1998-2000 Celebrate the Century

Celebrate the Century is the name of a series of 32¢ and 33¢ postage stamps made by the United States Postal Service featuring images recalling various important events in the 20th century in the United States. Ten of these sheets were issued, with each sheet depicting events from the 1900s to 1990s.

Six of these centuries featured baseball moments across seven stamps: The First World Series, Babe Ruth, Jackie Robinson, The Shot Heard ‘Round the World, World Series Rivals, Roger Maris, and New Baseball Records.

Across the baseball stamps in the series, a grand total of 78,916,665 stamps were issued at a total value of $25,791,833.

Celebrate the Century U.S. Postage Stamps Books
Celebrate the Century U.S. Postage Stamps Books

Flip through the pages of the Celebrate the Century books with the convenience of only reading the seven chapters on baseball.

The 1900s

First World Series – The championship games of 1903 are considered baseball’s first World Series. Boston of the American League beat Pittsburgh of the National League 5 games to 3 in a best-of-nine series. There were 12,533,333 produced. (Stamp ID# Scott 3182n).
First World Series, Celebrate the Century U.S. Postage Stamp – 32¢
1998 First World Series, Celebrate the Century (1900s)
First World Series, Celebrate the Century U.S. Postage Stamp FDC
First World Series, Celebrate the Century U.S. Postage Stamp FDC
Celebrate the Centuries (1900s), U.S. Postage Stamp Sheet

The 1900s: Stamp Stats

Value: 32¢
Issue Date: February 3, 1998
City: Washington, DC
Quantity: 12,533,333
Printed By: Ashton-Potter (USA) Ltd
Printing Method: Lithographed
Perforations: 11 ½
Color: Multicolored

The 1920s

Babe Ruth – Babe Ruth hit 54 home runs in 1920. He went on to hit 59 home runs in 1921, and 60 in 1927. Twice he hit 3 home runs in a single game of a World Series. One of his nicknames was the Sultan of Swat. There were 12,533,000 produced. (Stamp ID# Scott 3184a).
Babe Ruth, Celebrate the Century U.S. Postage Stamp – 32¢
1998 Babe Ruth, Celebrate the Century (1920s)
Babe Ruth, Celebrate the Century U.S. Postage Stamp FDC
Babe Ruth, Celebrate the Century U.S. Postage Stamp FDC
Celebrate the Centuries (1920s), U.S. Postage Stamp Sheet
Celebrate the Centuries (1920s), U.S. Postage Stamp Sheet

The 1920s: Stamp Stats

Value: 32¢
Issue Date: May 28, 1998
City: Washington, DC
Quantity: 12,533,000
Printed By: Ashton-Potter (USA) Ltd
Printing Method: Lithographed
Perforations: 11.5
Color: Multicolored

The 1940s

Jackie Robinson – Jackie Robinson broke the Major League Baseball color barrier in 1947 when he joined the Brooklyn Dodgers. Voted Rookie of the Year that season, he earned the National League’s Most Valuable Player award in 1949. There were 12,533,000 produced. (Stamp ID# Scott 3186c).
Jackie Robinson, Celebrate the Century U.S. Postage Stamp – 33¢
1999 Jackie Robinson, Celebrate the Century (1940s)
Jackie Robinson, Celebrate the Century U.S. Postage Stamp FDC
Jackie Robinson, Celebrate the Century U.S. Postage Stamp FDC
Celebrate the Centuries (1940s), U.S. Postage Stamp Sheet
Celebrate the Centuries (1940s), U.S. Postage Stamp Sheet

The 1940s: Stamp Stats

Value: 33¢
Issue Date: February 18, 1999
City: Dobbins AFB, GA
Quantity: 12,533,000
Printed By: Ashton-Potter (USA) Ltd
Printing Method: Lithographed, engraved
Perforations: 11.5
Color: Multicolored

The 1950s

Shot Heard ‘Round the World – The 1951 National League pennant race was decided in a best-of-three games playoff. The New York Giants beat the Brooklyn Dodgers when, in the ninth inning of the third game, Bobby Thompson hit a three-run homer. Original painting for the stamp was done by Dean Ellis, and there were 12,533,000 produced. (Stamp ID# Scott 3197c).

World Series Rivals – Between 1949 and 1956, the New York Yankees and their crosstown rivals, the Brooklyn Dodgers, met five times in the World Series: 1949, 1952, 1953, 1955, and 1956. The Dodgers won one, in 1955. Original painting for the stamp was also done by Dean Ellis, and there were 12,533,000 produced. (Stamp ID# Scott 3187j).

The Shot Heard Round the World, Celebrate the Century U.S. Postage Stamp – 33¢
1999 The Shot Heard Round the World, Celebrate the Century (1950s)
The Shot Heard Round the World, Celebrate the Century U.S. Postage Stamp FDC
The Shot Heard Round the World, Celebrate the Century U.S. Postage Stamp FDC
World Series Rivals, Celebrate the Century U.S. Postage Stamp – 33¢
1999 World Series Rivals, Celebrate the Century (1950s)
World Series Rivals, Celebrate the Century U.S. Postage Stamp FDC
World Series Rivals, Celebrate the Century U.S. Postage Stamp FDC
Celebrate the Centuries (1950s), U.S. Postage Stamp Sheet
Celebrate the Centuries (1950s), U.S. Postage Stamp Sheet

The 1950s: Stamp Stats

Value: 33¢
Issue Date: May 26, 1999
City: Springfield, MA
Quantity: 12,533,000
Printed By: Ashton-Potter (USA) Ltd
Printing Method: Lithographed, engraved
Perforations: 11.5
Color: Multicolored

The 1960s

Roger Maris – In 1961, Roger Maris of the New York Yankees hit 61 home runs, setting a new Major League Baseball record, breaking the previous mark of 60 set in 1927. There were 8,000,000 produced. (Stamp ID# Scott 3188n).
Roger Maris, Celebrate the Century U.S. Postage Stamp – 33¢
1999 Roger Maris, Celebrate the Century (1960s)
Roger Maris, Celebrate the Century U.S. Postage Stamp FDC
Roger Maris, Celebrate the Century U.S. Postage Stamp FDC
Celebrate the Centuries (1960s), U.S. Postage Stamp Sheet
Celebrate the Centuries (1960s), U.S. Postage Stamp Sheet

The 1960s: Stamp Stats

Value: 33¢
Issue Date: September 17, 1999
City: Green Bay, WI
Quantity: 8,000,000
Printed By: Ashton-Potter (USA) Ltd
Printing Method: Lithographed, engraved
Perforations: 11.5
Color: Multicolored

The 1990s

New Baseball Records – The pursuit of three important and long-standing records thrilled Major League Baseball fans. Players set new marks for career strikeouts, consecutive games played, and home runs in a single season. There were 8,250,000 produced. (Stamp ID# Scott 3191a).
New Baseball Records, Celebrate the Century U.S. Postage Stamp – 33¢
2000 New Baseball Records, Celebrate the Century (1990s)
New Baseball Records, Celebrate the Century U.S. Postage Stamp FDC
New Baseball Records, Celebrate the Century U.S. Postage Stamp FDC
Celebrate the Centuries (1990s), U.S. Postage Stamp Sheet
Celebrate the Centuries (1990s), U.S. Postage Stamp Sheet

The 1990s: Stamp Stats

Value: 33¢
Issue Date: May 2, 2000
City: Monterey, CA
Quantity: 8,250,000
Printed By: Ashton-Potter (USA) Ltd
Printing Method: Lithographed
Perforations: 11 ½
Color: Multicolored

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