U.S. Postal Service puts its stamp on Olympics

The U.S. Postal Service is commemorating the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games with the issuance of a stamp featuring an illustration of a snowboarder.

The stamp went on sale this month.

Illustrator Steve McCracken captures the thrill of Olympic sports in his portrayal of an airborne snowboarder against the backdrop of a snow-capped mountain.

Stamps featuring Olympic themes have been popular since the first modern Olympiad in 1896, when Greece issued 12 Olympic-themed commemorative stamps. Beginning in 1932, when the Olympic Games were in Los Angeles, numerous U.S. stamps have honored the Games.