Commemorative issue State flags - American Bicentennial
Maine
Shown is the state flag of Maine, part of a pane of stamps showing the flags of each of the 50 states.
The state flag of Maine was adopted in 1909. It displays Maine's coat-of-arms on a field of blue (the same shade of blue as the USA's star spangled banner). Above the coat of arms shines the North star and Maine's motto: "Dirigo" (I Lead, or I Direct), below is the word MAINE in capital letters. In the coat of arms, the farmer is a symbol of pride in Maine's agricultural roots. The sailor represents Maine's strong ties to the sea. Symbols of the natural richness of the state are pictured on the center shield - a pine tree, a moose (Maine's official state animal), sea, and sky.