U.S. #2967/5060
1995-2016 Legends of Hollywood
· Own the complete 20-stamp Legends of Hollywood Series
Stamp Category: Commemorative
Series: Legends of Hollywood
Value: 32¢-47¢, rate for first-class mail
First Days of Issue: June 1, 1995 – April 18, 2016
Format: Panes of 20 in sheets of 120
Why the stamps were issued: To honor some of Hollywood’s most memorable stars from the Golden Age of Hollywood
About the Legends of Hollywood Series: Following the success of the 1993 Elvis Presley stamp, postal officials wanted to do another stamp featuring a charismatic star that could have similar appeal to stamp collectors and fans alike. They chose Marilyn Monroe and would launch a large campaign to promote the stamp saying, “She’s as gorgeous on a tiny stamp as she was on the giant screen.” While the stamp proved popular, it wasn’t without its critics, who opposed her appearance on stamp. Some claimed it “trivializes our history” and was inappropriate. But the supporters far outweighed the detractors, and stamp marked the first in a popular and long-running series.
The Legends of Hollywood Series continued in 1996 with a stamp honoring James Dean. That stamp and future issues followed the same format as the Marilyn stamp, with a painting of each star and their signature on the stamp as well as selvage art and a brief write-up about their career. While the Marilyn stamp sheet used an enlarged version of the stamp image, the rest of the sheets in the series would use different portraits on the stamp and in the selvage. Over the years, several of the stamps were issued on the stars’ birthdays, and often in Los Angeles or other cities relevant to each star. By the time the series ended in 2016, it had honored 20 stars.
This convenient set is the best and quickest way to get all 20 Legends of Hollywood stamps. You can read about each star below…
US #2967 – 1995 32¢ Marilyn Monroe
US #3082 – 1996 32¢ James Dean
US #3152 – 1997 32¢ Humphrey Bogart
US #3226 – 1998 32¢ Alfred Hitchcock
US #3329 – 1999 33¢ James Cagney
US #3446 – 2000 33¢ Edward G. Robinson
US #3523 – 2001 34¢ Lucille Ball
US #3692 – 2002 37¢ Cary Grant
US #3786 – 2003 37¢ Audrey Hepburn
US #3876 – 2004 37¢ John Wayne
US #3911 – 2005 37¢ Henry Fonda
US #4077 – 2006 39¢ Judy Garland
US #4197 – 2007 41¢ James Stewart
US #4350 – 2008 42¢ Bette Davis
US #4421 – 2009 44¢ Gary Cooper
US #4461 – 2010 44¢ Katharine Hepburn
US #4526 – 2011 44¢ Gregory Peck
US #4892 – 2014 49¢ Charlton Heston
US #5012 – 2015 49¢ Ingrid Bergman
US #5060 – 2016 47¢ Shirley Temple