Honor the poet who became the first author of African descent in the American colonies to publish a book with the Phillis Wheatley Forever® stamps. The 49th issuance in the Black Heritage series, the stamps are available in sheets of 20.
Honor the poet who became the first author of African descent in the American colonies to publish a book with the Phillis Wheatley Forever® stamps. The 49th issuance in the Black Heritage series, the stamps are available in sheets of 20.
Product Details:
The Phillis Wheatley Forever stamps feature a black-and-white, ink-on-paper portrait of Phillis Wheatley by Kerry James Marshall. In the image, Wheatley is writing with a quill and looking toward the viewer.
Key Features:
● Forever Stamp: Always valid for the rate of sending one ounce of mail, regardless of future rate increases.
● Sheet of 20: Provides enough stamps for multiple mailings.
● Self-Adhesive: Easy to use, simply peel and stick.
● Made in the USA: High-quality, detailed stamp artwork made and printed domestically.
Stamp Issuance:
January 29, 2026
Boston, MA 02205
How it Works:
A Forever® stamp is for sending domestic mail weighing up to 1 oz via First-Class Mail®.
• Purpose: Send letters and cards up to 1 oz (approximately 4 sheets of regular, 8-1/2" x 11" paper in a rectangular envelope) within the U.S., including U.S. territories and military bases overseas.
• Value: Always valid for the First-Class Mail 1 oz rate, even if postage rates increase. Visit First-Class Mail and Postage to view current rates.
• Other Uses: Pair this stamp’s value with other postage to meet mailing costs when additional postage is required.
Use the Retail Postage Calculator to determine the exact cost of your mail.
| Issue: | Phillis Wheatley Stamp |
| Item Number: | 487800 |
| Denomination & | First-Class Mail Forever® |
| Type of Issue: | |
| Format: | Pane of 20 (1 design) |
| Series: | Black Heritage |
| Issue Date & City: | January 29, 2026, Boston, MA 02205 |
| Art Director: | Antonio Alcalá, Alexandria, VA |
| Designer: | Antonio Alcalá, Alexandria, VA |
| Existing Art: | Kerry James Marshall, Chicago, IL |
| Modeler: | Joseph Sheeran |
| Manufacturing Process: | Offset, Microprint |
| Printer: | Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU) |
| Press Type: | Muller A76 |
| Stamps per Pane: | 20 |
| Print Quantity: | 25,000,000 stamps |
| Paper Type: | Nonphosphored Type III |
| Adhesive Type: | Pressure-sensitive |
| Colors: | Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black |
| Stamp Orientation: | Vertical |
| Image Area (w x h): | 0.8400 x 1.4200 in. / 21.3360 x |
| Overall Size (w x h): | 0.9800 x 1.5600 in. / 24.8920 x |
| Full Pane Size (w x h): | 6.0000 x 8.5000 in. / 152.4000 x |
| Press Sheet Size (w x h): | 12.0000 x 25.7500 in. / 304.8000 x |
| Plate Size: | 240 stamps per revolution |
| Plate Number: | “P” followed by four (4) single digits |
| Marginal Markings: | |
| Front: | Plate number in bottom two corners of pane |
| Back: | © 2025 USPS • USPS logo • Two barcodes (487800) • Plate position diagram (6) • BLACK HERITAGE, Celebrating Phillis Wheatley, 49th IN A SERIES • Promotional text |
The Postal Store® ships all in-stock orders with USPS Tracking® service. Please allow 3-5 business days for in-stock items to be shipped with Standard Shipping, or 1-2 business days for in-stock orders to be shipped with Priority Mail Express® service.
Pre- or Back-Ordered Items
If your order contains pre- or back-ordered items, those items will ship separately when all pre- or back-ordered items are available.
To view your order status and tracking information, sign in to your USPS.com® account, go to "Activity History", and select your order number.
The Postal Store® does not accept orders for shipment outside the United States, but we do ship to APO/FPO/DPO addresses and U.S. territories.
Stamp & Philatelic Orders
All stamp and philatelic orders are charged a $2.00 handling fee on domestic orders up to $50.00, and $2.75 if the order is greater than $50.00. These fixed handling fees apply to only the portion of the order total that includes stamp and/or philatelic items.
Retail Items
A retail item is any product that does not include a stamp or a form of postage. If your order includes retail items, we will add a shipping charge to the order based on the weight of the retail items and the “ship to” ZIP Code™. All in-stock retail items will ship within 5–7 business days.
Personalized Stamped Stationery
All Personalized Stamped Stationery items are charged Priority Mail Flat Rate® pricing, depending on how many boxes are ordered, and should be shipped within 5–7 business days.
