Direct answer: FOREVER may be crossed out in a promotional or catalog image to make the image harder to copy and misuse. The line is an image-security treatment; it does not mean that the Forever stamp design has expired.
Promotional Image vs Physical Stamp
| Where you see it | What the line means |
|---|---|
| Online catalog, announcement, or promotional image | A visible image alteration intended to discourage copying or reproduction. |
| Actual issued stamp | The promotional strike-through should not be printed across FOREVER as part of the physical issued design. |
This distinction explains why an online product image can show a line even though the stamp delivered for mailing does not. This page deliberately does not reproduce high-resolution stamp artwork.
Does Crossed-Out Mean Expired?
No. An image overlay is unrelated to the postage-validity mechanism. An unused, valid ordinary Forever stamp retains the current one-ounce First-Class Mail letter-rate value after rate increases. Condition, prior use, and whether the mailpiece qualifies are separate questions covered in Do Forever Stamps Expire?
Is the Line a Counterfeit Test?
No. The presence of a line in a web image is expected in some promotional contexts, and its absence from an image does not prove authenticity. Likewise, a single photo cannot reliably authenticate an individual physical stamp. Use seller, source, transaction, and item information together, and read the counterfeit-postage safety guide for official warning signs and reporting steps.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is FOREVER crossed out in USPS stamp pictures?
The visible line is used on some promotional images to make copying and misuse more difficult. It is not a change to the postage value.
Is FOREVER crossed out on the actual stamp?
The promotional-image strike-through should not appear as an overprint on the actual issued stamp. Compare an online illustration and a physical item as different objects.
Does the line mean the stamp has expired?
No. It is an image treatment. Validity depends on the physical stamp and applicable mailing rules, not the altered catalog image.
Is the crossed-out word a complete counterfeit test?
No. It cannot authenticate an individual stamp. Use official risk guidance and report suspected counterfeit postage through USPIS.
Sources and update note: StampsForever image explanation; USPIS counterfeit-postage warning. Postal prices and standards can change; verify the exact postage for a finished mailpiece before mailing.