USPS released a wide variety of Forever stamps 2025 – from charming animal illustrations to tributes to cultural icons, from anniversary celebrations to fun kid-friendly designs. Thus, 2025 has been a big year for stamp collectors and mail-senders alike.
Each Forever stamp, once issued, remains valid for mailing a 1-ounce First-Class letter, no matter how rates rise in the future.
Why 2025 Is Special for USPS & Stamp Collectors
Diverse Themes: 2025’s lineup spans a wide spectrum – from adorable baby animals to patriotic anniversaries, from nostalgic childhood memories to major military milestones. There’s something for everyone.
Commemorative Significance: Several stamps mark significant anniversaries, like the 250th anniversaries of major U.S. military branches and the ongoing legacy of mail delivery.
Collector-Friendly Releases: Releases like “Putting a Stamp on the American Experience,” “250 Years of Delivering,” and “Boston 2026 World Stamp Show” are clearly designed with collectors in mind.
Forever Stamps 2025
2025 has been a standout year for USPS Forever stamps – combining practicality, history, art, and fun into one robust stamp-issuing program. Whether you’re sending mail, collecting for pleasure, or investing in long-term philatelic value, this year’s releases offer something for everyone.
Lunar New Year • Year of the Snake 2025
Date of issue: January 14, 2025
In 2025, the U.S. Postal Service releases the sixth stamp in its latest 12-year Lunar New Year series, celebrating the Year of the Snake (January 29, 2025 – February 16, 2026).
Designed by Antonio Alcalá with artwork by Camille Chew, the stamp features a vibrant, three-dimensional snake mask, inspired by the ornate masks seen in Lunar New Year dragon and lion dances.
This 2025 issue continues the third Lunar New Year stamp series that began in 2020 and will run through 2031.
People born in the Year of the Snake are traditionally considered wise, thoughtful, and artistic. The 2025 zodiac year is specifically the Year of the Wood Snake.
Love
Date of issue: January 17, 2025
This Love series stamp from the U.S. Postal Service celebrates the universal theme of love through a vibrant work by artist Keith Haring (1958–1990). The design features his 1985 Untitled drawing – an iconic red heart with radiating black lines, lifted by two joyful, simplified figures.
Created in Haring’s signature style, the image invites viewers to interpret love in their own way. Rich in symbolism and universally appealing, this Love stamp continues the USPS tradition of artful expressions of affection.
Allen Toussaint
Date of issue: January 30, 2025
New Orleans is one of the world’s great music cities, and Allen Toussaint (1938–2015) played a major role in shaping its signature rhythm-and-blues sound. The 48th Black Heritage series stamp honors this legendary pianist, singer, songwriter, and producer whose hits include “Fortune Teller,” “All These Things,” and “Southern Nights.”
The stamp features a 2007 photograph of Toussaint at the piano, smiling warmly, his black attire highlighted by soft purple lighting.
Known for his elegance, humility, and behind-the-scenes brilliance, Toussaint influenced generations of artists across nearly six decades. His many honors include the National Medal of Arts (2013), along with inductions into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Blues Hall of Fame, Songwriters Hall of Fame, and Louisiana Music Hall of Fame.
The Appalachian Trail
Date of issue: February 28, 2025
Stretching nearly 2,200 miles across one of the world’s oldest mountain ranges, the Appalachian National Scenic Trail runs from Maine to Georgia while remaining accessible to major East Coast cities. The U.S. Postal Service honors this iconic footpath with a pane of 15 photographic Forever stamps, highlighting the trail’s remarkable scenic diversity.
Millions of visitors walk the Appalachian Trail each year, drawn by its natural beauty, tranquility, and escape from modern life.
Each stamp (except the first) is labeled with the featured state and “USA,” while the vertical title “APPALACHIAN TRAIL” echoes the trail’s winding route. The word “FOREVER” appears twice on every stamp, framing the title and reinforcing its status.
