The Liberty issue was a definitive series of postage stamps issued by the United States between 1954 and 1965. It offered twenty-four denominations, ranging from a half-cent issue showing Benjamin Franklin to a five dollar issue depicting Alexander Hamilton. However, in a notable departure from all definitive series since 1870, the stamp for a normal first-class letter—the 3-cent value—did not present the portrait of a president, but instead offered a monocolor image of the Statue of Liberty. Moreover, two-color renderings of the Statue of Liberty (Liberty Enlightening the World) appeared on both the 8 cent and 11 cent stamps; and it is from these three denominations that the Liberty issue takes its name. (Oversized versions of the 3¢ and 8¢ stamps also appeared on a miniature sheet issued in 1956 for the Fifth International Philatelic exhibition.) Pictures of other national landmarks, such as Bunker Hill and Mount Vernon, are found on several values, while the rest of the stamps follow tradition, containing portraits of well-known historic Americans. The six denominations in the set that illustrate buildings (The Alamo, Monticello, etc.) were all designed in landscape format, resulting in a free intermixture of landscape and portrait orientation for the first time in a definitive U.S. issue (in all previous mixed sets, landscape stamps had been confined to the highest denominations).[1]
$5 stamp depicting Alexander Hamilton, the highest denomination in the Liberty issue
8¢ Liberty stamp, redrawn Giori Press version with lower flame
Like three previous U. S. definitive issues, the Liberty series offered one—and only one—image of a prominent woman. But while Martha Washington had played this role in the series of 1902, 1922–1925 and 1938, the Liberty Issue eliminated her, instead presenting Susan B. Anthony, portrayed on the 50-cent stamp. The Liberty Issue was the first definitive series including multiple presidents issued since 1861 which did not contain a single stamp honoring a recently deceased president. To be sure, the only president who would have qualified, Franklin D. Roosevelt, had died quite a while before—some nine years—and, moreover, was not admired by the political party that introduced the new series. FDR was the first deceased president since Chester A. Arthur (d. 1886) to have been excluded from the next multi-president definitive series to appear after his death—denied an honor that had been accorded to his eight predecessors in office: Cleveland, Harrison, McKinley, Theodore Roosevelt, Taft, Wilson, Harding and Coolidge. It is also notable that only 28% of the Liberty series stamps offered images of presidents (seven out of 25 denominations): a smaller presidential percentage than had appeared on any previous U. S. definitive issue.
Release of the Liberty series began in 1954, and the set was essentially complete by 1960, but a few values were added subsequently. While the Liberty stamps were generally replaced by the Prominent Americans series, issued starting in 1965, several of its denominations remained on sale for a considerable period of time afterwards. Most notably, two coil stamps—the 2 cent Thomas Jefferson and the 25 cent Paul Revere—were repeatedly reprinted, continuing on sale well into the 1980s. Remaining stocks of the 12 cent Benjamin Harrison stamp were sold at some post offices in 1981 to meet the new postal card rate as the United States Postal Service was not able to issue a new 12 cent stamp prior to the implementation of the rate increase.[2]
Over the time span that the series was issued the technology of printing postage stamps changed. This led to many of the stamps having varieties with different papers, perforations and the addition of a phosphor coating. Thus at this more specialized level the series is rather complex.[3]
The 1/2 cent stamp was the last issued of that denomination for use as postage, although a postage due stamp of that value was issued in 1959. It was also the last appearance of Franklin on a lower value stamp in a regular series, a tradition that had been followed since 1847. In this series, two of the fractional denominations—1¼¢ and 2½¢—appeared on U. S. postage stamps for the first time.
1¢ George Washington, Baltimore, MD - Oct. 8, 1954
1¼¢ Palace of the Governors, Santa Fe, NM - Jun. 17, 1960
2¢ Thomas Jefferson, St. Louis, MO - Oct. 22, 1954
2½¢ Bunker Hill, Los Angeles, CA - Sep. 9, 1959
3¢ Statue of Liberty, Washington, D.C. - Jul. 20, 1954
4¢ Abraham Lincoln, Mandan, ND - Jul. 31, 1958
(The 4-cent coil "WET" print (Stickney press) exists only Precanceled, and is the scarcest regularly issued "KEY" item of the entire series.)
