Why the Stamps Were Issued:
This set of stamps celebrates the enduring popularity of pinback buttons, which have been used for decades to convey messages, decorate clothing, raise awareness, and more.
About the Stamp Designs:
The set includes 10 unique typographic designs, each created by a different artist and featuring a single word as the centerpiece:
Don Clark (Smile)
Tr?? Seals (Hello!)
Jay Fletcher (Peace)
Juan Carlos Pagan (Love)
Gia Graham (Fun)
Jeff Rogers (Sweet)
Ryan Feerer (Yes!)
Lisa Congdon (Cheers!)
DKNG Studios (Kudos!)
Gina Triplett (Happy)
The stamps?? round shape, along with shadowing and reflection effects, gives them the appearance of three-dimensional pinback buttons.
First Day City:
The First Day of Issue Ceremony took place at the Great American Stamp Show in Hartford, Connecticut.
History the Stamp Represents:
Buttons have been a popular medium for expression since the 18th century, particularly as political tools. The modern pinback button was patented in 1896 by Benjamin Whitehead.
Whitehead??s design built on his earlier 1893 invention of a badge with a photograph protected by transparent celluloid film. On July 21, 1896, he patented the ??Badge Pin or Button,?? which included a metal pin for easy attachment to clothing.
This invention quickly gained traction. During the 1896 presidential election, politicians used buttons to promote their campaigns. Voters used them to express opinions on issues like whether the dollar should be backed by gold or silver. Advertisers also embraced buttons as a way to market products, and in 1901, the first button to promote a band, Roney??s Boys, was created. Starting in the 1950s, buttons for musical acts became an essential part of pop culture.
Over the decades, buttons have featured an astonishing variety of messages and images, from political slogans to simple expressions of joy. Despite the rise of digital media, pinback buttons have endured for well over a century, proving their universal appeal. As one 19th-century advertiser put it, they??re ??the greatest fad of all.??
