# 5269 - 2018 First-Class Forever Stamp - Bioluminescent Life: Bamboo Coral
US #5269
2018 Bamboo Coral – Bioluminescent Life
- Pictures bioluminescent bamboo coral
- One of 10 stamps showcasing the wonders of bioluminescence in nature
Stamp Category: Commemorative
Set: Bioluminescent Life
Value: 50¢ First Class Mail Rate (Forever)
First Day of Issue: February 22, 2018
First Day City: Fort Pierce, Florida
Quantity Issued: 40,000,000
Printed by: Banknote Corporation of America
Printing Method: Offset
Format: Panes of 20
Tagging: Phosphor tagged paper, block tag
Other: These stamps are highly reflective with a rainbow holographic-style effect
Why the stamp was issued: To celebrate different organisms capable of generating their own light (bioluminescent).
About the stamp design: Pictures an existing photograph of bioluminescent bamboo coral taken by Dr. Edith Widder.
Rainbow reflectivity: According to the USPS, these stamps were “produced using a proprietary rainbow holograph material that is highly reflective in white light. The stamps were produced using special techniques to enhance the reflective qualities of the material while maintaining the depth of color and detail of the individual images. The rainbow pattern imparts a sense of movement and light to the stamp pane.”
About the Bioluminescent Life set: Includes 10 designs picturing existing photographs of bioluminescent organisms taken by Dr. Edith Widder, Taylor F. Lockwood, Gail Shumway, and Steve Haddock. The creatures pictured are: deep ocean octopus, midwater jellyfish, deep sea comb jelly, mushroom, firefly, bamboo coral, marine worm, crown jellyfish, a different marine worm, and a sea pen.
First Day City: The First Day of Issue Ceremony was held at Sunrise Theater in Fort Pierce, Florida, not far from the Ocean Research and Conservation Association headquarters (ORCA). The organization’s CEO and Senior Scientist, Dr. Edith Widder, provided photographs for seven of the stamps images and was also in attendance at the First Day of Issue Ceremony.
History the stamp represents: Found at the floor of the Pacific Ocean, bamboo coral appears to be an unassuming creature until something brushes up against it. Then it lights up like a Christmas tree.
There are several different species of bamboo coral found all over the world. Growing up to five feet tall, the white bamboo coral is found in its largest numbers in the Pacific Ocean. With a skeleton made of calcium carbonate, these underwater trees can closely resemble their on-land counterparts. They are similar to trees in another way – bamboo coral have growth rings. Scientists use these rings to study how the ocean has changed over time. While bamboo coral generally live for 75 to 125 years, some have been found to be 4,000 years old. So bamboo coral can tell a long and detailed story of life in their part of the ocean.
On any given day, white bamboo coral sit swaying in the ocean current, allowing their long arms to catch small particles of food. However, if a larger creature comes along and touches these arms, they light up bright blue and release large amounts of slime. Scientists believe bamboo coral light up in this way to scare away predators, as their prickly spines are coated in toxic slime. With such a dramatic warning system, the bamboo coral ensures a long life.
US #5269
2018 Bamboo Coral – Bioluminescent Life
- Pictures bioluminescent bamboo coral
- One of 10 stamps showcasing the wonders of bioluminescence in nature
Stamp Category: Commemorative
Set: Bioluminescent Life
Value: 50¢ First Class Mail Rate (Forever)
First Day of Issue: February 22, 2018
First Day City: Fort Pierce, Florida
Quantity Issued: 40,000,000
Printed by: Banknote Corporation of America
Printing Method: Offset
Format: Panes of 20
Tagging: Phosphor tagged paper, block tag
Other: These stamps are highly reflective with a rainbow holographic-style effect
Why the stamp was issued: To celebrate different organisms capable of generating their own light (bioluminescent).
About the stamp design: Pictures an existing photograph of bioluminescent bamboo coral taken by Dr. Edith Widder.
Rainbow reflectivity: According to the USPS, these stamps were “produced using a proprietary rainbow holograph material that is highly reflective in white light. The stamps were produced using special techniques to enhance the reflective qualities of the material while maintaining the depth of color and detail of the individual images. The rainbow pattern imparts a sense of movement and light to the stamp pane.”
About the Bioluminescent Life set: Includes 10 designs picturing existing photographs of bioluminescent organisms taken by Dr. Edith Widder, Taylor F. Lockwood, Gail Shumway, and Steve Haddock. The creatures pictured are: deep ocean octopus, midwater jellyfish, deep sea comb jelly, mushroom, firefly, bamboo coral, marine worm, crown jellyfish, a different marine worm, and a sea pen.
First Day City: The First Day of Issue Ceremony was held at Sunrise Theater in Fort Pierce, Florida, not far from the Ocean Research and Conservation Association headquarters (ORCA). The organization’s CEO and Senior Scientist, Dr. Edith Widder, provided photographs for seven of the stamps images and was also in attendance at the First Day of Issue Ceremony.
History the stamp represents: Found at the floor of the Pacific Ocean, bamboo coral appears to be an unassuming creature until something brushes up against it. Then it lights up like a Christmas tree.
There are several different species of bamboo coral found all over the world. Growing up to five feet tall, the white bamboo coral is found in its largest numbers in the Pacific Ocean. With a skeleton made of calcium carbonate, these underwater trees can closely resemble their on-land counterparts. They are similar to trees in another way – bamboo coral have growth rings. Scientists use these rings to study how the ocean has changed over time. While bamboo coral generally live for 75 to 125 years, some have been found to be 4,000 years old. So bamboo coral can tell a long and detailed story of life in their part of the ocean.
On any given day, white bamboo coral sit swaying in the ocean current, allowing their long arms to catch small particles of food. However, if a larger creature comes along and touches these arms, they light up bright blue and release large amounts of slime. Scientists believe bamboo coral light up in this way to scare away predators, as their prickly spines are coated in toxic slime. With such a dramatic warning system, the bamboo coral ensures a long life.