{"product_id":"forever-stamps-2019-cactus-flowers-nature-series-first-class-postage","title":"Cactus Flowers 2019 Forever Stamps — Ten Blooms, Double-Sided Booklet of 20","description":"\u003ch2\u003eIssue facts\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFirst Day of Issue: February 15, 2019\u003cbr\u003eFirst Day City: Mesa, Arizona\u003cbr\u003ePrinted by: Banknote Corporation of America\u003cbr\u003ePrinting Method: Offset\u003cbr\u003eFormat: Double-sided booklet of 20\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eThe set\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTen designs from existing photographs by John P. Schaefer, showing cacti in bloom across a range of species — \u003cem\u003eOpuntia engelmannii\u003c\/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eRebutia minuscula\u003c\/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003eEchinocereus dasyacanthus\u003c\/em\u003e among them. This stamp is the scarlet hedgehog cactus in flower. The first-day ceremony was held at the AmeriStamp Expo\/ARIPEX show in Mesa, Arizona, a state with no shortage of the subject matter.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eTelling cacti apart\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThey look simple and are not. Spine type, growth habit and a dozen other characteristics determine genus and species, and the differences can be fine enough that DNA testing is the only reliable way to separate two of them.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eThe scarlet hedgehog\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOne of four closely related subspecies. Its surface is ribbed into 8 to 11 sections, with 5 to 20 spines per areole, and the stem runs one to two inches thick. The bright red-orange flower is what sets it apart; the other subspecies vary in spines, stem thickness, flower color and skin tone.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThat difficulty is much of the appeal for collectors. Learning to read one species against another takes practice, and so does coaxing out the flowers these plants are grown for.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Forever Stamp Center","offers":[{"title":"100 Stamps (5 Books)","offer_id":47100613820615,"sku":"ST19-A2-5","price":19.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"300 Stamps (15 Books)","offer_id":47100613853383,"sku":"ST19-A2-15","price":54.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"500 Stamps (25 Books)","offer_id":47100613886151,"sku":"ST19-A2-25","price":89.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"1000 Stamps (50 Books)","offer_id":47100613918919,"sku":"ST19-A2-50","price":149.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"5000 Stamps (250 Books)","offer_id":47100613951687,"sku":"ST19-A2-250","price":699.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0770\/6250\/4647\/files\/cactus-flowers-2019-forever-stamps-main-scaled-1-1-800x600_39914901-37f1-4e7f-9ae4-4ae10b4c7524.jpg?v=1788604522","url":"https:\/\/www.foreverstampcenter.com\/products\/forever-stamps-2019-cactus-flowers-nature-series-first-class-postage","provider":"center","version":"1.0","type":"link"}