Did you know Series (21): "Forever Stamps": A Stamp Series commemorating the 150th Anniversary of the US Civil War 1861-1865:

Did you know Series (21): Forever Stamps: A Stamp Series commemorating the 150^th Anniversary of  the US Civil War 1861-1865:

Forever Stamps: Concept and Introduction:

In 1989, the United Kingdom first issued non- denominated postage for domestic mail to skirt the incidence of fast changing postal rates. The Royal Mail issued “non-value indicated” (NVI) Machins using textual inscriptions “1^st” & “2^nd” to indicate the class of service the stamps denoted (Machin series of postage stamps is the main definitive series in the United Kingdom used since 05.06.1967. These stamps were designed by Arnold Machin and have on them the sculpted profile of the Queen with a denomination and are always in a single colour. Machin had also designed the Queen’s bust which was used on British coinage for some time).

These stamps are special in the sense that one buys them at the current first class postage rate, but the stamps remain valid even though the rate may rise in future.

If it is assumed that postal rates will always rise and never go down, then these stamps make for an attractive investment opportunity.

Forever stamps or non-denominated postage (NDP) or Non Value Indicator (NVI) stamps are, therefore, intended to meet a certain postage rate which retains full validity for that intended postage even after the rate is increased. As such, it does not show a monetary value or denomination on the face.

This type of stamp was conceptualized so as to reduce the cost of printing large issues of low value stamps and to “top up” old issues.

In 1995, the “Universal Postal Union” granted approval for the use of non-denominated stamps on international mail.

Since then several countries worldwide have introduced NVI stamps including in Canada, Ireland, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Singapore, Russia, Scandinavia – Finland, Sweden, USA etc.

In Canada, NVI stamps are called “Permanent stamps” but sale of such stamps has been withdrawn from 31.03.2014.

 In Ireland, these are denominated as “N” stamps.

In the Netherlands NVI stamps meant for use in Europe are marked “Europa”, while those for foreign countries are marked “Wereld (meaning “World”).

 In Russia, the NVI stamps are marked “A” for regular domestic post, “B” for postcards and “D” for Registered Mail.

In Finland NVI stamps are called “ikimerkki”.

In Sweden, NVI stamps are called “valorlosa frimarken” and designated as “Brev” (first class overnight delivery), “Ekonomibrev” (second class domestic delivery), “Foreningsbrev” (delivery for non-profit organizations etc).

Hedging of Costs – the profitable Equation for both the Forever stamp buyers & the US Postal Service. How do Forever stamps benefit the users as well as the Postal Office – An example:

Thus, the Forever stamps act as a hedging risk cover against rising costs of stamps at a future date as well as provide a good investment opportunity, apart from being attractive collector’s items.

The stamps given in this article depicting the US Civil War of 1862 cost $0.49 each in 2014. The cost of such stamps in 2013 was $0.46. Thus, those customers who bought Forever Stamps in 2013 at $0.46 can still use their 2013 Forever Stamps to stamp First Class Mail without adding any additional postage to their letters.

Also, as time passes, the Forever Stamps would gain in value as collector’s items. On the flip side the US Postal Service saves up on the costs of printing and stocking up/warehousing very large volumes/numbers of postage stamps, which entail enormous costs.

Historically, too, the Postal rates in the US went down only in 1919, almost a century ago, when the cost of mailing an envelope went down from 3 cents to 2 cents.

The USA experience:

In 2006, the US Postal Service mulled and sought permission to issue “Forever stamps” for first class postage.

On 26.03.2007 commenced the Forever stamps project and the first Forever stamp was put on sale on 12.04.2007 for 41 cents or USD 0.41 featuring the “Liberty Bell”.

On 21.10.2010, the second Forever stamp went up on sale featuring pinecones on evergreen trees, which was issued for the Christmas season.

Some fund-raising stamps (semi-postal stamps), for example, the breast cancer research stamp        was issued in 1998, under this category.

Some Forever Stamps issued by the US Postal Service over recent years include: Rosa Parks Stamps, sealed with Love Stamps, Emancipation Proclamation Stamps, 2013 Year of the snake stamps, Major :eague Baseball All-Stars stamps, Celebrate scouting stamps, Ronald Reagan stamps, Mark Twain stamps,2012 Year of the Dragon stamps, Poinsettia Stamps, Johnny Cash stamps, The War of 1812:Battle of Lake Erie stamps, Ray Charles stamps, the Star Spangled Banner stamps, Ferns Forever stamps, Charlton Heston stamps etc.

The US Civil War 1862:

1)   The Build-up to the Civil War:

By 1830s sectional lines were steadily hardening on the slavery question. Abolitionist feeling grew stronger in the northern states. Around this time a free-soil movement which opposed the extension of slavery into the regions not yet organized as states was taking shape.

By 1840s, the southerners had become firmly entrenched in the belief that slavery was a heritage for which they were no more responsible than for their other immemorial heritage, viz., their English speech, their representative institutions and their ideas & customs. In some areas, slavery had been happening for well over two centuries with slaves working on their sugar, cotton plantations etc.

 Some slaves now well into their fifth & sixth generations had acquired the speech, skills, preconceptions and religious & social ideas of the white folk and numbered as much as half their population, while in the North they numbered an insignificant fraction.

Many Southern plantation owners had learnt to treat their slaves with indulgence, nevertheless, there were instances of heartless cruelty, including breaking up of families.

Meanwhile, the abolitionists formulated an anti-slavery movement which involved helping escaping slaves, under cover of night to safe refuges in the North or over the border into Canada, which was known as the “Underground Railroad”, which was an elaborate network of secret routes for the fugitives all over north-west territory. It is estimated that in Ohio alone, more than 40000 fugitive slaves were assisted to freedom from 1830 to 1860.

A point to note is that despite the involvement of the active abolitionists to make slavery a question of conscience for every man & woman, the northerners as a whole held aloof from participatimg in the anti-slavery movement.

In 1850, the “Compromise of 1850” was adopted by the Congress, which inter alia, set in place a new “Fugitive Slave Law” for a more effective machinery to be established for catching runaway slaves and returning them to their masters. At the same time, it abolished the slave trade, but not slavery, in the District of Columbia. Till 1953, this compromise on the surface seemed to settle all differences. Nevertheless, the Northerners were deeply offended the Northerners who refused to have any part in catching slaves.

Opinion for and against slavery was fiercely divided.

By 1858, Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas engaged in a series of seven debates one against and the other for slavery respectively. Lincoln said “A house divided against itself cannot stand. I believe this government cannot endure permanently half slave and half free. I do not expect the Union to be dissolved, I do not expect the house to fall, but I do expect it will cease to be divided”.

Several literary personalities, including the poets Whittier, Lowell, Byrant, Emerson and Longfellow expressed their hatred of slavery with powerful effect.

A preacher’s daughter Harriet Beecher Stowe’s “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” caused a sensation which showed how inseparable cruelty was from slavery and how fundamentally irreconcilable were free and slave societies.

 By 1861, the Southern States had formed the Confederate States of America.

2)   The Civil War:

War drums were beating in every town and village and everywhere young men rushed to arms. Few foresaw the horror and magnitude of the struggle.

The industrial superiority of the north even exceeded its preponderance in manpower. Unlike the rural South, the northern states had abundant facilities for the manufacture of arms and ammunition, clothing and supplies. The rapid spread of rail mileage in the north contributed to federal military successes. The Confederacy on the other hand was a compact, well watered territory. Since the fighting was on its own soil, it could protect its military front with a minimum of exertion and upon a smaller war budget than the north.

The War was fought on three main theatres – the Sea, the Mississippi valley and the eastern seaboard states.

At the beginning of the conflict, practically the whole navy was in Union hands but it was scattered and weak. It quickly regrouped and Lincoln announced a blockade of the southern coast.

By 1863, although its effects were at first negligible, the blockade completely prevented shipments of cotton to Europe and importation of munitions, clothing and medical supplies which the south badly needed.

