New Series of Commemorative Stamps & Cachets To Help Fund Conservation

BLOOMINGTON, MN -

The first official National “State-Fish Art” stamps were released during a special first day of issue ceremony at Mall of America as part of Wildlife Forever’s 7th annual State-Fish Art Expo in Minneapolis, MN. Much like the way the federal government uses the proceeds from the federal duck stamp to fund wetlands conservation, sales of Wildlife Forever’s “Art of Conservation” stamps will fund aquatic education and fishery conservation projects across America. The United States Post Office was on hand to authorize a special pictorial cancellation of the first six “Art of Conservation™” stamps. Young students, each selected as Best of Show winners from across the country created the original six stamp designs. Plans are set for an annual release that will feature art gallery quality images of future State-Fish Art Contest winners. Only children in grades 4 - 12 are eligible to enter the contest. Each stamp release is limited to an edition of only 30,000 stamps, rare when compared to various “duck” stamps. The denomination of each stamp is $5. Stamps are available in Singles, Blocks of Six and within a unique Souvenir Sheet. The Souvenir Sheet of six stamps has an actual size of 10” X 5.5”. Full color in design, the souvenir sheet displays each new “fish” stamp featuring winning designs from 1999 to 2004. The collectible sheet has a decorative border showing the Wildlife Forever logo and the logo of the State-Fish Art Contest, “Fish Guy”. The Souvenir Sheet sells for $35 each. Perhaps the most rare collectible of the new stamps are the special set of Commemorative Covers. Each cachet measures 3 5/8” X 6 ½”. The special issue cover includes an official State-Fish Art Stamp and a 45-cent postal stamp to insure it is philately correct. Each cover bears the special postmark commemorating first day of issue from the Post Office's Wildlife Forever Station in Bloomington, MN at Mall of America. Individual cachets are limited to only 200 of each stamp’s design and sell for $7 each which are available in all six stamp designs. Collectors and conservationists can purchase any of the stamp products by visiting the Wildlife Forever web site at: www.wildlifeforever.org or by contacting Wildlife Forever at: (763) 253-0222. Mail orders should be sent to Wildlife Forever, 2700 Freeway Blvd. #1000, Brooklyn Center, MN 55430. The winner of the 2005 Art of Conservation Stamp™ Award was also announced at the State-Fish Art Expo. Tiara Jenkins of Pittsburg, Missouri (grade 11) was selected by a panel of distinguished judges for her portrayal of a channel catfish. The 2005 stamp will be available to the public in June of 2006. For more information about the State-fish Art Contest, visit the web site at: www.statefishart.com. Now entering its 18th year, Wildlife Forever is a multi-species conservation organization dedicated to preserving America’s wildlife heritage.