July 10, 2023 - The U.S. Postal Service will commemorate the beauty of the microscopic world with 20 new stamps featuring otherworldly images of some of the smallest components of life as we know it.

The first-day-of-issue event for the Life Magnified Forever stamps will be held at the Great American Stamp Show in partnership with the American Philatelic Society. The ceremony is free and open to the public. News of the stamp is being shared with the hashtag #LifeMagnifiedStamps.

Who:

Luke Grossmann, senior vice president, Finance and Strategy, United States Postal Service

When:

Thursday, Aug. 10, 2023, at 11 a.m. EDT

Where:

The Great American Stamp Show
Huntington Convention Center of Cleveland — Hall C
300 Lakeside Ave. • Cleveland, OH 44113

RSVP:

Dedication ceremony attendees are encouraged to RSVP at: usps.com/lifemagnified

Background:

For hundreds of years, scientists have held deep fascination with making the invisible elements of our world visible. Development of more refined and precise microscopes over several centuries brought smaller and smaller components of life into focus. By the 20th century, microscopes had become ubiquitous in laboratories across the country and around the globe. Electron microscopes are now essential tools in a variety of scientific fields.

The images that result from microscope-based research show, in exquisitely fine detail, the phenomena of life. While stunning on their own as works of art, these images also hold scientific significance.

Microscopists, both professional and amateur, use a variety of techniques to capture the beauty of their subjects.

Derry Noyes, an art director with USPS, designed the stamps and the stamp pane using existing photographs.

The Life Magnified stamps are being issued as Forever® stamps. These Forever stamps will always be equal in value to the current First-Class Mail® one-ounce price.

Postal Products

Customers may purchase stamps and other philatelic products through the Postal Store at usps.com/shopstamps, by calling 844-737-7826, by mail through USA Philatelic or at Post Office locations nationwide. For officially licensed stamp products, shop the USPS Officially Licensed Collection on Amazon.

The United States Postal Service is an independent federal establishment, mandated to be self-financing and to serve every American community through the affordable, reliable and secure delivery of mail and packages to nearly 165 million addresses six and often seven days a week. Overseen by a bipartisan Board of Governors, the Postal Service is implementing a 10-year transformation plan, Delivering for America, to modernize the postal network, restore long-term financial sustainability, dramatically improve service across all mail and shipping categories, and maintain the organization as one of America’s most valued and trusted brands.