Why the stamp was issued:  To continue the popular tradition of issuing Love stamps at the beginning of the year.

About the stamp design:  The design pictures a digital illustration of a white dove made up of four geometric shapes. The red background and pink envelope represent colors traditionally associated with love. Original artwork by Katie Kirk.

First Day City:  There was no headquarters First Day Ceremony for this stamp, but there was a local one in the town of Romance, Arkansas. The post office in Romance is famous for having been the first location to issue the 1990 Love stamp. It’s also popular as a place to receive special postmarks for Valentine’s Day cards and wedding invitations. Some weddings have even been performed on the grounds of the post office!

About the Love Series:  Based on the popularity of Christmas stamps, the issued its first Love stamp in 1973. It wasn’t intended to be the start of a series, and, in fact, it wasn’t until 1982 that another Love stamp was issued. Love-themed stamps were issued sporadically over the next few years. The stated that they weren’t intended just for Valentine’s Day mail, but also for weddings, birthdays, anniversaries, and other special occasions.

In 1987, the officially declared it a series, and new Love stamps have been issued nearly every year since. Love stamps are on sale longer than most commemorative stamps and are usually printed in greater quantities. They have sometimes been known to go back to press for additional printings if demand is sufficient.

History the stamp represents:  Many interesting symbols have come to represent love throughout history. The stories behind these symbols can be fun to explore. For example, why are doves often pictured on Valentine’s Day cards and other messages of affection?

In ancient Greek mythology, the dove was symbolic of Aphrodite, the goddess of love. This may be because doves are known to be quite devoted to their mates. Male doves help the females raise their young and some species are known to mate for life.

However, there is another possible reason why Aphrodite is associated with doves. It’s said she and her son Eros (god of love) were participating in a flower-picking contest. A nymph named Peristera helped Aphrodite win, and Eros turned the nymph into a dove in anger. Aphrodite decided to take care of the dove and make it her sacred bird as a thank you for helping her win the contest.

To this day, pottery and other artwork picturing the goddess of love often show her with doves nearby. Her temples even included statues of the birds. It’s no surprise, then, that doves have becomes symbols of love all on their own.