U.S. Postal Service introduces its newest stamp ahead of Lunar New Year

The U.S. Postal Service is celebrating the Lunar New Year with a new stamp.

The Postal Service unveiled its Lunar New Year: Year of the Dragon Forever stamp during a ceremony in Seattle's historic Chinatown district last week.

The Postal Service has printed 22 million stamps that are now on sale. The stamp features a yellow dragon mask with red details, symbolizing prosperity and luck.

The Lunar New Year holiday will start on Feb. 10 and marks the beginning of the Year of the Dragon, the fifth of the 12 animals associated with the Chinese zodiac. The Year of the Dragon ends on Jan. 28, 2025.

This is the fifth Forever stamp in that series, which will continue through 2031 with stamps for the Year of the Snake, Horse, Ram, Monkey, Rooster, Dog and Boar, according to news release from U.S. Postal Service.

“For more than three decades, the Postal Service has issued stamps highlighting the Lunar New Year and this subject has been some of the most successful stamp releases in the long history of the Postal Service,” Eduardo H. Ruiz, Jr., USPS vice president of retail and delivery operations for the Postal Service’s WESTPAC Area said.“The Postal Service has one of the most diverse workplaces in the United States, and its customer base is as diverse as the country itself. This stamp is a great example that reflects our nation’s rich, multicultural heritage and traditions.” 

People born in the Year of the Dragon are said to be successful, wise and powerful. The dragon is considered to be so favorable that some plan for their children to be born under the sign. Every 12 years, many communities in Asia experience a baby boom because of this phenomenon, the only mythical creature in the zodiac, according to the USPS.

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"For many Asian Americans, the Lunar New Year celebrates a chance to leave behind the troubles of the past year and invite prosperity and good luck moving forward," said University of Washington professor Connie So. "This Year of the Dragon stamp ceremony recognizes the importance of the diversity and cultural significance Asian Americans bring to the United States and provides Seattle an opportunity to promote the significance of the Lunar New Year."