Starbucks Alaska mug: Discovery Series
The Alaska mug from Starbucks' Discovery Series sets the state name in yellow-orange over a dark green circle, with sled dogs, a floatplane, an eagle, blue flowers and a kayaker. An igloo, a spruce tree, a moose and a train fill the other sides.
- Series
- Discovery Series
- Place
- Alaska, USA
- Type
- Mug
- Released
- Not confirmed
- Capacity
- 14 fl ozstandard mug size
- SKU
- Not confirmed
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The musher who drove past the serum
On 31 January 1925 Leonhard Seppala drove straight past the serum he had been sent to fetch. He had left Nome with 20 dogs, thinking he must run all the way to Nulato and back [1]. There was no way to tell him that more drivers had been added to the relay and that the package was coming to meet him [2]. According to the Iditarod Trail Committee, near Shaktoolik he saw a team tangled up with a reindeer and did not stop to help, because time was so important [2]. Its driver, Henry Ivanoff, recognized the passing team, ran after it and yelled, "The Serum! I have it here!" [2]. Seppala took the handoff and turned back. The gale was in his face, the temperature thirty below, and the 43 miles he had just covered were still to do again [1]. Charlie Olson and then Gunnar Kaasen carried the package on, and Kaasen reached Nome early on 2 February [2]. The huskies in harness on the front of the Alaska mug (5) are the kind of team he drove.
The mug does not label its drawings, so connecting this one to the story is our reading.
What's on the mug
- 1Lettering
ALASKA in yellow-orange capitals over a dark green circle.
- 2Floatplane
A floatplane with a yellow propeller flies at the upper left of the circle.
- 3Eagle
An eagle with blue wings and a white head dives across the top right of the circle.
- 4Blue flowers
Blue five-petalled flowers with yellow centres grow on a green stem at the right of the lettering.
- 5Sled dogs
A team of blue-and-white huskies in harness runs across the lower left.
- 6Kayaker
A paddler in a yellow kayak crosses the base of the circle.
- 7Brown bear
A brown bear in profile stands at the right, beside the handle.
- 8Mountains Side view
Snow-capped blue mountains rise at the upper left of the side photo.
- 9Igloo Side view
An igloo built of snow blocks sits in front of the mountains.
- 10Spruce tree Side view
A tall spruce tree with blue, green and gold branches stands in the middle of the side.
- 11Musher Side view
A musher on sled runners follows a team of huskies at the right of the side.
- 12STARBUCKS wordmark Back view
The vertical STARBUCKS wordmark runs beside the handle on this side.
- 13Moose Back view
A navy moose with gold antlers and gold markings strides across the back.
- 14Train Back view
A passenger train with blue and yellow cars runs along the base.
The three photos together cover most of the outside of the mug. The area behind the handle is out of view.
Collector notes
- The inside of this mug is bright blue, which shows in the front and side photos.
- The huskies and the floatplane are on the front, the igloo, the spruce tree and the musher on the side, and the moose and the train on the back.
Before you buy
The three photos show the front, one side and the back; the area behind the handle is out of view. The inside of this mug is bright blue. Alaska also appears in the Been There, Icon and You Are Here series, so check the series name before you order.
