On April 18, 2008, in Washington, DC, the Postal Service issued the 42-cent definitive stamps, Flags 24/7, in four designs. Phil Jordan of Falls Church, Virginia, designed the stamps.
Each of the four first-class stamps features a painting by Laura Stutzman of Mountain Lake Park, Maryland, of an American flag flying at a different time of day: sunrise, noon, sunset, and night.
In 1942, Congress passed a resolution establishing a code of flag etiquette. The code states, in part, that the American flag should be displayed from sunrise to sunset every day, weather permitting, but especially on days of national importance such as Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, and Veterans Day. Congress also decided that "when a patriotic effect is desired," the flag can be flown through the night if properly lit. Although compliance is voluntary, public observation of the code's measures is widespread throughout the nation.
One billion stamps were printed in the offset process with microprint "USPS" by Ashton Potter (USA), Ltd. (APU), Williamsville, New York. The stamps were available in the following formats: pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) coil of 100; PSA coil of 3,000; PSA coil of 10,000; water-activated gum (WAG) coil of 3,000.
