Starbucks Vancouver mug: Discovery Series

By The Starbucks Cups team · Last checked 2026-09-30 · How we make these pages

Starbucks Discovery Series Vancouver mug with orcas, a film camera, a skyline and waterbirds around the word VANCOUVER — Front view · numbered markers match the list below Show markers

The Vancouver mug from Starbucks' Discovery Series sets the city name in pale green over a translucent circle, with orcas, a film camera, a skyline, waterbirds and mountains.

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

Shop on Amazon See eBay listings

Sponsored links: we earn a commission if you buy, at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Browse all Discovery Series mugs on eBay →

The whale Vancouver hired a sculptor to kill, and kept

On 16 July 1964, the sculptor Sam Burich fired a harpoon at a young killer whale off Saturna Island, British Columbia ^[2]^[3]^[4]. The Vancouver Aquarium's own report says the aim was a specimen "as a basis for the preparation of a replica" for a new exhibit hall ^[5]. The whale survived. Plans changed, and a 16-hour tow took it to a dry dock in North Vancouver ^[6]^[7]. Until then, according to The Tyee, the public had feared killer whales as vicious man-eaters ^[8]. The report calls the most astonishing part of the animal's behavior "the complete lack of ferocity or aggressiveness ^[9]." A radio contest named him Moby Doll before anyone knew he was male ^[10]. The Tyee says 20,000 people showed up to see him ^[11]. He died on 9 October, after 86 days ^[12]. The two orcas swimming across the upper left of the Vancouver mug (1) are the animals he changed the city's mind about.

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

What's on the mug

1
Orcas
Two black-and-white orcas swim across the upper left, one above the other.
2
Harbour boat
A small yellow boat sits on the water at the top left.
3
Film camera
A camera operator in a yellow top stands behind a movie camera on a tripod, next to a clapperboard. Vancouver is nicknamed Hollywood North, and British Columbia is the third-largest film and television production centre in North America.^[1]
4
Skyline
A skyline of yellow and green towers rises from a pink shoreline below the lettering.
5
Waterbirds
A pair of teal waterbirds glides at the bottom right with pink chicks beside them.
6
Mountains
Yellow and teal mountain peaks with dark pines wrap around the left edge.
7
Lettering
VANCOUVER in pale green capitals across a translucent green circle.
8
Propeller plane Back view
A dark teal propeller plane flies across the upper right.
9
Pink blossoms Back view
Two large pink five-petal flowers with yellow-green centres, which look like cherry blossoms, sit at the left.
10
Suspension bridge Back view
A dark suspension bridge with a stone-coloured tower spans the water in the middle.
11
Paddlers Back view
Two paddlers in a long green boat glide beneath the bridge.
12
Sushi rolls Back view
Sushi rolls with a pink flower beside them sit at the right edge.
13
Steam clock Side view
A tall blue clock tower with a pointed top and a round white clock face stands in the centre, with puffs of yellow steam above it.
14
Pink animal Side view
A pink animal with a green tail curves across the left, with swirled yellow-green shapes above.
15
Lighthouse Side view
A small lighthouse with a pink top and railed balcony sits on a blue island at the upper right.
16
Mountains Side view
Pale yellow-green mountain peaks with dark pine trees run along the lower right.

The two photos cover the front and back; the strip behind the handle is hidden in both.

Collector notes

Vancouver also appears in the Been There, Icon and You Are Here checklists. Read the series in the title rather than relying on the city name.
The seller's photo shows the mug inside a black gift box, which is packaging and not part of the mug. The lettering is pale, so it can look faint in dim photos.

Before you buy

Vancouver also appears in the Been There, Icon and You Are Here series, so check the series name on the base rather than the city. The photos show the front and back of the mug, but the strip behind the handle is hidden in both. The lettering is pale and can look faint in dim photos.