Golden Replicas of U.S. First Day of Issue Stamps

The career of James Weldon Johnson (1871-1938), who is featured on this golden stamp, was a kaleidoscope of education, show business, poetry, and public service. In each area, he made important contributions of lasting value. His greatest impact was felt in the civil rights struggles of the 1950s and 1960s, where his earlier crusades for social, political, and economic equality inspired leaders such as Martin Luther King, Jr. From 1916 to 1930, he was active in the NAACP, promoting racial equality throughout the country.

This stamp was first issued by The Postal Commemorative Society on February 2, 1988. The stamp was designed by Thomas Blackshear of Novato, California.

 You will receive an envelope that includes the gold stamp along with a canceled postage stamp. It addition, you will receive an information card with facts as to why this Commencement stamp was created.

Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo, who is honored on this golden U. S. stamp, was a soldier and an explorer in the service of Spain. In 1542, he undertook a grand exploratory mission, sailing north from Mexico along the Pacific Coast. Although he found neither the rich cities nor the waterway to the Atlantic he was seeking, he did become the first European to explore the California coast. On June 27, 1542, Cabrillo set sail from the Mexican port of Navidad in command of two ships and a small crew. Three months later, on September 28, he made his first landing in California.

This stamp was first issued by The Postal Commemorative Society on September 28, 1992. The stamp was designed by Ren Wicks of Los Angeles, California.

You will receive an envelope that includes the gold stamp along with a canceled postage stamp. It addition, you will receive an information card with facts as to why this Commencement stamp was created.

This golden U. S. stamp pays tribute to the dedicated service of the America’s letter carriers. Since free city delivery was instituted during Abraham Lincoln’s administration, in 1863, these couriers have carried the mail to homes and businesses six days a week without interruption. The National Letter Carriers has more than 240,000 members; they are government representatives with a famous motto: Neither snow, nor rain, nor heat, nor gloom of the night stays these carriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds. Home delivery is a vital link in the nation’s communication chain.

This stamp was first issued by The Postal Commemorative Society on August 30, 1989. The stamp was designed by Jack Davis of St. Simons Island, Georgia.

You will receive an envelope that includes the gold stamp along with a canceled postage stamp. It addition, you will receive an information card with facts as to why this Commencement stamp was created.

The Brother Jonathan, which is depicted on this golden U. S. stamp, was put into service on New York’s Mohawk & Hudson line in 1832. It was the first locomotive to use a four wheel leading truck, which allowed it to negotiate curves safely and easily. This design became characteristic of American locomotives. While improved locomotive design made trains faster and more reliable, railroad continued to encounter strong resistance. Detractors pointed to accidents, where engines blew up with a dreadful loss of life to engine crews.

This stamp was first issued by The Postal Commemorative Society on October 1, 1987. The stamp was designed by Richard Leech of Orinda, California.

You will receive an envelope that includes the gold stamp along with a canceled postage stamp. It addition, you will receive an information card with facts as to why this Commencement stamp was created.

From ancient Egypt, the domestic cats honored on this golden stamp made their way to Greece, Babylonia, and India. Later, large numbers were kept by the Romans and marched with the imperial legions to the far reaches of the empire. Legends abound regarding the origins of the Maine Coon cat. One claims it is a descended from the prized cats of Marie Antoinette which was shipped to Maine during the French Revolution, another claims it developed from ordinary cats mating with raccoons. Whatever its true origins, the Maine Coon Cat is one of America’s oldest natural breeds. The Burmese was brought to the United States from Burma in 1930.

This stamp was first issued by The Postal Commemorative Society on February 5, 1988. The stamp was designed by John Dawson of Hailey, Idaho.

You will receive an envelope that includes the gold stamp along with a canceled postage stamp. It addition, you will receive an information card with facts as to why this Commencement stamp was created.

Children visiting the National Postal Museum will be drawn to the Binding the Nation gallery, which is highlighted on this golden U. S. stamp. Devoted to the early history of American service, up to the Civil War, it includes fascinating artifacts from the era of the Pony Express. Binding the nation is one of six exhibition galleries within the National Postal Museum. The information in the museum is presented in a way that entertains while it educates. There are more than 40 audiovisual centers scattered around the museum.

This stamp was first issued by The Postal Commemorative Society on July 30, 1993. The stamp was designed by Richard Schlecht of Arlington, Virginia.

You will receive an envelope that includes the gold stamp along with a canceled postage stamp. It addition, you will receive an information card with facts as to why this Commencement stamp was created.

Benjamin Franklin, who is pictured on this golden U. S. stamp, is the subject of a major display in the new National Postal Museum. He is honored for his role as a colonial publisher and postmaster who was instrumental in the development of the nation’s earliest postal system. Later, in 1775, he became America’s first postmaster general. “America’s History Is in the Mail” is the overall theme of the National Postal Museum. The National Postal Museum was constructed under a joint agreement between the Smithsonian and the U. S. Postal Service.

This stamp was first issued by The Postal Commemorative Society on July 30, 1993. The stamp was designed by Richard Schlecht of Arlington, Virginia.

