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December 27, 2006

King of rock ‘n’ roll reigns in stamps, too

The Elvis Presley stamp issued in 1993 is still the most popular U.S. stamp of all time, according to the U.S. Postal Service, which announced the top 25 issues on Dec. 26.

Not surprisingly, considering the annual popularity polls by Linn’s Stamp News, a weekly stamp paper, most of the 25 issues are se-tenant issues -- that is, attached stamps with different designs.

Of the most popular issues, only four are not se-tenants. They honor Elvis, Marilyn Monroe, Bugs Bunny and Lucille Ball.

Elvis is far and away the most-saved stamp at 124.1 million. The No. 2 set, Wonders of America, hit 87.5 million.

Four of the top 25 issues were issued in 2006, and three of those were in the top 10. The four are:
2. Wonders of America.
5. DC Comics Super Heroes.
8. Art of Disney: Romance.
23. Baseball Sluggers.

Four of the top 25 issues appeared in 2005; and three of the top issues appeared in 1995. Other stamps on the list appeared in 1992, (2), 1993 (2), 1994 (1), 1997 (1), 1999 (1), 2000 (2), 2001 (2) 2002 (1), and 2004 (2).

Elvis stamps appear twice on the list, both as the single stamp honoring him and as part of the Rock & Roll / Rhythm & Blues se-tenant issue of the same year picturing Elvis, Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, Bill Haley, Dinah Washington, Otis Redding and Clyde McPhatter.

“Stamp collecting continues as one of the world’s most popular educational hobbies that the entire family can enjoy,� Postmaster General John E. Potter said in announcing the stamps.

The Postal Service has surveyed more than 10,000 households annually since 1988 to determine the number and types of stamps purchased versus stamps saved.
Although the Postal Service gets stamp ideas from some 50,000 people every year, it encourages anyone with an idea for a stamp subject to submit it to the Citizens’ Stamp Advisory Committee, a cross section of designers, historians and academics.

The committee can be reached at:
Citizens’ Stamp Advisory Committee
Stamp Development
U.S. Postal Service
1735 North Lynn St., Rm. 5013
Arlington Va 22209-6432

Here’s the full list:

Stamp Subject Year Stamps Saved
1) Elvis 1993 124.1 million
2) Wonders of America 2006 87.5 million
3) Wildflowers 1992 76.1 million
4) Rock & Roll/Rhythm & Blues 1993 75.9 million
5) DC Comics Super Heroes 2006 73.0 million
6) Greetings From America 2002 71.4 million
7) Insects and Spiders 1999 61.0 million
8) Art of Disney: Romance 2006 57.2 million
9) Legends of Baseball 2000 53.9 million
10) Art of Disney: Celebration 2005 52.8 million
11) Baseball Playing Fields 2001 49.0 million
12) Art of Disney: Friendship 2004 47.7 million
13) Civil War 1995 46.6 million
14) Legends of the West 1994 46.4 million
15) Marilyn Monroe 1995 46.4 million
16) Advances in Aviation 2005 45.8 million
17) Bugs Bunny 1997 44.1 million
18) Lunar New Year SS 2005 42.7 million
19) Comic Strip Classics 1995 40.8 million
20) Jim Henson: Muppets 2005 40.6 million
21) Cloudscapes 2004 40.1 million
22) Stars and Stripes 2000 40.0 million
23) Baseball Sluggers 2006 39.5 million
24) Summer Olympics 1992 39.5 million
25) Lucille Ball 2001 38.7 million

To see the top 25 most popular stamp subject images, visit this special Download Center .

For the full news release, go here