Add rugged flair to your letters with these beautiful vintage unused North American Wildlife Series "Bighorn Sheep" (Ram) postage stamps! This classic wildlife design is perfect for adding a touch of nature's splendor to your save-the-dates, wedding invitations, thank you cards, shower invites, birth announcements, and other snail mail correspondence. In pristine mint condition and valid for current postage use, each stamp holds a face value of 22-cents. These USPS postage stamps are suitable for current mailing when used with the total required postage based on the weight of your mailing. Embrace the call of the wild with this captivating postage stamp!

Purchase includes a total of TEN (10) mint condition postage stamps shown in the product listing photos.

STAMP INFORMATION:

• Name: Bighorn Sheep (Ram)
• Series: North American Wildlife
• Year Issued: 1987
• Face Value: 22-cents (USD) per stamp
• Topics and Themes: Wildlife, Nature, Bighorn Sheep, Ram, Horns, Snow, Winter, Rocky Mountains, Los Angeles Rams, L.A. Rams, Conservation
• Color(s): Natural, Neutral, Brown, White, Multicolored
• Mailing Occasions: Wedding Invitations, Save the Date Announcements, Shower Invitations, Thank You Cards, Snail Mail, and more
• Printing Method: Photogravure
• Scott Number: 2288
• Adhesion Type: Gummed (see below for adhesion instructions)
• Condition: Genuine Unused USPS Postage Stamps, Ready to Use for USPS Mailings, Mint Condition

STAMP DESCRIPTION & HISTORY: Part of the North American Wildlife series, this vintage postage stamp showcases a majestic Bighorn Sheep (Ram) standing on a rugged, mountainous landscape. The stamp’s artwork depicts the sheep’s muscular build and iconic curved horns, emphasizing its strength and adaptability to rocky terrains. This unused 22-cent gummed stamp celebrates the North American continent's rich biodiversity, showcasing this iconic wild animal in its typical environment, emphasizing the importance of habitat in wildlife conservation.

The North American Bighorn Sheep (Ovis canadensis) is a species of wild sheep known for its large, curved horns and its ability to navigate steep, rocky terrain. It is native to the mountainous regions of North America, particularly in the western United States, Canada, and northern Mexico. Found in rugged mountain ranges, cliffs, and desert plateaus, their split hooves and rough hoof pads give them incredible traction, allowing them to climb steep, rocky surfaces with ease. Once threatened due to hunting and disease from domestic livestock, bighorn sheep populations have recovered in some areas thanks to conservation efforts.

The Bighorn Sheep, and the Ram, is used as a mascot by several schools, universities, and organizations, symbolizing strength, resilience, and agility. The Los Angeles Rams of the National Football League (NFL) are one of the most famous professional sports teams using a ram as their mascot. The sports teams of Great Basin College in Nevada are known as the Bighorns, representing the rugged wilderness and spirit of Nevada. Sports teams of Colorado State University are know as the CSU Rams; their mascot, "Cam the Ram," represents power and resilience, fitting for a school in the Rocky Mountain region. Fordham University are the Fordham Rams, and their mascot, "The Fordham Ram," dates back to the 19th century, symbolizing persistence and strength. The school’s athletic teams of Virginia Commonwealth University are known as the VCU Rams, use the ram as a symbol of dominance and competitive spirit. Angelo State University in Texas proudly uses the ram as its mascot (Angelo State Rams), emphasizing toughness and perseverance.

STAMP MEANING & SPIRITUAL SIGNIFICANCE: Bighorn sheep are iconic symbols of the American West, representing strength, agility, and resilience. Among Plains and Southwestern tribes, bighorn sheep are revered for their power and endurance. Some traditions incorporate their imagery into totems, petroglyphs, and ceremonial art. In Shamanic traditions, the bighorn sheep may appear as a spirit animal or guide, urging an individual to embrace their inner strength and trust their journey. Seeing a bighorn sheep in a dream may symbolize overcoming obstacles, the need for courage, or a call to assert leadership. As a totem animal, it encourages individuals to be persistent, strategic, and aware of their surroundings while climbing their own metaphorical mountains.

STAMP SERIES HISTORY: On June 13, 1987, the United States Postal Service (USPS) issued the North American Wildlife postage stamp series, a commemorative sheet featuring 50 different gummed 22-cent stamps. This release celebrated the rich diversity of North American fauna, showcasing species from various regions, including Alaska and Hawaii. Renowned wildlife artist Chuck Ripper illustrated the series, capturing the essence of each species with remarkable accuracy and detail. The stamps not only highlight the animals but also incorporate elements of their natural habitats, emphasizing the importance of environmental conservation. USPS and The Citizens Stamp Advisory Committee (CSAC) originally hoped to represent the State Animal of all 50 states. However, many states do not have a State Animal or share a State Animal with another state. Instead, USPS and CSAC opted to include avifauna, mammals, amphibians, and invertebrates from across the continent. Notably, the First Day of Issue ceremony took place at the Canadian Philatelic Exhibition (CAPEX) in Toronto, Canada, marking the third time a U.S. stamp issue had its inaugural event outside the United States. The North American Wildlife stamp series remains a favorite among collectors and nature enthusiasts, serving as a vivid reminder of the continent's rich and varied wildlife heritage.

GUMMED STAMPS: These postage stamps have a traditional moisture-activated gum on the back. These stamps require licking or wetting to adhere to envelopes or other surfaces. To ensure good adhesion, apply vintage gummed stamps to your mailings with a glue stick (we recommend using Elmer's "Re-Stick" glue sticks).

GENUINE USPS POSTAGE: These unused vintage postage stamps are perfectly valid for use as current postage for mailing with USPS as long as you use the adequate amount of additional postage to achieve standard postage rates according to the weight of your mailing. Check current postage rates at USPS.com.

TELL YOUR STORY IN STAMPS: We’ve worked with hundreds of couples and their stationers to custom design highly stylized personalized postage sets based on our customer’s life stories. We can help you curate personalized vintage postage sets to commemorate your save-the-date, wedding, shower, announcement, and other special occasions in a truly unique fashion. Drawing on our encyclopedic knowledge of every stamp ever issued by the USPS, and sourcing from our extensive inventory of collectable unused vintage stamps, we’ll help you tell your unique story in stamps!

ABOUT HERITAGE POST HOUSE: Jennifer Kramer is the founder of Heritage Post House, a boutique vintage postage house located in Northern California. Jennifer sources the most beautiful unused vintage postage stamps ever issued by USPS and artfully arranges them into curated postage sets that are sure to add a special touch to your invitations, announcements, and special mailings. In addition to creating pre-arranged postage sets, Jennifer also works with couples (and their stationers) to create one-of-a-kind custom postage arrangements for wedding invitations, save the dates, and other special occasions.


Product Specifications

Length: 1.57 in.
Height: 0.01 in.
Width: 0.98 in.
Weight: 0.01 lbs.