Freshwater Fishing Lures
Date of issue: March 13, 2025
Celebrate the creativity and craftsmanship of America’s most effective freshwater fishing lures with this vibrant stamps. The set features five close-up designs showcasing popular lure types – crankbaits, spinners, spoons, wakebaits, and poppers – used across a variety of fishing environments.
Each freshwater lure carries its own history and has helped shape fishing as a sport. From early hand-carved wooden lures to today’s advanced swimbaits, these designs reflect the evolution of angling innovation and technique.
Betty White
Date of issue: March 27, 2025
The USPS honors Betty White with a stamp that captures her lively spirit and timeless charm. Known as the “First Lady of Television,” her groundbreaking career spanned more than eight decades.
She rose to iconic fame through The Mary Tyler Moore Show and The Golden Girls, two of television’s most beloved and influential sitcoms, and remained a cherished entertainer well into her nineties.
Battlefields of the American Revolution
Date of issue: April 16, 2025
As the United States approaches its 250th anniversary, the USPS honors the battlefields of the American Revolution, where ordinary citizens and famous leaders alike sacrificed for independence.
This pane of 15 stamps highlights five pivotal battles—Lexington and Concord, Bunker Hill, Trenton, Saratoga, and Yorktown. Each battle is represented by a modern photograph of the historic site paired with a watercolor illustration depicting a key moment from the conflict.
Together, the stamps commemorate the places and events that shaped the nation’s founding and made American independence possible.
Powwows: Celebrating Native American Culture
Date of issue: April 25, 2025
The USPS celebrates Native American culture with the Powwows: Celebrating American Culture Stamps 2025.
This set features four vibrant designs based on paintings by Cochiti Pueblo artist Mateo Romero, each highlighting a different traditional dance: Crow Hop, Women’s Traditional, Women’s Fancy Shawl, and Men’s Hoop.
Powwows are lively Indigenous gatherings filled with dance, music, prayer, food, and community. Drums – often called the “heartbeat” of the powwow – lead the grand entry of veterans, elders, dancers, and musicians.
Events include traditional and competitive dancing, singing, arts and crafts, and honoring ceremonies. Competitive dancers often travel across the country, performing in styles like Fancy, Grass, Jingle, and Traditional.
Today, powwows are held nationwide every weekend, from local fairs to major events like the Gathering of Nations in Albuquerque, the largest in the U.S.
Dahlias
Date of issue: April 26, 2025
The Dahlias Stamp continues USPS’s beloved floral series. Featuring a vivid photograph of blooming dahlias, this elegant stamp is ideal for wedding invitations, thank-you cards, sympathy notes, and decorative everyday mail. Floral stamps consistently remain among the most widely purchased themes.
Goodnight Moon
Date of issue: May 2, 2025
The beloved children’s classic Goodnight Moon comes to life in this charming stamps issued in early May. Decorated with soft, storybook illustrations, this release is perfect for baby announcements, reading programs, and fans of timeless children’s literature.
U.S. Army, Navy, Marine Corps 250th
Date of issue: May 16, 2025
In 2025, the USPS commemorates the 250th anniversaries of the U.S. Navy, Marine Corps, and Army, honoring their enduring service to the nation. All three branches were established during the American Revolutionary War, when the colonies fought for independence.
Today, the U.S. Navy leads with advanced technology to protect maritime freedom and economic interests, the U.S. Marine Corps is respected worldwide as an elite force ready to meet any challenge, and the U.S. Army stands as a global fighting force dedicated to winning America’s wars. Together, these branches represent 250 years of strength, sacrifice, and commitment to national defense.
Baby Wild Animals
Date of issue: May 23, 2025
One of the most delightful issues of the year, the Baby Wild Animals set features 10 endearing illustrations of young wildlife – including fox kits, deer fawns, raccoon pups, bear cubs, and more. This colorful booklet appeals to kids, nature lovers, and collectors who enjoy joyful, expressive stamp designs.
U.S. Flag
Date of issue: June 7, 2025
A staple in the USPS lineup, the 2025 U.S. Flag Stamp features a fresh photographic design showcasing the American flag waving proudly against a clear sky. Ideal for everyday mailing, official correspondence, and patriotic events, this stamp remains one of USPS’s most widely used releases.
