As part of next year’s celebrations honoring the 50th anniversary of the original series of Star Trek, the United States Postal Service will be offering up four Trek themed postage stamps.
The USPS is known for honoring important moments and people in history on their stamps. It’s quite an honor to have one’s image emblazoned upon the official USPS stickies. In 2016, the USPS honors Star Trek in it’s 50th year with a set of four pretty cool looking stamps for you to decorate the corners of your envelopes.
From the press release:
Designed by The Heads of State, who also designed the issuance/panel, each stamp showcases one of four digital illustrations inspired by elements of the iconic Star Trek: The Original Series. Antonio Alcala served as the project’s art director.
This is not the first time Star Trek has been honored by the USPS. The first Star Trek postage stamp, worth 33 cents, was released in September, 1999 in celebration of the USPS’s “Celebrate the Century” initiative.
Maybe they’ll issue one that depicts the CBS Eye phaser-blasting the USS Axanar to smithereens.
When is trekmovie.com going to publish an article on this major shakeup in fan filmdom? Did the news in the middle of the holiday season catch the staff off guard?
Absolutely love the designs. LLAP
Wow, Scott. That news broke literally hours ago with the suit being filed yesterday. I wouldn’t call that catching us off guard, I’d call it wanting to get the full story rather than just reposting THR.
https://www.yahoo.com/movies/star-trek-crowdfunded-film-producers-sued-cbs-paramount-163249736.html
Guess they crossed a line, or the new series is going to be set in this era.
When can we get them?
What – no Guardian of FOREVER? ;)
How hard is it to make the Enterprise look right?
As for Axanar:
Definitely not surprising that Paramount/CBS would file a suit. I’m surprised they didn’t do so earlier given the production values and subject matter. That said, if Paramount could create actual “Star Trek” material instead of pumping put dumbed down films geared towards the ever-growing ADHD market, there would be no need for fans to feel the need to produce their own material.
Nice nod from the postal service to recognize a milestone in pop culture. It’s been a while since I’ve bought any postal commemorative sets, I may have to break down and get one.
Sorry Kayla, but this is rather big (and potentially catastrophic) news for fan filmdom. trekmovie.com has covered Axanar and other amateur Star Trek productions in the past… I know I’m not alone in saying that I’m anxious for one of my favorite Trek blogs to post a story on this subject so that we can discuss the news on-topic (and without having to hijack another article’s comments thread).
The stamps look nice. I will definitely be purchasing a few sets . 8-)
6. Chain of Command – December 30, 2015
“….That said, if Paramount could create actual “Star Trek” material instead of pumping put dumbed down films geared towards the ever-growing ADHD market, there would be no need for fans to feel the need to produce their own material.”
GREAT point.
Scott, what Kayla is saying is that they WILL report on it but it literally broke at 7AM today, and they’re taking their time to write a proper story rather than just cut and paste from The Hollywood Reporter. This isn’t a breaking news site. Relax your panties.
This could have a ripple effect and impact Star Trek New Voyages and Star Trek Continues as well.
This is not a good development because I really enjoy these fan productions.
Regards.
Against those two behemoths I doubt a little guy can prevail, but I bet he can surprise them by exacting a cost to their business relationship in regards to STAR TREK, by getting the court to force the pair to show just who has rights to what that is supposedly being infringed.
It’s unfortunate that it’s come to a lawsuit, but not surprising given that the million dollar mark has been broken.
I was pretty involved with a petition to get Star Trek stamps issued back in the mid-1980s. The USPS told us at that time that stamps were not issued in connection with commercial ventures. The USPS then contradicted itself by issuing the Elvis Presley and I Love Lucy stamps and has gone on to issue many more connected to commercial ventures. Glad to see a Star Trek stamp series in time for the 50th anniversary of the series.
@6&9. Absolute hogwash. Hey Jonboc wanna link that video again?
Since they’re good FOREVER, I’m going to buy enough to last a lifetime!
(And at the rate I go through stamps, two books ought to do it.)
Need these!!! They recently came out with stamps with my old ship (USCGC Barque Eagle) for Coast Guard’s bday, but i never got them before they sold out near me :(
It’s really cool that the Postal Service is issuing Star Trek stamps to celebrate the anniversary! I’m not all that wild about the actual designs, but it’s great that they exist at all.
Wow, these stamps would be one of the perfect ways to celebrate 50 years of boldly going where no one has gone before.
I’m getting some of these as soon as they come out!
Hurrah USPS!
STAR TREK FOREVER
:-)
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17 Leenyr, Dang! As a Coastie myself, I would have liked to have gotten USCGGC Barque Eagle stamps. She’s a grand symbol of the days of tall ships, when the US Revenue Cutter Service began CG history!
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Kayla, TM gang, you have exercised a restraint that, regrettably, is no longer common in news media. My hat’s off to you!
Hate to waste those paying my credit card bill, but whatever… Might have to get a few extra.
My kids got me the framed ’60’s stamp collection (which includes a Trek stamp) and is autographed by Buzz Aldrin!
I stand by Axanar!!!!!!!!!!!
With Creation dropping the ball on the 50th Anniversary with their TNG-centric overpriced convention, it’s great to see that the US Post Office understands that the 50th Anniversary is all about TOS!
Well done, USPS!
“A fool and his money are soon parted”
++++++++++++++++++++++++++
24. Carlos Javier Cañuelas Pereira – December 30, 2015
I stand by Axanar!!!!!!!!!!!
YES!!! I have been pushing for this for over a year. I started a letter-writing campaign and made a Facebook page.
https://www.facebook.com/stampsforstartrek/
Too bad the designers didn’t do a better job. A six year old could come up with better looking stamps than these.
Speak for yourself — they are beautiful and classic looking.
29 Philemon, They look ’60s – era, which is quite appropriate :-)
Look, there are two TOS era fan made shows out there with a total of, what, 15 or 20 episodes and not a peep from paramount for the last 3 years. I think this production must be actually breaking legit rules to get stomped like this.
I’m the uk but want these for my memorabilia
# 26. Prodigal Son – December 30, 2015
” With Creation dropping the ball on the 50th Anniversary with their TNG-centric overpriced convention…” — Prodigal Son
You may recall I showed you they’ve been dropping the ball for decades with their “anniversary” cons kicking-off far in advance of the actual event. Oddly enough, they cancelled the 50th Anniversary Con they initially scheduled for this year, 2015, which I suspect may be a contributary cause to the ticket inflation.
*
#33. Shaun Osborne – December 31, 2015
Countries foreign to the US have been selling commemorative stamps there for the 6 decades of my existence that I can recall. I would be surprised if the USPS doesn’t have some way to deliver them to you.
@ Disinvited
Yep — I agree
“Forever USA”? Could you miss the point of Star Trek any more completely?
@ RenderedToast
Hey Mensa, note this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3b56e0u0EgQ
RenderedToast, Prodigal Son, maybe the “Forever USA” is in reference to the stamp being a forever stamp (usable no matter what the price for stamps change to), for the USA?
@ Silverfire
Yes – exactly