U.S. #5700
2022 $2 Floral Geometry – Green
Issue Date: June 20, 2022
First Day City: Kansas City, MO
Type of Stamp: Definitive
Printed by: Banknote Corporation of America
Printing Method: Foil Stamping, Offset, Microprint
Format: Pane of 10
Self-Adhesive
Quantity Printed: 19,000,000
We all know flowers are beautiful and enjoyable to look at. What you may not know is that some blooms have a certain geometric principle that makes them especially pleasing to the eye. This principle is called the Fibonacci spiral, based on the Fibonacci sequence.
The Fibonacci sequence is a never-ending list of numbers in which each number is the sum of the two previous numbers. The first few numbers in the sequence are 0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, and 55. This sequence was introduced in India around 200 BC, but wasn't brought to Europe until the 1200s. It was named after an Italian mathematician who published the principle in his 1202 book Liber Abaci.
The Fibonacci sequence can be used to create a series of connected squares with each square having sides of a length corresponding to the next number in the sequence. When these squares are positioned in a clockwise or counterclockwise orientation around each other, a spiral can be drawn by connecting opposite corners – creating the Fibonacci spiral.
The Fibonacci spiral can be found in countless forms throughout nature. Some of the most prominent examples are nautilus shells and flower heads. Look closely the next time you see a sunflower. You're sure to see these amazing spirals!