U.S. Postal Service Issues Pony Car Stamps
The U.S. Postal Service issued new Pony Cars Forever stamps at the Great American Stamp Show, the organization announced.
The stamps celebrate five iconic U.S. automobiles — the 1969 Ford Mustang Boss 302, the 1970 Dodge Challenger R/T, the 1969 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28, the 1967 Mercury Cougar XR-7 GT and the 1969 AMC Javelin SST. Painted using oil paint on panels, the stamp artwork, with bold colors and dramatic light, captures the energy and mystique of pony cars.
“My mother had a 1970 Mustang with a 351 cubic inch V8,” said Scott Bombaugh, the Postal Service’s chief technology officer and executive vice president, who served as the dedicating official. “My brother learned to drive in that car, but by the time I was ready to drive, my parents sold the Mustang and had a Pinto wagon. Is it any wonder I have bought two Mustang GTs since then?”
Joining Bombaugh at the dedication were Scott English, executive director of the American Philatelic Society; Greg Breeding, the stamp’s art director; Zach Bryant, the stamp’s designer; and Tom Fritz, the stamp’s artist.
“If you don’t collect cars on stamps today, the Pony Cars Forever stamps will be a great way to start,” English said. “Since the 1960s, the Camaro, Mustang and Challenger have been at the top of the dream car list for generations of young drivers. The Pony Cars Forever stamps will let you relive one of the most exciting eras of cars or fulfill the dream of owning one.”
“The USPS team was incredible to work with,” said Fritz. “Having had the keys thrown at me to create a second-stamp series was humbling. My challenge was to create five jewel-like, descriptive portrayals that every person who fell in love with this era can appreciate. The adventure isn’t just painting the cars’ details but capturing their emotion and power – cars don’t just ‘sit there’. They hunker down, they lurch, they shake, they shimmy and skitter. Those are the thrilling moments I look for.”
The Pony Cars Commemorative Forever pane of 20 stamps will always be equal in value to the current First-Class Mail 1- ounce price.
