About This Stamp
America’s national emblem, the majestic bald eagle is a symbol of strength and longevity. With Spectrum Eagle, the U.S. Postal Service issues six new stamps celebrating the grandeur of this magnificent bird.
The eagle’s powerful profile is depicted in white set boldly against a sequence of six varying shades of reds, yellows, greens, and blues. Each color subtly blends with the one following, resulting in a gradual spectrum from left to right across six stamps.
On June 20, 1782, an Act of Congress officially adopted the bald eagle as America’s national symbol. The bald eagle—which is native to North America—is sacred to many Native American cultures and is the focus of numerous myths and legends. After years on the endangered species list, the bald eagle has made a remarkable recovery and is no longer considered endangered or threatened. In 2007, Congress designated June 20 as the first “American Eagle Day” to celebrate the recovery of this national treasure from the brink of extinction.
Designed by art director Ethel Kessler, stamp features an original illustration by Michael Osborne.
The Spectrum Eagle stamps are being issued at a Presorted First-Class Mail® rate of 25 cents in self-adhesive coils of 3,000 ($700.00 per coil) and 10,000 ($2,500 per coil).
Stamp Art Director, Stamp Designer
Ethel Kessler
Ethel Kessler is an award-winning designer and art director who has worked with corporations, museums, public and private institutions, professional service organizations, and now, the United States Postal Service.
After earning a B.F.A. in visual communications from the Maryland Institute College of Art, Kessler worked as a graphic designer and project manager for the exhibits division of the United States Information Agency. Her work was distributed internationally on subjects such as Immigration, Entrepreneurship, Renovation of American Cities, and the Bicentennial of 1976. She was also responsible for exhibits in Morocco, Botswana, and El Salvador.
In 1981, she established Kessler Design, Inc., for which she is creative director and designer. Clients have included the Clinton Government reorganization, the Smithsonian Institution, National Geographic Television, the National Park Service, and the American Institute of Architects.
She has been an art director for the U.S. Postal Service’s stamp development program for more than 25 years. As an art director for USPS, Kessler has been responsible for creating more than 500 stamp designs, including the Breast Cancer Research stamp illustrated by Whitney Sherman. Issued in 1998, the stamp is still on sale and has raised more $98 million for breast cancer research. Other Kessler projects include the popular and highly regarded Nature of America 120 stamp series, a collaboration with nationally acclaimed nature illustrator John Dawson, the 12-year Lunar New Year series with Kam Mak, the American Filmmaking: Behind the Scenes 10 stamps issued in 2003, a 2016 pane of stamps celebrating the 100th anniversary of the National Park Service, and the 2023 stamp honoring Supreme Court Associate Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. And many, many others.