You will receive an envelope that includes the gold stamp along with a canceled postage stamp. It addition, you will receive an information card with facts as to why this Commencement stamp was created.

North Carolina, which is honored on this golden U. S. stamp, was the twelfth of the original 13 colonies to officially join the Union. It achieved statehood on November 21, 1789. North Carolina was the site of the first English colony in North America. Before the settlements of Jamestown and Plymouth Rock were founded, a party of Englishmen landed at Roanoke Island, part of the present-day state. The settlements there included the famous Lost Colony, whose inhabitants mysteriously disappeared between 1588 and 1590.

This stamp was first issued by The Postal Commemorative Society on August 30, 1989. The stamp was designed by Bob Timberlake of Lexington, North Carolina.

You will receive an envelope that includes the gold stamp along with a canceled postage stamp. It addition, you will receive an information card with facts as to why this Commencement stamp was created.

This golden U. S. stamp honors the North Mariana Islands, which are marking their 15th anniversary as a self-governing commonwealth in the union with the United States. The territory is a 300-mile-long archipelago in the western Pacific Ocean. It consists of 16 islands, six of which are inhabited. The islands were named in honor of Mariana, a 17th century queen of Spain. U. S. forces seized the Islands from Japan during World War II. When Commonwealth status was granted in 1978, islanders became U. S. citizens. However, they are not represented in Congress and cannot vote in Presidential elections.

This stamp was first issued by The Postal Commemorative Society on November 4, 1993. The stamp was designed by Herb Kane of Captain Cook, Hawaii.

You will receive an envelope that includes the gold stamp along with a canceled postage stamp. It addition, you will receive an information card with facts as to why this Commencement stamp was created.

The coins and notes pictured on this golden U. S. stamp underscore the popularity of numismatics, the study and collecting of coins, tokens, medals, and similar objects, as well as paper money. Derived from the Greek nomisma, meaning “currency” or “custom”, numismatics is one of the oldest hobbies in the world. The first recorded collections were those of the Italian Renaissance princes and nobles. A number of authoritative catalogs and handbooks are now available to aid today’s collectors. In addition, other scholarly material is published by specialized numismatic clubs in many countries.

This stamp was first issued by The Postal Commemorative Society on August 13, 1991. The stamp was designed by Jack Ruther of Washington, D. C.

You will receive an envelope that includes the gold stamp along with a canceled postage stamp. It addition, you will receive an information card with facts as to why this Commencement stamp was created.

This golden U. S. stamp features the “step-over” hurdling technique first developed by A. C. M. Croone of Oxford University in about 1885. It calls for a straight lead leg, with the body leaning low and trailing leg folded flat. Using the “step-over”, Olympic hurdlers achieve a smooth rhythm that does not disrupt forward progress. As a result, they finish the race in times that are only a few seconds more than an all-out sprint. For example, only 1.84 seconds divide the winning times for the women’s 100-meter dash and the 100-meter hurdles.

This stamp was first issued by The Postal Commemorative Society on July 12, 1991. The stamp was designed by Joni Carter of Los Angeles, California.

You will receive an envelope that includes the gold stamp along with a canceled postage stamp. It addition, you will receive an information card with facts as to why this Commencement stamp was created.

This golden stamp is dedicated to the most popular pets in America, Cats! There are over 25 million cat-owning households in the country. The most popular short-haired breed is the Siamese, the “royal cat of Siam” that once lived exclusively in the temples and palaces of Thailand. It was introduced to England in the 1870s and to the United States in 1895.

This stamp was first issued by The Postal Commemorative Society on February 5, 1988. The stamp was designed by John Dawson of Hailey, Idaho.

You will receive an envelope that includes the gold stamp along with a canceled postage stamp. It addition, you will receive an information card with facts as to why this Commencement stamp was created.

Chief Sitting Bull (1831-1890), who is honored on this golden U. S. stamp, was the last of the great Indian chiefs. A proud and independent man, he fought to preserve his people’s historic homeland in the Dakota Territory. His personal bravery was an inspiration to his warriors, who were taught to conduct raids quickly and efficiently. Sitting Bull’s first confrontation with the white soldiers came in 1863, when the cavalry tried to punish his Teton Sioux for a massacre committed by another tribe. For the next 14 years, there was a state of war between the white men and the various tribes of the Sioux nation.

This stamp was first issued by The Postal Commemorative Society on September 14, 1989. The stamp was designed by Robert D. Anderson of Lexington, Massachusetts.

You will receive an envelope that includes the gold stamp along with a canceled postage stamp. It addition, you will receive an information card with facts as to why this Commencement stamp was created.

The team sport of polo, which is featured on this golden U. S. stamp, is a stick-and-ball game played on horseback. The oldest of all equestrian sports, it probably was invented in Iran and then spread throughout the Middle and Far East. In the mid-1800s, it was subsequently to Great Britain, the United States, and many other countries. Competition in a polo match is between two teams of four mounted player each. The rules are similar to hockey. Using mallets with long flexible handles , the players maneuver on a 300-yard-long field trying to drive the ball into the opponent’s goal.

