A US Postcrossing Stamp Announced
As a child, my dad worked for the US Post Office. I remember watching him practice sorting cards with different cities printed on them into their appropriate regional distribution locations (this was before Zip Codes and, of course, machine sorting.) He was a long-time employee and retired from the Post Office as a floor supervisor at the St. Paul, MN downtown facility. My love for snail mail may be directly related to his job or it could be because most of our communication with our grandparents was via letters. Or it could simply be because receiving a letter/postcard in the mailbox makes me happy! And if the stamp is a “pretty one,” even better.
That’s why I am so excited for the World Stamp Show and the new stamp releases this year! There are so many new, pretty stamps that will be issued at the Boston 2026 World Exposition (May 23-30) in Boston, Massachusetts. Here are a couple that caught my eye:
Celebrating the goal of international peace, this domestic first class stamp features the global symbol of hope, peace and healing. This origami crane was folded by artist and Peace Crane Project founder, Sue DiCicco, and photographed by Sally Andersen-Bruce.
And this triangular-shaped international stamp (to send a postcard or letter from the United States to any country to which First-Class Mail International service is available), recognizes Postcrossing for encouraging people to send personalized mail and promoting greater understanding across countries and cultures. The illustrations by Jackson Gibbs and Antonio Alcalá have visually appealing bold colors and playful scenes with lots of tiny details.
You are able to ask for “pretty” stamps at any Post Office, but if you’d like to be sure that the one you are looking for is available, I would suggest purchasing them through the Postal Store HERE. There are stamps featuring a day at the beach, the bald eagle from hatchling to adult, places along Route 66, historical/athletic events/celebrities, etc. I’m sure you’ll find one that you think is pretty!
And since all of these stamps are “Forever” stamps, the price you pay now means you are able to use them without additional postage, even after the price rises on July 12. Currently, a first-class domestic stamp costs 78 cents and the first class international stamp is $1.70.
I have heard that letter-writing is our “superpower” because our letter leaves a bit of our heart in words, so the person can hold us and hear our thoughts each time they read it. That’s a powerful tool. So select a card, a pen, exercise your superpower and send it off with a pretty stamp.
Kate