Sales of two first-of-their-kind stamps have soared recently, underscoring the success of the Postal Service’s efforts to innovate its stamp program.
The Have a Ball! stamps, which were released in June and have the look and feel of balls used in eight popular sports, sold more than 6.8 million stamps by the end of the month.
Another June release, Total Eclipse of the Sun, a stamp that changes when you touch it, sold more than 6.7 million stamps in its first few weeks.
“We’re always looking for new ways to make stamps interesting and collectable,” said Stamp Services Director Mary-Anne Penner. “We also appreciate the efforts of our employees, who have taken time to show these stamps to customers. We encourage employees to continue sharing these and our other stamps with customers.”
Each Have a Ball! stamp uses a special coating to simulate the texture of the ball it depicts, while the Total Eclipse stamp represents the first U.S. stamp application of thermochromic ink, the technology that makes the image transformation possible.
The stamps have also found fans on social media.
On Facebook, one customer who purchased the Total Eclipse stamp wrote, “I love mine! I want more.”
Another Facebook user shared enthusiasm for the Have a Ball! sheet: “Great new stamps, creativity and research! Go USPS!”