“Prospectors and Postmen: Mail Delivery in the Boom Days of Mining” presents photographs, contemporaneous mail, and other documents to tell the story of early mail and freight transportation methods, with particular emphasis on Arizona. The exhibit includes information on the Colorado River steamboats, pack animals, wagons, coaches, buckboards, and “pony express” style horseback mail delivery.

Prospectors and Postmen: Mail Delivery in the Boom Days of Mining exhibit runs through May 2018.

The top five winners from three age groups were given awards and prizes today at the ceremony. Every student was given a Bookmans gift certificate (donated by Bookmans), collectible stamps, and other prizes that were selected to match each child’s interests.

In addition, two designs from each age group were selected and printed as collectible art work on envelopes (“cachets”). Visit our main contest page to see the cachets and learn how to purchase them (proceeds to benefit our Youth Education Thru Stamps (YES) program.

The top fifteen winners will be on exhibit at the Postal History Foundation until the 2018 Awards ceremony next year. Thanks to all who entered, and congratulations to our top fifteen designers!

*  denotes a cachet winner; ** denotes Grand Prize Winner

Congratulations to winner Tanvi Narendran, age 13, an 8th grader who attends St. Michael’s school. She is our 2017 Grand Prize Winner of the 10th Annual Tucson Birthday Stamp Design Contest. Tucson Mayor Rothschild helped to unveil the stamp and present Tanvi with her prizes, including an official Tucson coin usually reserved for diplomats. The stamps are legal custom USPS stamps and can be used for mailing letters. Mayor Rothschild gave every finalist a Tucson sticker and a flag pen.

Ms. Narendran used colored pencils to create her unique picture of a beautiful green saguaro with a very detailed sketch of the historic Mission San Xavier del Bac in the distance. Every year a student enters something new and original that catches the eye of the judges. Tanvi felt that the San Xavier Mission was a great representation of Tucson and she knew that if she added something in the foreground it would add depth to the picture.

Like we read books, like we listen to music, we can read stamps. — Mayor Jonathan Rothschild

Before unveiling Tanvi’s winning design, Mayor Jonathan Rothschild acknowledged the important role stamps play in our lives. “Our stamp history… is really a history of the united States… a history of the world. You can use those stamps really to tell a story and learn history. Like we read books, like we listen to music, we can read stamps.” He also pointed out that all of the designs in all age groups capture something special about Tucson.

Stamps can be purchased or ordered from the Postal History Foundation, proceeds to benefit our youth education program. Click here to order stamps featuring Tanvi’s design.

Video of the unveiling of Tanvi’s stamp design, including a few words by the mayor about the importance of postage stamps:

Grand winning entries through the years: