Starbucks Alberta mug: Discovery Series
The Alberta mug from Starbucks' Discovery Series sets the province name in yellow over a dark green circle, ringed by purple flowers, a blue bison, beehive boxes and a stepped waterfall. A dinosaur skeleton, a train and an owl fill the other sides.
- Series
- Discovery Series
- Place
- Alberta, Canada
- Type
- Mug
- Released
- Not confirmed
- Capacity
- 14 fl ozstandard mug size
- SKU
- Not confirmed
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The geologist who found a dinosaur skull near Drumheller
On 12 August 1884, Joseph Burr Tyrrell, a geologist with the Geological Survey of Canada, found the 70-million-year-old skull of a carnivorous dinosaur near present-day Drumheller [3]. It was the first meat-eating dinosaur ever found in Canada [4]. At first it was believed to belong to a theropod that already had a name, Laelaps incrassatus [4]. Only when Tyrannosaurus rex was described in 1905 was Tyrrell's specimen recognized as a species of its own [4]. It was named Albertosaurus, after the province of Alberta, which had been formally established that same year [4]. The museum that now stands near Drumheller opened on 25 September 1985 and was named for the geologist, and "royal" was added in 1990 [3]. The skeleton rearing up on the Alberta mug (7) is a theropod, the same group of two-legged meat-eaters [4].
The mug does not label its drawings, so connecting this one to the story is our reading.
What's on the mug
- 1Lettering
ALBERTA in yellow-orange capitals over a dark green circle.
- 2Purple flowers
A cluster of dark purple flowers with orange centres arches over the top of the green circle. Alberta's provincial flower is the wild rose, adopted in 1930; the mug doesn't say which flower this is.[1]
- 3Blue bison
A blue bison with a dotted coat stands at the upper right of the circle, with dark fir trees behind it.
- 4Beekeeper and hives
Stacked yellow-and-blue beehive boxes stand at the left, while a beekeeper in blue lifts out a yellow frame above them, with bees flying around.
- 5Stepped waterfall
Yellow terraces with blue water spilling over them fill the lower right, with two tiny figures standing above.
- 6Fir trees
Two blue fir trees stand at the lower left of the green circle.
- 7Dinosaur skeleton Side view
A yellow-and-blue theropod dinosaur skeleton rears up above the hills. The Royal Tyrrell Museum in Drumheller, Alberta, opened in 1985 and has more than thirty mounted dinosaur skeletons; the mug doesn't name it.[2]
- 8Plate with cutlery Side view
A blue plate holding a yellow-and-blue dish sits at the upper left with a fork and knife above it.
- 9Train Side view
A blue-and-yellow locomotive pulls a line of cars along a curving track below the mountains.
- 10Coffee cup in the mountains Side view
A white takeaway cup with a green circle stands among the yellow mountains above the lake.
- 11Beekeeper Side view
The beekeeper appears again at the right edge in blue overalls and a wide-brimmed hat with a mesh veil; the curve of the mug cuts the figure off.
- 12Round bales Side view
Two round golden shapes at the left look like hay bales.
- 13Wheat stalks Back view
Golden wheat stalks lean across the left of the scene.
- 14Blue owl Back view
A blue owl with orange eyes and ear tufts perches above a patterned building. The great horned owl is Alberta's provincial bird, adopted in 1977.[1]
- 15Domed building Back view
A pale building with a gold-coloured dome rises behind the owl.
- 16Car in the mountains Back view
A small red car drives along a yellow road at the foot of blue, tree-covered mountains.
- 17STARBUCKS wordmark Back view
The vertical STARBUCKS wordmark sits beside the handle on this side.
The front photo is cropped above the box, and the area right behind the handle is hidden in all three photos.
Collector notes
- Alberta is also in the Been There Series on our checklist. This page is about the Discovery design with the blue bison and the dinosaur skeleton.
- The inside of this mug is a bright royal blue, which shows clearly in the side and back photos.
- The box in the side and back photos reads "Discovery Series" in English and "Série Découverte" in French.
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 a bright royal blue. Alberta is also in the Been There Series, so check the box: this one reads "Discovery Series" in English and "Série Découverte" in French.
