The USPS dinosaur Forever stamps are the four-design Tyrannosaurus Rex issue released August 29, 2019. Sold in a pane of 16, the set follows T. rex from infancy to adulthood. Two designs use lenticular printing so the image changes as the stamp is rotated in light—one shifts between skeleton and flesh, while another makes an approaching dinosaur appear to lunge.
Tyrannosaurus Rex Issue Details
| Official issue | Tyrannosaurus Rex |
|---|---|
| Issue date | August 29, 2019 |
| First-day location | Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, Washington, DC |
| Postal class | First-Class Mail Forever |
| Original format | Pane of 16 |
| Design count | 4 |
| Special production | Lenticular printing on two designs |
| Artist | Julius T. Csotonyi |
| Art director and pane designer | Greg Breeding |
What the Four Designs Show
The set presents T. rex as an animal with a life history, not only as an adult movie-monster silhouette. Across the four designs, the artwork shows different growth stages from infant to mature animal and mixes external reconstruction with skeletal evidence.
- Juvenile view: a younger, lighter-built stage.
- Adult views: the massive proportions associated with a mature T. rex.
- Skeleton-to-flesh motion: one lenticular design changes between skeletal remains and a life reconstruction.
- Approach-to-lunge motion: another lenticular design changes as the pane is tilted.
The lenticular effect is part of the manufactured stamp surface. A flat online image may show only one phase and cannot fully demonstrate the motion.
The “Nation’s T. rex” Connection
Two designs feature the young-adult specimen known as the Nation’s T. rex. It was discovered on federal land in Montana in 1988. USPS notes that excavation of the specimen produced the first T. rex arms ever recovered. The fossil is exhibited at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, which also hosted the first-day ceremony.
Science Behind the Artwork
Scientist and paleoartist Julius T. Csotonyi created the photorealistic reconstructions digitally with a stylus. USPS described the depictions as grounded in the growing research record for tyrannosaurs. Greg Breeding designed the pane and directed the issue’s visual presentation.
The official background describes an adult length of roughly 40 feet, a weight of six to ten tons and a skull about four feet long. Those figures explain why the designs emphasize the animal’s changing proportions and powerful head. They are contextual scientific estimates, not measurements printed as postal specifications.
How to Check the Format
- Confirm the date and official Tyrannosaurus Rex issue name.
- Look for four different designs in the original 16-stamp pane.
- Check that two designs show a motion-changing lenticular surface when gently tilted under light.
- Distinguish a full pane from a single stamp, partial pane, first-day cover or reproduction image.
- Avoid scraping, bending or repeatedly rubbing the lenticular surface while inspecting it.
Are the 2019 Dinosaur Stamps Still Valid?
Yes. Genuine, unused examples remain valid as ordinary Forever postage at the current one-ounce First-Class Mail letter-rate value. The lenticular feature does not create a different postal class. Postal value and collector price are separate: condition, intact format and market evidence influence any collectible premium.
Collecting and Buying Notes
For a complete issue, verify the pane count, all four images and the condition of the lenticular areas. Ask whether the offer is an intact pane or a seller-created quantity. A listing photograph that catches only one viewing angle does not necessarily mean the moving image is absent, but the seller should be able to document the format clearly.
Place the issue within its year using the 2019 USPS Forever stamp directory. Availability on USPS or retail sites can change; that does not change the official issue date or original format. To compare it with other wildlife, landscape and natural-history subjects, continue to the Nature Forever Stamps guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
What year were the dinosaur Forever stamps issued?
USPS issued the Tyrannosaurus Rex set on August 29, 2019.
How many dinosaur stamp designs are there?
Four designs in an original pane of 16.
Do the T. rex stamps really move?
Two designs use lenticular printing and change appearance when rotated in light.
Can the 2019 T. rex stamps still be used?
Yes, provided they are genuine, unused and intact.
Official and institutional sources: USPS Tyrannosaurus Rex dedication release and the Smithsonian National Postal Museum story. Issue facts checked September 1, 2026.