USPS issued 32 ordinary First-Class Mail Forever stamp subjects in 2016. The year began with Quilled Paper Heart on January 12 and ended with Nativity on November 3. This directory lists the issue date, theme, original USPS format, official record, and a store entry where this site currently has a matching product.
2016 Forever Stamps: Complete Directory
| Date | Issue and theme | Original USPS format | Official record | Store entry |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan. 12 | Quilled Paper Heart — Love series | Pane of 20; 1 design | USPS 15-41 | — |
| Jan. 29 | Botanical Art — vintage seed-catalog flowers | Booklets of 10 and 20; 10 designs | USPS 16-01 | Botanical Art |
| Jan. 29 | U.S. Flag — flag against a blue sky | Booklets of 10/20 and coil of 100; 1 design | USPS 16-05 | — |
| Feb. 2 | Richard Allen — Black Heritage series | Pane of 20; 1 design | USPS 16-06 | — |
| Feb. 5 | Year of the Monkey — Lunar New Year | Pane of 12; 1 design | USPS 16-07 | — |
| Mar. 29 | Sarah Vaughan — Music Icons | Pane of 16; 1 design | USPS 16-10 | — |
| Apr. 18 | Shirley Temple — Legends of Hollywood | Pane of 20; 1 design | USPS 16-11 | — |
| May 28 | World Stamp Show-NY 2016 — international philately | Folio of 24; 2 designs | USPS 16-13 | — |
| May 29 | Repeal of the Stamp Act — 250th anniversary | Souvenir sheet of 10; 1 design | USPS 16-14 | — |
| May 30 | Service Cross Medals — military honors | Souvenir sheet of 12; 4 designs | USPS 16-15 | — |
| May 31 | Pluto—Explored! — New Horizons mission | Souvenir sheet of 4; 2 designs | USPS 16-16 | — |
| May 31 | Views of Our Planets — Solar System | Pane of 16; 8 designs | USPS 16-17 | — |
| June 1 | Classics Forever — historic U.S. stamp designs | Souvenir sheet of 6; 6 designs | USPS 16-18 update | — |
| June 2 | National Parks — National Park Service centennial | Pane of 16; 16 designs | USPS 16-19 | — |
| June 3 | Colorful Celebrations — papel picado-inspired art | Double-sided booklet of 20; 10 designs | USPS 16-20 | — |
| June 7 | Indiana Statehood — bicentennial | Pane of 20; 1 design | USPS 16-21 | — |
| June 10 | EID Greetings — Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha | Pane of 20; 1 design | USPS 16-22 | 2016 EID Greetings |
| June 30 | Soda Fountain Favorites — classic frozen treats | Convertible booklet of 20; 5 designs | USPS 16-23 | — |
| July 13 | Jaime Escalante — educator | Pane of 20; 1 design | USPS 16-26 | — |
| July 15 | Pickup Trucks — four classic American models | Double-sided booklet of 20; 4 designs | USPS 16-27 | — |
| Aug. 2 | Pets — companion animals | Double-sided booklet of 20; 20 designs | USPS 16-29 | Pets Celebrate Animals |
| Aug. 4 | Songbirds in Snow — winter birds | Double-sided booklet of 20; 4 designs | USPS 16-30 | Songbirds in Snow |
| Aug. 19 | Patriotic Spiral — red, white, blue and gold | Booklet of 10 and coil of 10,000; 1 design | USPS 16-32 update | Patriotic Spiral |
| Sept. 2 | Star Trek — 50th anniversary | Pane of 20; 4 designs | USPS 16-33 | — |
| Sept. 29 | Jack-O’-Lanterns — Halloween | Double-sided booklet of 20; 4 designs | USPS 16-34 | Jack-O’-Lanterns |
| Oct. 1 | Kwanzaa — 50th anniversary of the holiday | Pane of 20; 1 design | USPS 16-35 | — |
| Oct. 5 | Diwali — traditional diya lamp | Pane of 20; 1 design | USPS 16-38 | 2016 Diwali |
| Oct. 6 | Holiday Windows — winter holiday scenes | Double-sided booklet of 20; 4 designs | USPS 16-36 | Holiday Windows |
| Oct. 7 | Wonder Woman — 75th anniversary | Pane of 20; 4 designs | USPS 16-39 | — |
| Oct. 11 | Florentine Madonna and Child — Christmas art | Double-sided booklet of 20; 1 design | USPS 16-40 | Florentine Madonna and Child |
| Nov. 1 | Hanukkah — menorah in a window | Pane of 20; 1 design | USPS 16-41 | Hanukkah |
| Nov. 3 | Nativity — traditional Christmas scene | Double-sided booklet of 20; 1 design | USPS 16-42 | Traditional Christmas: Nativity |
Why Some 2016 Stamps Are Not in This List
This is a directory of ordinary one-ounce First-Class Mail Forever stamps. It does not mix in The Moon Global Forever stamp, the Eastern Tailed-Blue nonmachinable stamp, the Henry James three-ounce stamp, Star Quilts presort stamps, USA Nonprofit, fixed-denomination Apples, Grapes and Pears, Priority Mail or Priority Mail Express issues, or the Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation stamp.
Why Do Some 2016 Records Say 49 Cents and Others 47 Cents?
The ordinary First-Class Mail stamped-letter rate was 49 cents at the start of 2016 and changed to 47 cents on April 10. Forever stamps remained Forever stamps through that change. The old issue price shown in an announcement is historical; it is not the stamp’s present mailing value.
Are 2016 Forever Stamps Still Good?
Yes. Unused, valid 2016 ordinary Forever stamps still pay the current one-ounce First-Class Mail letter rate. The design year does not cause expiration. The completed envelope must still meet the applicable weight, size, thickness, shape and machinability rules.
How to Use This Directory
- Identify an issue: match its subject and date to the official record.
- Check the original format: a store bundle of 100 may combine several original panes or booklets.
- Check current availability: use a linked product page where one exists; its listing controls quantity, packaging and stock.
- Check postage separately: see the current Forever stamp value and Forever stamp weight limit.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many ordinary Forever stamp subjects did USPS issue in 2016?
This directory counts 32 ordinary one-ounce First-Class Mail Forever issues, including Quilled Paper Heart, which was announced in late 2015 but issued in January 2016.
Was The Moon a regular 2016 Forever stamp?
No. The Moon was a Global Forever stamp for the international one-ounce letter rate, so it is not part of the ordinary domestic Forever directory.
Was Henry James a regular Forever stamp?
No. It was a nondenominated three-ounce-rate stamp. USPS noted that its value would track that category, but it was not the ordinary one-ounce Forever stamp.
Does the original 47- or 49-cent price limit a 2016 Forever stamp today?
No. A valid unused ordinary Forever stamp pays the current one-ounce First-Class Mail letter rate, regardless of its original issue price.
Continue with the 2017 Forever stamp directory, browse vintage stamps, or review whether Forever stamps expire.
Records checked August 31, 2026: USPS Postal Bulletin stamp announcements linked in the table and the USPS 2016 Annual Index. Product links reflect this site’s catalog and may change with stock.
The largest site-by-site landscape survey in 2016 was the National Park Service centennial pane. The National Parks Forever stamps guide identifies all 16 locations and explains why the pane mixes photography with historic art.
Browse Complete List of USPS Forever Stamps by Year for other years and release guides.