4½¢ The Hermitage, Denver, CO - May 1, 1959
25¢ Paul Revere, Wheaton, MD - Feb. 25, 1965
A rare varietyedit
In late 1954, the Bureau of Engraving and Printing contracted with the S.D. Waren Co. to produce 50,000 stamps (125 sheets of 400 stamps subdivided into 500 panes of 100). Silkote paper, which was whiter and smoother than ordinary paper and required less moisture content was used. The intent was to evaluate if this paper would help resolve shrinkage as the paper dried after printing. These were sent to the Cumberland Mills branch of the Westbrook, Maine post office, and were placed on sale on December 17, 1954. Silkote stamps will show a much sharper and brighter image than the standard 2c issue, and although the results were positive the Bureau determined that they did not justify the added expense.[4] It is estimated that no more than 400 of these stamps, which have been designated in the Scott catalogue as "1033a", still exist.[5]
^Designs of the 1954 Series - The Liberty Issue 2015-02-02 at the Wayback Machine by 1847 usa.com
^Short rate periods sometimes yield treasures April 22, 2007, at the Wayback Machine by Rob Haeseler
^Aeschliman, David H. . Stamp-Collecting-World. Archived from the original on May 16, 2017. Retrieved February 6, 2018.
^[Kelleher's Collectors Connection - November 2015 p.44]
^US Stamps, US Stamp Values and US Postage Stamp Easy Identification Guide
November 27, 2023
liberty, issue, liberty, issue, definitive, series, postage, stamps, issued, united, states, between, 1954, 1965, offered, twenty, four, denominations, ranging, from, half, cent, issue, showing, benjamin, franklin, five, dollar, issue, depicting, alexander, ha. The Liberty issue was a definitive series of postage stamps issued by the United States between 1954 and 1965 It offered twenty four denominations ranging from a half cent issue showing Benjamin Franklin to a five dollar issue depicting Alexander Hamilton However in a notable departure from all definitive series since 1870 the stamp for a normal first class letter the 3 cent value did not present the portrait of a president but instead offered a monocolor image of the Statue of Liberty Moreover two color renderings of the Statue of Liberty Liberty Enlightening the World appeared on both the 8 cent and 11 cent stamps and it is from these three denominations that the Liberty issue takes its name Oversized versions of the 3 and 8 stamps also appeared on a miniature sheet issued in 1956 for the Fifth International Philatelic exhibition Pictures of other national landmarks such as Bunker Hill and Mount Vernon are found on several values while the rest of the stamps follow tradition containing portraits of well known historic Americans The six denominations in the set that illustrate buildings The Alamo Monticello etc were all designed in landscape format resulting in a free intermixture of landscape and portrait orientation for the first time in a definitive U S issue in all previous mixed sets landscape stamps had been confined to the highest denominations 1 5 stamp depicting Alexander Hamilton the highest denomination in the Liberty issue8 Liberty stamp redrawn Giori Press version with lower flameLike three previous U S definitive issues the Liberty series offered one and only one image of a prominent woman But while Martha Washington had played this role in the series of 1902 1922 1925 and 1938 the Liberty Issue eliminated her instead presenting Susan B Anthony portrayed on the 50 cent stamp The Liberty Issue was the first definitive series including multiple presidents issued since 1861 which did not contain a single stamp honoring a recently deceased president To be sure the only president who would have qualified Franklin D Roosevelt had died quite a while before some nine years and moreover was not admired by the political party that introduced the new series FDR was the first deceased president since Chester A Arthur d 1886 to have been excluded from the next multi president definitive series to appear after his death denied an honor that had been accorded to his eight predecessors in office Cleveland Harrison McKinley Theodore Roosevelt Taft Wilson Harding and Coolidge It is also notable that only 28 of the Liberty series stamps offered images of presidents seven out of 25 denominations a smaller presidential percentage than had appeared on any previous U S definitive issue Release of the Liberty series began in 1954 and the set was essentially complete by 1960 but a few values were added subsequently While the Liberty stamps were generally replaced by the Prominent Americans series issued starting in 1965 several of its denominations remained on sale for a considerable period of time afterwards