
Collins FDC Catalog
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L5001
L5001 / Scott 4652A
Cherry Blossom Centennial
Tidal Basin Cherry Blossom Trees
Collins Cover Announcement
Cherry Blossoms
This two stamp panoramic view of the Tidal Basin, Washington Monument and Jefferson Memorial all surrounded by flowering cherry trees was chosen as the best stamp design of 2012 by readers of LINN'S Stamp News. I loved the visual impact of this pair of stamps and felt that all I wanted to do was enhance that impact without diluting it. Thus, my choice for this individually hand painted cachet was an envelope full of cherry blossoms.
In 1912 the city of Tokyo gave the city of Washington, DC 3,020 cherry trees as an expression of friendship. In 2012, the National Cherry Blossom Festival, which draws more than a million visitors each year, celebrated the Centennial of the March 27, 1912 planting.
During the past century, the chain of friendship was briefly shattered by Imperial Japan when they bombed Pearl Harbor and engaged in global conquest and war. After their surrender, they became an important trading paraler of America and today remain a strategic ally and strong friend in the free world.
Because of the infamous interruption of our friendship, I decided to incorporate a Collins exclusive into the cachez design proclaiming that "after 100 years a flowering friendship" thrives. This implies that it has not been a continuous friendship as I wish to acknowledge both the relatively brief period of war and the longer span of friendship, cooperation, and peace.
My exclusive slogan, which includes the dates of the centennial celebration and a pair of cherries (which are painted), ties the new stamps to the cover as does the First Day postmark from Washington, DC. This is a truly beautiful watercolored cachet, and I'm now pleased to announce my Cherry Blossom Centennial. Collins #L5001 at $14.50.