USPS to Commemorate the Microscopic World with 'Life Magnified' Stamps

The U.S. Postal Service announces the release of 20 new stamps featuring stunning images of the smallest components of life.

The U.S. Postal Service (USPS) is set to release 20 new stamps that celebrate the beauty of the microscopic world. The 'Life Magnified' Forever stamps will feature 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, and news of the stamp is being shared with the hashtag #LifeMagnifiedStamps.

Luke Grossmann, senior vice president, Finance and Strategy the United States Postal Service, will be present at the event, which is scheduled for Thursday, Aug. 10, 2023, at 11 a.m. EDT. The Great American Stamp Show will be held at the Huntington Convention Center of Cleveland — Hall C, 300 Lakeside Ave., Cleveland, OH 44113.

For hundreds of years, scientists have held a deep fascination with making the invisible elements of our world visible. The 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 the phenomena of life in exquisitely fine detail. While stunning on their own as works of art, these images also hold scientific significance. Microscopists, both professional and amateur, use various 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, meaning they are always equal to the current First-Class Mail® one-ounce price.

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.

Source: USPS Newsroom