P301

American Flag

For Amber Waves of Grain

Winter 2022 Mail Sale Commentary 

Lot 7 P301 — America the Beautiful — Amber Waves of Grain — (4-24-81)

This American flag stamp was issued in Portland, Maine, and it depicted the "Amber Waves of Grain" made famous by the song America the Beautiful. It was written by Katherine Lee Bates who had been born in Falmouth, Massachusetts. As soon as I had obtained the official first day of issue cancels in Portsmouth, it was off on a quick flight to Boston. Here a little over two centuries before, Paul Revere and the Minutemen began our War for Independence. In my rental car, I drove past Plymouth Rock on my way to Falmouth. The postal people were great, and my covers soon had their special first day postmarks. The hand painted hay wagon cachet is a tribute to Bates and her "Amber Waves of Grain." America the Beautiful!