Maryland officials Wednesday unveiled the new 39-cent Chesapeake Bay stamp, part of the 40-stamp “Wonders of America: Land of Superlatives” collection released by the United States Postal Service this week.
The collection includes stamps that commemorate America?s marvels ? from the biggest rodent to the windiest city. The Chesapeake Bay made the list because it is the country?s “largest estuary,” the largest body of water where fresh and salt water mix.
Designed by Lonnie Busch, of Franklin, N.C., the Chesapeake Bay stamp features a heron gliding in the air at sunset, with the backdrop of glistening, sun-kissed waters and a purple and pink sky.
“This stamp is very important,” said Senate President Thomas Mike Miller. “Hopefully everyone is going to get one of these stamps.”
The U.S. Postal Service releases only about 25 commemorative stamps a year, although it gets nearly 50,000 stamp suggestions, said spokeswoman Sue Brennan.
The Citizens? Stamp Advisory Committee, a group of presidential appointees, chooses from the thousands of ideas and suggests which should become stamps to the Post Master General.
Collections like “Wonders of America” are only released once every few years, Brennan said.
The last collection, “Welcome to America,” was released in 2002.
In the unveiling ceremony Wednesday, co-sponsored by Blacks of the Chesapeake, Gov. Robert Ehrlich said he hopes the stamp will bring awareness to the “moral obligation” of Maryland residents to clean up the Chesapeake.
Ehrlich also said the stamps are a good way to bring visibility to black influence on the Chesapeake Bay.
“African-American historyis Maryland history, African-American history is Bay history ? and what better way to celebrate than with this stamp?” Ehrlich said.
Vincent Leggett, founder of the Blacks of the Chesapeake, agreed.
“We live in a world of visuals and icons,” Leggett said. “Something about images … crosses all borders and boundaries.” Leggett said.
The Chesapeake Bay stamps are now available for purchase in post offices and online, and must be purchased along with the entire “Wonders of America” set.
Stamps at a glance
Stamps featured in the “40 Wonders of America: Land of Superlatives” stamp collection
» The country?s deepest lake Crater Lake in Oregon
» The country?s largest rodent American Beaver
» The country?s tallest man-made monument ? Gateway Arch in St. Louis
» The country?s windiest place Mount Washington in New Hampshire
» The country?s fastest bird ? the Peregrine Falcon
