6027 – 2025 First-Class Forever Stamp – SpongeBob SquarePants: SpongeBob with Closed Mouth Smile

US #6027
2025 SpongeBob with Closed Mouth Smile

• One of four SpongeBob SquarePants stamps
• Features characters from beloved animated TV series

Stamp Category:  Commemorative
Set:  SpongeBob SquarePants
Value:  78¢, First Class Mail Rate (Forever)
First Day of Issue:  August 1, 2025
First Day City:  New York, New York
Quantity Issued:  9,000,000
Printed by:  Banknote Corporation of America
Printing Method:  Offset/Screen
Format:  Pane of 16
Perforations :  Die Cut

Why the stamp was issued:  This is one of four stamps issued to celebrate the beloved animated series, SpongeBob SquarePants.

About the stamp design:  USPS art director Greg Breeding designed the stamps using artwork from the show.

First Day City:  The First Day of Issue ceremony took place in Times Square in New York City.

About the SpongeBob SquarePants set:  SpongeBob SquarePants isn’t just one of the most beloved cartoons of all time – it’s a pop culture icon that started with a sponge and a big idea.
Creator Stephen Hillenburg was a marine biologist before becoming an animator.  His love of sea life led him to create The Intertidal Zone, a comic to teach kids about ocean creatures, which later inspired SpongeBob and his friends in Bikini Bottom.  The show’s setting under Bikini Atoll, a real location in the Pacific Ocean, and characters like jellyfish, starfish, and plankton all reflect Hillenburg’s scientific background.
But the show also draws from classic comedy and cartoons.  SpongeBob’s silly movements and dramatic expressions were influenced by silent film stars like Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton, as well as zany cartoon creators like Tex Avery, Chuck Jones, and John Kricfalusi.  With its mix of science, slapstick, and sharp animation, the show has connected with audiences of all ages since its debut in 1999.
SpongeBob SquarePants has become the longest-running American children’s animated series and one of the most recognizable cartoons in the world.  It has inspired movies, memes, and musicals.  And in 2025, it made waves again with a set of US stamps celebrating its unforgettable underwater world.  The colorful characters bring their irrepressible joy to our letters.

History the stamp represents: SpongeBob SquarePants didn’t just come from the sea – it also came from decades of comedy and cartoon history.
Creator Stephen Hillenburg was inspired by silent film stars like Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton, whose physical comedy and expressive faces helped shape SpongeBob’s over-the-top reactions.  Comedians like Laurel and Hardy, Jerry Lewis, the Three Stooges, and Pee-wee Herman also played a big role in shaping SpongeBob’s wild, childlike humor and his love of chaos, silliness, and slapstick.
Visually, Hillenburg was influenced by legendary cartoonists and animators like George Herriman (Krazy Kat), E.C. Segar (Popeye), Bill Watterson (Calvin and Hobbes), and Dr. Seuss.  Known for bold, expressive worlds with strange characters, their impact can be seen in SpongeBob.  Animators like Max Fleischer, Chuck Jones, Tex Avery, and Bob Clampett inspired the zany movement and timing in the show, while John Kricfalusi (creator of Ren & Stimpy) inspired the show’s sudden close-up shots of hyper-detailed faces.
These creative role models paved the way for a show that feels classic and completely original.  SpongeBob mixes old-school cartoon chaos with smart visual storytelling, making it a favorite for kids who love the jokes – and adults who recognize the genius behind them.