America's History

soldier looking through binoculars with two helicopters in the sky

Although American stamps now embrace a wide range of subjects and themes, they traditionally commemorate the profound events that shaped our nation. Conscious of the importance of their work, stamp artists approach these topics with a deep respect for the resonance of the past in American life.

At the same time, these artists freely experiment with a variety of styles and approaches. Some stamps include designs that convey an almost mythic universality, while others focus on the humanity of specific figures. Each stamp is not only a historic artifact, but also a work of art—an interpretation of another chapter in the American story.


1620: The Landing of the Pilgrims


First Voyage of Christopher Columbus: Crossing the Atlantic


Civil War: Abraham Lincoln


Civil War: Frederick Douglass


Civil War: Robert E. Lee


Civil War: Ulysses S. Grant


California Gold Rush


Celebrate The Century: The 1980s Vietnam Veterans Memorial


Celebrate The Century: The 1990s Gulf War


Veterans World War I


World War II: 1945, Victory at Last, Marines Raise Flag on Iwo Jima


Veterans Korea

Art of the Stamp