44c Love Series: Pansies in a Basket 2010 Stamps Sheets

The 44-cent “Love: Pansies in a Basket” stamp  was officially issued by the United States Postal Service (USPS) on April 22, 2010, in Kansas City, Missouri.

The stamp features a white woven basket brimming with deep and light purple pansies accompanied by green foliage. The word “LOVE” appears vertically along the left side. This floral design is a detail from a watercolor painting by the late Dorothy Maienschein, an employee of Hallmark Cards, Inc. Originally introduced as a Mother’s Day card in 1939 and reissued as a friendship card in 1941, this design has become Hallmark’s most popular card, with nearly 30 million copies sold since 1942.

The pansy, whose name derives from the French word pensée meaning “thought,” has long been associated with love and remembrance. In Victorian times, pansies were considered the “flowers of lovers,” believed to convey unspoken sentiments between sweethearts.