Classic Collections

Classic Collections

In 1994, the USPS introduced the Classic Collections series.  Each sheet in the series features 20 face-different designs.  Broadly-defined Americana themes, exceptional artwork, a banner printed on the selvage of the sheet, and descriptive text on the back of each stamp made them a favorite with collectors.

The series received a lot of publicity with the very first release, which contained an error and led to a prolonged court fight and a modern stamp rarity!

US #2869 Legends of the West
US #2869
1994 Legends of the West

Stories about America’s West have long been among the most popular pieces of American folklore. This set pays tribute to 16 individuals and features four topic-oriented stamps as well. Each of the individuals honored played an important part in the amazing history of America.  (Click on the stamp sheet to learn more about the error and the court battle.)

US #2975 1995 Civil War
US #2975
1995 Civil War

The release of the 20 Civil War stamps marked the most extensive effort in the history of the U.S. Postal Service to review and verify the historical accuracy of stamp subjects. Each of the 16 individuals and four battles featured were chosen from a master list of 50 subjects, which included Presidents, generals, major battles, rank-and-file soldiers, women, African and Native Americans, and abolitionists. The goal of the U.S.P.S. was to show the wide variety of people who participated in the Civil War.

US #3000 1995 Comic Strip Classics
US #3000
1995 Comic Strip Classics

Each of these 20 stamps features a comic strip classic. Daily and weekly newspapers have brought Americans cartoons since 1895. It is reported that 86 million adults and 17 million children in the U.S. read the Sunday comics each week! In fact, comic strips are considered one of America’s only indigenous art forms. The comic strip and its characters have popularized words and phrases, such as “I Yam Wot I Yam,” from Popeye, and even the foods we eat, like the “Dagwood” sandwich from Blondie. Comics have become movies (“Popeye”), and Broadway Shows (“Annie”). This sheet honors comic strips created within the first 50 years of comics, from 1895 to 1945.

US #3068 1996 Olympic Games
US #3068
1996 Olympic Games

Held in Atlanta, Georgia, the 1996 Olympic Summer Games marked the 100th anniversary of the modern Olympics. More than 11,000 athletes from 197 countries reached for excellence as they took the Olympic motto, “Swifter, Higher, Stronger,” to heart.

US #3142 1997 Classic American Aircraft
US #3142
1997 Classic American Aircraft

20 amazing U.S. aircraft – ranging from the P-51 to the B-17 Flying Fortress – are chronicled on this dramatic sheet.

US #3236 1998 Four Centuries of American Art
US #3236
1998 Four Centuries of American Art
This pane features twenty of the most important and famous works of art produced in the last 400 years.
US #3351 1999 Insects and Spiders
US #3351
1999 Insects and Spiders

This colorful sheet features 16 insects and four spiders. The species of insects and spiders on the stamps were chosen because of their educational value and interest to children. The species represent the wide range of colors, lifestyles, and behaviors exhibited by these amazing creatures. On the back of each stamp is a description of the bug on the front.

US #3403 2000 Stars and Stripes
US #3403
2000 Stars and Stripes

This set of 20 stamps chronicles the development of the American flag from Colonial times to the present. Each flag has an interesting story behind it. For example, the design of the Francis Hopkinson flag was once attributed to Betsy Ross. Historians now believe this often-told tale is untrue. Adopted on June 14, 1777, the birthday of the Hopkinson flag is celebrated each year as Flag Day. This was the first flag to feature both the stars and stripes in its design.

US #3408 2000 Legends of Baseball
US #3408
2000 Legends of Baseball

The Legends of Baseball issue honors 20 baseball greats who were named to the “All-Century Team,” announced after the 1999 season. Votes from fans, as well as members of a special panel, selected the team.

US #3502 2001 American Illustrators
US #3502
2001 American Illustrators
 
This set of stamps from the Classic Collection Series showcases the art of twenty American illustrators of magazines, posters, books, and advertisements.
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