Rio Grande blankets among Treasures

Four "New Mexico Rio Grande Blankets" have joined the U.S. Postal Service's "American Treasures" series.

The self-adhesive 37-cent commemoratives -- sold in double-sided booklets of 20 -- were dedicated July 30 in Santa Fe, N.M., during the 54th Annual Traditional Spanish Market, the country's oldest and largest show and sale of Spanish colonial art.

The USPS has printed 420 million "Rio Grande Blankets" stamps (in 21 million booklets).

The "American Treasures" series -- which began in 2001 with the "Amish Quilts" pane -- "showcases beautiful works of American fine arts and crafts," the USPS said.

For 2005, stamp art director Derry Noyes chose four 19th-century New Mexico Rio Grande blankets from various museum collections.

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