The U.S. Postal Service honored the possibilities and hope of Mattel’s Inc.’s iconic Barbie® — played with, enjoyed and collected by countless fans of all ages — with a new series of 10 collectible stamps and introduced to some of the doll’s most loyal fans at the annual National Barbie Doll Collectors Convention in Austin, TX, today.
“The original Barbie stamp has been one of our most memorable and beloved stamps, with appeal felt by Barbie fans young and old,” said Lisa Bobb-Semple, the Postal Service’s director of stamp services. “As much as our customers loved that stamp, we wanted to feature a selection of the modern careers depicted across the decades during which Barbie has become the best-selling doll of all time.”
Created by Mattel Inc., a global play and family entertainment company, and introduced in 1959 as “The Original Teenage Fashion Model,” Barbie quickly evolved into much more, becoming a symbol of limitless possibilities for generations of children. With an ever-expanding resumé that now represents more than 250 careers and counting, Mattel’s introduction of Barbie was groundbreaking and came to represent a modern view of womanhood in the mid-20th century. The new stamps pay tribute to the world’s best-selling doll and its legacy of endless possibility, creativity and empowerment during the last 65-plus years.
Top Row:
In 1961, Barbie stepped into an early professional role as a registered nurse. The blond Barbie wears a white cotton nurse’s uniform with a graduate nurse’s cap, a blue cape and era-appropriate “cat-eye” glasses. Barbie became a surgeon in 1973. The Malibu Barbie on the stamp is equipped with a stethoscope and is garbed in light blue scrubs and mask, with blond hair peeking out from underneath a surgical cap.
Two decades after Barbie first went to space, this 1986 astronaut suited up in a very ’80s broad-shouldered spacesuit in hot pink and silver lamé, with a bubble-helmet worn over dark brunette hair.
Firefighter Barbie arrived on the scene in 1995. The doll’s turnout gear consists of yellow helmet, jacket, pants and a white “Barbie Fire Rescue 1” T-shirt. A red ribbon secures a blond ponytail.
In the ’90s, dinosaurs loomed large in every way. This brunette paleontologist Barbie, introduced in 1996, is equipped for exploration with bucket hat, field bag, belted khaki shorts, dinosaur shirt, and pink earrings and kerchief.
Bottom Row:
Signing “I love you,” this sign language teacher Barbie has blond hair and wears a light blue sweater, plaid skirt and a beaded necklace. American Sign Language teaching materials were included in the playset, introduced in 2000.
For the 2018 Barbie Career of the Year playset, Barbie is a robotics engineer with goggles, a laptop computer and a tiny toy robot. With dark brown hair in a trendy updo, Barbie wears a faded jean jacket, black jeans and a T-shirt with a circuitry pattern.
As a judge, the 2019 Barbie Career of the Year doll has a gavel to call the courtroom to order and make important decisions. Wearing traditional black judicial robes and a lacy jabot, this dark-haired Barbie stands for justice.
Ready to score as a soccer player, Barbie is kitted up in green-trimmed white shorts and a flashy, red-striped, green jersey emblazoned with a team patch and the number 16. Released in 2022, this brown-haired doll — hair pulled back into a sporty ponytail — wears a red headband and carries a black and white soccer ball.
As part of the 2025 Barbie Career of the Year Women in Music set, the musical artist Barbie rocks a sky-blue guitar and a bright pink-sparkle dress and shawl, with high-volume dark curls highlighted in pink and purple.
The pane and stamps were designed by Ethel Kessler, a USPS art director, in collaboration with Mattel, using photography from Mattel. Near the top left of the selvage, the issuance title “Barbie” appears in white in the brand’s famous logo script, against a field of “Barbie Pink.” Underneath the title, a paragraph of explanatory text is printed in white. To the right of the text are the two rows of five stamps each, which are in a vertical design format, noticeably taller than standard commemorative stamps. At the bottom of the selvage is a narrow stripe of pale pink atop a wider blue stripe, which contains the phrase “You can be anything” printed in white.
The Barbie stamps are issued as Forever stamps and will always be equal in value to the current First-Class Mail 1-ounce price. News of the Barbie stamps is being shared with the hashtag #BarbieStamps.
About Mattel
Mattel is a leading global play and family entertainment company and owner of one of the most iconic brand portfolios in the world. Mattel engages consumers and fans through the franchise brands, including Barbie, Hot Wheels, Fisher-Price, American Girl, Thomas & Friends, Uno, Masters of the Universe, Matchbox, Monster High, Polly Pocket, as well as other popular Mattel properties owned or licensed in partnership with global entertainment companies. Mattel offerings include toys, content, consumer products, digital and live experiences. Mattel products are sold in collaboration with the world’s leading retail and e-commerce companies. Since its founding in 1945, Mattel is proud to be a trusted partner in empowering generations to explore the wonder of childhood and reach their full potential. For more information, visit mattel.com.