Most notably two coil stamps the 2 cent Thomas Jefferson and the 25 cent Paul Revere were repeatedly reprinted continuing on sale well into the 1980s Remaining stocks of the 12 cent Benjamin Harrison stamp were sold at some post offices in 1981 to meet the new postal card rate as the United States Postal Service was not able to issue a new 12 cent stamp prior to the implementation of the rate increase 2 Over the time span that the series was issued the technology of printing postage stamps changed This led to many of the stamps having varieties with different papers perforations and the addition of a phosphor coating Thus at this more specialized level the series is rather complex 3 The 1 2 cent stamp was the last issued of that denomination for use as postage although a postage due stamp of that value was issued in 1959 It was also the last appearance of Franklin on a lower value stamp in a regular series a tradition that had been followed since 1847 In this series two of the fractional denominations 1 and 2 appeared on U S postage stamps for the first time Contents 1 Stamps of the Liberty issue their first day of issue sites and dates 2 A rare variety 3 See also 4 ReferencesStamps of the Liberty issue their first day of issue sites and dates edit nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp Sheet format Benjamin Franklin Washington D C Oct 20 1955 1 George Washington Chicago IL Aug 26 1954 1 Palace of the Governors Santa Fe NM Jun 17 1960 1 Mount Vernon Mount Vernon VA Feb 22 1956 2 Thomas Jefferson San Francisco CA Sep 15 1954 2 Bunker Hill Monument Boston MA Jun 17 1959 3 Statue of Liberty Albany NY Jun 24 1954 4 Abraham Lincoln New York NY Nov 19 1954 4 The Hermitage Hermitage TN Mar 16 1959 5 James Monroe Fredericksburg VA Dec 2 1954 6 Theodore Roosevelt New York NY Nov 18 1955 7 Woodrow Wilson Staunton VA Jan 10 1956 8 Statue of Liberty Rotary Press Flat Plate Washington D C Apr 9 1954 8 Statue of Liberty Giori Press Cleveland OH Mar 22 1958 8 John J Pershing New York NY Nov 17 1961 Scott catalogue renumbered to be part of succeeding series 9 Alamo San Antonio TX Jun 14 1956 10 Independence Hall Philadelphia PA Jul 4 1956 11 Statue of Liberty Washington D C Jun 15 1961 12 Benjamin Harrison Oxford OH Jun 6 1959 15 John Jay Washington D C Dec 12 1958 20 Monticello Charlottesville VA Apr 13 1956 25 Paul Revere Boston MA Apr 18 1958 30 Robert E Lee Norfolk VA Sep 21 1955 40 John Marshall Richmond VA Sep 24 1955 50 Susan B Anthony Louisville KY Aug 25 1955 1 Patrick Henry Joplin MO Oct 7 1955 5 Alexander Hamilton Paterson NJ Mar 19 1956Coil stamps 1 George Washington Baltimore MD Oct 8 1954 1 Palace of the Governors Santa Fe NM Jun 17 1960 2 Thomas Jefferson St Louis MO Oct 22 1954 2 Bunker Hill Los Angeles CA Sep 9 1959 3 Statue of Liberty Washington D C Jul 20 1954 4 Abraham Lincoln Mandan ND Jul 31 1958 The 4 cent coil WET print Stickney press exists only Precanceled and is the scarcest regularly issued KEY item of the entire series 4 The Hermitage Denver CO May 1 1959 25 Paul Revere Wheaton MD Feb 25 1965A rare variety editIn late 1954 the Bureau of Engraving and Printing contracted with the S D Waren Co to produce 50 000 stamps 125 sheets of 400 stamps subdivided into 500 panes of 100 Silkote paper which was whiter and smoother than ordinary paper and required less moisture content was used The intent was to evaluate if this paper would help resolve shrinkage as the paper dried after printing These were sent to the Cumberland Mills branch of the Westbrook Maine post office and were placed on sale on December 17 1954 Silkote stamps will show a much sharper and brighter image than the standard 2c issue and although the results were positive the Bureau determined that they did not justify the added expense 4 It is estimated that no more than 400 of these stamps which have been designated in the Scott catalogue as 1033a still exist 5 See also editPostage stamps and postal history of the United StatesPreceded byPresidential Issue US Definitive postage stamps1954 1965 Succeeded byProminent Americans seriesReferences edit Designs of the 1954 Series The Liberty Issue Archived 2015 02 02 at the Wayback Machine by 1847 usa com Short rate periods sometimes yield treasures Archived April 22 2007 at the Wayback Machine by Rob Haeseler Aeschliman David H US Stamps General Issues of 1954 1968 Stamp Collecting World Archived from the original on May 16 2017 Retrieved February 6 2018 Kelleher s Collectors Connection November 2015 p 44 US Stamps US Stamp Values and US Postage Stamp Easy Identification Guide Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Liberty Issue amp oldid 1134678360, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
