As the host of Jeopardy! from 1984 until his death from pancreatic cancer in 2020, Alex Trebek was a frequent presence in the homes of game show and trivia enthusiasts. Among his eight Daytime Emmy wins and other awards, Trebek is now the recipient of another honor: his own postage stamp.
The United States Postal Service (USPS) recently announced that Trebek will be featured on a sheet of Forever stamps. Trebek’s image appears as part of the backing, but the actual stamps appear like they’re part of a Jeopardy! video monitor grid. Each stamp features the answer, “This naturalized U.S. citizen hosted the quiz show Jeopardy! for 37 seasons.”
Underneath the caption is the question: “Who is Alex Trebek?”
Forever stamps are so named for their resistance to inflation. Once purchased, they’re good to use for 1-ounce First Class Mail even if the current rate has increased. The current cost of a Trebek Forever Stamp is 73 cents. A sheet of 20 is $14.60.
Jeopardy! is best known for its iteration with the Ontario-born Trebek at the helm, but the show and its inverted answer-and-question format actually debuted in 1964. It ran until 1975 and was brought back briefly in 1978 before returning in 1984. But it was no immediate hit: Fearing that viewers would be wary of a cerebral game show, some markets relegated it to a 2 a.m. time slot.
The Trebek stamp is available for pre-order at the USPS.com website. The USPS plans to commemorate the date of issue for the stamp on Monday, July 22, at an event at Sony Pictures Studios in Culver City, CA. Expected to be in attendance are Jean Trebek, Alex’s wife, and current Jeopardy! host Ken Jennings. (Jennings is also quiz master for Mental Floss, offering weekly Kennections.)