Front:
Official Mail USA
HINGTON
USA 14
Renalty for private use $300
15
1985
Official Mail USA
20066
USA 22
Penalty for privale use $300
Volm Jaadslay
DC
WASHI
Back:
HARPY EAGLE
First Day of Issue: May 15, 1985
First Issue Location: Washington, D.C.
The eagle is truly one of the most majestic of all birds.
There is evidence that man has been inspired by the
eagle from antiquity. For example the symbol used by
the Sumerian city of Lagash in three thousand B.C. was
an eagle, which was engraved on the tablets and seals
of the leaders and was carried as a military standard by
the army. The early Greeks considered the eagle a mes-
senger of Zeus and it was supposedly the only bird
allowed to live in heaven. The majestic Harpy Eagle,
depicted on this Maximum Card, is one of the strongest
birds in the world. It lives along the shores of rivers and
in forested mountain valleys of South America. The
Harpy Eagle has a crest of feathers on each side of its
head which gives it a striking appearance. The Penalty
Mail stamps featured on this Maximum Card also portray
magnificent eagles. Penalty Mail Stamps were issued by
the United States Postal Service for use exclusively by
U.S. government agencies in order to help assure gov-
ernmental accountability in the use of the mails.
No. 85-34
1985 The Maximum Card Collection
A Division of Unicover Corporation . Cheyenne, WY 82008-0007
Original painting by John Swatsley.
