| Name | Value |
|---|---|
| Date of Issue | June 9, 2018 |
| Year | 2018 |
| Quantity | 20,000,000 |
| Denomination |
First-Class Mail Forever
|
| Denomination Value | $0.50 |
| Perforation or Dimension | 1.56 x 0.98 in./39.62 x 24.89 mm |
| Issue Location | Appleton, WI 54911 |
| Postal Administration | United States |
On June 9, 2018, in Appleton, WI, the U.S. Postal Service® will issue the Flag Act of 1818 stamp (Forever® priced at the First-Class Mail® rate) in one design, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive pane of 20 stamps. The stamp will go on sale nationwide June 9, 2018.
With this stamp, the Postal Service™ marks the 200th anniversary of the Flag Act of 1818, which provided the basic design of the current American flag: 13 stripes symbolizing the original 13 colonies and one star for each state in the Union. The stamp art features a flag with 20 stars, the number of states in the Union when the Flag Act of 1818 was implemented. The flag‘s crisp folds and layering effect convey a sense of the dynamism of the young nation. Ethel Kessler served as art director for the project with stamp design and typography by Kit Hinrichs..
Prior to the Flag Act of 1818, the nation’s official flag showed 15 stars and 15 stripes. The expansion of the union to 20 states in 1817 required a flag reconfiguration. Rather than increasing the number of stripes each time a new state joined the union, the Flag Act reduced their number to 13, signifying the original 13 colonies, and increased the number of stars to reflect the current number of states in the union. The act specified that a new star would be added on the Fourth of July following the admission of a new state.
The U.S. flag has had 50 stars since July 4, 1960, when Hawaii became the 50th state.