USPS celebrates centennial of 'Peanuts' cartoonist's birth with new forever stamps

The U.S. Postal Service will celebrate the centennial of the birth of cartoonist Charles M. Schulz with 10 new fun-filled stamps.

Schulz wrote, drew, inked and lettered nearly 18,000 "Peanuts" comic strips.

The last one was published the day after he died in 2000.

Debuting in 1950, "Peanuts" garnered hundreds of millions of readers worldwide.

Its original cast included Charlie Brown and Snoopy, soon joined by Lucy, Linus and others.

Each character reflects Schulz's rich imagination and great humanity. Charlie Brown, at the heart of "Peanuts," is often defeated but always resilient.

Schulz's resonant stories found humor in life's painful realities including rejection, insecurity and unrequited love.

In the 1960s, "Peanuts" became a worldwide phenomenon with beloved television specials, books, a Broadway show and countless products.

For five decades, Schulz steadfastly wrote, drew, inked and lettered every "Peanuts" strip - nearly 18,000 of them - the last one published the day after he died.

Schulz won many awards during his lifetime. In 2000, he was posthumously awarded the Congressional Gold Medal, the highest civilian honor bestowed by Congress.

Stamps include Charlie Brown, Lucy, Franklin, Sally, Pigpen, Linus, Snoopy (with Woodstock), Schroeder, Peppermint Patty, and Marcie.

The stamps will be released to the public during an event Sept. 30 at the Charles M Schulz Museum & Research Center in Santa Rosa, California

Information from AP Newsroom was used in this report.