamp.