American Queen Featured in New USPS Stamp Collection


The U.S. Postal Service has introduced the Mighty Mississippi Forever Stamps and celebrated the 10th anniversary of American Queen Voyages’ sailing on the Mississippi River.

The stamps feature images of the Mississippi river from many destinations.

The Iowa stamp shows David Sebben’s photo of the American Queen near the city of Bettendorf.

“Our flagship the American Queen is an iconic symbol of those mighty paddle-wheelers, and we are honored to have her grace the collection.” said John Waggoner, founder and chairman of American Queen Voyages.

“Travelers have been captivated by the Mississippi River — romanticizing the steamboats transporting them from Minnesota to Louisiana — throughout history,” added Waggoner. 

The Mighty Mississippi Forever collection includes 10 exquisite photographic stamps that each represent a state along the course of the river.

With five rows of two stamps each, the pane’s arrangement corresponds to the states’ north-south and west-east sequence.

“Today, we continue the Postal Service’s tradition of celebrating our nation’s wonderful heritage with the dedication of 10 truly special Forever stamps honoring the Mighty Mississippi,” stated Gary Barksdale, The Postal Service’s Chief Postal Inspector.

“In addition to its many recreational and natural attributes, the Mississippi is also the backbone of the U.S. economy — serving as a riparian superhighway, transporting more than 175 million tons of freight annually,” commented Barksdale.