Add majestic flair to your letters with these vintage unused North American Wildlife Series "Osprey" postage stamps! This classic wildlife design is perfect for adding a bit of nature 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 TWENTY (20) mint condition postage stamps shown in the product listing photos.

STAMP INFORMATION:

• Name: Osprey
• Series: North American Wildlife
• Year Issued: 1987
• Face Value: 22-cents (USD) per stamp
• Topic(s): Wildlife, Nature, Bird, Birds of Prey, Flying Bird, Fishing, Fish Hawk, North Florida’s (UNF) Mascot, Ozzie the Osprey, Everglades, Conservation
• Color(s): Brown, White, Green, Multicolored
• Mailing Occasions: Wedding Invitations, Save the Date Announcements, Shower Invitations, Thank You Cards, Snail Mail, and more
• Printing Method: Photogravure
• Scott Number: 2291
• 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 depicts an Osprey, a magnificent bird of prey known for its fishing prowess. The stamp’s artwork shows an Osprey on a tree limb with its magnificent wings outstretched. This unused 22-cent gummed stamp celebrates the North American continent's rich biodiversity, showcasing this species in its typical environment, emphasizing the importance of habitat in wildlife conservation.

The Osprey (Pandion haliaetus) also called the "Fish Hawk," is a large, powerful raptor found near lakes, rivers, and coastlines worldwide. Unlike other hawks, the Osprey specializes in hunting fish, making it an expert in both aerial hunting and aquatic survival. Osprey dive feet-first into water to catch fish and have waterproof feathers and special nostrils that close during dives. The Osprey builds large stick nests on tall structures like trees, cliffs, poles, and even man-made platforms. Loyal to their nesting sites, Osprey often returning to the same one year after year. Osprey migrate between North and South America, covering thousands of miles each year.

The Osprey is used as a mascot in sports, education, and military symbolism. University of North Florida’s (UNF) mascot is "Ozzie the Osprey.” The Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey, a military aircraft, was named after the Osprey due to its agility and adaptability.

STAMP MEANING & SPIRITUAL SIGNIFICANCE: The Osprey carries deep symbolic meaning across various cultures, often representing vision, power, and adaptability. With its keen eyesight, the Osprey represents focus, perception, and seeing the truth. It serves as a spiritual guide for those seeking clarity in their lives. Ospreys are fierce hunters, relying on their skills to survive. They symbolize self-reliance, determination, and personal strength. As a bird that thrives over water, the Osprey is associated with fluidity, emotions, and adaptability. It encourages emotional balance and resilience. Because it rarely fails when hunting, the Osprey is seen as a symbol of success and abundance. It teaches the importance of timing and patience in achieving goals. In many Indigenous traditions, birds of prey are spiritual messengers, bridging the physical and spiritual worlds. The Osprey, with its ability to move between sky and water, represents harmony between different realms of existence. Many Native American tribes regard the Osprey as a powerful spirit guide, symbolizing courage and mastery of one's domain. Some traditions associate it with protection and guardianship, believing that it watches over those in need of guidance.

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.