2024 Hank Aaron

On July 31, 2024, the U.S. Postal Service issued a Forever stamp honoring Hank Aaron during a dedication ceremony at Truist Park in Atlanta, Georgia. Released in panes of twenty, the stamps were priced at 73 cents each when issued.

The issue coincided with the 50th anniversary year of Aaron breaking Babe Ruth’s career home run record. USPS announced the stamp on April 8, 2024, exactly fifty years after Aaron hit his 715th home run on April 8, 1974. That historic achievement came amid racist abuse and threats against Aaron and his family, making his perseverance an enduring part of his legacy.

Henry “Hank” Aaron (1934–2021) played for the Milwaukee and Atlanta Braves before finishing his career with the Milwaukee Brewers. He helped Milwaukee win the 1957 World Series and earned the National League’s Most Valuable Player award that season. Aaron finished his career with 755 home runs and was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1982.

Chuck Styles created the stamp’s digital portrait using a 1968 photograph of Aaron in his Atlanta Braves uniform and right-handed batting stance. The pane’s surrounding border features a separate digital painting of Aaron watching his record-breaking 715th home run, based on a 1974 photograph by Harry Harris. Greg Breeding served as art director and designer, with typography by Kevin Cantrell.

Aaron also had a remarkable connection to the mail. As he approached Ruth’s record in 1973, he received more than 900,000 pieces of correspondence. Most supported his pursuit, although some contained the racist threats he endured during the chase.

Ashton-Potter printed 30,000,000 stamps using offset lithography with microprinting. At their original issue price of 73 cents each, they represented a total face value of $21,900,000. The stamp is cataloged as Scott 5908.