On July 26, 1775, the Second Continental Congress established a postal system for the United Colonies and appointed Benjamin Franklin as the first postmaster general. Today, the U.S. Postal Service announced two special stamp issues to celebrate its 250th anniversary — including one that will only be available through an exclusive commemorative booklet.
The 32-page booklet, titled Putting a Stamp on the American Experience, highlights the cultural importance of U.S. postage stamps. It showcases the popular series and subjects that have given the stamp program its range and depth over the centuries. This release marks only the fourth time in history that the Postal Service has issued a prestige booklet, underscoring the significance of the anniversary.
Included exclusively with the booklet are two self-adhesive sheets featuring a newly designed intaglio-printed stamp of Benjamin Franklin. The design is based on an 1875 reproduction of an 1847 5-cent stamp, one of the first official U.S. postage stamps.
In addition to the booklet, the Postal Service is also releasing a separate pane of 20 stamps titled 250 Years of Delivering. Created by cartoonist Chris Ware, the design invites the public to spot a variety of familiar postal items and icons while following a mail carrier through all four seasons of the year.
Both the Putting a Stamp on the American Experience booklet (including the Benjamin Franklin stamp) and the 250 Years of Delivering pane are scheduled to be released in July 2025. More stamps as part of the 2025 program will be announced soon. The designs released today are preliminary and subject to change.