1999 33c Celebrate the Century - 1970s: Pittsburgh Steelers Win Four Superbowls

US #3189e
1999 Steelers Win Four Super Bowls – Celebrate the Century (1970s)

• Part of the eighth sheet in the Celebrate the Century stamp series issued from 1998-2000
• Commemorates the Pittsburgh Steeler’s historic Super Bowl wins
• Includes text on the back with historical details

Stamp Category: Commemorative
Series: Celebrate the Century
Value: 33¢ First Class Mail Rate
First Day of Issue: November 18, 1999
First Day City: New York, New York
Quantity Issued: 90,000,000
Printed by: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd.
Printing Method: Offset, Intaglio
Format: Panes of 15
Perforations: 11.5
Tagging: Block tagging

Why the stamp was issued: To recall the Pittsburgh Steelers’ domination of the football world in the latter half of the 1970s.

About the stamp design: Pictures artwork by Kazuhiko Sano of a Steelers helmet . Includes the following text on the back: “Winning four Super Bowls, the Pittsburgh Steelers dominated pro football in the second half of the ‘70s. Their explosive offense and defense, including the “Steel Curtain,” featured several future members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.”

First Day City: The First Day of Issue Ceremony was held at the Postage Stamp Mega-Event at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York City.

About the Celebrate the Century series: The USPS launched the Celebrate the Century series in 1998 to mark the end of the 20th century and herald the arrival of the 21st. The series includes 10 sheets of 15 stamps (150 in total), with each honoring important moments from a different decade (1900s, 10s, 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s, and 90s). At the time of completion, it was the longest and most ambitious commemorative stamp series in US history.

History the stamp represents: The Pittsburgh Steelers are one of the oldest football franchises in the league today. The team, established by Arthur Rooney in 1933, was originally named the Pittsburgh Pirates. They became the Steelers in 1940.

The Steelers had one of their worst seasons ever in 1969, accumulating one win and 13 losses. The team’s losing record earned coaches first choice in the 1970 players draft. Coach Chuck Noll recruited quarterback Terry Bradshaw and cornerback Mel Blount. In 1971, linebacker Jack Ham was added to the lineup, and running back Franco Harris was recruited in 1972.

Steady improvement during the early 1970s led to the Steelers winning their first division title in 1972 with an 11-3 record. The team’s first of six consecutive American Football Conference titles came in 1974.

The Steelers won their first Super Bowl in 1974 by defeating the Minnesota Vikings. A second Super Bowl victory came the next year, making the Steelers the third team in football history to win back-to-back championships. In 1978, the team became the first ever to win three Super Bowls, and they won their fourth championship in 1979. The Steelers’ eight consecutive playoff appearances and four Super Bowl wins earned the franchise the nickname “team of the decade.”