2025 U.S. stamp program to honor Betty White, Allen Toussaint, Appalachian Trail, more

By Jay Bigalke

The United States Postal Service has announced 14 subjects that will appear on 55 stamps and postal stationery in 2025. Descriptions and images of the stamps were revealed in a Nov. 15 press release.

Television star Betty White and musician Allen Toussaint were among the subjects revealed.

Additional new stamps also included entries in the popular Lunar New Year, Black Heritage and Love series.

“This early glimpse into our 2025 stamp program demonstrates our commitment to providing a diverse range of subjects and designs for both philatelists and stamp enthusiasts,” said Lisa Bobb-Semple, Stamp Services director for USPS. “This year, we are continuing several of our popular series and commemorative anniversaries, while introducing some exciting new stamps. Additionally, several of our mail-use stamps, which are printed based on demand, will be updated this year. Stay tuned for more announcements in the coming months.”

This is a developing story. The following is a list of the 14 stamp subjects pictured in the slider above. Unless otherwise noted, the stamps are nondenominated forever stamps.

Details of the 14 issues unveiled so far, based in part on the Postal Service’s descriptions are provided below. Unless otherwise noted, the stamps are nondenominated forever stamps.

Year of the Snake. The sixth issue in the Postal Service’s planned Lunar New Year series of 12 features a decorated three-dimensional mask reminiscent of ornate masks used in dragon and lion dances typically performed in Lunar New Year celebrations. Designer Camille Chew created the mask from hand-printed paper that she cut, scored, and folded into shape. The mask is adorned with acrylic paint and reinforced with a layer of papier-mache. USPS art director Antonio Alcala designed the stamp using a photograph of the mask taken by Sally Andersen-Bruce.

1794 Compass Rose global forever stamp. Artwork for the new global forever stamp ($1.65) marks a departure from the flower images used for recent stamps in the series. The design is a compass rose from a drawing by Lucia Wadsworth when she was 10 years old. She is the aunt of poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. The sketch was in Lucia’s school geography notebook. Greg Breeding served as the designer for the stamp.

Love. A 1985 untitled work by artist Keith Haring (1958-90) “celebrates the universal experience of love” according to the U.S. Postal Service. Haring was an influential artist known for his vibrant, graffiti-inspired pop art. His works often addressed social issues that included activism and AIDS awareness.

“The non-specificity of the figures allows a variety of people to see themselves in this stamp,” said stamp art director Antonio Alcala. “Partners getting married, celebrating an anniversary, siblings sending each other a heartfelt greeting, or even party planners setting a positive tone for their event.”

Allen Toussaint (1938-2015) The acclaimed rhythm and blues artist is set to appear on the 48th Black Heritage stamp. The stamp uses a photograph of the musician taken in 2007 by Bill Tompkins in New York City. The stamp was designed by USPS art director Ethel Kessler.

American Vistas. Two nondenominated (10¢) coil stamps for presorted standard mail will likely be printed in coil rolls of 3,000 and 10,000. The stamps feature stylized artwork by DKNG Studios of a mountain scene and a beach landscape. Greg Breeding was the art director for the project.

The Appalachian Trail. Next year marks the 100th anniversary of the near 2,200 mile long trail. The pane of 15 commemorative forever stamps showcase photographs of the of the trail in 14 states from Maine to Georgia. One generic scene of a hiker appears on the first stamp.

Art director Antonio Alcala worked on the project.

Vibrant Leaves. Five new postcard rate stamps (56¢)will feature colorful fall leaves placed on a white background. The five types of leaves shown are from the following trees: aspen, sassafras, oak, maple, and sweetgum.

Dahlias. Ten very colorful floral stamps show close-up photographs of the flowers. The stamps will be issued in double-sided booklet panes of 20 and coils of 3,000 and 10,000. USPS art director Greg Breeding used photographs by Denise Ippolito for the stamps. This is the second project that uses her photographs with the Tulips stamps issued in 2023 (Scott 5767-5786) being her first.

U.S. Flag. Anticipated in multiple formats of booklet panes and coils, the new flag stamp was designed by Antonio Alcala and uses an image of the flag with the text “United States of America” spelled out below the flag that was photographed by Doug Haight.

Schooner. A new postal card denominated forever is planned showing an illustration of a boat based on a photograph of a 2014 replica of the 1923 schooner Columbia. Libby VanderPloeg created the artwork in conjunction with USPS art director Antonio Alcala.

Luna Moth. The latest stamp in the Butterflies nonmachineable surcharge rate series marks a change in artists. The previous eight stamps in the series were digitally designed by Tom Engeman, while the new Luna Moth stamp is by artist Joseph Scheer. According to the Postal Service, he “created this composite image by using a high-resolution scanner with extended focus to capture multiple layers of a preserved moth.” Derry Noyes served as art director for the stamp.

Baby Wild Animals. Ten forever stamps show digital illustrations created by artist Tracy Walker. Each of the 10 animals is identified by text on the stamp design: fox, owl, deer, seal, rabbit, raccoon, bear, skunk, bobcat, and chipmunk. The stamps are to be issued as a double-sided booklet pane of 20. Greg Breeding was the art director for the stamps.

Betty White (1922-2021). The television icon and comedian will be honored with a single commemorative forever stamp. She is known for her television roles on The Golden Girls and The Mary Tyler Moore Show, along with numerous other credits. “The comedic actor, who gained younger generations of fans as she entered her 90s, was also revered as a compassionate advocate for animals,” stated the Postal Service. The artwork for the stamp was created by Dale Stephanos using a 2010 photograph by Kwaku Alston. Greg Breeding was the art director for the stamp.

Winter Landscapes. Five photographs of winter scenes are showcased on these forever stamps to be issued in double-sided booklet panes of 20. USPS art director Ethel Kessler used photographs from various photographers for the stamp issue.

Additional information about the 2025 U.S. stamp program, including issue dates, will be provided in future issues of Linn’s Stamp News.

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