Barbara Bush
Date of issue: June 10, 2025
250 Years of Delivering
Date of issue: July 23, 2025
Marking a historic milestone, this stamp celebrates 250 years of mail delivery in America. From early postal riders to modern sorting technology, the design reflects the evolution of the USPS and its enduring commitment to connecting the nation. A highly collectible stamp for postal history enthusiasts.
The theme of service highlighted in this issue has a clear precedent in earlier USPS issues, most notably the 1973 Postal Service Employees stamps.
Issued just two years after the modern United States Postal Service was created, the 1973 stamps focused on the daily work of postal employees, using detailed messages printed on the back of the stamp to explain how mail is processed, and delivered across the nation.
Together, the 1973 and 2025 issues demonstrate how the USPS has consistently used stamps to honor not only historic milestones, but also the people and systems that make universal mail delivery possible – linking operational reality with long-term institutional legacy.
Putting a Stamp on the American Experience
Date of issue: July 23, 2025
Every U.S. stamp reflects the nation’s creativity, culture, and history. With the Putting a Stamp on the American Experience prestige booklet, the U.S. Postal Service marks the 250th anniversary of the American postal system while celebrating the lasting role of stamps in national heritage.
This 32-page prestige booklet, only the fourth ever issued, highlights iconic stamp series and includes two exclusive stamp sheets. The stamp features a modern portrait of Benjamin Franklin, reimagined from an 1875 reproduction of one of the first U.S. stamps issued in 1847.
A founding figure of the postal system, Franklin was appointed Postmaster General in 1775 and appears on more than 100 U.S. stamp issues. His vision of the postal service as a unifying force continues to inspire the Postal Service today.
SpongeBob SquarePants
Date of issue: August 1, 2025
One of the most anticipated releases of the year! This lively Forever stamp features SpongeBob SquarePants, making it a favorite among kids, fans of the show, and collectors of pop-culture-themed stamps. Bright, fun, and unmistakably SpongeBob, it’s perfect for playful mail and themed collections.
Boston 2026 World Stamp Show
Date of issue: August 14, 2025
Issued ahead of the global philatelic event, this commemorative stamp honors the Boston 2026 World Stamp Show. With historical and patriotic imagery, it appeals to collectors worldwide who are preparing for the major exhibition. It also marks one of the most significant stamp-themed events of the decade.
William F. Buckley, Jr.
Date of issue: September 9, 2025
William F. Buckley Jr. (1925–2008) was one of the most influential public intellectuals in modern American history and a defining voice of the conservative movement. The author of more than 50 books, he founded National Review and hosted the Emmy Award–winning television program Firing Line for over three decades.
The stamp features a bold black-and-white portrait by artist Dale Stephanos, created with graphite and charcoal and refined digitally. The artwork is based on a 1960s photograph by Steve Schapiro, capturing Buckley’s sharp intellect and commanding presence.
Holiday Cheer
Date of issue: September 13, 2025
Winter Landscapes
Date of issue: September 19, 2025
Jimmy Carter
Date of issue: October 1, 2025
This stamp honors Jimmy Carter (1924–2024), the 39th President of the United States. Born in rural Georgia, Carter rose to national leadership as a new kind of progressive Southern politician. His presidency saw early achievements but later faced economic and diplomatic challenges. After leaving office, Carter dedicated more than 30 years to promoting peace, democracy, and human rights worldwide.
The stamp features a 1982 oil-on-linen portrait study by artist Herbert E. Abrams, created while preparing Carter’s official White House portrait.
During his presidency, Carter emphasized humility and fairness, expanded national parks, elevated women and minorities to key positions, and pushed major policy reforms – including energy deregulation.
For his humanitarian work, Carter was awarded the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize, widely recognized as one of America’s most impactful former presidents.
Whether you’re a seasoned philatelist, a casual collector, or someone who simply enjoys adding personality to your mail, Forever Stamps 2025 offer an exceptional lineup filled with color, history, and creativity.
