Starbucks New Mexico mug: Discovery Series
The New Mexico mug from Starbucks' Discovery Series sets the state name in light blue over a dark green circle, with adobe buildings, a running roadrunner, red rocks, a desert sun and a cave scene.
- Series
- Discovery Series
- Place
- New Mexico, USA
- Type
- Mug
- Released
- Not confirmed
- Capacity
- 14 fl ozstandard mug size
- SKU
- Not confirmed
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The cowboy who followed smoke into a New Mexico cave
A sixteen-year-old cowboy was rounding up cattle one evening when he spotted what looked like smoke, according to the National Park Service. He rode toward it. Jim White realized he was watching bats [1]. He told nobody, because the other cowboys would mock him [1]. After several days he went back alone with some wire and pieces of wood, and built a ladder anchored at the cave mouth [1]. Sixty feet later he landed on the cave floor [1]. In his own account of those first trips, he laid broken stalactites on the rocks behind him, ends pointing toward the way out [2]. Deep inside, the oil in his lantern ran out and the flame died [2]. He named the first drip pool Devil's Spring. As he grew easier underground his names turned plainer: the Big Room, the Left Hand Tunnel [1]. The cave scene on the New Mexico mug (6) may be one like his.
The mug does not label its drawings, so connecting this one to the story is our reading.
What's on the mug
- 1Lettering
NEW MEXICO in light blue capitals over a dark green circle.
- 2Adobe buildings
A row of flat-roofed adobe buildings in orange, yellow and red runs along the top of the circle.
- 3Roadrunner
A roadrunner in red, orange and yellow runs across the lower circle with its tail raised.
- 4Desert sky scene
A round patch of blue sky holds an orange sun, a dark mountain and clouds at the upper right.
- 5Red rocks and tall plant
A stack of red rock sits beside the handle with a tall spiky plant growing up behind it.
- 6Cave scene
A golden rock formation with pointed drips sits above an orange helmet and a coil of rope at the lower left.
The photo shows one side of the mug. The back and the area behind the handle are out of view.
Collector notes
- The inside of this mug is dark red, which shows at the rim in the photo.
- The adobe buildings along the top and the roadrunner in the middle are on the same face, with the red rock stack and tall plant beside the handle.
Before you buy
The photo shows one side of the mug, so the back and the area behind the handle are out of view. The inside is dark red, which shows at the rim. New Mexico also appears in the Been There, Icon and You Are Here series, so check the series name on the base.
