2019-01-21 Mon

The USPS will be releasing a $7.35 Joshua Tree stamp and a $25.50 Bethesda Fountain stamp on 27th January at Kansas City, Mo. The stamps will pay for Priority Mail and Priority Mail Express, respectively. The $7.35 Joshua Tree Priority Mail stamped envelope will also be released on 27th January. It’s the 12th such envelope where the stamp design will be used on a Priority Mail stamp in the series.

Priority Mail rate will be increasing from $6.70 to $7.35, while the Priority Mail Express rate will be increasing from $24.70 to $25.50. The stamps are the 21st and 22nd releases from American Landmarks series of high-denomination stamps which was introduced in 2008. The first two stamps in the series were issued to commemorate Mount Rushmore and the Hoover Dam.

An artist named Dan Cosgrove from Chicago has created poster-style illustrations for all stamps in the series. The series has celebrated beautiful locations of the US like Old Faithful geyser in Yellowstone National Park, the Columbia River Gorge, and the Gateway Arch in St. Louis, Mo.

The Joshua Tree is commonly found in Mojave and Sonoran deserts. They are also found in California, Nevada, Arizona and certain parts of Utah. The lush green tree grows quickly and belongs to the Agave family. It has prickly leaves and pale round flowers blossom at the beginning of spring. The tallest Joshua tree in Joshua Tree National Park is 40 feet high.

Built in 1873, the popular Bethesda Fountain is located in Central Park, New York City. The $25.50 stamp features the fountain. The lake and bright coloured trees are depicted in the background. The fountain’s statue is called Angel of the Waters and was created by Created by Emma Stebbins. It has a height of 26 feet and a diameter of 96 feet. It’s one of the largest fountains in New York. Black and coloured pictorial postmarks will be used on Postal Service FDCs.

Image Courtesy: USPS