About This Stamp
A $2.40 Priority Mail stamp honoring the 20th anniversary of the Apollo moon landing was issued July 20, 1989, in Washington, D.C. The dedication ceremony was held in conjunction with gala anniversary celebrations at the National Air and Space Museum.
The stamp, which features two astronauts planting the Stars and Stripes on the lunar surface, enjoyed a legacy of its own. The stamp's designer, Christopher Calle, of Ridgefield, CT, was the son of Paul Calle, the veteran illustrator who produced the first Moon Landing tribute, a 10-cent airmail stamp issued September 9, 1969. It became one of the most popular and recognizable postage stamps ever issued.
Like the memorable work his father created for the 1969 stamp, Christopher Calle's original mixed media design was based on NASA photographs of astronauts practicing various maneuvers before the actual flight.
The typographer was Bradbury Thompson. Engravers were Dennis Brown (lettering) and Kenneth Kipperman (vignette).
The stamp was printed in the offset/intaglio process at the Bureau of Engraving and Printing and was issued in panes of 20.