| Name | Value |
|---|---|
| Date of Issue | May 5, 2014 |
| Year | 2014 |
| Quantity | 7,500,000 |
| Denomination |
First-Class Mail Forever Commemerative
|
| Denomination Value | $0.49 |
| Perforation or Dimension | 2.00 x 1.46 in./50.76 x 37.11 mm |
| Series | Vintage Circus Posters |
| Series Time Span | 2014 |
| Issue Location | Sarasota, FL 34230 |
| Postal Administration | United States |
This stamp features "5 big herds of performing elephants in 5 circus rings at one time". The poster reads "Ringling Bros and Barnum and Bailey - Greatest Show on Earth".
On May 5, 2014, in Sarasota, FL, the U.S. Postal Service® will issue Vintage Circus Posters Commemorative stamps, in eight designs, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 16 stamps. The stamps will go on sale nationwide May 5, 2014.
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, companies such as Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey used posters to let people know that the circus was coming to town.
The U.S. Postal Service® is excited to celebrate the large, colorful pieces of art that showcased eye-catching imagery of stunts, performers, and animals.
This sheet of 16 self-adhesive stamps features reproductions of eight vintage circus posters. Each stamp features one vintage circus poster. The sheet's verso text includes a brief discussion of the history and purpose of circus posters. The selvage features an image of a circus entrance shot by photographer Edward J. Kelty in 1937.
These posters are now part of the Tibbals Digital Collection at the John & Mable Ringling Museum of Art.
Art director Greg Breeding worked on the stamp sheet with designer Jennifer Arnold.
The 2014 Vintage Circus Posters stamps are being issued as Forever® stamps. These Forever stamps will always be equal in value to the current First-Class Mail® one-ounce rate.