The official USPS archive lists 48 stamp and postal-stationery issue entries for 2012. Since 2011, new one-ounce commemorative First-Class Mail stamps have been Forever stamps; the table separates those issues from Global, postcard, higher-weight, Priority, fixed-denomination, presorted and duck-stamp categories.
2012 USPS stamp issue directory
| Issue date | Issue | Postage category | First-day location | Official source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January 3, 2012 | Spectrum Eagle | Domestic Forever | Liberty, MO | USPS record |
| January 6, 2012 | New Mexico Statehood | Domestic Forever | Santa Fe, NM | USPS record |
| January 19, 2012 | Aloha Shirts | Domestic Forever | Honolulu, HI | USPS record |
| January 19, 2012 | Glacier National Park, Montana | Domestic Forever | Kalispell, MT | USPS record |
| January 20, 2012 | Baltimore Checkerspot | Domestic Forever | Baltimore, MD | USPS record |
| January 20, 2012 | Birds of Prey | Domestic Forever | Washington, DC | USPS record |
| January 20, 2012 | Dogs at Work | Domestic Forever | Merrifield, VA | USPS record |
| January 20, 2012 | Lancaster County, Pennsylvania | Domestic Forever | Lancaster, PA | USPS record |
| January 20, 2012 | Weather Vanes | Domestic Forever | Shelburne, VT | USPS record |
| January 22, 2012 | Sailboat Stamped Card | Postcard-rate Forever stationery | Oyster Bay, NY | USPS record |
| January 23, 2012 | Bonsai | Domestic Forever | Sacramento, CA | USPS record |
| January 23, 2012 | Lunar New Year • Year of the Dragon | Domestic Forever | San Francisco, CA | USPS record |
| January 31, 2012 | John H. Johnson | Domestic Forever | Chicago, IL | USPS record |
| February 9, 2012 | Heart Health | Domestic Forever | Washington, DC | USPS record |
| February 14, 2012 | Arizona Statehood | Domestic Forever | Phoenix, AZ | USPS record |
| February 14, 2012 | Love Ribbons | Domestic Forever | Colorado Springs, CO | USPS record |
| February 16, 2012 | Danny Thomas | Domestic Forever | Memphis, TN | USPS record |
| February 22, 2012 | Four Flags | Domestic Forever | Washington, DC | USPS record |
| February 28, 2012 | Carmel Mission | Domestic Forever | Carmel, CA | USPS record |
| February 28, 2012 | Sunshine Skyway Bridge | Priority Mail | St. Petersburg, FL | USPS record |
| March 24, 2012 | Cherry Blossom Centennial | Domestic Forever | Washington, DC | USPS record |
| April 11, 2012 | William H. Johnson | Domestic Forever | Baltimore, MD | USPS record |
| April 21, 2012 | Twentieth-Century Poets | Domestic Forever | Los Angeles, CA | USPS record |
| April 24, 2012 | The Civil War: 1862 | Domestic Forever | New Orleans, LA | USPS record |
| April 26, 2012 | José Ferrer | Domestic Forever | New York, NY | USPS record |
| April 30, 2012 | Louisiana Statehood | Domestic Forever | Baton Rouge, LA | USPS record |
| May 23, 2012 | Great Film Directors | Domestic Forever | Silver Spring, MD | USPS record |
| June 1, 2012 | Bobcat | Fixed denomination | San Marcos, TX | USPS record |
| June 1, 2012 | Mail a Smile | Domestic Forever | Orlando, FL | USPS record |
| June 7, 2012 | Bicycling | Domestic Forever | Minneapolis, MN | USPS record |
| June 9, 2012 | Celebrate Scouting | Domestic Forever | Washington, DC | USPS record |
| June 12, 2012 | Miles Davis & Edith Piaf | Domestic Forever | New York, NY | USPS record |
| June 29, 2012 | Wood Duck | Federal duck stamp—not mailing postage | Hampton, VA | USPS record |
| July 20, 2012 | Major League Baseball™ All-Stars | Domestic Forever | Cooperstown, NY | USPS record |
| July 28, 2012 | Innovative Choreographers | Domestic Forever | Los Angeles, CA | USPS record |
| August 16, 2012 | Flags of Our Nation (Set 6) | Domestic Forever | Sacramento, CA | USPS record |
| August 17, 2012 | Edgar Rice Burroughs | Domestic Forever | Tarzana, CA | USPS record |
| August 18, 2012 | The War of 1812: USS Constitution | Domestic Forever | Boston, MA | USPS record |
| September 4, 2012 | Purple Heart Medal | Domestic Forever | Washington, DC | USPS record |
| September 11, 2012 | O. Henry | Domestic Forever | Greensboro, NC | USPS record |
| October 1, 2012 | Earthscapes | Domestic Forever | Greenbelt, MD | USPS record |
| October 10, 2012 | Holy Family | Domestic Forever | Washington, DC | USPS record |
| October 13, 2012 | Santa and Sleigh | Domestic Forever | New York, NY | USPS record |
| November 30, 2012 | Lady Bird Johnson | Domestic Forever | Austin, TX | USPS record |
| December 1, 2012 | $1 Waves of Color | $1 fixed denomination | Orlando, FL | USPS record |
| December 1, 2012 | $10 Waves of Color | $10 fixed denomination | Orlando, FL | USPS record |
| December 1, 2012 | $2 Waves of Color | $2 fixed denomination | Orlando, FL | USPS record |
| December 1, 2012 | $5 Waves of Color | $5 fixed denomination | Orlando, FL | USPS record |
How Forever status works for 2012 issues
An ordinary one-ounce First-Class Mail commemorative from 2012 is a Forever stamp, but not every USPS item issued that year belongs to that category. Global, postcard, extra-ounce, nonmachinable, Priority Mail, fixed-denomination, presorted and duck stamps have different values or uses.
How to use an older stamp today
- Confirm the stamp is genuine and unused.
- Read the printed denomination or category inscription.
- Compare its postage value with the finished mailpiece’s current rate.
- Add other valid postage when the total is short; do not assume a year or theme changes the value.
Check the current Forever stamp value, browse the year-by-year Forever stamp directory, or use the postage decision guide.
Method and sources
Issue names, dates and first-day locations were checked against the official USPS Stamps Forever 2012 archive. Category rules were checked against the USPS history of stamps and Forever postage. Individual rows link to their official issue records.
Archive and classification checked September 2, 2026.
Frequently asked questions
Are 2012 stamps still valid?
Genuine unused U.S. postage generally remains usable, but its value depends on the printed denomination or postage category. A pre-Forever or fixed-denomination stamp does not automatically become worth one current Forever stamp.
Does the issue year determine postage value?
No. The denomination and service category determine value. The year identifies the issue, not the amount of postage it supplies today.