# New Postage Stamp **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 14, 2002, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-postage-stamp/98351 "2002-03-14T22:25:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![dreamlab](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/8dc957/32.png) [@dreamlab](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dreamlab)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2002, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-postage-stamp/98351/1 "2002-03-14T22:25:08Z")
The latest postage stamp has been released in honor of the firefighters and police who lost their lives in the 911 attack. It shows the three firemen racing the flag recovered from the ruins. Is this the first time the US Postal Service has included images of people who are still alive on their stamps? I thought their policy only allowed those who were dead ten years or longer to be on a stamp, unless it was a president, and then he still had to be dead. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2002, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-postage-stamp/98351/2 "2002-03-14T22:31:02Z")
I haven’t seen it myself, but I doubt it is meant to represent any particular individuals, but rather, as you mention, those who lost their lives. ---
**Author:** ![Petey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f1d935/32.png) [@Petey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Petey)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2002, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-postage-stamp/98351/3 "2002-03-14T23:20:35Z")
Neil Armstrong has been on a couple of stamps, although they were commemorating the moon landing event and not the person. Pete ---
**Author:** ![Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/50afbb/32.png) [@Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duck_Duck_Goose)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2002, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-postage-stamp/98351/4 "2002-03-15T04:42:17Z")
The OP is correct, on both counts. They normally don’t commemorate living people–but this time, they are. [http://www.stamps.net/newswr24.htm](http://www.stamps.net/newswr24.htm) > [@](#): > > The Criteria Our Postal Service Uses To > Select America’s Postage Stamps > > The U.S. Postal Service and the members of the Citizens’ Stamp Advisory Committee (CSAC) have set certain basic criteria for determining eligibility of subjects for commemoration on U.S. stamps and stationery. these criteria were first formulated about the time of the Postal Reorganization in the early 1970s, and have been refined and expanded gradually since then. > > The following are the 12 major criteria now guiding subject selection: > > \ > > 1. No living person shall be honored by portrayal on U.S. postage. > > 2. Commemorative stamps or postal stationery items honoring individuals usually will be issued on, or in conjunction with, significant anniversaries of their birth, but no postal item will be issued sooner than ten years after the individual’s death. The only exception to the ten-year rule is the issuance of stamps honoring deceased U.S. presidents. They may be honored with a memorial stamp on the first birth anniversary following death. It’s called the “Heroes of 2001” stamp. Picture of the stamp, with press release stating that yes, they used the photo of the real guys, cropped slightly. [http://www.usps.com/news/2002/philatelic/sr02\_017.htm](http://www.usps.com/news/2002/philatelic/sr02_017.htm) The original photo to compare. [http://thefacts.com/photos/2001.September/attack.jpg](http://thefacts.com/photos/2001.September/attack.jpg) Yep, that’s definitely the same photo. So, I’m assuming that Guideline #5 has pre-empted Guideline #2: > [@](#): > > 5.Only events and themes of widespread national appeal and significance will be considered for commemoration. Um, yeah. Also, note that it’s an “Advisory Committee”, so it’s not like the “no living person” rule is carved in stone. ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2002, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-postage-stamp/98351/5 "2002-03-15T05:02:18Z")
USA Today had a piece in it the other day that said Bush signed a waver to allow that image to be used since the firefighters are still alive. ---
**Author:** ![Violet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/ebca7d/32.png) [@Violet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Violet)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2002, 7:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-postage-stamp/98351/6 "2002-03-15T07:54:45Z")
Nice stamp! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![NutMagnet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ea5d25/32.png) [@NutMagnet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NutMagnet)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2002, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-postage-stamp/98351/7 "2002-03-15T13:52:22Z")
[nitpick-hijack] The flag was, supposedly, not “recovered from the ruins”. A couple is claiming it was illegally removed from their boat which was docked nearby. They don’t want restitution or the return of the flag, just an affidavit to prove it was theirs. (Heard on NY area news. Googling = nada). [/nitpick-hijack] ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2002, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-postage-stamp/98351/8 "2002-03-15T14:41:11Z")
I stand corrected.