2022 Palace of Fine Arts – American Landmarks Series
- Pictures the Palace of Fine Arts constructed during the famous Panama-Pacific Exposition
- Part of the American Landmarks Series of stamps featuring artwork by Dan Cosgrove
Stamp Category: Definitive
Series: American Landmarks
First Day of Issue: February 14, 2022
First Day City: San Francisco, California
Quantity Issued: 1,000,000
Printed by: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd.
Printing Method: Offset, Microprint
Format: Panes of 4
Tagging: Nonphosphored type III, block tag
Why the stamp was issued: To cover the $26.95 Express Mail Rate.
About the stamp design: Pictures a digital illustration of the Palace of Fine Arts by longtime stamp artist Dan Cosgrove. The image resembles a vintage travel poster.
First Day City: There was no First Day of Issue Ceremony for this stamp, but the First Day of Issue Postmark was from San Francisco, California, the location of the Palace of Fine Arts.
About the American Landmarks Series: The American Landmarks Series of Priority and Express Mail stamps began with the issue of the $4.80 Mount Rushmore (US #4268) and $16.50 Hoover Dam (US #4269) stamps in 2008. Since then, two new stamps have been released nearly every year (with a few exceptions). All picture vibrant images of some of the most iconic places in America created by digital artist Dan Cosgrove. Altogether, they resemble a virtual tour of America.
History the stamp represents: During the Panama-Pacific Exposition of 1915, a number of impressive buildings were constructed. The designer intended them to slowly degrade and resemble ancient Rome by the end of the exposition as he believed every big city should have some ruins. However, one building still exists today (though it has been renovated and rebuilt several times) – the Palace of Fine Arts, designed by Bernard Maybeck.
The Palace of Fine Arts is a 162-foot-high open rotunda with a lagoon on one side and exhibition center on the other. It features impressive columns and archways and is a piece of architecture one might expect to see in a fantasy film. In fact, it has appeared in several movies over the years and continues to be used as a venue for important events, both public and private.
Originally, the Palace of Fine Arts was used to house exhibits during the Panama-Pacific Exposition. This included paintings and other artwork. In the decades following the exhibition, the Palace of Fine Arts has stored World War II military vehicles, limousines for US statesmen, and more.
The Palace of Fine Arts was designed as a quiet place away from the bustling exposition. Today, it continues to bring peace and tranquility to all those who visit.
