Global Postcrossing Forever Stamp 2026
The U.S. Postal Service celebrates the global community created by Postcrossing with a set of four triangular stamps recognizing the joy of sending and receiving personal postcards. Since its launch in 2005, Postcrossing has encouraged hundreds of thousands of people worldwide to exchange handwritten messages, helping create meaningful connections between individuals, countries, and cultures.
With Global stamp status, the Postcrossing stamps are designed for international postcard and letter use. They may be used to mail postcards from the United States to any destination where First-Class Mail International service is available. Beyond their practical purpose, these colorful stamps also serve as a way for users to share the spirit of Postcrossing and introduce others to the worldwide postcard exchange community. Their postage value will always correspond to the current price of a single-piece First-Class Mail International first-ounce machineable letter at the time they are used. Like Forever stamps, they maintain their value over time, but they are intended specifically for international mail.
Postcrossing was founded in 2005 by Portuguese university student Paulo Magalhes, who discovered that receiving postcards from others brought unexpected happiness and inspiration. With assistance from friends, including community manager Ana Campos, he launched the website on July 14, 2005, initially operating it from an old personal computer at home. The idea quickly attracted participants from around the world, and by April 2008, the growing community had already exchanged one million postcards.
Today, Postcrossing has developed into a global network with more than 805,000 members across over 200 countries and territories. Together, participants have exchanged more than 85 million postcards, with hundreds of thousands of cards traveling between senders and recipients at any given time. The United States ranks among the most active participating countries, with American members sending the second-highest number of postcards, while Germany currently leads in overall postcard activity.
Joining Postcrossing is free, and the experience is built around personal connections. When sending a postcard, members often share details about their hometowns, personal interests, daily experiences, or local traditions. When receiving a postcard, participants enjoy the excitement of discovering something unexpected? perhaps a new place, a piece of another country's history, an unfamiliar artwork, or a small glimpse into the life of someone thousands of miles away.
The Postcrossing platform is now supported by an international team dedicated to maintaining and expanding the community. Over the years, the connections created through postcard exchanges have inspired educational programs, historical projects, cultural exhibitions, and charitable efforts. In 2020, Postcrossing helped establish October 1 as World Postcard Day, commemorating the introduction of the modern postcard in 1869 in the Austro-Hungarian Empire. The organization has also contributed to school initiatives, museum events, community gatherings, and fundraising campaigns supporting disaster relief and other humanitarian causes.
Since 2011, postal organizations around the world have issued stamps celebrating Postcrossing. The U.S. Postal Service's new set features four cheerful and colorful designs that reflect the adventure of postcards traveling across continents and oceans. These stamps celebrate the simple pleasure of handwritten communication while carrying messages of friendship, curiosity, and goodwill around the globe.
