USPS Unveils 2027 Stamp Themes: Pat Summitt, Willie Mays, and Mythical Beasts

Approximately 15,000 children and adolescents in the United States receive a cancer diagnosis annually. This figure anchors the new semipostal stamp initiative announced by the United States Postal Service on Monday. The agency outlined its thematic plans for 2027, a list that includes tributes to sports figures, depictions of mythological creatures, and botanical subjects. The announcement details specific designs, artists, and historical references for each planned issue.

Two athletic legends will receive commemorative treatment in the upcoming year. Pat Summitt, who coached the University of Tennessee women's basketball team for 38 years, is featured in a portrait. Her record includes more than 1,000 victories and eight national championships. The stamp design is an oil portrait on prepared linen created by Roberto Parada. Ethel Kessler, the Postal Service art director, finalized the design. Willie Mays, a Hall of Fame baseball player, is the subject of the 50th stamp in the Black Heritage series. Mays played for the New York Giants and the San Francisco Giants over a 23-year career. His stamp features a portrait wearing a New York Giants cap and depicts his over-the-shoulder catch during the 1954 World Series. Antonio Alcalá, another Postal Service art director, designed this stamp using photographs from Getty Images.

The 2027 portfolio also includes a Lunar New Year issue marking the Year of the Goat. This will be the eighth stamp in the third series of Lunar New Year issues, which began in 2020. Artist Camille Chew created paper-cut masks representing the 12 animals of the Chinese zodiac for this series. Antonio Alcalá designed the stamp using a photograph of the Goat mask taken by Sally Andersen-Bruce. The theme connects to traditional celebrations associated with new beginnings and the arrival of spring.

Several other thematic collections are scheduled for release. A 16-stamp sheet will feature unicions in dreamlike forest scenes. Artist Kendra Binney created these illustrations using mixed media, including watercolor, acrylic paint, pencil, and digital effects. Derry Noyes, the art director, handled the stamp design. A separate 20-stamp booklet will display close-up color photographs of 10 specific vegetables. The produce includes red onion, Savoy cabbage, purple cabbage, purple cauliflower, shimeji mushrooms, purple asparagus, artichoke, Fairy Tale eggplant, rhubarb, and watermelon radish. Ethel Kessler designed these stamps using existing photographs by food photographer Renée Comet.

A five-stamp collection dedicated to American folklore will depict regional mythical creatures. The series includes the Mothman, a flying human-sized creature with red eyes first reported in West Virginia in 1966. The Jackalope, a horned rabbit created by two Wyoming taxidermy brothers in the 1930s, represents the American West. The Squonk, a crying creature from Pennsylvania lumberjack stories, symbolizes anxiety. Sasquatch, also known as Bigfoot, is included despite its elusiveness in the Pacific Northwest. Champ, a lake monster from Lake Champlain, serves as the unofficial mascot for the region between New York and Vermont. Artist Nat Power illustrated these figures using bold black lines and vibrant colors inspired by tattoo design. Antonio Alcalá designed the stamps.

A Halloween collection will feature friendly illustrations of a vampire, a witch, a mummy, and the Frankenstein monster. Artist Erick Martinez created these images to evoke the playful scares of childhood holidays. Antonio Alcalá also served as the art director for this set. The Love stamp for 2027 will use a grid layout with bright colors and simple geometric shapes. Artist and stamp designer Lisa Congdon created the design, drawing inspiration from folk art symbolism. Greg Breeding provided the art direction. The collection concludes with the Cure Childhood Cancers semipostal stamp. Net proceeds from the additional surcharge on this stamp will be donated to the National Institutes of Health. The funds will support biomedical research aimed at improving survival rates and developing safer treatments with fewer side effects for pediatric cancer patients. Chuck Styles created the original illustration, and Greg Breeding designed the stamp.