Caption
First-Class Rate Definitive (2000)
Number
3451
Prompt
The sunburst behind Liberty's crown gently pulses with a soft, yellow light. The statue turns toward the camera, lowers its torch and then raises it higher toward the camera. The clouds in the blue sky drift slowly from left to right.
Body
Issued in late 2000 to meet the new 34-cent first-class postage rate, this stamp presented a clean, photographic design for the new century. The image, by photographer Paul Hardy, is a classic, upward-looking shot of the statue against a bright blue sky. This was one of the first non-denominated stamps to be issued without a letter designation (like the previous A-H rate change stamps), instead bearing the words "First-Class." The design's simplicity and modern feel made it a workhorse of the mail system, placing a beautiful and direct image of Liberty on everyday correspondence across the nation.