US #5620a
2021 Raven Story (Imperforate)
• Honors an important story in the culture of Native Americans of the Pacific Northwest
• Design includes foil accents
Stamp Category: Commemorative
Value: 55¢ First Class Mail Rate (Forever)
First Day of Issue: July 30, 2021
First Day City: Juneau, Alaska
Quantity Issued: 18,00... more
US #5620a
2021 Raven Story (Imperforate)
• Honors an important story in the culture of Native Americans of the Pacific Northwest
• Design includes foil accents
Stamp Category: Commemorative
Value: 55¢ First Class Mail Rate (Forever)
First Day of Issue: July 30, 2021
First Day City: Juneau, Alaska
Quantity Issued: 18,000,000 (Includes die-cut AND imperforate stamps. The exact quantity of imperforate stamps is unknown, but it is only a tiny fraction of the total print quantity, making the imperforates much scarcer than traditional die-cut stamps.)
Printed by: Banknote Corporation of America
Printing Method: Flexographic, Foil Stamping, Microprint
Format: Panes of 20
Tagging: Phosphor, Block Tag
Why the stamp was issued: To honor the raven figure and its significance in Native American culture for peoples of the Pacific Northwest.
About the stamp design: Pictures original work by Tlingit/Athabascan artist Rico Worl of Raven setting free the sun, the moon, and the stars, escaping his human family, and transforming into his bird form.
Special design details: Includes foil details which add further interest and beauty to the stamp design.
First Day City: The First Day of Issue Ceremony was held at the Sealaska Heritage Institute in Juneau, Alaska. Native peoples of Alaska are just one group who feature the raven figure in their traditional stories.
History the stamp represents: Throughout human history, animals have often been popular subjects for stories. Usually there is some amount of symbolism attached to animals in these stories. Depending on the culture, the same animal might mean completely different things. Ravens are one of the best examples of this.
For many cultures, ravens are considered harbingers of death. They are said to bring bad luck, leading many people to fear them. However, there are also stories of ravens acting as protectors and providing aid to those in need.
Perhaps the most interesting tales about ravens originate from North America – specifically from indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest. In their mythology, the raven is closely associated with the Creator. In one story, it is said Raven discovered the first humans trapped in a giant clam shell. He freed them from their prison, but discovered the females were missing. Raven later found them trapped in a chiton (another type of shell). After reuniting the two sexes, the raven enjoyed watching them interact and grew quite fond of them. From then on, Raven became the protector and provider of mankind.
It’s fun to discover the stories of other cultures. Especially when they are so different from our own.
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