Direct answer: USPS released 22 ordinary First-Class Mail Forever stamp subjects in 2023, beginning with Lunar New Year: Year of the Rabbit on January 12 and ending with Winter Woodland Animals on October 10. The year’s broader stamp program also included Postcard, Additional Ounce, Priority Mail, Priority Mail Express, fixed-denomination, nonprofit, presorted, and stamped-envelope issues; those are listed separately because they do not have the ordinary Forever value.
2023 First-Class Mail Forever Stamp Issues
| Issue date | Stamp issue | Original USPS format |
|---|---|---|
| Jan. 12 | Lunar New Year: Year of the Rabbit | Pane of 20 |
| Jan. 19 | Love: Kitten and Puppy | Pane of 20; 2 designs |
| Jan. 23 | Ernest J. Gaines (Black Heritage) | Pane of 20 |
| Feb. 16 | Women’s Soccer | Pane of 20 |
| Mar. 7 | Toni Morrison | Pane of 20 |
| Mar. 9 | Railroad Stations | Pane of 20; 5 designs |
| Mar. 24 | Art of the Skateboard | Pane of 20; 4 designs |
| Apr. 5 | Tulip Blossoms | Booklet of 20 and coils of 3,000/10,000; 10 designs |
| Apr. 10 | U.S. Flag | Panes/booklets of 20 and coils of 100/3,000/10,000 |
| Apr. 24 | Roy Lichtenstein | Pane of 20; 5 designs |
| May 5 | Tomie dePaola | Pane of 20 |
| May 12 | Chief Standing Bear | Pane of 20 |
| May 19 | Endangered Species | Pane of 20; 20 designs |
| June 13 | Waterfalls | Pane of 12; 12 designs |
| July 21 | John Lewis | Pane of 15 |
| Aug. 10 | Life Magnified | Pane of 20; 20 designs |
| Aug. 11 | Thinking of You | Pane of 20; 5 stamp designs plus message stickers |
| Sept. 8 | Piñatas! | Booklet of 20; 4 designs |
| Sept. 19 | Snow Globes | Booklet of 20; 4 designs |
| Sept. 22 | OSIRIS-REx | Pane of 20 |
| Oct. 2 | Ruth Bader Ginsburg | Pane of 20 |
| Oct. 10 | Winter Woodland Animals | Booklet of 20; 4 designs |
Other 2023 USPS Stamp and Postal-Stationery Issues
These belong to the 2023 program but should not be counted as ordinary one-ounce domestic Forever stamps.
| Issue date | Issue | Postage category |
|---|---|---|
| Jan. 5 | Red Fox | 40-cent fixed denomination |
| Jan. 5 | School Bus | Additional Ounce |
| Jan. 22 | Florida Everglades | Priority Mail |
| Jan. 22 | Great Smoky Mountains | Priority Mail Express |
| Jan. 22 | Sailboats | Postcard rate |
| Feb. 24 | Floral Geometry | $10 fixed denomination |
| Mar. 1 | Patriotic Block | Nonprofit organization mail |
| July 9 | Northern Cardinal | Stamped envelope |
| Aug. 24 | Bridges | Presorted First-Class Mail |
What Was a 2023 Forever Stamp Worth?
The ordinary Forever stamp value changed twice during the calendar year. It began 2023 at 60 cents, increased to 63 cents on January 22, and increased to 66 cents on July 9. Those are historical postage values, not expiration dates. A genuine unused 2023 ordinary Forever stamp still pays the current one-ounce domestic letter rate when used today.
How to Read the Formats
A release subject and a sellable format are different things. For example, Tulip Blossoms appeared as a consumer booklet and in large commercial coils, while Waterfalls was a 12-stamp commemorative pane and John Lewis used a 15-stamp pane. A marketplace listing may divide, bundle, or resell those original formats, so verify the design, count, condition, and source shown on the product page.
Notable 2023 Design Groups
- People and public life: Ernest J. Gaines, Toni Morrison, Chief Standing Bear, John Lewis, and Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
- Art and communication: Roy Lichtenstein, Tomie dePaola, Art of the Skateboard, and Thinking of You.
- Nature: Tulip Blossoms, Endangered Species, Waterfalls, Life Magnified, and Winter Woodland Animals.
- Celebrations and holidays: Year of the Rabbit, Love, Piñatas!, and Snow Globes.
- Science and exploration: OSIRIS-REx commemorated the asteroid sample-return mission.
Find 2023 Issues on This Site
Availability varies, but the catalog includes pages for issues such as John Lewis, Love 2023, Railroad Stations, Snow Globes, and Life Magnified. Browse newer Forever stamp issues when the year is less important than current designs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are 2023 Forever stamps still valid?
Yes. Genuine unused ordinary Forever stamps issued in 2023 remain valid and follow the current one-ounce domestic First-Class Mail letter value.
What were the 2023 Christmas Forever stamps?
Snow Globes, issued September 19, and Winter Woodland Animals, issued October 10, were the principal new holiday Forever designs in the 2023 program.
Was every USPS stamp released in 2023 a Forever stamp?
No. The broader program also included fixed-denomination, Postcard, Additional Ounce, Priority Mail, nonprofit, presorted, and stamped-envelope issues.
Method and sources checked August 31, 2026: dates and formats were cross-checked against USPS 2023 program announcements and Postal Bulletin issue records, including the early schedule, spring/summer update, and final fall schedule.
Browse Complete List of USPS Forever Stamps by Year for other years and release guides.