Meanwhile, a brilliant naval commander, David Farragut, conducted two remarkable naval operations. In one, he took a Union Fleet into the mouth of the Mississippi and forced the surrender of the largest southern city, New Orleans. In another engagement, he made his way past the fortified entrance of Mobile Bay, captured a Confederate vessel and sealed up the port. The Navy had served the Union cause well.

The Union campaign under General Ulysses S. Grant in the Mississippi valley was going well with several Confederate strongholds being captured. However, in Virginia, the Union troops met with several reverses with the Confederate campaigns being led by Generals Robert E. Lee and Thomas J. (Stonewall) Jackson.

The tide turned against the Confederates, when under President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation, which freed the slaves and several of them joined the Army on his invitation to fight the Confederacy. At a hard fought battle at Chancellorsville, Stonewall Jackson was killed but the victory encouraged Robert E. Lee to press forward.

Several hard fought battles ensued, including one at Anteitam which registered the highest number of casualties in one day on both sides, leading to a Confederate withdrawal to their own soil and at Gettysburg where, in three days of hard fought battles, the highest number of casualties on both sides in any theater were recorded, put paid to Lee’s plans to subdue the North.

The blockade of southern states had become an iron cordon which very few vessels pierced.

The Confederacy was reaching the end of its resources and the slaves deserted their plantations and Southern masters in droves, reaching out to the North for enlisting themselves in the Federal/Union armies or living in the “Land of the Free”. The northern states on the other hand seemed more prosperous than ever, their mills & factories running at full steam, their farms exporting bumper crops to Europe, their manpower being restored by immigration.

The Union Armies relentlessly pressed forward, fighting off determined Confederate resistance at several points. 

 Bringing to a close the four year conflict between the North and the South, General Robert E. Lee of the Confederacy surrenders to General Ulysses S. Grant of the Union Army at Appomattox Court House, Virginia on 09.04.1865. This & the following B&W pictures are from "An outline of American History" kept in the library of  my late father Dr. J.N. Prasad and presently in my collection.

On April 9^th 1865, General Robert E. Lee surrendered to General Ulysses S. Grant at Virginia. The terms of surrender were magnanimous. On his return from the surrender conference, Grant quieted the noisy demonstrations of his soldiers by reminding them “The rebels are our countrymen again”.

At the final count, 23 states had lined up for the abolitionist’s (Northerner’s cause) comprising a population of 22,000,000 and 11 states sided up with the Confederacy, comprising a population of 9,000,000.

A total of 800,000 soldiers (approx.) fought on the side of the Confederacy, while about 2,000,000 soldiers (approx.), of them about 300,000 freed slaves fought on the side of the Union Army.

The Civil War was the most devastating conflict in American history, which claimed the lives of more than 620,000 soldiers and brought about vast changes in the country.

Two schools of thought had clashed against each other – one which stood for liberty for all human beings and the other which felt that it was a hereditary right to trample the liberty of fellow human beings. It was therefore a foregone conclusion that the school of thought which stood for liberty for all men and women won the day, and history has judged theirs to be the righteous way.

Lincoln in his second inaugural address said “With malice towards none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right, as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in; to bind up the nation’s wounds; to care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow, and for his orphan to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations”.

 A few weeks later, Lincoln delivered his last public address in which he went on to unfold his Reconstruction policy – the most generous terms towards a helpless opponent ever offered by a victor.

While Lincoln was the undisputed hero of the North holding steadfastly to the cause of Freedom of the Slaves, General Robert E. Lee was the undisputed hero of the Confederate’s “Lost Cause”.

General Lee by virtue of his power of organization, his meticulous attention to details, his daring and fine presence, the confidence & devotion he commanded from his troops. The brilliance of Lee’s leadership, his humanity throughout the conflict and his grandeur in defeat aroused admiration. In the five years he survived the War, he devoted himself to the restoration of the south in economic, cultural and political fields and urged the people to become loyal partners in national reconstruction with their former enemies.

