California Dogface Butterfly Nonmachinable Surcharge Stamps

The name comes from the wing pattern on the male, which resolves into something like a dog's profile - most people say poodle once it is pointed out. His wings run iridescent blue-black through orange and sulphur-yellow; the female is plainer, yellow with a single black dot on each forewing. Wingspan is small, between 22 and 31 millimeters, so the stamp shows it considerably larger than life.

It is California's state insect and lives nowhere else, which makes this a regional stamp in practice: California businesses, nature centers, native plant and conservation groups use it on their own mail. Issued in 2019, it is a nonmachinable surcharge stamp, not a standard Forever stamp: it always covers a one-ounce letter that has to be hand-processed - square cards, rigid invitations, envelopes with clasps or ribbons. Panes of 20. Like the Colorado hairstreak issue it is a state insect, so the two make a natural pair for anyone collecting by state.