Mighty Mississippi pane popular with Americana topical collectors

Jun 18, 2025, 8 AM

Stamp Market Tips by Henry Gitner and Rick Miller

On May 23, 2022, the U.S. Postal Service issued a Mighty Mississippi pane of 10 nondenominated (58¢) stamps (Scott 5698). The stamps were printed by Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. in sheets of 120 that were divided into 12 panes of 10 for distribution and sale. Designed by Ethel Kessler, the self-adhesive forever stamps have gauge 10¾ serpentine die cuts.

Designs of the stamps are based on photographs of the following: the headwaters of the Mississippi River, Lake Itasca, Minn.; the Great River Road, Wisconsin; the steamboat American Queen, Iowa; sailboat and limestone cliff, Illinois; the Gateway Arch and St. Louis Skyline, Missouri; the Mississippi River from Fort Jefferson Hill Park, Wickliffe, Ky.; curved levee and farmland, Arkansas; towboat pushing barges near Memphis, Tenn.; the Crescent City Connection, New Orleans, La.; and cypress trees in a bayou, Mississippi.

Half sheets of die-cut and imperforate uncut press sheets of this issue were sold to the public.

The Scott Specialized Catalogue of United States Stamps and Covers values the mint pane of 10 at $15 against a current postage value of $7.30. There is demand in the aftermarket for this issue, which is popular with Americana topical collectors. The mint pane of 10 is a good buy at $10 to $12. This issue has been heavily counterfeited, and panes offered at or below postage value are almost certainly counterfeits.

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