Starbucks Arizona mug: Discovery Series

By The Starbucks Cups team · Last checked 2026-10-08 · How we make these pages

Starbucks Discovery Series Arizona mug with a lizard, hot air balloons, a scorpion and a canyon around the word ARIZONA — Front view · numbered markers match the list below Show markers

The Arizona mug from Starbucks' Discovery Series sets the state name in red-orange over a dark green circle, with a lizard, two hot air balloons, a scorpion and a canyon. A roadrunner, a golfer and a bridge fill the back.

Series: Discovery Series
Place: Arizona, USA
Type: Mug
Released: Not confirmed
Capacity: 14 fl ozstandard mug size
SKU: Not confirmed

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The Bronx doctor who found a diabetes drug in lizard venom

In the late 1980s, an endocrinologist at a Veterans Administration medical center in the Bronx read studies by gastroenterologists at the National Institutes of Health, according to the University at Buffalo ^[1]. They described what snake and lizard venoms do to the pancreas. John Eng was developing tests to identify unknown hormones ^[2]. In 1992 he discovered a new compound in Gila monster venom and named it exendin-4 ^[3]. The paper appeared that year in the Journal of Biological Chemistry ^[4]. Then he had to get anyone to notice. He submitted a poster at the American Diabetes Association's annual meeting, and a small biotechnology company, Amylin Pharmaceuticals, took an interest ^[3]. A synthetic version, exenatide, was approved by the FDA in 2005 ^[5]. The orange-and-black beaded lizard curled around the top of the Arizona mug (2) may be a Gila monster.

The mug does not label its drawings, so connecting this one to the story is our reading.

What's on the mug

1
Lettering
ARIZONA in red-orange capitals over a dark green circle.
2
Lizard
A lizard with orange-and-black beaded skin curls around the top left of the circle.
3
Hot air balloons
Two hot air balloons float at the upper right: a yellow-and-teal one and a taller red-and-teal striped one.
4
Scorpion
An orange scorpion sits on the rim of the canyon below the balloons.
5
Canyon
A red-orange canyon with layered rock walls and small trees fills the lower middle.
6
Stack of discs
A stack of golden discs, which looks like tortillas or flatbread, sits at the lower left.
7
Roadrunner Back view
A roadrunner in orange and dark teal runs across the back.
8
Golfer Back view
A golfer in yellow trousers and a patterned vest follows through on a swing.
9
Arch bridge Back view
An arched bridge crosses red water below the roadrunner.
10
Prickly pear Back view
A dark teal prickly pear cactus with yellow fruit sits at the base.
11
Ringtail Side view
A dark teal animal with green markings around its eyes and a ringed tail lies on red rocks in the middle of this side.
12
Rock formation Side view
A teal dome shape rises over layered orange and red rocks above the ringtail.
13
Cactus with yellow flowers Side view
A tall cactus with a red trunk and clusters of yellow flowers runs up the right edge.

The two photos show the front and the back. The area behind the handle is out of view in both.

Collector notes

The inside of this mug is bright yellow-orange, which shows in the back photo.
Arizona is also a Been There Series mug, in 2019 and 2021 editions on our checklists; this page covers the Discovery design with the lizard, the balloons and the canyon.

Before you buy

The inside of this Discovery Series mug is bright yellow-orange, as the back photo shows. Arizona also appears in the Been There Series, in 2019 and 2021 editions, so look for the lizard, the balloons and the canyon to tell this design apart. The area behind the handle is out of view in both photos.