COLORADO SPRINGS — With the release of the O Beautiful Forever stamps on July 4, the U.S. Postal Service commemorates the beauty and majesty of the United States through 20 captivating images that visually represent one of the nation’s most beloved songs, “America the Beautiful.”
The stamps will be dedicated in Colorado Springs, CO, at 7:30 p.m. MDT in Memorial Park as part of the Colorado Springs Philharmonic’s July 4th Event — Summer Symphony.
“As we celebrate America’s 242nd birthday, the United States Postal Service shines a spotlight on our country’s unparalleled natural beauty with a pane of 20 stamps that corresponds with one of the nation’s most beloved songs,” said U.S. Postal Service Colorado Wyoming District Manager Kevin Romero.
From Bailey Island on the coast of Maine to the rugged cliffs of Nāpali Coast State Wilderness Park in Hawaii, the O Beautiful Forever stamps showcase the country’s extraordinary natural beauty.
Each stamp features a photograph that helps illustrate one of five phrases from the song’s famous first verse: “Spacious Skies,” “Waves of Grain,” “Mountain Majesties,” “The Fruited Plain,” and “Sea to Shining Sea.”
America the Beautiful
First published as a poem on July 4, 1895, “America the Beautiful” was written by poet Katharine Lee Bates (1859–1929). Her inspiration for the poem was at the top of Pikes Peak, CO. Eventually, it was set to the music of “Materna,” a melody composed by Samuel Augustus Ward (1848–1903). Considered by many to be the country’s unofficial national anthem, the song consists of four verses, each punctuated by the anthemic “America! America!” Today it remains one of the country's most popular patriotic songs.
Ordering First-Day-of-Issue Postmarks
Customers have 60 days to obtain first-day-of-issue postmarks by mail. They may purchase new stamps at Post Office locations, at the Postal Store usps.com/shop or by calling 800-782-6724. Customers must affix the stamps to envelopes of their choice, address the envelopes to themselves or others and place them in larger envelopes addressed to:
FDOI – O Beautiful Stamps
USPS Stamp Fulfillment Services
8300 NE Underground Drive, Suite 300
Kansas City, MO 64144-9900
After applying the first-day-of-issue postmark, the Postal Service will return the envelopes through the mail. There is no charge for postmarks up to a quantity of 50. There is a 5-cent charge for each additional postmark over 50. All orders must be postmarked by November 4, 2018.
Ordering First-Day Covers
The Postal Service also offers first-day covers for new stamps and stationery items postmarked with the official first-day-of-issue cancellation. Each item has an individual catalog number and is offered in the quarterly USA Philatelic catalog, online at usps.com/shop or by calling 800-782-6724. Customers may request a free catalog by calling 800-782-6724 or writing to:
U.S. Postal Service
Catalog Request
PO Box 219014
Kansas City, MO 64121-9014
Philatelic Products
The following Philatelic products are available July 4 at usps.com/shop.
- 565300, O Beautiful Forever Stamp pane of 20, $10.00
- 565306, Press Sheet with Die-cut, $60.00
- 565310, Keepsake with Random Digital Color Postmark, $11.95
- 565316, First-Day Cover (set of 20), $18.80
- 565321, Digital Color Postmark (set of 20), $33.00
- 565324, Framed Art, $39.95
- 565330, Ceremony Program (random), $6.95
- 565366, Postcards (set of 20), $24.95
Stamp Rows Themed to O Beautiful and Locations of Stamp Images
Each row of the 20-stamp sheet illustrates one of five phrases from the song “America the Beautiful” famous first verses: “Spacious Skies” (top row), “Waves of Grain” (second row), “Mountain Majesties” (third row), “The Fruited Plain” (fourth row) and “Sea to Shining Sea” (bottom row). Each of the five phrases appears to the left of the row of stamps to which it applies.
Death Valley National Park, CA/NV, by Gary Crabbe. Three Fingers Mountain in Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, WA, by Kevin Ebi. Field in Kansas by Sean RamseyGreat Smoky Mountains National Park, NC/TN, by Tim Fitzharris.
Field of wheat, WI, by Larry Michael. Plowed wheat fields, Palouse Hills, WA, by Yva Momatiuk and John Eastcott . Grasslands Wildlife Management Area, Merced County, CA, by Gary Crabbe. Field of wheat, MT, by Yva Momatiuk and John Eastcott.
Yosemite National Park, CA, by Gary Crabbe. Crater Lake National Park, OR, by Gary Crabbe. Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park, AZ/Utah by David Muench. Maroon Bells peaks in White River National Forest, CO, by Tim Fitzharris.
Sunrise near Orinda, CA, by Gary Crabbe. Pigeon Point near Pescadero, CA, by Tim Fitzharris. Edna Valley, San Luis Obispo County, CA, by Gary Crabbe. Livermore, CA, by Gary Crabbe.
Nāpali Coast State Wilderness Park, Kauai, HI, by Timothy T. De La Vega, Lone Ranch Beach, Samuel H. Boardman Scenic Corridor, OR, by Tim Fitzharris. Canaveral National Seashore, FL, by Tim Fitzharris. Bailey Island, ME, by Benjamin Williamson.
The Postal Service receives no tax dollars for operating expenses and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations.
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