The United States Postal Service announced the winner of its public “Stamp Encore” contest over the weekend. The beloved 2018 Fred Rogers stamp secured the victory and will be available at Post Office locations nationwide beginning June 1. The agency made the announcement on Sunday at the Boston 2026 World Expo.
The public voting campaign drew significant interest as part of the postal service’s 250th anniversary celebration. Out of more than 500,000 ballots cast, the children’s television pioneer won by a margin of over 40,000 votes, securing a nationwide reissue scheduled for early next week.
This return brings a bit of nostalgia for fans who missed out eight years ago. When the original Mister Rogers stamp debuted in 2018, the initial print run of 12 million units sold out completely in just a few weeks. The city of Pittsburgh, where Rogers founded WQED and filmed his iconic television show, actively campaigned over the past month to push the stamp back into circulation.
Buyers are getting slightly more than just the original portrait this time. The June 1 release includes the reissued stamp alongside a newly designed four-stamp souvenir sheet. The fresh sheet features familiar characters from the Neighborhood of Make-Believe, including King Friday XIII, offering a tangible piece of television history for the daily mail.