The First Day of Issue ceremony for the US Postal Service Love stamp^[1] took place in New York City on January 30, 1986, in time for Valentine's Day mailings.^[2] The 22c stamp, which was designed by Saul Mandel, depicts a childlike drawing of a puppy.

According to the First Day Ceremony Program,^[3] the event featured "Musical Selections" performed by Jim Henson and Rowlf the Dog.

Many different cacheted First Day Covers were created for this stamp, including one illustrated by Guy Gilchrist and portraying Rowlf dressed as a USPS window clerk.^[4]

The stamp was also the focus of a Sesame Street film insert in the 1980s that showed how stamps were manufactured. (EKA: Episode 2283)

References

• In the film Follow That Bird, Snuffy sends Big Bird a giant postcard, with an equally giant love stamp.

Snuffy's postcard to Big Bird

A girl visits the stamp factory to see how stamps are made.

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Sources

1. ↑ This stamp is listed as catalogue number 2202 in Scott 2008 Specialized Catalogue of United States Stamps & Covers; Kloetzel, James E., Ed.; Amos Press: Sidney, OH, 2008; p 185.
2. ↑ Linn's U.S. Stamp Yearbook 1986; Bougner, Fred; Amos Press: Sidney, OH, 1987; pp 89-92.
3. ↑ This program is listed as catalogue number 2202-C1 in Mellone's Specialized Catalogue of First Day Ceremony Programs & Events; Pelcyger, Scott; FDC Publishing: Stewartsville, NJ, 1989; p 104.
4. ↑ This FDC is listed as catalogue number 2202-I in Mellone's First Day Cover Photo Encyclopedia of First Cachets Revealed; Monty, Richard A.; Goodson, Mark W.; Doyle, Wendy L.; and Elrod, Norman L.; FDC Publishing: Stewartsville, NJ, 2006; p 474.

See also

• Postage Stamps