Margaret Mitchell Stamp

On June 30, 1986 the U.S. Post Office issued a 1-cent stamp showing Atlanta author and reporter Margaret Mitchell. First day of issue ceremonies were held in Atlanta's Omni International Hotel.

The date of the stamp's release marked the 50th anniversary of the day her epic novel, Gone With the Wind, went on sale. So in that sense, the stamp commemorates Mitchell. On the other hand, according to the Postal Service, the Mitchell issue is a "definitive" -- not commemorative -- stamp. Traditionally, definitive stamps have been the workhorse of the postal system. They are available in a variety of denominations, are printed in great quantities, are available over long periods of time, and are almost always smaller in size than commemorative stamps. Commemorative stamps usually are printed only once, are available only for a limited time, and usually printed in the denomination that applies to one ounce of first-class mail.

The Margaret Mitchell was the 31st stamp in the Great Americans series (which also includes the Sequoyah, Abraham Baldwin, and Richard Russell stamps).

(c) Carl Vinson Institute of Government, The University of Georgia

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