The Postal Service, in partnership with the American Philatelic Society, held a dedication ceremony for Pinback Buttons stamps today at the Great American Stamp Show. The stamps feature 10 typographic designs by various artists in their unique styles, each with a single word as the central element of the design.
“Long before we had social media, pinback buttons were a common form of self-expression. Even today, nothing replaces the warmth of a handwritten note to friends and family. When you send your next note, you’ll have an upbeat stamp to add an extra personal touch to the envelope,” said Scott English, executive director of the American Philatelic Society.
“One of the bedrocks of our nation is freedom of expression, so it’s no surprise that pinback buttons have enjoyed such enduring popularity,” said Shibani Gambhir, USPS sales intelligence and support vice president. “Whether they convey your politics, champion a cause, simply tell a joke or serve as a souvenir, these small tokens of your thoughts and interests are easily worn and shared with others.”
Other speakers at the ceremony included Greg Breeding, an art director for USPS who designed the stamps. He said, “the idea of working with 10 artists at once felt a little overwhelming. But that turned out to be the best creative decision I made.”
Jennifer Miller, executive director of the American Topical Association, a group for stamp collectors, said, “Like so many of the recent stamp issues, the Pinback Buttons Forever stamps offer a wealth of topics for stamp collectors. These new stamps carry a wonderful nostalgic feel for veteran philatelists and intriguing designs for modern topical collectors.”
Since their first appearance in 1896, pinback buttons have expressed viewpoints, made statements and showcased the interests of those who wear them. Covered in clear celluloid to protect the paper underneath and constructed of stamped metal that was easy to reproduce, the first pinback buttons were more colorful and versatile than the metal buttons and other insignia that preceded them.
The novel medium quickly came into popular use for advertising and political campaigns. For more than 120 years, buttons of various sizes have helped spread ideas and broadcast opinions on a wide variety of topics.
The designs and slogans adorning buttons reflect the era and values of the time in which they were created, like any other piece of pop culture ephemera. In this way, pinback buttons become historical tools providing insight into the moods, sentiments and worldviews of people living in a particular time and place.
The pane of 20 stamps features 10 typographic designs by various artists in their unique styles, each with a single word as the prominent design element –– “Smile” (Don Clark), “Hello!” (Tré Seals), “Peace” (Jay Fletcher), “Love” (Juan Carlos Pagan), “Fun” (Gia Graham), “Sweet” (Jeff Rogers), “Yes!” (Ryan Feerer), “Cheers!” (Lisa Congdon), “Kudos!” (DKNG Studios) and “Happy” (Gina Triplett). The round shape of the stamps as well as shadowing and reflection effects give the appearance of three-dimensional pinback buttons. The pane verso features an illustration of a round silver button back with pin fastener repeated 20 times, one for each pinback button shown on the front of the pane.
The versatility of pinback buttons has created endless opportunities for graphic and typographic treatments. Whether to convey a political leaning, tell a joke, champion a social or environmental cause, or simply to serve as a souvenir, these small tokens of one’s thoughts and interests are meant to be worn and shared with others.
Pinback Buttons stamps are being issued as Forever stamps in panes of 20. They will always be equal in value to the current First-Class Mail 1-ounce price. News of the stamps is being shared with the hashtag #PinbackButtonStamps.
USPS