The above is a memorial stone which I found at El Mina Slave Castle during my trip to Ghana, West Africa, in February 2013. The link to my impressions of the horrors undergone by the slaves both men and women while being incarcerated in El Mina Castle, before being shipped to their final destinations in Europe and the new colonies are detailed in a separate article on our blog “Footloose”, link as follows: Colours of Africa: A trip to El Mina Slave castle in Ghana West Africa

Commemorating the 150^th Anniversary of the US Civil War 1861-1865:

In 2011, the US Postal Service launched a stamp series to commemorate the 150^th Anniversary of the Civil War, which engulfed the nation from 1861 to 1865, paying tribute to the American experience during this War. A souvenir sheet of two stamp designs is being issued each year of the War from 2011 to 2015. The stamps depict iconic images of Civil War battles.

Stamps issued in 2011:

The Series of Stamps commemorating the 150^th Anniversary of the Civil War began in 2011.

The Battle of Fort Sumter stamp is a reproduction of a Cerrier & Ives lithograph, 1861, titled “Bombardment of Fort Sumter; Charleston Harbour.”

On 12.04.1861, a thunderous explosion broke the silence over Charleston Harbour. Confederates firing upon Fort Sumter began the Civil War.

(The Battle of Fort Sumter fought on 12-14 April 1861, in the State of South Carolina, resulted in a Confederate victory. Beauregard took Charleston Fort, this being the first battle of the American Civil War).

The First Battle of Bull Run stamp is a reproduction of a 1964 painting by Sidney E. King titled “The capture of Rickett’s Battery.” This painting is a depiction of the fierce fighting on Henry Hill over an important Union Battery during the Battle of First Bull Run.

(The First Battle of Bull Run or “First Manassas” fought on 21 July 1861,  in the State of Virginia, resulted in a Confederate victory. McDowell lost to J.E. Johnston, Beauregard & Jackson who was called “Stonewall” after this battle).

The stamp sheet’s background photograph shows a Union Regiment assembled near Falls Church, Virginia, 1861.

The stamp sheet carries comments on the War by Frederick Douglass, Abraham Lincoln, Thomas J. “Stonewall” Jackson and Robert E. Lee. It also includes some of the lyrics used during the Civil War in “Johnny is gone for a soldier”, a song dating back at least to the Revolutionary War.

Issue date: April 12, 2011.

Issue city: Charleston, SC.

Stamps issued in 2012:

The 10 stamp sheet includes two Forever stamps depicting prominent battles of the US Civli War- the Battle of New Orleans & the Battle of Antietam

The Battle of New Orleans stamp is a reproduction of an 1862 coloured lithograph by Currier & Ives titled “The Splendid Naval Triumph on the Mississippi, April 24^th, 1862”.

(The Battle of New Orleans was fought on 25^th April to 1^st May 1862 in the State of Louisiana. The capture of New Orleans was a major victory for the Union. It placed the Confederacy’s most vital port in Union hands – affecting southern trade, finance and ship-building). 

The Battle of Antietam stamp is a reproduction of an 1887 painting by Thure de Thulstrup, which was from a series of popular prints commissioned in the 1880s by Boston publisher Louis Prang & Co. to commemorate the War showing the Union advance.

 Soon after the crucial Battle of Antietam, Lincoln visited the Union General McCellan at his Field Headquarters for a conference on the war's progress.

(The Battle of Antietam (or the Battle of Sharpsburg) fought on 17 September 1862 near Sharpsburg, Maryland and Antietam Creek, was one of the most important military operations of the Civil War.

 The Confederates under Lee fought a Union Army two times their size (75000 Union soldiers as against 38000 Confederate troops) and inflicted more casualties on the Union Army than their own. However, due to their vastly depleted numbers, the Confederates withdrew to their own territories, leaving the battle-field to the Union army which claimed a “technical” victory.

This battle claimed the largest casualties on one day in any engagement during the Civil War – on the Union side: 12401 of which 12401 killed, 9540 wounded and 753 captured or missing in action, while on the Confederate side: 10316 casualties, of which 1546 killed, 7752 wounded and 1018 captured or missing in action.

