Product Review

For more than half a century, U.S. stamps have depicted the American flag in vivid red, white, and blue. This eye-catching new issuance continues that tradition with a striking graphic design of a flag. The digital illustration by Kit Hinrichs shows a flag with crisp folds and a contemporary look, with a shadow on the small, visible portion of the back to suggest a sense of depth. Although the American flag had appeared on U.S. stamps as far back as 1869, usually as a small element in a larger vignette, it was only in 1957 that the U.S. Post Office Department developed a quick and economical way to produce bicolor or multicolor stamps that could depict the flag in its true red, white, and blue, thanks to a special press acquired from Switzerland by the Bureau of Engraving and Printing. In the decades since, multicolored flags have become a consistent motif on U.S. postage. Whether paired with famous landmarks, shown against inspiring vistas, placed in their historical context, or used as a graphic element in a larger design, the flags on U.S. stamps connect us to our nation's history and serve as icons of patriotism for generations to come.