Caption
Statue of Liberty Centennial (1986)
Number
2224
Prompt
The statue turns toward the camera, lowers its torch and then raises it higher toward the camera. Fireworks, in the style of the engraved lines, burst silently in the dark blue sky behind the statue's head. A single, golden sparkle animates on the tip of her crown's ray.
Body
This 22-cent commemorative stamp was the centerpiece of a massive celebration for the Statue of Liberty's centennial. Issued on Governors Island during Liberty Weekend '86, the stamp's release coincided with the unveiling of the newly restored statue. The design was a joint effort with France, who issued a similar stamp in Paris on the same day, honoring the statue's origins as a gift from the French people. Designed by Howard Paine, the stamp presents an intimate and powerful close-up of Liberty's face, based on a photograph. This perspective was a departure from previous full-figure or torso depictions, inviting a more personal connection with the iconic monument.