Add Hawaiian flair to your letters with these beautiful vintage unused North American Wildlife Series "Iiwi Bird" postage stamps! This classic wildlife design is perfect for adding a touch of nature's tropical splendor to your cards and letters or save-the-dates and wedding invitations. 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 correspondence. 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: Iiwi Bird
• Series: North American Wildlife
• Year Issued: 1987
• Face Value: 22-cents (USD) per stamp
• Topic(s): Wildlife, Nature, Bird, Tropical Bird, Hawaiian Bird, Red Bird, Songbird, Royalty, Hawaiian Wedding, Tropical Flowers, Floral, Botanical, Conservation
• Color(s): Red, Black, Green, Multicolored
• Mailing Occasions: Wedding Invitations, Save the Date Announcements, Shower Invitations, Birth Announcements, Thank You Cards, Snail Mail, and more
• Printing Method: Photogravure
• Scott Number: 2311
• Adhesion Type: Gummed (see below for adhesion instructions)
• Condition: Genuine Unused USPS Postage Stamps, Ready to Use for USPS Mailings, Mint Condition

STAMP HISTORY: Part of the North American Wildlife series, this vintage postage stamp showcases the Iiwi, a Hawaiian songbird known for its striking red plumage and distinctive curved bill. The stamp’s artwork captures the bird perched among native Hawaiian flora, highlighting its natural habitat. The 'I'iwi' is a significant species in Hawaiian culture and ecology, and this stamp serves to commemorate its unique presence in the islands' ecosystem. This unused 22-cent gummed stamp celebrates the North American continent's rich biodiversity, showcasing this striking red bird in its typical environment, emphasizing the importance of habitat in wildlife conservation.

A member of the Hawaiian honeycreeper family, the ʻIʻiwi (Drepanis coccinea) is known for its vibrant red plumage, contrasting black wings, and long, curved salmon-colored bill. Its curved bill allows it to access deep flowers that other birds cannot, making it an essential pollinator. This unique bird plays a crucial role in Hawaiian ecosystems and has deep cultural and spiritual significance in Hawaiian traditions. The ʻIʻiwi is primarily found in high-elevation native forests, particularly where ʻŌhiʻa Lehua and lobeliad flowers grow. It was once widespread across all Hawaiian islands but has declined in many areas due to habitat destruction, disease, and climate change. Remaining populations are most abundant on Maui, Hawaii (Big Island), and Kauai, with fewer numbers on Oahu and Molokai.

STAMP MEANING & SPIRITUAL SIGNIFICANCE: The ʻIʻiwi is deeply revered in Hawaiian culture, historically used in featherwork for royal cloaks, helmets, and capes worn by Hawaiian aliʻi (chiefs). It is often seen as a symbol of beauty, freedom, and connection to the land. Some Hawaiian legends consider the ʻIʻiwi a messenger of the gods, carrying spiritual messages between the natural and unseen worlds.

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.