Forever Flag Stamps: Practicality Meets Patriotism
Past and present flag stamps — and where to buy the latest
For nearly 250 years, the Stars and Stripes has served among the nation’s most powerful and recognizable symbols. The American flag represents the struggle for freedom and justice and honors those who have joined in that fight over the years. To celebrate this emblem of patriotism, the United States Postal Service maintains a long tradition of issuing stamps featuring Old Glory. The very first of these stamps dates back to 1869, but the first to showcase the flag in all of its red, white, and blue glory debuted on July 4, 1957. Since then, the Star-Spangled Banner has adorned dozens of stamps, from the 1960 issuance that was the first to feature a 50-star flag to the one released earlier this year.
With such a long history of U.S. Flag stamps, picking a favorite seems impossible, but that won’t stop us from trying. Read along as we look back at some of Old Glory’s greatest postal hits from recent years. These stamps show how even at less than a square inch, the flag has the power to resonate with everyday Americans and tell part of our national story. To add some of the red, white, and blue to your outgoing mail, pick up your favorite U.S. Flag stamps at your local Post Office or order them online.
Hot off the presses with its release on June 7, 2025, this simple yet stately Forever stamp features the flag billowing in the wind, its vibrant colors popping against a white background. The U.S. Flag (2025) stamp is available in books of 20, panes of 20, and coils of 100, 3,000, and 10,000 for those who want to add a dash of elegant patriotism to their outgoing mail.
This collection of four stamps shows the U.S. flag majestically waving at different times of the day. While the shapes and colors of the clouds change, the sun is always shining on the flag. These stamps combine national pride with a sense of visual drama and are still available for purchase in multiple formats.
This stamp bears a classic, straightforward graphic design of the red, white, and blue sitting atop a solid foundation of “FREEDOM.” Still available in multiple formats, U.S. Flag (2023) is the perfect stamp for those who want to celebrate both the Stars and Stripes and one of our nation’s core values with stylish simplicity.
Reminiscent of the 50 flags encircling the Washington Monument, the three U.S. flags featured on this stamp appear as if on poles arranged in a circular formation. The quiet dignity of these flags waving in the wind calls to mind the values of liberty and justice Old Glory represents. Share these sentiments through the mail with these stamps, available here.
This issuance features a photograph of the Star-Spangled Banner waving proudly against a bright springtime sky at Chicago’s Navy Pier. The stirring image conveys the wonder of seeing the flag in all of its unfurled splendor and evokes a deep pride in the freedom and equality it represents.
Finding new and exciting ways to present one of the country’s most recognizable and enduring symbols can be a challenge. The artist behind this 2018 issuance was able to provide visual flair by including two sharp creases that give an otherwise classic depiction of the flag a striking zigzag shape.
Similar in style to 2018’s other U.S. Flag issuance, this stamp commemorates the 200th anniversary of the 1818 Flag Act, which specified that the flag would have 13 stripes to represent the 13 original colonies and a star for each state in the Union. The flag on this stamp bears 20 stars for the 20 states that made up the nation in 1818.
Simple and elegant, a close-up of a gently billowing flag fills the entirety of this stamp from 2017. The easy motion of this image evokes a sense of comfort, reassuring the viewer that the flag and all that it represents are constant and enduring.
The American flag has long symbolized the strength and spirit of our nation, and this stamp captures that perfectly. Standing out against a background of soft white clouds and a pale blue sky, the flag at the center of this 2016 issuance exemplifies the arresting beauty of the Stars and Stripes as they dance in the wind.