US #5640-43c
2021 Day of the Dead
(Imperforate)
- The first US postage stamps to honor the Mexican celebration known as the Day of the Dead (Día de los Muertos)
Stamp Category: Commemorative
Value: 58¢ First Class Mail Rate (Forever)
First Day of Issue: September 30, 2021
First Day City: El Paso, Texas... more
US #5640-43c
2021 Day of the Dead
(Imperforate)
- The first US postage stamps to honor the Mexican celebration known as the Day of the Dead (Día de los Muertos)
Stamp Category: Commemorative
Value: 58¢ First Class Mail Rate (Forever)
First Day of Issue: September 30, 2021
First Day City: El Paso, Texas
Quantity Issued: 35,000,000 (Includes die-cut AND imperforate stamps. The exact quantity of imperforate stamps is unknown, but it is only a tiny fraction of the total print quantity, making the imperforates much scarcer than traditional die-cut stamps.)
Printed by: Banknote Corporation of America
Printing Method: Offset
Format: Panes of 20
Tagging: Phosphor, Overall
Why the stamps were issued: To honor the Day of the Dead celebration and its increasing popularity in the United States.
About the stamp designs: Includes four stamp designs picturing stylized sugar skulls with lit candles, marigolds, and other colorful details representing popular Day of the Dead traditions. Artwork by Luis Fitch.
First Day City: The First Day of Issue Ceremony was held at the El Paso Museum of Art in El Paso, Texas. Day of the Dead celebrations have become especially popular in Texas and other states closest to the US-Mexico border.
History the stamp represents: The Day of the Dead (Día de los Muertos) is a time to celebrate lost loved ones. While the holiday is a relatively modern tradition, its origins date back thousands of years.
The holiday’s roots extend back 3,000 years to the Aztec and Nahua people of Mesoamerica. They believed in a cyclical universe and that death was an important part of life. According to tradition, once a person died, they traveled to the Land of the Dead. After several years of journeying through nine challenging levels, their soul could go to the final resting place. In ancient traditions, families left food, water, and other items for the deceased to aid in their journey. Traditionally, this was done in August. After Spain colonized Mexico, they adapted these customs to fit their own Christian traditions. The celebrations were moved to November 1 and 2 to coincide with All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day.
Over the years, celebrations became larger and more lavish. Today, friends and families decorate gravestones and altars to help the deceased find their way to these celebrations. People dance through the streets in skeleton face paint and colorful skulls adorn decorations, treats, and more. One of the holiday’s most prominent visuals, skulls, and skeletons are shown happy and dancing, symbolizing a joyous afterlife.
Less 
