Butterfly Garden Flowers - Non-Profit Org (USA, 2022)

Cosmos Flower (Left) & Scabiosas Flower (Right)

Name: Butterfly Garden Flowers

Artist: Rigel Stuhmiller

Date Released: February 1st, 2022

Country: USA

Amount/ Usage: Nonprofit Bulk Mailing

Type: Non-Profit Organization, Set of 2

Description: A set of 2 stamps showing two flower species (scabiosas and cosmos) known to attract butterflies

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In trying to figure out what stamps to blog about next, I sorted through my small collection of stamps. I found a bunch of incomplete sets of stamps. And this one complete set, along with a number of stamps that were released as individual stamps. I decided to post this stamps as it is my last completed set, and one I have multiples off (3 copies of Cosmos Flower, 1 of Scabiosas Flower as of 1/29/24). 

I think with my USA stamps, I am going to hold off on posting about sets until I have a complete set (at least for now.) With foreign stamps as it is less likely I will complete a set, I am willing to post incomplete sets (as I had previously done with Norwegian Lighthouses IV)

Norwegian Lighthouses IV - Air Worldwide (Norway, 2015)

Name: Norwegian Lighthouses IV A Worldwide (Norske fyrtårn IV A verda)

Artist: Inger Sandved Anfinsen

Date Released: June 5th, 2015

Country: Norway

Amount: Air Worldwide

Type: Non-Denominated Stamp

Description: Set of 2 stamps depicting Lindesnes and Kjeungskjæret lighthouses. (Only Kjeungskjæret lighthouse Stamp is shown above.)

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I thought it would be good to start on some foreign stamps. I decided to dig into my box of of old postcards. This stamps comes from Norway. This is the first Stamp Set I've shared where I don't have all the stamps in the set.

Save Vanishing Species "The Tiger Stamp" - Semipostal (USA, 2011)

Name: Save Vanishing Species (Nicknamed "The Tiger Stamp")

Artist: Nancy Stahl

Date Released: August 20th, 2011

Country: USA

Amount: First Class Postage + $0.09-$0.17 (A donation to Wildlife Without Borders Multinational Species Conservation (MSC) Funds administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The amount donated changed as the price of the stamp changed over the years sold.)

Type: Semipostal/First Class

Description: A Amur tiger club on a green background, with the text "Save Vanishing Species" and "Amur tiger club" .

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As I start this blog I wanted to try to feature a stamp from every different category. So, today's stamp is a Semipostal stamp. Semipostal Stamps are a type of stamp that raises money for a particular case, often a charity. The stamp is sold at a higher rate than normal stamps of that class. The surcharge is then donated to that cause. 

Since 2011, this stamps has generated more than $6.5 million in funding for international conservation projects.

Apples - $0.01 Denominational Stamp (USA, 2016)

Close up of Apples Stamp with Plate Number

Apples Stamp

Name: Apples

Designed by: Derry Noyes, based on an existing illustration by John Burgoyne

Date Released: August 12th, 2016

Country: USA

Amount: $0.01

Type: Denominational Stamp

Description: Two Albermarle Pippin Apples on a branch surrounded by leaves. 

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This is also our first blog post for a Denominational Stamp (I.e. one that is for a specific dollar value, opposes to a specific usage.)

I chose this stamps for today's blog post, as it is an sort of unusual example of multiple stamps on the same envelope. The reason people use multiple stamps is to add up to the correct postage amount. Because of the low value, this stamp would always be used with other stamps. In this case, as this org had a non-profit permit, they needed $0.05 to cover the postage, so they used $0.05 cent stamps.

The middle stamps features the Plate Number #222222. This is our first stamp with a plate number in our collection. 

Flags on Barns - Presorted Standard, Set of 4 (USA, 2022)

 

Name: Flags on Barns

Type: Pre-sorted Standard, Set of 4

Designed by: Stephanie Bower 

Date Released: April 14, 2022

Country: USA

Amount: Presorted Standard Rate

Description: A set of 4 stamps depicting American flags on the side of barns.

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In creating this blog, I have been thinking about how to handle stamps released in sets, when I don't have all the stamps yet. (And for many sets, knowing I may never complete the set, if I just collect stamps organically.) I haven't made a decision about that yet, and luckily I don't have to because I just so happened to have a complete set in my small collection. 

Patriotic Block - Nonprofit Org (USA, 2023)

 

Name: Patriotic Block

Designed by: Carol Beehler

Date Released: March 1st, 2023

Country: USA

Amount: Nonprofit Organization Rate 

Note: Pre-Canceled Stamp

Description:  "Features the components of the American flag arranged in a four-quadrant block. Two identical quadrants at the top left and bottom right contain a white star on a blue background; the other two quadrants each hold three red stripes, which run vertically in the top right block and horizontally in the bottom left." - USPS

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I wanted my first blog post to set expectations. So, I dug through the tiny pile of stamps I have collected over the last few months, and picked the stamp I have the most copies of. This will not be a exciting stamp blog with rare stamps. Instead this blog will feature mostly mundane stamps, many of which I receive from junk mail.