Love Is in the Mail - PRNewswire

"While issued in time for Valentine's Day, these stamps need no special holiday," said David E. Williams, USPS chief operating officer and executive vice president. "Used as an expression of friendship, romance, encouragement, or simply 'thinking of you,' the Made of Hearts stamps will deliver your message in style."

The connection between sentiment and the heart symbol is at least as old as the ancient Greeks. Images of ivy, grape and fig leaves — all shaped like the heart — were crafted in art and on pottery to symbolize abiding love. Use of the heart as an expression of romantic constancy is also reflected in the concept of courtly love that was the fashion in the Middle Ages.

Today, the heart is used to signify more than romantic or eternal love. Hearts are featured in many slogans that denote a love of place and in the logo designs of many businesses and organizations. A favorite motif in art, hearts are design elements frequently found on furniture, jewelry, textiles, shoes and clothing. The heart is universally understood to symbolize devotion, affection and love.

Made of Hearts stamp artwork features horizontal lines of red and pink hearts on a white background. Toward the center, red hearts in varying sizes replace pink hearts in a formation that creates one large red heart, the focal point of this graphic design. Antonio Alcalá designed the stamp and was art director for this project.

News of the Made of Hearts stamp is being shared with the hashtag #LoveStamps.

Postal Products

Made of Hearts is being issued as a Forever stamp in panes of 20. This Forever stamp is always equal in value to the current First-Class Mail 1-ounce price.

Customers may purchase stamps and other philatelic products through The Postal Store at usps.com/shop, by calling 800-STAMP24 (800-782-6724), by mail through USA Philatelic, or at Post Office locations nationwide.

Information on ordering first-day-of-issue postmarks and covers is at usps.com/shop.

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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