New Series of Commemorative Stamps & Cachets To Help Fund Conservation
BLOOMINGTON, MN -
The first official National “State-Fish Art” stamps were released
during a special first day of issue ceremony at Mall of America
as part of Wildlife Forever’s 7th annual State-Fish Art Expo
in Minneapolis, MN. Much like the way the federal government
uses the proceeds from the federal duck stamp to fund wetlands
conservation, sales of Wildlife Forever’s “Art of Conservation”
stamps will fund aquatic education and fishery conservation
projects across America. The United States Post Office was on
hand to authorize a special pictorial cancellation of the first
six “Art of Conservation™” stamps. Young students, each selected
as Best of Show winners from across the country created the
original six stamp designs. Plans are set for an annual release
that will feature art gallery quality images of future State-Fish
Art Contest winners. Only children in grades 4 - 12 are eligible
to enter the contest. Each stamp release is limited to an edition
of only 30,000 stamps, rare when compared to various “duck”
stamps. The denomination of each stamp is $5. Stamps are available
in Singles, Blocks of Six and within a unique Souvenir Sheet.
The Souvenir Sheet of six stamps has an actual size of 10” X
5.5”. Full color in design, the souvenir sheet displays each
new “fish” stamp featuring winning designs from 1999 to 2004.
The collectible sheet has a decorative border showing the Wildlife
Forever logo and the logo of the State-Fish Art Contest, “Fish
Guy”. The Souvenir Sheet sells for $35 each. Perhaps the most
rare collectible of the new stamps are the special set of Commemorative
Covers. Each cachet measures 3 5/8” X 6 ½”. The special issue
cover includes an official State-Fish Art Stamp and a 45-cent
postal stamp to insure it is philately correct. Each cover bears
the special postmark commemorating first day of issue from the
Post Office's Wildlife Forever Station in Bloomington, MN at
Mall of America. Individual cachets are limited to only 200
of each stamp’s design and sell for $7 each which are available
in all six stamp designs. Collectors and conservationists can
purchase any of the stamp products by visiting the Wildlife
Forever web site at: www.wildlifeforever.org
or by contacting Wildlife Forever at: (763) 253-0222. Mail orders
should be sent to Wildlife Forever, 2700 Freeway Blvd. #1000,
Brooklyn Center, MN 55430. The winner of the 2005 Art of Conservation
Stamp™ Award was also announced at the State-Fish Art Expo.
Tiara Jenkins of Pittsburg, Missouri (grade 11) was selected
by a panel of distinguished judges for her portrayal of a channel
catfish. The 2005 stamp will be available to the public in June
of 2006. For more information about the State-fish Art Contest,
visit the web site at: www.statefishart.com. Now entering its
18th year, Wildlife Forever is a multi-species conservation
organization dedicated to preserving America’s wildlife heritage.
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