Patriotic American WWII Victory poster stamp

Patriotic poster stamp featuring a red-white-and-blue color scheme, and an overly large “V” distributed in the United States between 1941 and 1945. Poster stamps were collectable stamps, slightly larger than postage stamps, with designs similar to posters. Although they were not valid for postage, poster stamps could be affixed to letters and envelopes as a means for fundraising, propaganda, and educational purposes. In early 1941, the “V for Victory” campaign was conceived by Victor de Laveleye, who broadcast for the BBC in German-occupied Belgium. He proposed the idea to his audience because “V” is the first letter of the French and English words for “victory” (victoire and victory), as well as the Flemish and Dutch word for “freedom” (vrijeid). He then called on his listeners to write the V everywhere as an act of resistance against the occupiers. The idea caught on and spread to the Netherlands, northern France, and England. The campaign spread to the still neutral United States, and in the late summer of 1941, ephemera began appearing with “V for Victory” printed on them. After America entered the war in December 1941, the campaign was officially made a part of the government’s efforts. America saw a surge of patriotic sentiment and nationalistic pride after the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. This patriotism was spurred on by ephemeral objects such as posters, stickers, pins, and poster stamps that were adorned with national symbols and decorated with red, white, and blue. American’s sense of patriotic duty motivated many to grow Victory Gardens, ration goods, take on new wartime jobs, and increase industrial production. Such patriotic home front activities were seen as valuable contributions to the war effort that helped push America its allies to victory.