Mars Pathfinder Stamp

On December 10, 1997, the United States Postal Service paid tribute to NASA’s Mars Pathfinder mission. The stamp is a $3 Priority Mail stamp which features a panoramic view of the Martian landscape with the rover still stowed on a petal of the Pathfinder lander.

The image on the stamp was one of the first images that were transmitted after the Pathfinder landed on Mars on July 4, 1997. The Sojourner had exited the Pathfinders ramp within 24 hours of arriving on Mars, providing more images of the amazing landscape on Mars.

With sales expected to soar worldwide, there were 15 million stamp sheets printed for the first day issuance. The stamp sheet features information about the mission and about the image taken on the reverse side.

The Mars Pathfinder stamp was only the third stamp in US history to incorporate invisible images to prevent counterfeiting. There is hidden text that reads “Mars Pathfinder, July 4, 1997” embedded on each stamp. These letters/numbers are not visible by the naked eye. You will need a decoder lens in order to be able to see them.

The arrival of the Pathfinder on Mars was one of the most significant achievements in American space history. This stamp is certainly a great collectible item to have in your collection.