Liberty Issue
Encyclopedia
The Liberty issue was a definitive series of postage stamp
s 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 appeared on both the 8 cent and 11 cent stamps; and it is from these three denominations that the Liberty issue takes its name. 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). 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, 1922-25 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 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.
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.
The 1/2 cent stamp was the last issued of that denomination for use as postage, although a postage due stamp of that denomination was issued in 1959.
Coil stamps:
Postage stamp
A postage stamp is a small piece of paper that is purchased and displayed on an item of mail as evidence of payment of postage. Typically, stamps are made from special paper, with a national designation and denomination on the face, and a gum adhesive on the reverse side...
s 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
Alexander Hamilton
Alexander Hamilton was a Founding Father, soldier, economist, political philosopher, one of America's first constitutional lawyers and the first United States Secretary of the Treasury...
. 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 appeared on both the 8 cent and 11 cent stamps; and it is from these three denominations that the Liberty issue takes its name. Pictures of other national landmarks, such as Bunker Hill
Bunker Hill
Bunker Hill may refer to:* A hill in Charlestown, Massachusetts** Battle of Bunker Hill, a battle American Revolutionary War fought near the hill in Charlestown, Massachusetts** Several American ships named after the Battle of Bunker Hill, including:...
and Mount Vernon
Mount Vernon (plantation)
Mount Vernon, located near Alexandria, Virginia, was the plantation home of the first President of the United States, George Washington. The mansion is built of wood in neoclassical Georgian architectural style, and the estate is located on the banks of the Potomac River.Mount Vernon was designated...
, 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
Monticello
Monticello is a National Historic Landmark just outside Charlottesville, Virginia, United States. It was the estate of Thomas Jefferson, the principal author of the United States Declaration of Independence, third President of the United States, and founder of the University of Virginia; it is...
, 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). 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, 1922-25 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 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.
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
Prominent Americans series
The Prominent Americans series is a set of definitive stamps issued by the United States Post Office Department between 1965 and 1978....
, 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
Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson was the principal author of the United States Declaration of Independence and the Statute of Virginia for Religious Freedom , the third President of the United States and founder of the University of Virginia...
and the 25 cent Paul Revere
Paul Revere
Paul Revere was an American silversmith and a patriot in the American Revolution. He is most famous for alerting Colonial militia of approaching British forces before the battles of Lexington and Concord, as dramatized in Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's poem, Paul Revere's Ride...
—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
United States Postal Service
The United States Postal Service is an independent agency of the United States government responsible for providing postal service in the United States...
was not able to issue a new 12 cent stamp prior to the implementation of the rate increase.
The 1/2 cent stamp was the last issued of that denomination for use as postage, although a postage due stamp of that denomination was issued in 1959.
Stamps of the Liberty issue, their first day of issue sites and dates
Sheet format:- ½¢ Benjamin FranklinBenjamin FranklinDr. Benjamin Franklin was one of the Founding Fathers of the United States. A noted polymath, Franklin was a leading author, printer, political theorist, politician, postmaster, scientist, musician, inventor, satirist, civic activist, statesman, and diplomat...
, Washington, D.C. - Oct. 20, 1955 - 1¢ George WashingtonGeorge WashingtonGeorge Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...
, Chicago, IL - Aug. 26, 1954 - 1¼¢ Palace of the GovernorsPalace of the GovernorsThe Palace of the Governors is an adobe structure located on Palace Avenue on the Plaza of Santa Fe, New Mexico between Palace Avenue and Washington Street. It is within the Santa Fe Historic District and it served as the seat of government for the State of New Mexico for centuries...
, Santa Fe, NM - Jun. 17, 1960 - 1½¢ Mount VernonMount Vernon (plantation)Mount Vernon, located near Alexandria, Virginia, was the plantation home of the first President of the United States, George Washington. The mansion is built of wood in neoclassical Georgian architectural style, and the estate is located on the banks of the Potomac River.Mount Vernon was designated...
, Mount Vernon, VA - Feb. 22, 1956 - 2¢ Thomas JeffersonThomas JeffersonThomas Jefferson was the principal author of the United States Declaration of Independence and the Statute of Virginia for Religious Freedom , the third President of the United States and founder of the University of Virginia...
, San Francisco, CA - Sep. 15, 1954 - 2½¢ Bunker Hill MonumentBunker Hill Monument-External links:****: cultural context**...
, Boston, MA - Jun. 17, 1959 - 3¢ Statue of LibertyStatue of LibertyThe Statue of Liberty is a colossal neoclassical sculpture on Liberty Island in New York Harbor, designed by Frédéric Bartholdi and dedicated on October 28, 1886...
