Michigan postage stamps in the verified set move between statehood, Detroit history, higher education, industry and the physical link between the state’s two peninsulas. Seven issue records support those connections.
Two Mackinac Bridge stamps, two postal contexts
The archive contains a 3-cent Mackinac Bridge issue from 1958 and a Priority Mail design from 2010. Recording both prevents a landmark search from collapsing distinct designs, dates and services into one result.
Source-checked Michigan issue records
Michigan statehood also appears twice, while Landing of Cadillac, Henry Ford and Land-Grant Colleges document separate historical tasks.
| Issue | Issue date | Value or service | Relationship | Documented subject | First-day place |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Land-Grant Colleges | February 12, 1955 | 3 cents | Other direct state theme | This stamp commemorates the centennial of the founding of Michigan State University and Pennsylvania State University, the first of the land-grant institutions. | Not stated in the extracted record |
| Mackinac Bridge | February 3, 2010 | Priority Mail | Other direct state theme | Artist Dan Cosgrove used several panoramic photographs of the Mackinac Bridge to create the stamp artwork, which features seagulls flying around the two towers and a large ship passing underneath. | Mackinaw City, MI |
| Michigan Statehood | January 26, 1987 | 22 cents | Statehood | The first commemorative stamp for 1987, honoring the 150th anniversary of Michigan statehood, was issued on January 26 in Lansing, the state capital. | Lansing, MI |
| Landing of Cadillac | July 24, 1951 | 3 cents | Other direct state theme | The Department issued this 3-cent stamp through the Detroit, Michigan, post office on July 24, 1951, to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the landing of Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac at Detroit in 1701. | Not stated in the extracted record |
| Henry Ford | July 30, 1968 | 12 cents | Other direct state theme | Henry Ford (1863–1947), the subject of the 12-cent stamp of the series, once said, “I will build a motor car for the great multitude.” The black Henry Ford stamp was issued in Dearborn, Michigan, on July 30, 1968. | Greenfield Village, MI |
| Mackinac Bridge | June 25, 1958 | 3 cents | Other direct state theme | This issuance celebrates the Mackinac Straits Bridge, completed in 1957. | Not stated in the extracted record |
| Michigan Statehood | November 1, 1935 | 3 cents | Statehood | The Post Office Department celebrated Michigan statehood with a 3-cent violet stamp, issued on November 1, 1935. | Lansing, MI |
Why the 1935 statehood stamp needs a date note
The 1935 issue celebrated Michigan’s statehood campaign even though formal admission came in 1837. The archive itself explains that timing, so the page preserves the issue date without rewriting it as the admission date.
Michigan themes are broader than the state seal
A direct Michigan subject may be a bridge, institution, industrial figure or Detroit event. Conversely, a sale listing, cancellation city or generic Great Lakes image is not enough without issue-level support.
Issue history versus current availability
The two Mackinac Bridge records show why an issue date and service must be checked before purchase or use. The table does not certify a seller’s copy, its condition, present market value or suitability for today’s mailing.
Reading the Michigan index
Are both Mackinac Bridge entries the same stamp?
No. They have different dates and postal services: 1958 at 3 cents and 2010 as Priority Mail.
Why is Henry Ford included?
The archived issue identifies Ford and his Dearborn, Michigan connection, providing a documented people-based link.