Juan Carlos Pagan Designs USPS Stamp for America's 250th Anniversary
Juan Carlos Pagan, a designer and co-founder of the New York studio Sunday Afternoon, designed the United States postage stamp to mark the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence's signing. About two years ago, Greg Breeding invited Pagan to create the stamp, leading him to develop two concepts: one inspired by Francis Hopkinson's flag design and the final version featuring goose quill pens forming the year 1776. This stamp will be unveiled as part of a yearlong celebration starting July 4, 2026. A Puerto Rican graphic designer educated at Parsons School of Design and Cooper Union, Pagan collaborated with Breeding for nearly two years to perfect the design, which, despite its small size, holds immense cultural significance.
Key facts
- Juan Carlos Pagan designed the USPS commemorative stamp for the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.
- Pagan is co-founder of New York-based studio Sunday Afternoon.
- Greg Breeding invited Pagan to create the artwork about two years ago.
- The brief was to create artwork incorporating the numbers 1776.
- Two concepts were developed: one based on Francis Hopkinson's flag design, the other using goose quill pens.
- The final stamp features numerals constructed from goose quill pens.
- The stamp marks the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
- Pagan studied at Parsons School of Design (BFA 2006) and Cooper Union (graduate studies 2011).
Entities
Artists
- Juan Carlos Pagan
- Francis Hopkinson
- Greg Breeding
Institutions
- Sunday Afternoon
- Parsons School of Design
- Cooper Union
- United States Postal Service
- PRINT Magazine
Locations
- New York
- United States