, Albany, NY - Jun. 24, 1954 - 4¢ Abraham LincolnAbraham LincolnAbraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and...
, New York, NY - Nov. 19, 1954 - 4½¢ The Hermitage, Hermitage, TN - Mar. 16, 1959
- 5¢ James MonroeJames MonroeJames Monroe was the fifth President of the United States . Monroe was the last president who was a Founding Father of the United States, and the last president from the Virginia dynasty and the Republican Generation...
, Fredericksburg, VA - Dec. 2, 1954 - 6¢ Theodore RooseveltTheodore RooseveltTheodore "Teddy" Roosevelt was the 26th President of the United States . He is noted for his exuberant personality, range of interests and achievements, and his leadership of the Progressive Movement, as well as his "cowboy" persona and robust masculinity...
, New York, NY - Nov. 18, 1955 - 7¢ Woodrow WilsonWoodrow WilsonThomas Woodrow Wilson was the 28th President of the United States, from 1913 to 1921. A leader of the Progressive Movement, he served as President of Princeton University from 1902 to 1910, and then as the Governor of New Jersey from 1911 to 1913...
, 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. PershingJohn J. PershingJohn Joseph "Black Jack" Pershing, GCB , was a general officer in the United States Army who led the American Expeditionary Forces in World War I...
, New York, NY - Nov. 17, 1961 - 9¢ AlamoAlamoThe Battle of the Alamo was a battle fought during the Texas Revolution.Alamo may also refer to:-Places:*Alamo Mission in San Antonio, Texas*Alamo, California*Alamo, Georgia*Alamo Township, Michigan*Alamo, Nevada*Alamo, New Mexico...
, 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 HarrisonBenjamin HarrisonBenjamin Harrison was the 23rd President of the United States . Harrison, a grandson of President William Henry Harrison, was born in North Bend, Ohio, and moved to Indianapolis, Indiana at age 21, eventually becoming a prominent politician there...
, Oxford, OH - Jun. 6, 1959 - 15¢ John JayJohn JayJohn Jay was an American politician, statesman, revolutionary, diplomat, a Founding Father of the United States, and the first Chief Justice of the United States ....
, Washington, D.C. - Dec. 12, 1958 - 20¢ MonticelloMonticelloMonticello is a National Historic Landmark just outside Charlottesville, Virginia, United States. It was the estate of Thomas Jefferson, the principal author of the United States Declaration of Independence, third President of the United States, and founder of the University of Virginia; it is...
, Charlottesville, VA - Apr. 13, 1956 - 25¢ Paul ReverePaul ReverePaul Revere was an American silversmith and a patriot in the American Revolution. He is most famous for alerting Colonial militia of approaching British forces before the battles of Lexington and Concord, as dramatized in Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's poem, Paul Revere's Ride...
, Boston, MA - Apr. 18, 1958 - 30¢ Robert E. LeeRobert E. LeeRobert Edward Lee was a career military officer who is best known for having commanded the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia in the American Civil War....
, Norfolk, VA - Sep. 21, 1955 - 40¢ John MarshallJohn MarshallJohn Marshall was the Chief Justice of the United States whose court opinions helped lay the basis for American constitutional law and made the Supreme Court of the United States a coequal branch of government along with the legislative and executive branches...
, Richmond, VA - Sep. 24, 1955 - 50¢ Susan B. AnthonySusan B. AnthonySusan Brownell Anthony was a prominent American civil rights leader who played a pivotal role in the 19th century women's rights movement to introduce women's suffrage into the United States. She was co-founder of the first Women's Temperance Movement with Elizabeth Cady Stanton as President...
, Louisville, KY - Aug. 25, 1955 - $1 Patrick HenryPatrick HenryPatrick Henry was an orator and politician who led the movement for independence in Virginia in the 1770s. A Founding Father, he served as the first and sixth post-colonial Governor of Virginia from 1776 to 1779 and subsequently, from 1784 to 1786...
, Joplin, MO - Oct. 7, 1955 - $5 Alexander HamiltonAlexander HamiltonAlexander Hamilton was a Founding Father, soldier, economist, political philosopher, one of America's first constitutional lawyers and the first United States Secretary of the Treasury...
, Paterson, NJ - Mar. 19, 1956
Coil stamps:
- 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
- 4½¢ The Hermitage, Denver, CO - May 1, 1959
- 25¢ Paul Revere, Wheaton, MD - Feb. 25, 1965
See also
- Postage stamps and postal history of the United States