American Culture Series

This 15¢ Automobile Tail Fin coil stamp, which features the fin of a 1959 Cadillac, met the need for the first-class, presort postcard rate. This stamp, along with the 25¢ Juke Box coil stamp, was the first edition of the new “American Culture” series. Bulk mailers were able to use the non-denominated stamp at various presort rates, with the postage difference being paid at the time of mailing. In 1996, a self-adhesive version was produced to meet consumer demand.

In 1996, a self-adhesive version was produced to meet consumer demand.

A linerless coil stamp was also issued.  The face of the stamps of the linerless coil was coated to prevent stamps from sticking to those below them, without using backing paper.

This 25¢ definitive coil stamp was issued to pay postage for the first-class, presorted letter rate. Bulk mailers could use it for various rates, and simply add on the difference at the time of mailing.

This non-denominated (10¢) “Presorted Standard” stamp was released in self-adhesive coil rolls of 10,000 for use by mass mailers. The image is a contemporary rendition of one of the lion statues located at the Fifth Avenue entrance to the New York Public Library.

The 2001 non-denominated, presorted standard rate stamp was issued to replace the 1998 Green Bicycle stamp. The stamp is based on a photograph by Horst Hamann of the Atlas Statue that stands outside Rockefeller Center in New York City. Lee Lawrie created the Atlas sculpture in 1937, and Kenneth Lynch made the skeletal, heavenly spheres that Atlas supports. An ancient Greek myth tells that Atlas was one of the giant gods, called Titans, who tried to overthrow the Olympian gods ruled by Zeus. When the Titans failed and punishment was meted out, Atlas was condemned to hold the heavens on his shoulders for all of eternity.

The Woody Wagon coil stamp is the sixth design in the American Culture Series that began in 1995. The series includes the Auto Tail Fin, the Juke Box, the Diner, the Lion Statue, and the Atlas Statue. The stamp design is based on the wood-paneled vehicles produced between 1929 and 1953 and used variously to transport guests to and from railroad stations, to accommodate family travel, and to carry surfers and their surfboards to the beach. The stamp pictures a 1949 Ford wagon with a surfboard hanging out the back. This non-denominated 15¢, self-adhesive coil was issued to replace the 1995 Auto Tail Fin stamp for the presorted first class postcard rate.

The design for the Wisdom stamp in the American Culture Series was taken from Lee Lawrie’s art deco sculpture, “Wisdom With Light and Sound,” at Rockefeller Center in New York City. Words beneath the relief sculpture are from Isaiah 33:6 in the Old Testament: “Wisdom and knowledge shall be the stability of thy time.” The Wisdom stamp is the only issue in the American Culture Series that is not a coil stamp.