About This Stamp
The 22-cent Flag With Fireworks regular sheet stamp was issued May 9, 1987, in Denver, Colorado, in conjunction with the ROMPEX '87 stamp show. On November 30, 1987, in Washington, D.C., the booklet version, containing a pane of 20 stamps, was issued.
The Flag With Fireworks stamp was the first American issue to portray the U.S. flag against a night or dark background as well as the first to combine fireworks and the flag.
A U.S. stamp first depicted the American flag in 1869. Prior to 1987, approximately 34 U.S. issues had featured flags. In addition, the American flag had appeared, as a recognizable design element, on approximately 20 other U.S. issues.
Designed by Peter Cocci, the stamps were printed in the photogravure process by the Bureau of Engraving and Printing.