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Chris Ware Illustrates USPS Stamp Pane Celebrating 250 Years

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D. D. Degg Published: May 2, 2025 Updated: May 2, 2025 1 minute 2 comments

The United States Postal Service (USPS) is celebrating its 250th anniversary this July and for the Sestercentennial will be issuing stamps commemorating the occasion:

WASHINGTON — 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. The U.S. Postal Service today announced two stamp issues to celebrate its 250th anniversary.

One of the issues has famed cartoonist Chris Ware designing and illustrating the pane.

From the U.S. Postal Service:

The second release, 250 Years of Delivering, is a pane of 20 stamps by cartoonist Chris Ware that invites the public to spot a fun array of familiar postal items and icons while following a mail carrier on her rounds through four seasons of the year [emphasis added].

Both sets will be released in July of 2025.

Also possible for July 2025:

WASHINGTON, DC — The U.S. Postal Service today filed notice with the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC) of mailing services price changes to take effect July 13. The new rates include a 5-cent increase in the price of a First-Class Mail Forever stamp from 73 cents to 78 cents.

So Chris Ware’s “250 Years of Delivering” will probably reach my local post office in the last half of July (they usually arrive here about a week after first-day-of-issue) and may have the higher price tag. “May” because there are efforts to move the postal service into private for-profit hands and the powers that be could deny the price increase to drive the post office into more dire straits than they have already.

Anyway…

North Kansas City, MO — The U.S. Postal Service unveiled stamps based on artwork from the classic children’s book “Goodnight Moon” at The Rabbit hOle, a museum that brings to life a century of American children’s literature, including the book’s iconic Great Green Room.

“These nostalgic stamps not only celebrate the timeless charm of ‘Goodnight Moon’ but also highlight the enduring relevance of both stamps and children’s literature in a digital age,” said Lisa Bobb-Semple, the Postal Service’s stamp services director, who spoke at the event. “The enthusiastic response from the public about these stamps has been exciting — a reminder that the joy of stamps continues to inspire all generations.”

Written by Margaret Wise Brown with artwork by Clement Hurd, “Goodnight Moon” revolutionized children’s publishing when it debuted in 1947.

Today, May 2, 2025, is the first-day-of-issue for the Postal Service’s Goodnight Moon stamps.

Elsewhere the U.S. Mint has revealed the final design of their 2025 Superman coin.

The obverse (heads side) design of Superman was designed and sculpted by Mint Chief Engraver Joseph Menna.  It depicts Superman flying over his family farm.  The Sun not only nurtures the farmland where a young Clark Kent was raised by his adoptive parents, but it is also the primary source that fuels his incredible powers.

Mint Medallic Artist Joseph V. Noorigian designed and sculpted the reverse (tails side) of the Superman coin and medals.  This design explores the duality of identity inherent in the story of Superman and the concept of “the hero within.”  Clark Kent is shown as a young adult, deep in thought as he watches a plane fly overhead.