Add iconic American pop art and bold vintage romance to your letters with these vintage unused "Red LOVE" postage stamps from the USPS "Love" series! Featuring Robert Indiana’s instantly recognizable LOVE design with its tilted “O,” this colorful stamp is perfect for adding graphic art, mid-century style, vivid color, and an unmistakable message of affection to save-the-dates, wedding invitations, thank you cards, bridal shower invitations, engagement announcements, anniversary mailings, Valentine cards, and other snail mail. In pristine mint condition and valid for current postage use, each stamp holds a face value of 8-cents. These authentic USPS postage stamps are suitable for current mailing when used with the total required postage based on the weight of your mailing.

Purchase includes a total of TEN (10) mint condition "Red LOVE" 8-cent postage stamps shown in the product listing photos. These are NOT forever stamps — you must combine additional postage with this stamp to mail your correspondence according to current USPS postage rate requirements.

MORE VINTAGE LOVE SERIES STAMPS:
All Vintage Unused Love Series USPS Postage Stamps from Heritage Post House

STAMP INFORMATION:

• Stamp Name: Red LOVE
• Stamp Series: Love
• Year Issued: 1973
• Face Value: 8-cents (USD) per stamp
• Topic(s): Red LOVE, Robert Indiana, LOVE, Pop Art, American Art, Typography, Graphic Design, LOVE Sculpture, Love, Romance, Wedding, Valentine’s Day, Modern Art, USPS Love Series, USPS Special Stamps
• Color(s): Red, Green, Violet Blue, Multicolored
• Mailing Occasions: Wedding Invitations, Save-the-Dates, Art Lover Weddings, Pop Art Weddings, Colorful Weddings, Retro Weddings, Mid-Century Weddings, Bridal Shower Invitations, Engagement Announcements, Anniversary Cards, Valentine Mailings, Love Letters, Thank You Notes, Everyday Correspondence
• Printing Method: Photogravure
• Scott Number: 1475
• Adhesion Type: Gummed (see adhesion instructions below)
• Stamp Size: 25 x 40 mm / 1.00 × 1.56 in
• Condition: Genuine Unused USPS Postage Stamps, Ready to Use for USPS Mailings, Mint Condition

STAMP DESCRIPTION & HISTORY: The 1973 "Red LOVE" stamp features Robert Indiana’s iconic typographic design, with the letters arranged in a square and the “O” tilted at an angle. The United States Postal Service commissioned Indiana to adapt his celebrated LOVE artwork for a postage stamp after the design had already appeared in his art and on the Museum of Modern Art’s 1965 Christmas card. Issued on January 26, 1973, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania—the “City of Brotherly Love”—the 8-cent stamp paid the contemporary domestic First-Class letter rate. Printed by the Bureau of Engraving and Printing using photogravure, the stamp combined red, green, and violet blue in a compact graphic composition that became one of the most recognizable designs in American postal history. Although USPS originally promoted it as “A Special Stamp for Someone Special” rather than as the beginning of a formal series, its extraordinary popularity ultimately established the foundation for the enduring USPS Love series.

STAMP MEANING & SPIRITUAL SIGNIFICANCE: The "Red LOVE" stamp design carries direct themes of affection, connection, unity, passion, joy, and love expressed openly. Its simple four-letter message allows the stamp to communicate romance without relying on traditional flowers, birds, or sentimental imagery. The bold typography and vivid red emphasis create a confident celebration of love, making the stamp especially meaningful for wedding invitations, save-the-dates, engagements, anniversaries, Valentine correspondence, and thank you notes.

STAMP SERIES HISTORY: The USPS "Love" series traces its origins to this landmark 1973 issue. The Postal Service initially did not consider the stamp the beginning of a recurring series, instead describing it as “A Special Stamp for Someone Special.” Public response was exceptionally strong, with more than 300 million stamps printed, and customers continued requesting additional Love-themed issues. A second Love stamp appeared in 1982, and further designs followed throughout the decade. USPS eventually established Love as a continuing stamp series, using hearts, flowers, birds, typography, artwork, and other symbols of affection for weddings, anniversaries, Valentine’s Day, birthdays, and meaningful correspondence. Robert Indiana’s 1973 Red LOVE design remains the historic starting point for that tradition.

GENUINE USPS POSTAGE: These unused vintage postage stamps are perfectly valid for use as current postage for mailing with USPS as long as you use an adequate amount of additional postage to achieve standard postage rates according to the weight of your mailing. Check current postage rates on the USPS website.

GUMMED STAMPS: These postage stamps have a traditional moisture-activated gum on the back. These stamps require licking or wetting to adhere to envelopes or other surfaces. To ensure good adhesion, apply vintage gummed stamps to your mailings with a glue stick (we recommend using Elmer's "Re-Stick" glue sticks).

PROCESSING & SHIPPING: Orders are typically processed and shipped within 1-3 business days of placing your order. All orders are shipped from California — please allow additional time for transit.

QUESTIONS? We love hearing from our customers and replies to inquires are usually answered the same day. Need more of this stamp? Looking for a particular stamp not found on our website? Want a curated postage set for your special event? Contact us with questions about vintage postage stamps and our services…

VISIT MY MINTED STORE: Browse hundreds of vintage unused postage stamps and curated sets... https://www.minted.com/store/heritageposthouse

TELL YOUR STORY IN STAMPS: We’ve worked with hundreds of couples and their stationers to custom design highly stylized personalized postage sets based on our customer’s life stories. We can help you curate personalized vintage postage sets to commemorate your save-the-date, wedding, shower, announcement, and other special occasions in a truly unique fashion. Drawing on our encyclopedic knowledge of every stamp ever issued by the USPS, and sourcing from our extensive inventory of collectable unused vintage stamps, we’ll help you tell your unique story in stamps!

ABOUT HERITAGE POST HOUSE: Jennifer Kramer is the founder of Heritage Post House, a boutique vintage postage house located in Northern California. Jennifer sources the most beautiful unused vintage postage stamps ever issued by USPS and artfully arranges them into curated postage sets that are sure to add a special touch to your invitations, announcements, and special mailings. In addition to creating pre-arranged postage sets, Jennifer also works with couples (and their stationers) to create one-of-a-kind custom postage arrangements for wedding invitations, save the dates, and other special occasions.

COPYRIGHT NOTICE: This product description text and product photos are copyrighted by Heritage Post House – All Rights Reserved


Product Specifications

Length: 1.00 in.
Height: 0.01 in.
Width: 1.56 in.
Weight: 0.01 lbs.