 Aside from forestalling foreign recognition of the Confederate states, the battle gave a tremendous boost to Northern morale. Antietam emboldened Lincoln to issue the preliminary Emancipation Proclamation, announcing his decision to free the slaves in the areas of rebellion).

 The souvenir stamp sheet includes comments on the War by David G. Farragut, James C. Steele, Walt Whitman & the New York Times. It also carries some of Charles Carroll Sawyer’s lyrics from the popular 1862 song “Weeping, Sad and Lonely” which is also known as “When this cruel War is over” (music composed by Henry Tucker).

The issue date of these stamps is 24.04.2012.

Stamps issued in 2013:

The Battle of Gettysburg stamp depicts an iconic image from the biggest battle of the Civil War. This stamp is a reproduction of an 1887 chromolithograph by Thure de Thulstrup, a Swedish born artist who became an illustrator for Harper’s Weekly after the Civil War. 

Thulstrop’s work was one of a series of popular prints commissioned in the 1880s by Boston publisher Louis Prang & Co. to commemorate the Civil War.

(The Battle of Gettysburg fought between 01-03 July 1863, in the State of Pennsylvania, resulted in a Union victory, with Lee losing to Meade. Pickett’s charge failed and this Battle ended the second invasion of the North. The Confederate Army arrived in Gettysburg to resupply their troops, but were unaware that the Union Army was nearby catching them by surprise.

Over three days of heavy fighting losses suffered on both sides were the highest in any engagement in the Civil War). 

The Battle of Vicksburg stamp is a reproduction of an 1863 lithograph by Currier & Ives titled “Admiral Porter’s Fleet Running the Rebel Blockade of the Mississippi at Vicksburg, April 16^th, 1863”.

The souvenir sheet includes comments on the war by Abraham Lincoln, Clara Barton, Rufus R. Dawes (a Union soldier), and William Tunnard (a Confederate soldier). It includes some of the lyrics of “Lorena” a popular Civil War song by Henry D.L. Webster and Joseph P. Webster.

These stamps were issued on 23^rd May 2013.

Posted on 18.07.2013:

Stamps issued in 2014:

The Petersburg Campaign stamp is a reproduction of a painting dated 1892, by J.Andre Castaigne.

 The Battle of Mobile Bay Stamp is a reproduction of a painting by Julian Oliver Davidson, published in 1886 by Louis Prang & Co.

The Battle of Petersburg: (15.06.1864 – 18.06.1865):

This stamp depicts the 22^nd United States Coloured Troops engaged in the June 15-18, 1864 assault on Petersburg, Virginia, at the beginning of the Petersburg campaign.

The First Battle of Petersburg, Virginia, fought on 09.06.1864, had resulted in a Confederate victory in which Beauregard had defeated Butler. The second Battle of Petersburg fought on 15-18, 1864 resulted in a Confederate victory too in which Lee outwitted Grant at the back door of Richmond. The combatants: Union: Commanders: Ulysses S. Grant & George Meade. Confederacy: Robert E. Lee and PGT Beauregard. Combatant strength: Union: 13700- 62000 men (with reinforcements pouring in every day), Confederacy: 5400 – 38000 men (with reinforcements). Casualties: Union: 11,386 (1688 killed, 8513 wounded & 1185 captured or missing) Confederacy: 4000 (200 killed, 2900 wounded & 900 captured or missing). The failure of the Union Army to defeat the Confederates in the actions during this battle resulted in the start of the ten-month long Siege of Petersburg.

The Battle of Mobile Bay (05.08.1864):

 This stamp depicts Admiral David G. Farragut’s fleet at the Battle of Mibile Bay (Alabama) on 05.08.1864.

