Saving the Vanishing Species Stamps

Earlier this month, the U.S. Postal Service released a new stamp that will benefit the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to support the Multinational Species Conservation Funds. Net proceeds from the sales of the stamp will be divided among the African Elephant Conservation Fund, Asian Elephant Conservation Fund, Great Ape Conservation Fund, Rhinoceros and Tiger Conservation Fund and Marine Turtle Conservation Fund.

The stamp features  an illustration of a tiger cub by artist Nancy Stahl. The artwork on the full sheet of 20 stamps is dark green and includes silhouettes of a rhinoceros, a tiger, a gorilla, Asian and African elephants and a marine turtle. Stahl based both the stamp art and the silhouettes on photographs of wildlife. The phrases “Save Vanishing Species” and “Amur tiger cub” appear on the left side of the stamp. Derry Noyes served as the art director, designer and typographer for the stamp.

This is a "semipostal," a stamp that is sold at a cost higher than the rate required for a first class letter; the excess money collected is used to benefit a specific cause. In the past, semipostal stamps have benefited breast cancer research, FEMA and programs to stop family violence.

The Vanishing Species stamp costs 55-cents each but is a first class letter stamp, worth 44-cents in postage.

For more information, visit www.usps.com.