The United States Postal Service, a week ago:

The Mister Rogers stamp, originally released in 2018, is new again in 2026!

In national Stamp Encore polling, the stamp honoring the television host beloved by generations rose to the top spot from a varied ballot of 25 previous stamp issuances.

The Stamp Encore contest was the first of its kind, asking the public to vote on a favorite stamp from the past to reissue in 2026. The contest saw nearly 600,000 votes, with the Mister Rogers stamp winning by more than 40,000 votes over its next closest contender.

I’m a huge fan of Mister Rogers (the person and the show). Naturally I purchased a few items. (The imperforate press sheet will look great framed.)

Rogers was “a passionately loyal postal customer and a huge advocate for the power of mail,” says Isaac Cronkhite, USPS’ chief processing and distribution officer, making his stamp selection especially apropos:

The esteem shown for Mister Rogers in Stamp Encore balloting seems fitting; Fred Rogers sometimes replied to 100 letters per day, never resorting to form letters. “I care deeply about sending a personal response,” Rogers wrote in a book about his postal correspondence. “It gives me a way to know my television neighbors as real people and to make a more personal connection with them.”

Finally, I’m finding it hard to read this apolitically:

“Fred Rogers is the embodiment of a good person and saw good qualities in everyone,” says Derry Noyes, creator of the 2018 stamp design. “We are in need of such human beings in this world. I believe that is why this stamp won the competition.” […]

“I respect Fred Rogers more than ever for his ability to connect with people,” she says. “He wasn’t judgmental and made a point of spreading that mentality through example. In this day and age perhaps I’m a bit nostalgic for his way of treating people and confronting adversity without vitriol.” She muses, “We could all use a bit more of the Fred Rogers mindset.”