United States, Scott #5616, used(o), 2021, Western Wear Issue, stamp shows a western belt buckle, when denim work pants with sewn-in belt loops became popular among cowboys, belts quickly replaced suspenders which tended to catch on branches in working cattle, the flashy costumes of rodeo riders helped influence the rise of ornate belt buckles, with oversized custom buckles awarded to prize-winning rodeo contestants, sometimes inlaid with gemstones and made of sterling silver and gold, and often decorated with hand-tooled filigrees, these works of art are as valuable as jewelry; the history of Western wear in the United States begins with the original cowboys; in the 1500s, the Spanish arrived in Mexico bringing horses and cattle to the new world and quickly established ranches which spread to present day Texas, Arizona, and California by the 1700s; the vaqueros who herded the cattle developed utilitarian garments that helped in their work and protected them from weather conditions and hazards, from boots with extended heels to catch the stirrups, to broad-brimmed hats and double fabric yoke shirts to protect from weather and the sun, with the hats of tightly sewn cowhide leather to hold water for themselves and more importantly for their horses, to belts and buckles which wouldn't catch on branches; from utility to fashion was a natural step; issued at a counter value of (55¢) as a forever rate, offset lithography printed by Ashton Potter USA (APU), non-water soluble self-adhesive gum, issued in booklets of 20 stamps with imperforated outer edges, serpentine die cut simulated: 11, cyan, magenta, yellow and black, Scott 2025 Catalog Value: 30¢, nicely centered (superb), black-inked, wavy line cancel over the top half of the stamp and into the main image, right corner position at rear of the booklet, imperforated at top and right, perforated at left and bottom (IIPP), good perforations, this stamp was soaked from the mailing envelope using the Bestine solvent and placed, first on a piece of white paper for color contrast, and then on a piece of black trimmed card stock for an attractive and uniform album appearance; centering, mounting, and one-of-twenty with two imperforated edges warrants a selling price premium. This is not a 'bait-and-switch;' the stamp you see will be the one you receive.
Please review my terms of sale. If you are not ordering from the United States, there is a $US1.65 additional postage expense that needs to be added to the price of the stamp. If you are ordering from the United States, there is only a $US0.73 added postage expense. Also, if you make additional purchases from my offerings, they can all go in one mailing at no extra shipping expense for the added purchases. I will send the purchase by US first class mail, since the relatively low value of the stamp does not warrant signature or tracking mail. Hence the buyer assumes risk of loss or non-delivery. I will keep a scan of my mailing to verify that the correct mailing address was used. If not satisfied, return the stamp to me at your own expense, and I will refund the cost, but not my postage to you. If the stamp is not as described, I will refund the cost and reimburse you for postage both ways.
By way of reference, I am an American Philatelic Society member (195176) and an American Stamp Dealers Association (ASDA) member. Thank you for looking, and I hope this is the perfect stamp to fill that gap in your collection.