This stamp was first issued by The Postal Commemorative Society on May 1, 1993. The stamp was designed by Michael Dudash of Moretown, Vermont.

You will receive an envelope that includes the gold stamp along with a canceled postage stamp. It addition, you will receive an information card with facts as to why this Commencement stamp was created.

Steeplechasing, which is depicted on this golden U. S. stamp, is a sport of racing over jumps or obstacles. Its name is derived from impromptu races over the countryside, in which church steeples served as landmarks. Thoroughbred horses are used in steeplechasing. They are bred to have certain characteristics, such as large size and even temperament. Also, because of the stamina required, mature horses are preferred. A steeplechase race may be “over brush”, “over timber”, or “over hurtles”, depending on the obstacles used.

This stamp was first issued by The Postal Commemorative Society on May 1, 1993. The stamp was designed by Michael Dudash of Moretown, Vermont.

You will receive an envelope that includes the gold stamp along with a canceled postage stamp. It addition, you will receive an information card with facts as to why this Commencement stamp was created.

Nearly everyone can identify the giant panda pictured on this golden U. S. stamp, which is enormously popular as a cuddly stuffed toy for children. Yet in Nature it is increasingly rare. The animal is included on the international list of “endangered species”. The principal treat to the giant panda is shrinking habitat. The animal is found in only a small corner of the world’s bamboo forests on the upper mountain slopes of southwestern China. It feeds primarily on bamboo shoots, and can consume up to 20 pounds per day. The giant panda can grow to a length of five feet and weigh of about 350 pounds. Its appearance is intriguing and appealing.

This stamp was first issued by The Postal Commemorative Society on October 1, 1992. The stamp was designed by Robert Giusti of New Milford, Connecticut.

You will receive an envelope that includes the gold stamp along with a canceled postage stamp. It addition, you will receive an information card with facts as to why this Commencement stamp was created.

The giraffe, which is pictured here on this golden U. S. stamp, is the tallest of all living land animals. An adult male may stand more than 18 feet tall and weigh as much as 3,000 pounds. Other prominent physical attributes include its exceptionally long neck and legs, bony skull bumps, and distinctive coat pattern. Most people are familiar with giraffes through visits to zoos. Hunting by man has affected the decline in the giraffe population in many areas. However, in East Africa, where it is protected, the giraffe is still numerous and has an expected lifespan of 15 to 20 years.

This stamp was first issued by The Postal Commemorative Society on October 1, 1992. The stamp was designed by Robert Giusti of New Milford, Connecticut.

You will receive an envelope that includes the gold stamp along with a canceled postage stamp. It addition, you will receive an information card with facts as to why this Commencement stamp was created.

Ice Dancing, which is featured on this golden U. S. stamp, developed out of the Vienna Skating Club’s adaptation of the waltz in the 1880s. An Olympic sport since 1976, it is a more artistic, less athletic version of pairs skating. Ice skating is highly interpretative, and may tend toward the classical or the avant-garde. Its movements emphasize beauty and fluid grace rather than strength. Spins are forbidden, as is skating apart from one’s partner. The Olympic ice-dancing competition is held over a three day period. Each performance receives two marks from the international panel of judges, one for technical merit and one for artistic impression.

This stamp was first issued by The Postal Commemorative Society on January 6, 1994. The stamp was designed by Lon Busch of St. Louis, Missouri.

You will receive an envelope that includes the gold stamp along with a canceled postage stamp. It addition, you will receive an information card with facts as to why this Commencement stamp was created.

Olympic Ice Hockey, which is pictured on this golden U. S. stamp, is a tournament filled with tension and excitement. At the beginning, there were twelve national teams divided into two groups. Round-robin competition whittles the field to four semi-finalists, and eventually to two finalists who play in the gold medal game. The style of play in Olympic hockey is fluid and controlled. Players take advantage of the wide rink to sling long passes. Defense becomes more critical since the wide rink gives the offensive team more room to maneuver. Teams are awarded two points for a victory, and one point for a tie.

This stamp was first issued by The Postal Commemorative Society on January 6, 1994. The stamp was designed by Lon Busch of St. Louis, Missouri.

You will receive an envelope that includes the gold stamp along with a canceled postage stamp. It addition, you will receive an information card with facts as to why this Commencement stamp was created.

Nordic skiing, which is pictured on this golden U. S. stamp, is one of the most physically demanding of all Winter Olympic events. Also know as cross-country, Nordic ski races range from 5 to 50 kilometers. There are four individual events and one relay each for men and women. Half of the Nordic events are classic style races. The athlete must kick his or her skis straight back, keeping them parallel to the track. No gliding is permitted. Free-style skiing, which is about 10% faster, is used for in the other half of the races. The technique resembles a speed skating stride, a diagonal push with the inside edge of the weight-bearing ski.

This stamp was first issued by The Postal Commemorative Society on January 6, 1994. The stamp was designed by Lon Busch of St. Louis, Missouri.

You will receive an envelope that includes the gold stamp along with a canceled postage stamp. It addition, you will receive an information card with facts as to why this Commencement stamp was created.