The USPS lighthouse series spans seven regional issues, but only the 2013 New England and 2021 Mid-Atlantic groups are Forever stamps. The five earlier groups carry printed denominations. Use the year, region and lighthouse name to identify the correct set.
USPS Lighthouse Stamp Series at a Glance
| Year | Issue | Format | Postal type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | Lighthouses | 5 designs | 25-cent commemoratives |
| 1995 | Great Lakes Lighthouses | 5 designs; booklet of 20 | 32-cent commemoratives |
| 2003 | Southeastern Lighthouses | 5 designs; pane of 20 | 37-cent commemoratives |
| 2007 | Pacific Lighthouses | 5 designs | 41-cent commemoratives |
| 2009 | Gulf Coast Lighthouses | 5 designs; pane of 20 | 44-cent commemoratives |
| 2013 | New England Coastal Lighthouses | 5 designs; pane of 20 | Forever |
| 2021 | Mid-Atlantic Lighthouses | 5 designs; pane of 20 | Forever |
The Two Lighthouse Forever Stamp Issues
2013 New England Coastal Lighthouses
The sixth series installment depicts Portland Head in Maine, Portsmouth Harbor in New Hampshire, Boston Harbor in Massachusetts, Point Judith in Rhode Island and New London Harbor in Connecticut. USPS issued the five Forever designs on July 13, 2013. Howard Koslow painted the lighthouse art from contemporary photographs.
2021 Mid-Atlantic Lighthouses
The seventh installment depicts Montauk Point in New York, Navesink in New Jersey, Erie Harbor in Pennsylvania, Harbor of Refuge in Delaware and Thomas Point Shoal in Maryland. USPS issued the pane of 20 on August 6, 2021. It was the final lighthouse group using Koslow’s paintings; Greg Breeding designed and art-directed the stamps. View the Mid-Atlantic Lighthouses product when you want this exact issue.
Earlier Fixed-Denomination Groups
- 1990: Admiralty Head, Cape Hatteras, Quoddy Head, American Shoals and Sandy Hook.
- 1995 Great Lakes: Split Rock, St. Joseph, Spectacle Reef, Marblehead and Thirty Mile Point.
- 2003 Southeast: Old Cape Henry, Cape Lookout, Morris Island, Tybee Island and Hillsboro Inlet.
- 2007 Pacific: Diamond Head, Five Finger, Grays Harbor, Umpqua River and St. George Reef.
- 2009 Gulf Coast: Matagorda Island, Sabine Pass, Biloxi, Sand Island and Fort Jefferson.
These earlier stamps can still contribute the numeric denomination printed on each stamp, but they do not automatically equal the current one-ounce Forever rate. Add other postage when the printed total is insufficient.
How to Identify a Lighthouse Stamp
- Read the printed value or look for the word FOREVER.
- Match the lighthouse name to the regional group above.
- Confirm the year and original pane or booklet format.
- For mailing, calculate postage by category rather than assuming every lighthouse design has Forever value.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are all USPS lighthouse stamps Forever stamps?
No. Only the 2013 New England Coastal and 2021 Mid-Atlantic groups in this seven-installment series were issued as Forever stamps. The 1990 through 2009 groups have printed denominations.
How many lighthouse designs are in each issue?
Each regional installment contains five lighthouse designs. The two Forever issues were sold in panes of 20, repeating each of the five designs four times.
Can older denominated lighthouse stamps still be used?
Unused genuine denominated U.S. stamps can contribute their printed postage value. Combine them with additional postage when needed for the current rate and mailpiece.
Who created the lighthouse artwork?
Howard Koslow created the painted art across the long-running series. USPS describes the 2021 Mid-Atlantic set as the final group using his lighthouse paintings.
Sources checked September 1, 2026: USPS New England Coastal Lighthouses, USPS Mid-Atlantic Lighthouses, and National Postal Museum collection records for the earlier denominated issues.
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