The Battle of Mobile Bay lasted from 02.08.1864 to 23.08.1864 and resulted in a Union victory with David Farragut taking the port. The combatants: Union: Commanders: David Farragut (Navy), Gordon Granger (Army). Confederacy: Franklin Buchanan (Navy), Richard Lucian Page (Army). Strength: Union: 12 wooden ships, 2 gunboats, 4 ironclad monitors and 5500 men.  Confederacy: 3 gunboats, 1 ironclad and 1500 men. The casualties on the Union side were 151 men killed and 177 wounded, with 1 ironclad sunk. The casualties on the Confederacy side were 13 killed and 22 wounded, with 1 gunboat sunk and 1 captured alongwith an ironclad. Though the Confederate defenders fought hard on both sea and ground, the numerical superiority on the Union side, both in men & materials, greatly helped the Union victory resulting in the capture of Alabama and completely blockading the region.

The Art Director/Designer for these stamps is Phil Jordan. He has created the stamps using iconic images of the battles. 

For the background image on the souvenir sheet a photograph of Battery A, 2^nd US Coloured Artillery (Light) has been used from the Department of the Cumberland, 1864. The souvenir sheet also includes comments on the Civil War by Ulysses S. Grant, Jeremiah Tate, Harrie Webster and Howell Cobb. The sheet also contains some of the lyrics from the spiritual “O Mary, Don’t you Weep”.

These stamps have been released on 08.07.2014 by the US Postal Service (USPS). 

Posted on 29.09.2015:

Stamps issued in 2015:

This set of stamps has issued by the USPS in 2015, is the last to be issued in the Series of Stamps which were issued from 2011 onwards. The Civil War (1861-65) is the most heart-wrenching series of battles which ultimately claimed the lives of more than 620,000 soldiers and brought about sweeping changes within the USA.

 The  first stamp depicting the Battle of Five forks, near Petersburg, Virginia, which took place on 01.04.1885, while the second stamp depicts Confederate General Robert E. Lee’s surrender to Union General Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox Court House on 09.04.1885.

The Battle of Five Forks stamp is a reproduction of a painting by French Artist Paul Dominique Philippoteaux painted in 1885 while the Appomattox Court House stamp is a reproduction of the 1885 painting “Peace in the Union” by Thomas Nast.

The Battle of Five Forks: this battle is often called the “Waterloo of the Confederacy” and it was a decisive clash that led to the conclusion of the Civil War.

By March 1865, General Robert E. Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia was iso lated and exhausted after more than nine months in the trench lines holding back the forces of General Ulysses S. Grant at Petersburg. Grant ordered Union General Philip Sheridan to advance his cavalry towerds Pertersburg’s last remaining supply line, the south side Railroad, by way of Five Forks, so named because of a five-road intersection there.

With infantry support from the Fifth Corps under General Gouverneur Warren , Sherridan moved on 01.04.1885 to dislodge Confederate General George E. Pickett’s forces from their entrenched positions at Five Forks. Sherridan’s cavalry and Warren’s infantry uprooted Pickett’s badly outnumbered troops and smashed their lines of defence.

Both Richmond and Five forks fell into Union hands after the debacle of Five Forks. Grant sent Lee a note pointing out the “hopelessness of further resistance on the part of the army of Northern Virginia”.

On the morning of 09.04.2015, as Federal troops blocked his retreat south and west, Lee attempted to reach the railroad at Appomattox Station to receive supplies sent there from Lynchburg. When Confederate General John B, Gordon sent word that his attack on Union cavalry blocking the stage road had failed, Lee replied “ These is nothing left for me to do but to go and see General Grant and I would rather die a thousand deaths”.

At the Appomattox Court House:

Grant and Lee met later on 09.04.1885 at Appomattox Court House at the home of Wilmer McLean. Grant’s terms for surrender reflected President Abraham Lincoln’s views on avoiding vindictive conditions. He parolled the surrendered Confederates and allowed them to return to their homes, rather than face internment or the threat of trials for treason. At Lee’s request, Grant let his men keep their horses to put in a crop to carry themselves and their families through the next winter. Lee believed that this would “do much towards conciliating our people”.

