The huddled masses would be sorely disappointed – the Ellis Island greeter depicted on a new U.S. stamp is actually her Las Vegas replica.
The green lady proudly gazes into the distance on the USPS’s newest stamp. But upon closer inspection: she’s a faker. Even the Post Office didn’t pick up on the printing error: a popular stamp magazine, Linn’s Stamp News, brought the issue to light.
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The New York icon shown on the stamp is actually located 2,500 miles away – at the New York-New York Casino in Vegas. Sin City’s statue bears a number of differences to the original, not the least of which is her size: she stands at only half of the original’s 151 feet. Though the full statue isn’t visible on the stamp, the small visage printed on the postage features different hair and better-defined eyes than her New York sister.
The Postal Service reportedly chose the image from a photography service, unaware that it wasn’t the real deal. But they’re standing by their choice. “We still love the stamp design and would have selected this photograph anyway,” said USPS spokesman Roy Betts.
New Yorkers may feel slighted by the mix-up, but Vegas is counting their winnings. A spokesman for MGM Resorts in Las Vegas said they were “honored” by the choice. Though perhaps the original message of the stamp has been lost in the misprint. After all, the only “tired” and “poor” folks this statue presides over are the money-drained gamblers of Sin City.
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