# 5651 - 2021 First-Class Forever Stamps - Otters in Snow: Otter in Snow
US #5651
2021 Otter in Snow – Otters in the Snow
- One of four stamps picturing otters playing in the snow
Stamp Category: Definitive
Set: Otters in the Snow
Value: 58¢ First Class Mail Rate (Forever)
First Day of Issue: October 12, 2021
First Day City: Otter, Montana
Quantity Issued: 300,000,000
Printed by: Banknote Corporation of America
Printing Method: Offset
Format: Double-sided Booklets of 20
Tagging: Phosphor Tagged Paper, Block Tag
Why the stamp was issued: To showcase playful otters in their natural winter habitat.
About the stamp design: Pictures a pen, ink, and watercolor illustration of an otter in the snow. Artwork by illustrator John Burgoyne, whose work has been pictured on other US stamps in the past.
First Day City: The First Day of Issue city was Otter, Montana, but no official First Day Ceremony was held.
About the Otters in the Snow set: In 2021, the USPS created a set of four Forever stamps picturing otters’ wintertime behaviors. Each features original pen, ink, and watercolor illustrations by artist John Burgoyne. The stamps reflect the playful nature that has made otters so popular with the public.
History the stamp represents: While many otter species exist in areas that get cold and snowy in the winter, one particular species is found only in warmer climates. Specifically, along the Amazon River of South America. It is the giant otter, the longest member of the weasel family and longest otter species. In fact, some individuals have been known to reach lengths of up to eight feet!
Giant otters are quite different from other otter species. They have the shortest fur of any otter, due to not having to deal with cold temperatures like their northern cousins. They also are known to have white or cream markings under their throat and chin, which individuals use to identify one another. In fact, when meeting for the first time, giant otters participate in “periscoping,” a behavior in which both animals show their throats and upper chests to each other. This allows them to remember each other later.
Unlike other otters who prefer solitude, giant otters are most often found in large groups. These groups are known to be extremely noisy, producing a wide variety of unique calls, each with a different meaning. A 2014 study identified at least 22 distinct calls.
All otters are fascinating creatures, but perhaps no species is quite as interesting and unusual as the giant otter.
US #5651
2021 Otter in Snow – Otters in the Snow
- One of four stamps picturing otters playing in the snow
Stamp Category: Definitive
Set: Otters in the Snow
Value: 58¢ First Class Mail Rate (Forever)
First Day of Issue: October 12, 2021
First Day City: Otter, Montana
Quantity Issued: 300,000,000
Printed by: Banknote Corporation of America
Printing Method: Offset
Format: Double-sided Booklets of 20
Tagging: Phosphor Tagged Paper, Block Tag
Why the stamp was issued: To showcase playful otters in their natural winter habitat.
About the stamp design: Pictures a pen, ink, and watercolor illustration of an otter in the snow. Artwork by illustrator John Burgoyne, whose work has been pictured on other US stamps in the past.
First Day City: The First Day of Issue city was Otter, Montana, but no official First Day Ceremony was held.
About the Otters in the Snow set: In 2021, the USPS created a set of four Forever stamps picturing otters’ wintertime behaviors. Each features original pen, ink, and watercolor illustrations by artist John Burgoyne. The stamps reflect the playful nature that has made otters so popular with the public.
History the stamp represents: While many otter species exist in areas that get cold and snowy in the winter, one particular species is found only in warmer climates. Specifically, along the Amazon River of South America. It is the giant otter, the longest member of the weasel family and longest otter species. In fact, some individuals have been known to reach lengths of up to eight feet!
Giant otters are quite different from other otter species. They have the shortest fur of any otter, due to not having to deal with cold temperatures like their northern cousins. They also are known to have white or cream markings under their throat and chin, which individuals use to identify one another. In fact, when meeting for the first time, giant otters participate in “periscoping,” a behavior in which both animals show their throats and upper chests to each other. This allows them to remember each other later.
Unlike other otters who prefer solitude, giant otters are most often found in large groups. These groups are known to be extremely noisy, producing a wide variety of unique calls, each with a different meaning. A 2014 study identified at least 22 distinct calls.
All otters are fascinating creatures, but perhaps no species is quite as interesting and unusual as the giant otter.