32c Iowa 1846 stamp

The Postal Service commemorated the 150th anniversary of the admission of Iowa into the Union with the issuance of a 32-cent stamp on August 1, 1996, in Dubuque, Iowa. The stamp, in a pane of fifty and a self-adhesive convertible booklet of twenty, went on sale nationwide August 2.

Designed by Carl Herrman of Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, the stamp features a rendering of the painting "Young Corn." The Iowa countryside is shown in carefully composed patterns and warm rich colors that reflect American painter Grant Wood's respect and affection for the American farmer.

Iowa became the 29th state admitted to the Union on December 28, 1846. The state capital, Des Moines, is the largest city and is located in the middle of the state. Iowa is in the north-central part of the United States, covering an area of over 56,000 square miles. Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Missouri, Nebraska, and South Dakota border the state. Iowa's winters are cold, and the summers are warm and humid. Approximately 90 percent of its total land area is devoted to farming, making Iowa a major agricultural state and a leading state in livestock production.

Ashton-Potter (USA), Ltd., produced the panes of fifty stamps in the offset process. The Banknote Corporation of America printed the booklets of twenty in the offset process.

Reference: Postal Bulletin (July 4, 1996)

Scott Catalogue USA: 3088
mint

Museum ID: 1999.2004.1121