The Top 5 Most Notable Stamps in Direct Mail History

Throughout the years the United States Postal Service has offered many stamps ranging from all sizes, shapes, and themes.

From triangle stamps to Have a Ball! Forever stamps, there is no shortage of unconventional stamps that have graced circulation at one point in American history.

Since its establishment in 1957, the Citizens’ Stamp Advisory Committee (CSAC) meets quarterly to discuss future stamp designs for USPS.

Its members review an average 40,000 stamp proposals throughout the year based on certain guidelines and criteria set by the US Postal Service.

Stamp criteria includes a special focus on America or related subjects to US history.

Applications are judged on their widespread appeal and the historical US significance of the subject or theme depicted on the stamp.

Despite the vast quantity of design suggestions, only 35 new stamps on average are approved for print every year.

While some of the stamps listed below are older than the CSAC, they nevertheless highlight the importance of stamps and stamp designs in the mailing industry.

Stamps are not just for collectors; they serve an important role in society and history as one of the dominate forms of communication before telephone or radio.

Even though 13.8 billion U.S. stamps were printed in 2022 alone, there are a select few stamp designs that have gained popularity throughout the years among the general public and stamp collectors alike: 

1.) Most Expensive Stamp – The Inverted Jenny

The Inverted Jenny, popularized by its inverted misprint of a blue “Jenny” Curtiss biplane, recently sold in auction for over $2 million dollars.

While a stamp misprint would normally be a reason to recall, one sheet of Inverted Jennys was sold before the mistake was discovered.

Not many people knew what airplanes looked like in 1918, as Scott Trepel, president of Siegel Auction Galleries, remarked on the recent stamp auction,

“People weren’t familiar with what they looked like, and so the inverted plane on the stamp slipped through the inspectors, slipped through the clerk at the post office.”

The 24-cent Inverted Jenny stamp has only 100 stamps in circulation – leading to its extreme admiration among even the most casual of collectors.

The stamp that recently sold for over $2 million (Named “position 49“) is considered the highest quality possible for an Inverted Jenny stamp.

As Trepel recounts during the Seigel Auction,

“It had been held by probably three generations of the same owners and hidden away, so it never was exposed to light […] We grade stamps from one to 100 in terms of the centering of the design with the perforations around it. And this one is a 95, and there is no better. There’s no 98. There’s no 100. This 95 is the best that any Jenny will ever get.”

2.) Rarest Stamp – “Blue Boy” Stamp

This 1847 stamp named “Blue Boy” is one of the rarest stamps in the world due to its unique color choice and the unusual time period it was produced.

In 1845, the U.S. government standardized the cost of postage throughout the country. Subsequently, it took until 1847 to produce the first federal postage stamps – the Franklin and Washington stamps.

This legislation created a two-year gap where individual postmasters were forced to create their own stamps to accommodate the standardized postage regulations.

The Alexandria “Blue Boy” is one such stamp created around this time. Seven other types of stamps were created – but only one was printed in bright blue.

The name “Blue Boy” comes from the Thomas Gainsorough portrait. Supposedly there is only one stamp of this variety in existence today. 

 This blue stamp’s history adds to its lucrative legacy. The letter to which the stamp is affixed on contained a love letter from a secret romance.

The couple came from different religious backgrounds, so they were forced to communicate stealthily through letters. This particular letter was meant to be burned after reading but was instead kept hidden in secret.

The Blue Boy’s story lends itself to its legacy as one of forbidden romance between two lovers. Its rarity is an additional characteristic that makes this stamp one of legend. 

3.) Oldest Stamp – The Penny Black

The 1840 Penny Black is history’s first adhesive postage stamp. Featuring the side profile of Queen Victoria, this 1-cent stamp allowed letters to ship anywhere within the United Kingdom. The Two Penny Blue followed production just 2 days afterward.

The depicted image of Queen Victoria is based on a sculpted City Medal created by William Wyon.

Even though these stamps are over 180 years old, they are not the rarest stamp in existence. Due to mass production, a total of 68 million were printed, and an estimated 5% still exist in various conditions. 

Warwick & Warwick states that a “poor to reasonable condition” stamp can cost around £15 to £30 (about $19 – $39 USD).

While the stamp itself is obtainable for most dedicated stamp collectors, that is not to say the Penny Black cannot sell for a more lucrative price point.

For instance, the first Penny Black to ever be used in a letter was set to auction on Feb 2, 2024, at Sotheby’s Auction House.

Ironically the stamp only became valid for postage on May 6^th, 1840, but the letter itself was sent May 2, 1840 and then returned on May 5, 1840.

This letter was set to auction with an estimated value of $1.5 million to $2.5 million – proving just how valuable this piece of history is to the modern world. 

4.) Most Unique Stamp – Total Solar Eclipse Stamp

The CSAC issues about 35 stamps per year that depict important landmarks or people in US history. One such notable event was the 2017 solar eclipse.

On Monday, August 21, 2017, many Americans across the country stepped outside their homes to observe the wonder that is the moon eclipsing the sun.

Many states observed a partial to total eclipse, as its pathway spanned from Madras, Oregon all the way to Columbia, South Carolina.

The event was widespread across America, as an estimated 215 million U.S. adults viewed the solar eclipse during its occurrence. To commemorate the event, USPS released a Total Solar Eclipse Forever stamp.

This stamp is especially unique, as it used thermochromic ink to achieve a heat-sensitive effect.

Designed by Antonio Alcalá, this stamp revealed the image of a moon if one pressed their finger against the stamp. 

5.) Most Popular – Elvis Presley Stamp

This 1993 Elvis Presley stamp is one of the best-selling commemorative stamps in USPS history. The story of this stamp’s production is rather unique, as two stamp designs were taken into consideration for the Elvis stamp – Young Elvis (Designed by Mark Stutzman) and Older Elvis (designed by John Berkey). 

Usually stamp designs were chosen by the CSAC, so allowing the American public to vote on their preferred design was rather unprecedented. An astounding 1.2 million ballots were counted with over 75 percent of votes for young Elvis.

After the votes poured in, the young Elvis stamp was chosen on Jan 8^th – Elvis’s birthday. This 29c commemorative stamp had 517 million copies printed – three times the average printing rate of normal stamps.