US #5347
2019 Joshua Tree – American Landmarks Series
• Continues the US Postal Service series showcasing the beauty of American landmarks
Stamp Category: Definitive
Series: American Landmarks
Value: $7.35 Priority Mail Rate
First Day of Issue: January 27, 2024
First Day City: Kansas City, Missouri
Quantity Issued:&nbs... more
US #5347
2019 Joshua Tree – American Landmarks Series
• Continues the US Postal Service series showcasing the beauty of American landmarks
Stamp Category: Definitive
Series: American Landmarks
Value: $7.35 Priority Mail Rate
First Day of Issue: January 27, 2024
First Day City: Kansas City, Missouri
Quantity Issued: 7,000,000
Printed by: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd.
Printing Method: Offset, Microprint
Format: Panes of 4
Tagging: Nonphosphored Type III, Block Tag
Why the stamp was issued: To cover the Priority Mail service rate and continue the popular American Landmarks series.
About the stamp design: Pictures a view commonly experienced in the Mojave and Sonoran Deserts. Bold colors bring the Joshua trees, large rocky outcrops, and blue sky to life. Original artwork by Dan Cosgrove.
First Day City: First Day of Issue postmark from Kansas City, Missouri, headquarters of Stamp Cancellation Services.
About the American Landmarks series: The American Landmarks Series of Priority and Express Mail stamps began with the issue of the $4.80 Mount Rushmore (US #4268) and $16.50 Hoover Dam (US #4269) stamps in 2008. Since then, two new stamps have been released nearly every year (with a few exceptions). All picture vibrant images of some of the most iconic places in America created by digital artist Dan Cosgrove. Altogether, they resemble a virtual tour of America.
History the stamp represents: Rising tall above the sand dunes in the American Southwest, Joshua trees are dominating figures with twisted branches and sharp, spiky leaves.
Long before the arrival of Europeans, Native Ameericans used the tree’s tough leaves for baskets and sandals. They also added the flower buds and seeds to their food. Then in the mid-1800s, Mormon settlers were crossing the Mojave Desert in search of a new home. When they came across one of these unusual trees, they believed its lanky branches were leading them westward. They also thought the tree resembled the biblical figure Joshua reaching his hands up in prayer. The settlers called it the Joshua tree and the name has remained in use ever since.
Found in the Mojave and Sonoran Deserts, Joshua trees grow about three inches per year, which is fast for their climate. They are known to reach soaring heights up to 49 feet. Unlike most trees, they do not have growth rings, so it is difficult to determine their age. Joshua Trees can live for hundreds of years, but it is believed some have survived for a thousand years.
In 1936, land was set aside and established as the Joshua Tree National Monument. Years later, in 1994, an act was signed to upgrade the area to national park status. Nearly 800,000 acres of this unique landscape is now protected, ensuring the survival of the Joshua tree.
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