Mistral Local Post stamp features snowy winter scene

In my capacity as treasurer for the Local Post Collectors Society, I recently received a mailing bearing a stamp from Mistral Local Post out of Medford, Oregon. This is a private local post with which I was not previously familiar.

The stamp was tied to cover by a Rogue Local Post postmark with an indistinct date. The stamp appears to depict a snowy landscape with a rock wall with perhaps a building or buildings in the distance.

Due to damage incurred during mail processing, the stamp’s denomination is unclear. What was its original face value? What is the location of the scene on the stamp? These are questions for which I have no answers, but I’ve written the sender to request more information. If I receive a response, I’ll be sure to post an update here.

Update (2024-11-28): I recently received an update regarding this stamp from its creator, John Z. It’s a 50¢ stamp, and its design is based on a Claude Monet work, The Magpie, Snow Effect, Outskirts Of Honfleur, which is a town in northwestern France.

Mistral Local Post, which is based in Medford, Oregon, was established in 2009 and has issued no fewer than 50 different local post stamps, all of which reproduce various paintings including several by Monet. John sent the mint copy of the stamp pictured above and several other Mistral Local Post landscape stamps to me for my collection, and I thank him for that!

Published 2024-11-03 Last updated 2024-11-28