One of the first events at Star Trek: Mission New York included the release of the Star Trek 50th Anniversary stamps through the United States Postal Service. Known for celebrating popular culture and historic events and individuals through stamps, the USPS captured the spirit of Star Trek in their four new stamps.
Available now at any post office, or online, the stamps include iconic imagery from the show such as the faithful Enterprise, a beaming Captain Kirk, and the famous Vulcan salute, boasting background colors of the various positions upon a starship. The stamps themselves are bold and eye catching, much like the original series, and are a must-have to use and save for any hardcore fan.
Speaking at the release ceremony held at Javits during Star Trek: Mission New York were a number of individuals, such as the Postmaster General, a representative from NASA, and Walter Koenig. Each spoke about the impact Star Trek had on their lives and on the world, and the importance of continuing on with the spirit of the show as we march into the future.
In particular, those in attendance were reminded of the letter writing campaign which was organized to originally save Star Trek when it faced cancellation, and the part the United States Postal Service played in making sure those letters got to the right place.
Walter Koenig’s speech was particularly engaging as he discussed the state of the world versus the idealized world of Star Trek, and how for every thousand steps we as people take forward, we managed to take nine-hundred and ninety-nine backward. He indicated that he continued to hold out hope for a better future, and would always appreciate the ideas Star Trek brought into the world, and will hopefully continue to do as the movies soldier on and a new series is released.
Exclusive to the convention was the chance to be part of the first group to purchase the new stamps, and it was only at the convention that collectors could receive the coveted “first day of issue” stamp to mark their purchase as a valuable collector’s item. Stamps sold out quickly the first day, but the post office workers returned with bigger stock the second in order to ensure everyone who wanted stamps could get them.
All in all, I think everyone in attendance could agree that the release of the USPS Star Trek 50th Anniversary stamps was an honor. It is clear that a lot of work and thought went in to creating the iconic images on the stamps, and they will no doubt bring joy to those receiving letters with the stamp in the corner.
The best part is the fact these stamps will last forever, their value never changes, so you’ll always be able to use them to mail a letter. With that in mind, there’s no reason not to take a trip to your local post office, thank a postal worker, and pick up a set of the wonderful 50th anniversary stamps.
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