Although other Confederate Armies remained in the field, the surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia – the force that had famously routed the Union Army of the Potomac at Manassas, Fredericksburg and Chancellorville – signalled an end to the Civil War.

For the background image on the souvenir sheet, a photograph of a number of Federal rifles stacked in the vicinity of Petersburg, Virginia, during the siege has been used.

The 12-stamp souvenir sheet includes comments on the war by Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr., Abraham Lincoln, Robert E. Lee and Union General Joshua L. Chamberlain. Also depicted on the souvenir sheet are lines parodying the lyrics of Patrick S. Gilmore’s famous Civil War song “When Johnny Comes Marching Home”.

The issue date of these stamps is 09.04.2015.

The Art director/Designer is Phil Jordan.

(These Forever Stamps are from the collection of Jayant Biswas. Stamps scanned and article researched and written by Rajeev Prasad)

Links:

1) America the Beautiful Quarters Programme - 2015

2) America the Beautiful Quarters Programme - 2014  

3) America the Beautiful Quarters Programme - 2013

4) America the Beautiful Quarters Programme - 2012

5) America the Beautiful Quarters Programme- 2011

6) America the Beautiful Quarters Programme - 2010

7) The Great Seal of the USA

8) State Commemorative Quarters Programme

9) Susan B. Anthony dollar

10) Native American Themed Dollars Programme

11) Westward Journey Nickels Programme

12) New $ 100 Bill with additional Security Features  

13) The Strange Case of me becoming a US citizen without even applying for it, thanks to the US Mint

14) US Bicentennial Coins 

15) Commemorating the 225th Anniversary of U.S. Marshals with coins

16) American Gold Buffalo Coins 

17)  American Gold Eagle Coins

18) America the Beautiful Quarters - 2016

Links to other Commemorative Stamps posts on Indian Stamps issued during 2016:

1)  Special India Post Cover  carried in a dedicated Hot Air Balloon flown during the II International Hot Air Balloon Festival held in Pollachi, Tamilnadu, released by Tamilnadu Circle of India Post

2) "Vibrant India": Postage Stamps issued by India Post on this theme

3) MAHAPEX held at Nasik from 16-18.01.16: (Part 1) Spl. Covers on Pandu Leni Caves and Smt. Kusum Dhirubhai Mehta released by Maharashtra Postal Circle on 16.01.2016 

4) MAHAPEX held at Nashik from 16-18.01.2016: (Part 2) Spl.Covers on Kalaram temple and Nashik "Grape City & Wine Capital of India" released by Maharashtra Postal Circle on 17.01.2016 

5) MAHAPEX held at Nashik from 16-18.01.16: (Part 3) Spl. Covers on "Nashik Dhol" and "Dr. Anand Gopalrao Joshi" released by Maharashtra postal Circle on 18.01.2016 

6) International Fleet Review - 2016 (IFR - 16) held at Vishakhapatnam from 04.02.16 to 08.02.16: Commemorative Postage stamps issued by India Post 

Links to other Commemorative Stamps posts on Indian Stamps issued during 2014 and 2015:

1) 2014 FIFA World Cup held in Brazil - A set of four stamps issued by India Post.

2) Commemorative Stamps on "Swachh Bharat" Mission

3) Commemorative Stamps on "Project Rukmini"

4) Commemorative Stamps on "Indian Ocean & Rajenda Chola I"

5) International Day of Yoga - "Commemorative Stamps & Coins" 

6) India-France - 50 Years of Space Co-operation - Commemorative Stamps

7) Commemorative Stamps on 50 years (Golden Jubilee) of "Engineers India Limited"

8) Bicentenary of the "Old Theological Seminary" (OTS) Kottayam, Kerala

9) Commemorative stamps issued on Nabakalabera (Jagannath Temple, Puri)

10) Commemorative stamps issued on an Indian Game called "Sagol Kangjei" originated in Manipur, from which Polo was adapted all over the World  

11) Samrat Ashok - Commemorative Stamps issued on the legendary Emperor of Ancient India 

12) Women Empowerment - Commemorative Stamps

13) Baba Amte - Commemorative Stamps 

14) Did You Know Series (4): A sample of the beautiful stamps brought out by Department of Posts, India 

15) 10th World Hindi Conference held at Bhopal - Commemorative Stamps issued by Department of Posts India

16) 50th Anniversary of the 1965 Indo-Pak War: Commemorative stamps issued by Department of Posts, India. 

