A Ford Mustang convertible owned by David Williams of Clifton, Virginia -- one of only a dozen cars to ever grace a postage stamp issued by the U.S. Postal Service -- will be on display next Wednesday (2nd June 2004) at the National Postal Museum in Washington, D.C. The event coincides with the 40-city 2005 Mustang Tour, which will stop in the nation's capital and showcase a red GT version of the new model.

Williams' Mustang was the "poster pony" for a special stamp issued by the Postal Service in 1999 as part of its "celebrate the century" commemorative series featuring the major icons of the 20th century as determined by a public vote.

Of the 3,800 regular and commemorative stamps issued by the Postage Service between 1847 and 2003, only 12 have featured specific car models, according to Wilson Hulme, the curator of philately (stamps) at the museum, a part of the Smithsonian Institution. The Mustang is the only honoured car still in production.

"It's remarkable enough just knowing that there are 120 million pictures of my car on stamps around the world," said Williams, 56, an administrator at North Virginia Community College in Alexandria, Virginia. "It really makes me very proud that it represents the Mustang's mark on the history of this country."

The Mustang became a stamp in 1999 when the Postal Service asked Americans to vote on the most memorable and significant people, events and trends for each decade of the 20th century. The 15 winners of each decade were included in its "celebrate the century" stamp series. It was the first time the public, including school children, were invited to put their personal stamp on history by voting on the subjects to be honoured.

The only other car to make the "celebrate the century" series was the Model T, which was awarded one of the 1900-1910 stamps, along with the Wright Brothers' flight, Ellis Island and the teddy bear.

"Mustang's extensive presence in books and songs underscores how it's been woven into the fabric of American popular culture," said Jim O'Connor, Ford Motor Company group vice president for North America Marketing, Sales and Service. "The recognition on the U.S. stamp was particularly gratifying for us, since the public -- especially school kids -- voted for it."

The original owner of the car on the Mustang stamp was Tom Werbe of Indianapolis who wanted to surprise his wife for her birthday in May of 1964.

Eighteen years later, the Mustang, affectionately known as the "Rangoon Red Ragtop," landed in Williams' caring hands. He restored it to its original lustre in 1985, and still drives it on special occasions. It has 189,000 miles on the odometer.