About This Stamp
The E (Earth) stamp was issued on March 22, 1988 to correspond with a new domestic First-Class postage rate implemented shortly thereafter. The stamp was issued in sheet, coil, and booklet formats.
The stamp, the fifth nondenominated "letter" issue produced by the Postal Service, broke tradition by incorporating a pictorial design - a dramatic and colorful view of Earth from space. Designed by Robert T. McCall, veteran space stamp designer Paradise Valley, Arizona, the image comes from an original painting based on composite photographs provided by the National Aeronautic and Space Administration (NASA). The subject, Earth, was chosen to correspond with the letter E.
The Postal Service produced the stamps over the three previous years and stored them for use with a future postage rate change. As with the A, B, C, and D items, issuance of the E stamps ensured that the mailing public had adequate supplies of First-Class postage until denominated products appear. E stamps were for use within the United States only.