1981 18c Flowers: Lily
# 1879 - 1981 18c Flowers: Lily
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U.S. #1879
1981 18¢ Lily
Flowers
- From the first set of commemoratives issued for the new 18¢ first-class rate
- Created “at the request of President Carter”
Stamp Category: Commemorative
Set: Flowers
Value: 18¢; first-class postage rate
First Day of Issue: April 23, 1981
First Day City: Fort Valley, Georgia
Quantity Issued: 52,658,250
Printed by: Bureau of Engraving & Printing
Printing Method: Photogravure
Format: Panes of 48 in sheets of 192
Perforations: 11
Why the stamp was issued: The block of four Flowers stamps were the first commemoratives issued at the new 18¢ first-class rate that went into effect March 22, 1981.
About the stamp design: The Flowers block was the first stamp assignment for Lowell Nesbitt of New York City, who’s known for creating large-scale paintings of flowers. According to the USPS, the stamp images are “composite interpretations of several of his previous painting not representing specific species of flowers.” The flowers are largely pink and red, taking up most of the stamp space, all on a white background. The red spotted white lily on US #1879 is suspected to be an Oriental hybrid variety.
First Day City: The First Day Ceremony for the Flowers block was held at the headquarters of the American Camellia Society in Fort Valley, Georgia.
About the Flowers Stamps: These stamps are largely the result of campaigning by the American Camellia Society (ACS). The ACS had requested a stamp featuring their signature flower for several years. Some members of the group were friends of former President Jimmy Carter, who was living in Plains, Georgia, near their headquarters in Fort Valley. They appear to have passed their suggestion to the former president, who in turn wrote a letter to the postmaster general asking for a camelia stamp. While the Citizens’ Stamp Advisory Committee initially questioned the importance of a camellia stamp, they ultimately agreed, and expanded the issue to a block of four. In announcing the issue, the USPS said the Flowers block of four was created “at the request of President Carter.”
Other stamps in the set picture:
US #1876 pictures a deep red tea rose.
The American Camellia Society identified the pink-edged, white flower camellia on US #1877 as the “Betty Sheffield Supreme.”
The dahlia stamp on US #1878 pictures what is believed to be a pink and white cactus type of dahlia.
History the stamp represents: One of the world’s most beautiful flowers, the lily is also one of the oldest plants known to man. It is mentioned in history for the first time on a tablet inscribed nearly 5,000 years ago in Sumer. The tablet tells of a Persian city surrounded by fields of lilies. That ancient city was called Susa, which means lily.
From Persia the lily spread to Crete, Egypt, Greece, and Rome. It is believed caravans of nomads took the edible bulbs along as food for their long journeys. Occasionally a bulb would drop and take root. Eventually the lily made it to northern Europe and England, most likely in the belongings of homesick Roman soldiers.
Wherever it went, the lily was usually regarded as a sacred flower. The Minoans, Greeks, and Romans associated it with their goddesses. Greek mythology claimed the flower had sprung from the milk of Hera, Zeus’ wife. Closely intertwined with Christian history, the white lily was used for centuries to symbolize the purity of the Virgin Mary and her role as Queen of the Angels.
Today there are more than 12,000 species offering a multitude of colors, shapes, and sizes. Popular varieties include the tiger lily, Easter lily, and Japanese lily.
U.S. #1879
1981 18¢ Lily
Flowers
- From the first set of commemoratives issued for the new 18¢ first-class rate
- Created “at the request of President Carter”
Stamp Category: Commemorative
Set: Flowers
Value: 18¢; first-class postage rate
First Day of Issue: April 23, 1981
First Day City: Fort Valley, Georgia
Quantity Issued: 52,658,250
Printed by: Bureau of Engraving & Printing
Printing Method: Photogravure
Format: Panes of 48 in sheets of 192
Perforations: 11
Why the stamp was issued: The block of four Flowers stamps were the first commemoratives issued at the new 18¢ first-class rate that went into effect March 22, 1981.
About the stamp design: The Flowers block was the first stamp assignment for Lowell Nesbitt of New York City, who’s known for creating large-scale paintings of flowers. According to the USPS, the stamp images are “composite interpretations of several of his previous painting not representing specific species of flowers.” The flowers are largely pink and red, taking up most of the stamp space, all on a white background. The red spotted white lily on US #1879 is suspected to be an Oriental hybrid variety.
First Day City: The First Day Ceremony for the Flowers block was held at the headquarters of the American Camellia Society in Fort Valley, Georgia.
About the Flowers Stamps: These stamps are largely the result of campaigning by the American Camellia Society (ACS). The ACS had requested a stamp featuring their signature flower for several years. Some members of the group were friends of former President Jimmy Carter, who was living in Plains, Georgia, near their headquarters in Fort Valley. They appear to have passed their suggestion to the former president, who in turn wrote a letter to the postmaster general asking for a camelia stamp. While the Citizens’ Stamp Advisory Committee initially questioned the importance of a camellia stamp, they ultimately agreed, and expanded the issue to a block of four. In announcing the issue, the USPS said the Flowers block of four was created “at the request of President Carter.”
Other stamps in the set picture:
US #1876 pictures a deep red tea rose.
The American Camellia Society identified the pink-edged, white flower camellia on US #1877 as the “Betty Sheffield Supreme.”
The dahlia stamp on US #1878 pictures what is believed to be a pink and white cactus type of dahlia.
History the stamp represents: One of the world’s most beautiful flowers, the lily is also one of the oldest plants known to man. It is mentioned in history for the first time on a tablet inscribed nearly 5,000 years ago in Sumer. The tablet tells of a Persian city surrounded by fields of lilies. That ancient city was called Susa, which means lily.
From Persia the lily spread to Crete, Egypt, Greece, and Rome. It is believed caravans of nomads took the edible bulbs along as food for their long journeys. Occasionally a bulb would drop and take root. Eventually the lily made it to northern Europe and England, most likely in the belongings of homesick Roman soldiers.
Wherever it went, the lily was usually regarded as a sacred flower. The Minoans, Greeks, and Romans associated it with their goddesses. Greek mythology claimed the flower had sprung from the milk of Hera, Zeus’ wife. Closely intertwined with Christian history, the white lily was used for centuries to symbolize the purity of the Virgin Mary and her role as Queen of the Angels.
Today there are more than 12,000 species offering a multitude of colors, shapes, and sizes. Popular varieties include the tiger lily, Easter lily, and Japanese lily.