[On this page, because of the nature of the announcement, the latest information is at the end.]

[press release] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions] Announced March 6, 2024
USPS Unveils Betty Ford Stamp
Dedication Will Take Place April 5 in Rancho Mirage, CA

WASHINGTON — On March 6, the U.S. Postal Service revealed the artwork of a commemorative Forever stamp celebrating the life and legacy of former First Lady Betty Ford.

The stamp design was unveiled at the White House by First Lady Jill Biden, Postmaster General Louis DeJoy and Susan Ford Bales, daughter of former President Gerald R. Ford and former First Lady Betty Ford.

The dedication ceremony for the Forever stamp will be held April 5 — three days before the 106th anniversary of her birth. The event will take place at the Annenberg Health Sciences Building located at Eisenhower Health in Rancho Mirage, CA.

“Betty Ford changed the role of first lady,” said Postmaster General DeJoy. “She used the role not just as a platform to represent the nation and advance and support her husband, she used it to speak openly and honestly about issues she cared about, and about personal issues she faced.”[The stamp is unveiled by (L-R) First Lady Jill Biden, daughter Susan Ford Bales, Dr. Joseph Lee and Postmaster General Louis DeJoy.]

Elizabeth Anne Bloomer Ford (1918–2011), wife of the 38th president, was first lady of the United States from 1974 to 1977. After the Watergate scandal forced the resignation of President Richard Nixon on Aug. 9, 1974, and an earlier scandal pushed out Vice President Spiro Agnew, Gerald Ford became the first U.S. president who had never been elected president or vice president. In her new role as first lady, Betty Ford, impressed the American public in interviews by showing humor and frankness about controversial issues facing the country.

“Mom would be humbled and grateful beyond words for the extraordinary tribute of her commemorative stamp,” said daughter Susan Ford Bales [right], who attended the White House event. “To Mom, the stamp would be a heartwarming reminder of joys of millions of breast cancer and substance use disorder survivors who have overcome their diseases and individually added to her legacy of candor and courage.”

While the Fords never intended to inhabit the White House, Betty Ford embraced the role, becoming the most politically outspoken first lady since Eleanor Roosevelt and helping mold the position’s modern role. [First Lady Jill Biden, shown on the left, said that Mrs. Ford promised to be herself in the White House. “”That was exactly what the country needed: A warm, charming, friendly First Lady, who would help restore a wearied nation’s faith in government.”]

Throughout her husband’s political career, Mrs. Ford openly fought for women’s rights, often conflicting with the Republican Party’s stances. She campaigned tirelessly for the Equal Rights Amendment, which would have mandated constitutional equality for all Americans, regardless of gender.

After being diagnosed with breast cancer, Mrs. Ford underwent a mastectomy on Sept. 28, 1974. While medical issues of previous first ladies weren’t always disclosed, Mrs. Ford chose to share the story of her treatment for the once-taboo medical condition.

In 1964, Mrs. Ford had begun taking prescription pain pills for a pinched nerve in her neck, developing a substance use disorder over time. In 1978, after an intervention, she entered the Naval Regional Medical Hospital in Long Beach, CA, for treatment. As with her breast cancer, she publicly acknowledged her substance use disorder, changing its perception and putting a face to the disease.

In 1982, Mrs. Ford and former ambassador and close family friend Leonard Firestone established the Betty Ford Center for substance dependency. She agreed to lend her name to the center, hoping to destigmatize substance use disorder treatment at a time when it wasn’t spoken about openly — especially by women — and options for treatment were scarce. Her work helped change the way treatment options and those seeking it are viewed by American society. [On the left, speaking at the unveiling, Dr. Joseph Lee, president and CEO, Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation.]

The Forever stamp honoring Betty Ford is being issued in panes of 20. News of the stamp will be shared with the hashtag #BettyFordStamp.

Dedication [First Day] Ceremony Information

What: The U.S. Postal Service will commemorate the life and legacy of former First Lady Betty Ford with the issuance of a Forever stamp.

When: April 5, 2024, 11 a.m. PDT

Where: Eisenhower Health
Annenberg Health Sciences Building
Helene Galen Auditorium
39000 Bob Hope Drive
Rancho Mirage, CA 92270

RSVP: Dedication ceremony attendees are encouraged to register at: usps.com/bettyfordstamp

Updated March 7^th:
On April 5, 2024, in Rancho Mirage, CA, the United States Postal Service® will issue the Betty Ford stamp (Forever® priced at the First-Class Mail® rate) in one design, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 20 stamps (Item 484800). This stamp will go on sale nationwide April 5, 2024, and must not be sold or canceled before the first-day-of-issue.

This stamp celebrates the life of Betty Ford (1918–2011), wife of the 38th president, Gerald R. Ford, and first lady of the United States from 1974 to 1977. As first lady, Mrs. Ford won widespread admiration for her candor and support for women’s rights. The stamp art is a detail from the official 1977 White House portrait by Felix de Cossio (1913–1999). The oil-on-canvas portrait shows Mrs. Ford dressed in a pale blue chiffon dress. The seated portrait was cropped to accommodate the stamp format. Art director Derry Noyes designed the stamp.

Automatic distribution.

How to Order the First-Day-of-Issue Postmark:
Customers have 120 days to obtain the first-day-of-issue postmark by mail. They may purchase new stamps at their local Post Office™ or at The Postal Store® website at store.usps.com/store/home. They must affix the stamps to envelopes of their choice, address the envelopes (to themselves or others), and place them in a larger envelope addressed to:

FDOI – Betty Ford Stamp
USPS Stamp Fulfillment Services
8300 NE Underground Drive, Suite 300
Kansas City, MO 64144-9900

After applying the first-day-of-issue postmark, the Postal Service will return the envelopes through the mail. There is no charge for the postmark up to a quantity of 50. There is a 5-cent charge for each additional postmark over 50. All orders must be postmarked by August 5, 2024.

Technical Specifications:

Issue: Betty Ford Stamp
Item Number: 484800
Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail Forever
Format: Pane of 20 (1 design)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: April 5, 2024, Rancho Mirage, CA 92270
Art Director: Derry Noyes, Washington, DC
Designer: Derry Noyes, Washington, DC
Existing Art: Felix de Cossio
Modeler: Sandra Lane / Michelle Finn
Manufacturing Process: Offset, Microprint
Printer: Banknote Corporation of America
Press Type: Alprinta 74
Stamps per Pane: 20
Print Quantity: 12,000,000
Paper Type: Phosphor, Block Tag
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Colors: Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black, PMS 6114C
Stamp Orientation: Vertical
Image Area (w x h): 0.8400 x 1.4200 in. / 21.3360 x 36.0680 mm
Overall Size (w x h): 0.9800 x 1.5600 in. / 24.8920 x 39.6240 mm
Full Pane Size (w x h): 6.0400 x 7.8800 in. / 153.4160 x 200.1520 mm
Press Sheets Size (w x h): 24.1600 x 15.7600 in. / 613.6640 x 400.3040 mm
Plate Size: 160 stamps per revolution
Plate Number: “B” followed by five (5) single digits
Marginal Markings:
Front: Header: BETTY FORD • Plate number in bottom two corners
Back: © 2024 USPS • USPS logo • Two barcodes (484800) • Plate position diagram (8) • Promotional text

Updated March 22^nd:
Here are the first-day postmarks for this issue:The Digital Color Postmark measures 2.80″ x 1.48″The Pictorial Postmark measures 2.62″ x 1.37″