Statue of Liberty Centennial Stamps (New York City, NYC) Unused USPS Postage 22c

Add Big Apple flair to your letters with these vintage unused "Statue of Liberty" postage stamps! This classic Lady Liberty design is perfect for adding a touch of class to your cards and letters or save-the-dates and weddings. In pristine mint condition and valid for current postage use, each stamp holds a face value of 22-cents. These USPS postage stamps are suitable for current mailing when used with the total required postage based on the weight of your correspondence. Embrace the charm of New York City with this iconic postage stamp!

STAMP INFORMATION:

• Name: Statue of Liberty (Centennial) 
• Series: Standalone/commemorative
• Year Issued: 1986
• Face Value: 22-cents each (USD)
• Topic(s): Statue of Liberty, Joint Issue with France, NYC, New York City, Immigration
• Color(s): Red, White, and Blue
• Printing Method: Engraved
• Scott Number: 2224
• Adhesion Type: Gummed
• Condition: Genuine Unused USPS Postage Stamps, Ready to Use for USPS Mailings, Mint Condition

STAMP HISTORY: The 1986 22¢ “Statue of Liberty” postage stamp was issued by the U.S. Postal Service on July 4, 1986, in New York, New York, to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Statue of Liberty’s dedication and the grand reopening of the monument following its complete restoration. This issue was one of several stamps released as part of the Statue of Liberty Centennial celebration, a nationwide event that symbolized renewal, unity, and America’s enduring ideals of freedom and hope.

Designed by Barry Moser, the stamp features a finely engraved close-up of the Statue of Liberty’s face and crown, emphasizing her timeless expression of calm strength and illumination. The image captures the solemn majesty of Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi’s original sculpture, which had been dedicated on October 28, 1886, as a gift from France to the United States. The engraving was executed by Thomas R. Hipschen of the Bureau of Engraving and Printing, one of the era’s most skilled portrait engravers. The stamp was printed by the Bureau of Engraving and Printing using the intaglio (line-engraved) process in deep slate blue, giving the design a classic, dignified appearance.

The stamp served as the official commemorative of Liberty Weekend, a four-day celebration held July 3–6, 1986, marking the monument’s rededication after a major restoration effort led by the Statue of Liberty–Ellis Island Foundation, chaired by Lee Iacocca. The restoration—funded through private donations from millions of Americans—replaced the statue’s internal iron framework, repaired its copper skin, and restored the original torch with new gold leaf.

The first-day ceremony took place at Liberty Island, attended by President Ronald Reagan, French President François Mitterrand, and thousands of spectators. The event included musical performances, naval displays, and a spectacular fireworks show over New York Harbor—symbolizing the rekindled friendship between France and the United States and reaffirming the Statue’s meaning as a universal emblem of liberty.

STAMP MEANING & SPIRITUAL SIGNIFICANCE: The 1986 22¢ “Statue of Liberty” postage stamp embodies the light of divine freedom—the eternal truth that liberty is not merely a political condition but a sacred state of the human spirit. Issued on Independence Day during the Statue’s centennial rededication, the stamp captures a moment when America paused to remember that liberty’s truest power lies not in might or wealth, but in illumination—the light that awakens conscience, compassion, and the dignity of every soul.

The close-up engraving of Liberty’s face and crown is profoundly spiritual. Her calm, steady gaze suggests both strength and serenity, like a guardian of enlightenment watching over the world. The seven rays of her crown symbolize universal truth spreading to all corners of the earth, each ray a beam of higher consciousness—faith, justice, mercy, wisdom, courage, hope, and love. In this sense, the stamp serves as a meditation on the divine spark within humanity: the same light that guided the founders, inspired freedom movements across the globe, and continues to shine in every act of kindness and courage.

Spiritually, Lady Liberty represents the Divine Feminine as Light-Bearer—a maternal guardian welcoming the weary and lost, offering refuge, compassion, and rebirth. For generations of immigrants arriving through Ellis Island, her presence was not just a monument of metal, but a living symbol of grace and promise—a reminder that every human being is endowed with sacred worth and the right to live in truth and dignity.

Ultimately, the 1986 Statue of Liberty stamp invites contemplation of liberty as a sacred covenant between the human and the divine. It teaches that freedom begins in the soul, and that the torch we lift toward the world is first lit within ourselves. In this way, the stamp becomes a tiny icon of enlightenment—reminding us that true liberty is not granted by nations alone, but born from the divine light that dwells in every heart, waiting to shine forth into the world.

GUMMED STAMPS: These postage stamps have a traditional moisture-activated gum on the back. These stamps require licking or wetting to adhere to envelopes or other surfaces. To ensure good adhesion, apply vintage gummed stamps to your mailings with a glue stick (we recommend using Elmer's "Re-Stick" glue sticks).GENUINE USPS POSTAGE: These unused vintage postage stamps are perfectly valid for use as current postage for mailing with USPS as long as you use the adequate amount of additional postage to achieve standard postage rates according to the weight of your mailing. Check current postage rates at USPS.com.QUESTIONS? We love hearing from our customers and replies to inquires are usually answered the same day. Need more of this stamp? Looking for a particular stamp not found on our website? Want a curated postage set for your special event? Contact us with questions about vintage postage stamps and our services…TELL YOUR STORY IN STAMPS: We’ve worked with hundreds of couples and their stationers to custom design highly stylized personalized postage sets based on our customer’s life stories. We can help you curate personalized vintage postage sets to commemorate your save-the-date, wedding, shower, announcement, and other special occasions in a truly unique fashion. Drawing on our encyclopedic knowledge of every stamp ever issued by the USPS, and sourcing from our extensive inventory of collectable unused vintage stamps, we’ll help you tell your unique story in stamps!ABOUT HERITAGE POST HOUSE: Jennifer Kramer is the founder of Heritage Post House, a boutique vintage postage house located in Northern California. Jennifer sources the most beautiful unused vintage postage stamps ever issued by USPS and artfully arranges them into curated postage sets that are sure to add a special touch to your invitations, announcements, and special mailings. In addition to creating pre-arranged postage sets, Jennifer also works with couples (and their stationers) to create one-of-a-kind custom postage arrangements for wedding invitations, save the dates, and other special occasions.

SCROLL DOWN TO VIEW QUANTITY BASED PRICING