The Stamp Collectors Corner

In continuation from Wednesday…

One of the reasons that the Citizen’s Advisory Board chose to create these wildlife postage stamps is that they found that the general public was more interested in animals than the other suggestions that were coming in from the public.  One road block that they encountered, however; is that not all states have a particular state animal that they claim as their own.  So it was decided that the stamps would depict one “wildlife” representative that lives in each of the 50 states instead.  Up for consideration for the postages stamps were mammals, birds, reptiles, insects, fauna, and crustaceans.

Here’s a little stamp history for you to enjoy.  The first wildlife postage stamps appeared in 1869.  They were in 10 cent and 30 cent values and pictured the bald eagle.  The USPS did not issue the next animal postage stamp until 1923 and that was of a bison.  It took the USPS another 24 years to issue the next animal postage stamp.  In 1947 they issued one of the great white heron.  Since 1956, animal postage stamps have been popping up at a much more regular pace, usually to promote environmental protection or conservation issues.

Please check back on Monday for the conclusion to this post.