Starbucks Missouri mug: Discovery Series
The Missouri mug from Starbucks' Discovery Series sets the state name in pale blue over a dark green circle, with a steaming pie, a blue bird, an apple, white blossoms and a stagecoach.
- Series
- Discovery Series
- Place
- Missouri, USA
- Type
- Mug
- Released
- Not confirmed
- Capacity
- 14 fl ozstandard mug size
- SKU
- Not confirmed
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A letter, a poll and one vote for the cardinal
In 1926, Jane Wynne, a news writer in St. Louis, wrote to the founder of the Webster Groves Nature Study Society. Kentucky had just chosen a state bird, she noted, and other states had favorites: why not start a movement for Missouri? [1] When the letter was read at a meeting, the members polled themselves, and the verdict was unanimous: bluebird. Among their reasons, it reflected the sky on its blue back and Mother Earth on its ruddy breast [1]. A wider canvass found almost no rival. Apart from one call for the cardinal, no other bird was mentioned [1]. Then came newspaper publicity, radio, lobbying in Jefferson City and the buttonholing of friends. Luther Ely Smith, president of the St. Louis Bird Club, prepared a petition, and Senator Kinney introduced the bill [1]. The bluebird has been Missouri's official bird since 1927 [2]. The blue bird on the Missouri mug (4) may be that very bird.
The mug does not label its drawings, so connecting this one to the story is our reading.
What's on the mug
- 1Lettering
MISSOURI in pale blue capitals over a dark green circle.
- 2Steaming pie
A golden pie with a crimped blue-and-white rim sits on top of the circle, with curls of steam rising.
- 3Apple
A blue-and-yellow apple sits above the pie at the upper left.
- 4Blue bird
A blue bird with a patterned breast and a dark eye perches at the upper right.
- 5Blossoms
Pale blue-and-white blossoms on a yellow stem sit below the lettering.
- 6Stagecoach
A blue-and-yellow horse-drawn coach with a large yellow-spoked wheel sits at the lower left.
- 7Rock formation
A tall blue-and-gold rock formation stands at the right, beside the handle.
The photo shows one side of the mug, sitting in its dark box. The back and the area behind the handle are out of view.
Collector notes
- The lettering is pale blue rather than the orange used on the Kansas and Tennessee Discovery mugs, which makes the colour a quick check when comparing listings.
- The pie, the bird and the stagecoach are all on this one face, so a front-on photo is enough to identify the mug.
Before you buy
Missouri's lettering is pale blue where the Kansas and Tennessee Discovery mugs use orange, which makes colour a quick check. A Been There Missouri mug exists too. Our photo shows the mug in its dark box, one side only.
