USPS announces Stamp Encore contest winner

BOSTON, May 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Today at the Boston 2026 World Exposition, the Postal Service announced the winner of its Stamp Encore contest: the Mister Rogers stamp from 2018. To celebrate the organization's 250th anniversary, and gear up to celebrate the country's 250th anniversary, the public was invited to vote on their favorite of 25 stamp panes from the Postal Service's recent past.

The Mister Rogers stamp was re-issued — along with a new, four-image Mister Rogers souvenir sheet — in a ceremony as part of the exposition's favorite stamp theme day. The stamps and souvenir sheet are exclusively on sale at the Boston 2026 Expo through May 30, and will then be available at Post Office locations nationwide and online at The Postal Store starting June 1.

"When we issued the Mister Rogers stamp in 2018, we ordered a print run of some 12 million. That may sound like a lot, but Mister Rogers really took us by surprise," said Isaac Cronkhite, the Postal Service's chief processing and distribution officer and executive vice president. "Within just a few weeks, the stamps honoring this humble, softspoken man had sold out completely."

"Fred Rogers often shared the idea that 'You are not just the age you are. You are all the ages you ever have been.' In this context, I believe the Mister Rogers stamp resonated with the child in each of us — and the children and former children who cast so many votes," Cronkhite said, linking the positive public response to how Rogers addressed childhood insecurities in a calm, reassuring manner that helped viewers feel safe in a sometimes-frightening world. "Although his show allowed him to speak to millions, his gift was communicating in a way that spoke directly to each child, on subjects both serious and silly," he said. "He showed tremendous respect and compassion for everyone and knew how to nurture the best in all of us. It seems especially fitting that Mister Rogers is the winner because Fred Rogers was a passionately loyal postal customer and a huge advocate for the power of mail."

"Fred Rogers considered the space between the television set and a viewer to be 'holy ground,'" said Emma Lee, Director of the Fred Rogers Institute. "The mail children sent to Mister Rogers, and his letters back, became an essential extension of that sacred connection. Reissuing this stamp beautifully honors the enduring ties he built with his television friends."

"Celebrating Fred Rogers' legacy as the Stamp Encore honoree during such a historic year for our nation is a profound privilege," said Paul Siefken, President and CEO of Fred Rogers Productions. "When people use this stamp, we hope it serves as a small, daily reminder of Fred's enduring belief in the inherent worth of every human being."

The Stamp Encore competition gave the public 10 weeks to vote on their favorite stamp by mail, in-person at first-day-of-issue ceremonies and online. Over 500,000 votes were received, with the Mister Rogers stamp securing the win by more than 40,000 votes over the next highest contender.

Fred McFeely Rogers was born on March 20, 1928, in Latrobe, PA. Envisioning the potential for creating quality programming for children, Rogers helped found the educational television station WQED in Pittsburgh in 1953. There, Rogers co-produced "The Children's Corner," a 1-hour show for which he was musical composer, organist and puppeteer. In 1963 Rogers was hired by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation to host a daily children's television show, "Mister Rogers." He shortly thereafter began to produce a half-hour version of the show for WQED. The following year, several East Coast public television stations aired the program, which was later renamed "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood."

Every episode of "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood" began with Mister Rogers welcoming the audience into his television house as he put on his trademark cardigan, changed into sneakers, and then introduced the day's topic. The show featured a Trolley visit to "The Neighborhood of Make-Believe," where the personalities and interactions of many characters helped impart real-life lessons. Rogers addressed young children's concerns and emotions, helping them to feel good about who they were, to appreciate others, and foster curiosity about the world.

After the announcement of the Stamp Encore competition last July, the city of Pittsburgh campaigned for the stamp to make a comeback. Social media posts highlighting the potential return earned over 20,000 likes and shares, and even more votes. Rogers' influence can still be seen today in the award-winning PBS KIDS series "Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood," produced by Fred Rogers Productions and featuring characters based on those from the original "Neighborhood of Make-Believe."

Derry Noyes, an art director for USPS, designed the stamp. "It's all about the man, and his universal appeal, which will carry on," Noyes said, "The best I can do as a graphic designer is to portray him clearly, straightforward, without special gimmicks, just as he would have wanted."

The original stamp features Walt Seng's photograph of Rogers in a red cardigan and includes King Friday XIII, a puppet character hailing from "The Neighborhood of Make-Believe." To mark the occasion, Noyes also designed a Mister Rogers souvenir sheet with four new stamps, featuring additional images by Seng with other characters from the "Neighborhood," a fitting keepsake to further honor Rogers.

USPS has produced several exclusive Boston 2026 Exposition products featuring Mister Rogers. In addition to the Fred Rogers souvenir sheet, there is a writing kit, a premium stamp pin, a Field Notes memo pad and many more. All show exclusive products will be available online at The Postal Store starting June 1.

The Mister Rogers stamps are being issued as Forever stamps in a pane of 20. The Mister Rogers souvenir sheet is being issued as Forever stamps in a pane of four. These Forever stamps will always be equal in value to the current First-Class Mail 1-ounce rate.

News of the stamps is being shared with the hashtag #StampEncore.

Postal Products
Customers may purchase stamps and other philatelic products through The Postal Store at usps.com/shopstamps, by calling 844-737-7826, by mail through USA Philatelic, or at Post Office locations nationwide. For officially licensed stamp products, shop the USPS Officially Licensed Collection on Amazon. Additional information on stamps, first-day-of-issue ceremonies and stamp-inspired products can be found at stampsforever.com.

Please Note: The United States Postal Service is an independent federal establishment, mandated to be self-financing and to serve every American community through the affordable, reliable and secure delivery of mail and packages to more than 170 million addresses six and often seven days a week. Overseen by a bipartisan Board of Governors, the Postal Service is celebrating its 250th year of service to customers amidst a network modernization plan aimed at restoring long-term financial sustainability, improving service, and maintaining the organization as one of America's most valued and trusted brands.

The Postal Service generally receives no tax dollars for operating expenses and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations.

For USPS media resources, including broadcast-quality video and audio and photo stills, visit the USPS Newsroom. Follow us on X, formerly Twitter; Facebook; Instagram; Pinterest; Threads; and LinkedIn. Subscribe to the USPS YouTube Channel. For more information about the Postal Service, visit usps.com and facts.usps.com.

National Contact: James McKean
jim.mckean@usps.gov
usps.com/news

Local contact: Mark Lawrence
Mark.E.Lawrence@usps.gov
usps.com/news

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SOURCE U.S. Postal Service