The United States Postal Service (USPS) released Colorado Statehood, a new stamp commemorating the state's 150th anniversary with a photograph called "Foggy Jagged Mountain, Weminuche Wilderness" by nature photographer John Fielder. The first-day-of-issue event was held at the History Colorado Center in Denver in conjunction with the opening of the "Mountains Majesty: On the Summit with John Fielder" exhibition.
"The new Colorado Statehood stamp captures a glimpse of the majestic beauty of our 38th state so it can be shared and enjoyed by all of us across the country," said Amber McReynolds, chairwoman of the USPS Board of Governors. "As a Colorado resident, I see a state that embodies its pioneer spirit and comes together with a palpable sense of cooperation and community."
Joining McReynolds as speakers at today's ceremony were Colorado Governor Jared Polis and Exhibition Developer and Historian Katherine Mercier. History Colorado President and CEO Dawn DiPrince facilitated the event.
Fielder had a talent for capturing the state's varied terrain, animals, flowers and vegetation in unique and engaging ways. The exhibit was distilled from the more than 200,000 photographs taken by Fielder over 50 years. His photographs continue to showcase Colorado vistas to new audiences around the globe.
Derry Noyes, an art director for USPS, designed the stamp using Fielder's image.
News of the stamp is being shared on social media with the hashtag #ColoradoStamp. The stamps are available in panes of 20 and are being issued as Forever stamps, meaning they will always be equal in value to the current First-Class Mail 1-ounce price. The Postal Service has printed 16 million Colorado Statehood stamps.