Greetings From California Postage Stamp and Coloring Page

Welcome to Day 2 of California Week!

I've always loved postage stamps and eagerly check each month to see what new stamps are being released by the United States Postal Service. My favorite stamps are colorful, eye-catching, and issued in a pane with multiple designs. The more designs the better, which is why one of my all-time favorite stamp sets is the 50-stamp Greetings from America, issued in 2002 (affiliate link here and below). Even better, you can buy it as a jigsaw puzzle!

Obviously, my favorite stamp from the set is the California one. Although as a Northern Californian, I wish those trees were redwoods and not palm trees. 

Source

In addition to the cool design, this stamp has something unique about it. When 'Greetings from America' was first released on April 4, 2002, the postal rate was 34 cents. On June 30, 2002 the USPS raised the rate from 34 cents to 37 cents. They reissued this stamp set on October 25, 2002 at 37 cents. So you can find this exact same stamp marked as 34 cents and as 37 cents. 

This article has a fascinating chart showing postal rate changes. When my parents were born in 1948, sending a letter cost 3 cents. That rate had been in place since 1932 and stayed 3 cents until it was raised by a penny in 1958. By the time I was born in 1972, the rate was 8 cents. When Steve was born in 1976, the rate was 13 cents and it would be raised to 15 cents within two years. By the time Trevor was born in 2006, a stamp cost 39 cents. Now it's 63 cents. 

There has only been one time in history that the cost of a postage stamp has decreased. Congress raised the price from 2 cents to 3 cents during World War I, then bumped it back down to 2 cents in 1919. 

Back to the 'Greetings from California' stamp. When I was looking for images of it to include in this post, I came across a site that had made this stamp design into a coloring page. I printed it on my beloved Bristol Vellum and colored it with my Ohuhu Honolulus. Then I added the lights along the bridge using my white metallic Gelly Roll pen. Finally, I cut it out and backed it with black cardstock. 

Be sure to come back tomorrow for Day 3 of California Week!