2006 39c + 63c Wedding Doves

First U.S. Love Stamp

On January 26, 1973, the USPS issued its first Love stamp.

In 1962, the Post Office issued its first Christmas stamp after numerous calls for a stamp honoring the holiday. After the Christmas stamps proved popular, they turned their attention to a new holiday in the 1970s.

A holiday with a close connection to greeting card...  more

First U.S. Love Stamp

On January 26, 1973, the USPS issued its first Love stamp.

In 1962, the Post Office issued its first Christmas stamp after numerous calls for a stamp honoring the holiday. After the Christmas stamps proved popular, they turned their attention to a new holiday in the 1970s.

A holiday with a close connection to greeting cards, Valentine’s Day was a natural choice to receive its own special stamp. For the design, the USPS turned to artist Robert Indiana. Indiana had come up with the now famous design in 1958. Then in 1965, he provided the design for the Museum of Modern Art Christmas card. That card was the most popular card they ever produced. The following year, Indiana created his first LOVE sculpture. In the years since the sculpture has been replicated in different colors and cities all over the country and the world.

The new Love stamp was issued on January 26, 1973, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, “The City of Brotherly Love.” The USPS didn’t call it a Love stamp and didn’t see it as the start of a new series. They called it “A Special Stamp for Someone Special.” They printed more than 320 million stamps. It was generally very popular, though some called it a “Hippie stamp.” When the first-class postage rate was raised the following year, the USPS received many requests to issue the stamp at the new rate, but they didn’t.