US #5977m-o
2025 Battle of Yorktown
- Features an image of the British battlefield at Yorktown
- Part of Battlefields of the American Revolution set
- Honors the 250th Anniversary of the start of Revolutionary War
- Part of multiyear celebration of America’s 250th birthday
Stamp Category: Commemorative
Set: Battlefields of the American Revolution
Value: 73¢, First-Class mail rate (Forever)
First Day of Issue: April 16, 2025
First Day City: Concord, Massachusetts
Quantity Issued: 15,000,000
Printed by: Banknote Corporation of America
Printing Method: Offset/Flexographic
Format: Panes of 15
Why the stamp was issued: These stamps are part of a pane of 15 issued to commemorate five significant battles of the Revolutionary War and the 250th anniversary of the start of the war.
About the stamp design: The Battle of Yorktown stamps feature a photo of two British defenses that were overtaken by the Colonists and their French allies, and an original painting honoring the British surrender to the Colonial Army.
Each battlefield is portrayed using a modern photograph of the site, along with an illustration of the battle spanning two stamps. US Postal Service art director Derry Noyes chose Greg Harlin to illustrate the battle scenes using watercolor paintings.
First Day City: The First Day of Issue ceremony took place at Minute Man National Historical Park in Concord, Massachusetts. This is the site of the opening battle of the American Revolution.
About the Battlefields of the American Revolution Set: The American Revolution was defining struggle that tested the courage and resolve of the colonies in their quest for independence. From the first shots fired in Massachusetts to the final surrender in Virginia, these battles were the baptism of fire in which a new nation was forged.
Lexington and Concord (April 19, 1775) ignited the war when Briths troops clashed with colonial militia. The “shot heard ‘round the world” at Lexington was followed by a colonial victory at Concord, Marking the start of open rebellion. At Bunker Hill (June 17, 1775), despite losing the battle, the Americans showed they could stand up to the British. The costly British victory demonstrated the resolve of the colonial forces and made them realize the war would not be easily won.
After leading a late-night crossing of the Delaware River, Washington commanded his troops in a daring attack on a Hessian garrison in Trenton on December 26, 1776. A turning point of the war, it boosted American morale and reinvigorated the Revolution. The Battle of Saratoga (1777) was a decisive win that convinced France to formally ally with America, strengthening the colonial cause. Finally, at Yorktown (1781), Washington’s forces, with French support, forced British General Cornwallis to surrender, effectively ending the war and securing American independence.
History the stamp represents: In the fall of 1781, forces converged for the final major land battle of the American Revolution at Yorktown, Virginia. After three weeks of tough fighting, the combined American and French force claimed one of the most important victories of the war.
British forces occupied Yorktown beginning in early August. In response, General George Washington moved his troops to surround the city. By the time the battle began on September 28, the French Admiral de Grasse had established a 24-ship blockade of the York and James Rivers, cutting off the British escape route. Washington and General Marquis de Lafayette had a combined force of 14,000 men surrounding 8,300 entrenched British.
Both sides fired cannons, with the British abandoning their outer defenses. The Americans and French quickly assumed those positions and renewed their attack on October 9, with Washington firing the first shot. He insisted they continue to fire through the night so the British couldn’t make repairs. In the following days, the American troops captured British redoubts, including Redoubts 9 and 10, and surrounded their forces. On October 17, eight thousand men – about one quarter of all British troops in America – laid down their arms.
Today, the Yorktown Battlefield National Historical Park preserves these critical sites, where visitors can explore the redoubts, walk the battlefield, and reflect on the courage and tactical genius that led to American independence. Redoubt 9 is featured on a 2025 Revolutionary War Battlefields stamp commemorating the Battle of Yorktown.
US #5977m-o
2025 Battle of Yorktown
- Features an image of the British battlefield at Yorktown
- Part of Battlefields of the American Revolution set
- Honors the 250th Anniversary of the start of Revolutionary War
- Part of multiyear celebration of America’s 250th birthday
Stamp Category: Commemorative
Set: Battlefields of the American Revolution
Value: 73¢, First-Class mail rate (Forever)
First Day of Issue: April 16, 2025
First Day City: Concord, Massachusetts
Quantity Issued: 15,000,000
Printed by: Banknote Corporation of America
Printing Method: Offset/Flexographic
Format: Panes of 15
Why the stamp was issued: These stamps are part of a pane of 15 issued to commemorate five significant battles of the Revolutionary War and the 250th anniversary of the start of the war.
About the stamp design: The Battle of Yorktown stamps feature a photo of two British defenses that were overtaken by the Colonists and their French allies, and an original painting honoring the British surrender to the Colonial Army.
Each battlefield is portrayed using a modern photograph of the site, along with an illustration of the battle spanning two stamps. US Postal Service art director Derry Noyes chose Greg Harlin to illustrate the battle scenes using watercolor paintings.
First Day City: The First Day of Issue ceremony took place at Minute Man National Historical Park in Concord, Massachusetts. This is the site of the opening battle of the American Revolution.
About the Battlefields of the American Revolution Set: The American Revolution was defining struggle that tested the courage and resolve of the colonies in their quest for independence. From the first shots fired in Massachusetts to the final surrender in Virginia, these battles were the baptism of fire in which a new nation was forged.
Lexington and Concord (April 19, 1775) ignited the war when Briths troops clashed with colonial militia. The “shot heard ‘round the world” at Lexington was followed by a colonial victory at Concord, Marking the start of open rebellion. At Bunker Hill (June 17, 1775), despite losing the battle, the Americans showed they could stand up to the British. The costly British victory demonstrated the resolve of the colonial forces and made them realize the war would not be easily won.
After leading a late-night crossing of the Delaware River, Washington commanded his troops in a daring attack on a Hessian garrison in Trenton on December 26, 1776. A turning point of the war, it boosted American morale and reinvigorated the Revolution. The Battle of Saratoga (1777) was a decisive win that convinced France to formally ally with America, strengthening the colonial cause. Finally, at Yorktown (1781), Washington’s forces, with French support, forced British General Cornwallis to surrender, effectively ending the war and securing American independence.
History the stamp represents: In the fall of 1781, forces converged for the final major land battle of the American Revolution at Yorktown, Virginia. After three weeks of tough fighting, the combined American and French force claimed one of the most important victories of the war.
British forces occupied Yorktown beginning in early August. In response, General George Washington moved his troops to surround the city. By the time the battle began on September 28, the French Admiral de Grasse had established a 24-ship blockade of the York and James Rivers, cutting off the British escape route. Washington and General Marquis de Lafayette had a combined force of 14,000 men surrounding 8,300 entrenched British.
Both sides fired cannons, with the British abandoning their outer defenses. The Americans and French quickly assumed those positions and renewed their attack on October 9, with Washington firing the first shot. He insisted they continue to fire through the night so the British couldn’t make repairs. In the following days, the American troops captured British redoubts, including Redoubts 9 and 10, and surrounded their forces. On October 17, eight thousand men – about one quarter of all British troops in America – laid down their arms.
Today, the Yorktown Battlefield National Historical Park preserves these critical sites, where visitors can explore the redoubts, walk the battlefield, and reflect on the courage and tactical genius that led to American independence. Redoubt 9 is featured on a 2025 Revolutionary War Battlefields stamp commemorating the Battle of Yorktown.