About This Stamp
Adopted on July 4, 1776, the Declaration of Independence did more than announce the birth of a nation. By affirming that government derives its power from the consent of the governed, it set forth ideals that have guided the United States for two and a half centuries and inspired movements for liberty around the world. To commemorate this anniversary, the U.S. Postal Service is issuing a stamp that reflects the spirit of the Declaration through a bold contemporary design.
For art director Greg Breeding, the project was both a privilege and a challenge. “Because this issuance is part of America’s 250th birthday celebration, I felt especially honored,” he notes. “At the same time, I knew it would be difficult to bring something fresh to such a venerated subject.” To achieve that balance, Breeding turned to designer and typographer Juan Carlos Pagan, whose work is recognized for its clarity and striking impact.
Rather than relying on familiar imagery of parchment or historic paintings, the two focused on the landmark year itself: 1776. “We wanted the date to be powerful,” Breeding explains, “a way to link history to the present.” In the stamp design, each numeral doubles as a feather quill, recalling the signing of the document that gave the American Revolution its moral foundation. The colors deepen the symbolism. Set against a deep blue ground, the sequence of red, white, and light blue numbers nods to the U.S. flag while introducing a modern twist.
The result is a stamp that honors the past while speaking to the future. With a single date it conveys the moment the nation began and celebrates the enduring principles that continue to define it.
The Declaration of Independence stamp is being issued as a Forever® stamp. This Forever stamp will always be equal to the current First-Class Mail® one-ounce price.
Stamp Art Director
Greg Breeding
Greg Breeding is a graphic designer and principal of Journey Group, a design company he co-founded in 1992, located in Charlottesville, Virginia. He was creative director until 2013, at which time he began serving as president and continued in that role through 2023.
Breeding’s fascination with modernism began while studying design at Virginia Commonwealth University. His affinity with the movement continues and motivates his ongoing advanced studies at the Basel School of Design in Switzerland most every summer.
As an art director for postage stamp design since 2012, Breeding has designed more than 100 stamps covering a diverse array of subjects, from Star Wars droids and Batman to Harlem Renaissance writers and the transcontinental railroad.
His work has been recognized in annual design competitions held by Graphis, AIGA, PRINT magazine, and Communication Arts.
Breeding lives in North Garden, Virginia, with his wife and enjoys nothing so much as frolicking on the floor with his grandchildren.
Stamp Designer, Stamp Artist
Juan Carlos Pagan
New York–based multidisciplinary artist, designer, creative director, and typographer Juan Carlos Pagan has created visual identities and campaigns for brands including Pinterest, Cîroc, Under Armour, Apple, Disney, and NPR. He has also designed cover art for publications such as the New York Times, the Washington Post, and Variety.
In 2013 Pagan received the prestigious Young Guns Award from The One Club for Creativity, which recognizes the world’s best creatives under the age of 30. That same year he was named the top of Adweek‘s Talent 100. He was subsequently nominated for PRINT magazine’s New Visual Artist 20 Under 30. In 2018 Pagan received the Type Directors Club Ascenders Award, which recognizes designers who are 35 years of age and under for their remarkable achievement in design and typography.
Pagan has led creative departments at MTV, DDB New York, Deutsch NY, and 72andSunny NY. In 2017 he co-founded Sunday Afternoon, a hybrid creative design studio and artist management agency. Sunday Afternoon was named to the Inc. 5000 list of the fastest-growing companies in America in 2020. In 2022 PRINT magazine named the firm Design Agency of the Year.
Pagan received his B.F.A. from Parsons School of Design in 2006 and completed his postgraduate studies in typeface design at The Cooper Union in 2011.
His first project for the U.S. Postal Service, the “Love” artwork for the 2024 Pinback Buttons stamp issuance, was followed by his design and typography for the Declaration of Independence stamp (2026).
