Antarctic Treaty issue facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Antarctic Treaty issue |
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| Country of production | United States |
| Designer | Howard Koslow |
| Commemorates | Antarctic Treaty |
| Depicts | Map of Antarctica |
| Face value | US¢8 |
The Antarctic Treaty issue is a special postage stamp from the United States. It was released on June 23, 1971. This stamp celebrates the tenth birthday of the Antarctic Treaty. A famous artist named Howard Koslow designed it. This was actually the very first postage stamp he ever designed!
The stamp was worth eight cents when it came out. A huge number of these stamps were made: 130 million of them!
Contents
What is the Antarctic Treaty Stamp?
This stamp was made to honor the Antarctic Treaty. This important agreement was signed on December 1, 1959. The United States and eleven other countries signed it. These countries were all doing scientific research in Antarctica. Seven of them had claims over parts of Antarctica. These countries were Argentina, Australia, Chile, France, New Zealand, Norway, and the United Kingdom.
In 1968, the countries that signed the treaty had a meeting in Paris. They suggested that all countries should make special stamps. These stamps would celebrate the treaty's tenth anniversary.
When Was the Stamp Released?
The public found out about the Antarctic Treaty stamp in May 1971. It was officially released on June 23, 1971. This date was exactly ten years after the Antarctic Treaty officially started.
There was a special event called a first day ceremony in Washington, D.C.. Important people attended, like United States Secretary of State William P. Rogers. The head of the Post Office, Winton M. Blount, was also there. Ambassadors from all the countries that signed the treaty joined too. During the event, Mr. Blount gave a special album of the stamps to the Soviet ambassador, Anatoly Dobrynin.
As mentioned, 130 million of these Antarctic Treaty stamps were printed.
Special Stamp Copies
The National Philatelic Collection in the National Postal Museum keeps special copies of this stamp. They also have "plate proofs." These are early versions of the stamp used to check the design. In 2013, the United States Postal Service (USPS) sold a special proof of the stamp online. It had Postmaster General Blount's handwritten approval on it. This rare proof sold for $1,099.99.
How Was the Stamp Designed?
The stamp was designed by Howard Koslow. He is a famous American artist who illustrates postage stamps. This was his very first stamp design, which made it special!
The stamp shows a map of Antarctica in white. It is placed on a blue background. This design was inspired by the logo used for the treaty's meetings. Back in 1965, a science group suggested that stamps celebrating the treaty should clearly show a map of Antarctica. This simple map design was important because several countries had claims over parts of Antarctica. A simple map helped avoid political problems.
The stamp had a value of eight cents.
Other Stamps Like This One
Many other countries that signed the Antarctic Treaty also made special stamps. They released them to celebrate the treaty's ten-year anniversary.
Later, in 1991, the United States released another stamp. This one celebrated the treaty's fiftieth anniversary. Howard Koslow designed this stamp too! It was a fifty-cent airmail stamp. It showed the ship USCGC Glacier near Ross Island.
