USPS First-Day-of-Issue envelope with Emancipation Proclamation Forever Stamp

Source catalog description

This description refers to material held by Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. Visual details below describe the original material.

A First-Day-of-Issue envelope with the USPS Emancipation Proclamation Forever Stamp. The envelope is a rectangular white envelope with a straight-edge fold over the opening. Slightly to the right of center of the envelope is text stamped in black ink. It reads “First Day of Issue /EMANCIPATION PROCLAMATION / January 1, 2013 * Washington, DC 20066 / FREEDOM.” Above the first line are three stars with a line of diamond shapes on either side. They form a decorative border on either side of “First Day of Issue.” There is a double line border on either side of the word “Freedom”. In the envelope’s upper right corner is a Forever stamp. The stamp has an off-white background and is covered in text in black and red ink that reads [HENCEFORWARD / SHALL BE / FREE / EMANCIPATION / PROCLAMATION / ABRAHAM LINCOLN / ***1863*** / FOREVER*** USA].

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