US #3191n
2000 World Wide Web – Celebrate the Century (1990s)
• Part of the tenth and final sheet in the Celebrate the Century stamp series issued from 1998-2000
• Commemorates the expansion of the world wide web
• Includes text on the back with historical details
Stamp Category: Commemorative
Series: Celebrate the Century
Value: 33¢ First Class Mail... more
US #3191n
2000 World Wide Web – Celebrate the Century (1990s)
• Part of the tenth and final sheet in the Celebrate the Century stamp series issued from 1998-2000
• Commemorates the expansion of the world wide web
• Includes text on the back with historical details
Stamp Category: Commemorative
Series: Celebrate the Century
Value: 33¢ First Class Mail Rate
First Day of Issue: May 2, 2000
First Day City: Escondido, California
Quantity Issued: 82,500,000
Printed by: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd.
Printing Method: Offset, Intaglio
Format: Panes of 15
Perforations: 11.5
Tagging: Block tagging
Why the stamp was issued: To recall the rise in popularity and usage of the world wide web.
About the stamp design: Pictures artwork by Drew Struzan of computer keyboard. Includes the following text on the back: “The World Wide Web brought the text-based Internet to life by adding pictures, sound, and video. Millions of people accessed the Internet with user-friendly Web browsers for business, entertainment, and educational purposes.”
First Day City: The First Day of Issue Ceremony was held at the Village Amphitheater of San Diego Wild Animal Park in Escondido, California.
About the Celebrate the Century series: The USPS launched the Celebrate the Century series in 1998 to mark the end of the 20th century and herald the arrival of the 21st. The series includes 10 sheets of 15 stamps (150 in total), with each honoring important moments from a different decade (1900s, 10s, 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s, and 90s). At the time of completion, it was the longest and most ambitious commemorative stamp series in US history.
History the stamp represents: Before the World Wide Web, a home computer’s main function was word processing. But in the 1990s, hooking up to the Internet motivated an enormous number of consumers to purchase a computer. Since then, the World Wide Web has transformed the way we communicate, conduct business, and seek entertainment.
The World Wide Web is an Internet-based computer network that allows users on one machine to access information stored on another through a network. In 1989, at the European Center for Nuclear Research in Switzerland, Tim Berners-Lee began working on the software needed to make maneuvering the Internet easier. His program became available in 1992.
It wasn’t until 1993 that the “Web” became accepted by the average user as a method of communication. A browser program called “Mosaic,” developed by Mark Andreessen at the University of Illinois, was released that year. Mosaic featured point-and-click desktop graphics that allowed for easier access.
“Technomania” swept the world in the ‘90s. The trend even influenced financial markets. People in the computer industry, like Andreessen, who co-founded Netscape, and Jerry Yang, co-founder of Yahoo!, became members of the new technical and financial elite.
Less 