17) Commemorating the 125th Anniversary of the Birth of Dr. B.R. Ambedker by Department of Posts, India with a stamp titled "Dr B.R. Ambedkar and the Indian Constitution" 

18) The "Charkha" or the Spinning Wheel: Commemorative stamps issued by the Department of Posts, India 

19) Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam - Commemorative Stamp issued by the Department of Posts, India 

20) 50th Anniversary of the Border Security Force (BSF): Commemorative Stamp issued by the Department of Posts, India 

21) 3rd India- Africa Forum Summit at New Delhi - Commemorative Stamps issued by Department of Posts, India 

22) Commemorating the Golden Jubilee of Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL): Commemorative Stamps issued by India Post.

23) Commemorating the Bicentenary of the Raising Day of the First and Third Gorkha Rifles: Commemorative stamps issued by India Post.  

24) India-Singapore Joint issue: 50 Years of Bilateral Relationship: Two Commemorative Stamps issued by India-Post. 

25) Celebrating 60 years (Golden Jubilee) of EEPC India: Commemorative stamps issued by India Post. 

26) Centenary of the setting up of the Zoological Survey of India: Commemorative stamps issued by India Post 

27) Celebrating Children's Day on November 14th - Commemorative Stamps issued by India Post. 

28) Musicians of India - Commemorating Classical Musicians of India by issue of Stamps by India Post. 

29) Sumitranandan Pant (poet and writer) : Commemorative postage stamps issued on him by India Post 

30) Golden Jubilee of the Establishment of the IDSA, New Delhi: Commemorative stamps issued by India Post 

31) 100 Years of Return of Mahatma Gandhi to India in 1915: Commemorative postage stamps issued by India Post 

32) Commemorating Alugumuthu Kone, one of the first Freedom Fighters against the British: Commemorative Stamps issued by India Post

List of Commemorative Stamps Posts on stamps issued in 2013: 

1) Commemorative Postage stamps on the "Wild Flowers of India" issued by India Post.

2) 100 Years of Indian Cinema: 50 commemorative stamps issued by India Post. 

List of Commemorative Stamps Posts  on Stamps issued in 2011:

1) Commemorative Postage Stamp of Rs.100/- issued on Mahatma Gandhi on Khadi Cloth for the first time ever by India Post.

List of Commemorative Stamps Posts  on Stamps issued in 2010:

1) Princely States of Indore, Sirmoor, Bamra and Cochin : Commemorative Stamps issued by India Post

List of Commemorative Stamps issued in 2007:

1) 2550 years of Mahaparinirvana of the Buddha: Commemorative stamps issued by India Post 

 Postage Stamps from Thailand depicting Buddhist Jataka Tales:

1) Thailand postage stamps commemorating Buddhist Jataka Tales & celebrating Magha Puja Day (Part I)

2) Thailand Post stamps commemorating Buddhist Jataka Tales & celebrating Asalha Puja Day (Part II)  

3) Thailand Post stamps commemorating Buddhist Jataka Tales & celebrating Visakha Puja Day (Part III)

4) Postage stamps from Thailand commemorating Buddhist Jataka Tales

Forever Stamps from United States Postal Service (USPS):

1) Forever Stamps: A Series of Stamps commemorating the "US Civil War 1861-1865"

Postage Stamps from the Bailiwick of Jersey: 

1) "Man of Steel": A Superman movie. Jersey post stamps commemorating a local lad Henry William Dalgliesh who played Superman in the Movie 

Postage Stamps from Gibraltar:

1) 800th Anniversary of the Magna Carta - the Universal guidepost/landmark in Liberty and Freedom: A miniature stamp sheet issued by the Gibraltar Philatelic Bureau