Love takes wings on new USA postage stamp
On January 13, USPS issued a new 'LOVE' stamp. The stamps feature four charming images of stylized birds in a colorful world where hearts – just like love itself – appear in sweet and surprising ways. Do you collect America's 'LOVE' stamps? Many types of LOVE stamps have been issued in recent years.
LOVE stamps 2026
Stamp artist James Yang drew inspiration from mid-century American design and illustrations in Japanese children's books. The illustrator began with pencil sketches on tracing paper, which he later digitally scanned and refined. He explained that birds proved to be a versatile and visually interesting metaphor for couples, allowing him to playfully explore themes such as affection. “I am a big fan of mid-20th century design, and I find the way Charles and Ray Eames and children's book illustrators from that era depict birds beautiful,” says Yang. “When the stamp was designed, I was also working on the children's book 'Bus! Stop!', in which two birds play an important role in the story.”
The four images on the stamps show a pair of birds inspecting branches with leaves and small white hearts; a blue bird offering a heart-shaped flower to a red bird; two white birds resting in a nest under a heart-shaped moon; and a pair of birds exploring a tangle of orange and yellow hearts falling down like petals.
Ethel Kessler, an art director at USPS, designed the stamps based on images by Yang. The Love stamps of 2026 are Forever stamps and will always retain the same value as the current rate for a 1-ounce letter (approximately 28 grams) sent by first-class mail.
The time at which your response becomes visible may vary by language and take up to 24 hours.