Love Stamps

 In 1964 pop artist Robert Indiana (né Robert Clark in New Castle, Indiana) created LOVE for a Museum of Modern Art gift-shop holiday card. In 1973 this forceful composition of color and typography served as the design of the first U.S. love stamp. 

 So in love am I with the look of LOVE, it has been on a screen in my living room for the past 14 years.

 Though the Indiana stamp was a beloved crowd-pleaser, it took nine years before the post office issued a second love stamp--this one, in 1982.

 Here is the stamp on an envelope I made to send to my mother long, long ago.

 Since 1982 the post office has usually put out at least one new love stamp every year. This pair is from 1984.

The post office teamed with the Hershey Chocolate Co. for the 23rd love stamp, issued in 2007.

 This 2004 stamp used Conversation Hearts, which the New England Confectionery Co. (NECCO) has manufactured by the billions since the mid-1800s.

 More palatable, design-wise, is this pair of 2009 love stamps, based on 18th-century French playing cards.

 The newest love stamps--a se-tenant set of ten called the Garden of Love--will be issued on May 19 and were designed by José Ortega, who also designed the Love and Kisses stamp above.  
To see more love-related stamps, visit: French Valentine Stamps