1954 Liberty Series Study

i just did a search on Paul Revere on ebay...someone has 310 Paul Revere stamps "wholesale" for 5 bucks ! That would give you something to work with !!

Good thought, Phil... but it's the covers showing different usages that I'll really be looking for.

David

Ok, I thought you might be studying the stamp itself..will keep an eye out for commercial covers with single usage 25 center !!

Phil:

I'll still study the stamp. There are three varieties, then the joint-line coil pairs, plate blocks, etc.

David

Not to seem stupid but I never understood the difference between the wet and dry printings. Can someone explain them to me please?

This explanation of "wet v. dry" printings is provided by the Scott Catalog at the beginning of the Liberty Series listings:



For a further detailed article on the subject, check out this "Refresher Course" from Linn's Stamp News:

http://www.linns.com/howto/refreshe...rcourse.aspx

Hi

A couple of years ago, in a spanish philatelic forum, I wrote an article about this wonderful Liberty series.
In the article I showed the stamps with the paintings or photos of which had been taken the designs, and now I want to share them here.

The designs of stamps with buildings (The Alamo, Monticello, etc) was based on photographs taken by BEP members.

1/2c. BENJAMIN FRANKLIN by Joseph Siffred Duplessis (Smithsonian)


1c. GEORGE WASHINGTON by Gilbert Stuart (National Gallery)


2c. THOMAS JEFFERSON by Gilbert Stuart (Bowdoin College Museum of Fine Arts, Bruswick, Maine)


4c. ABRAHAM LINCOLN by Douglas Volk (Library of Congress)


5c. JAMES MONROE by Rembrandt Peale (James Monroe Law Office, Fredericksburg Museum, Virginia)


6c. THEODORE ROOSEVELT painting by Philip A. De Laszlo


7c. WOODROW WILSON photo by F.Graham Cootes


8c. JOHN J. PERSHING painting by J.F.Boucher


12c. BENJAMIN HARRISON photo by Charles Parker


15c. JOHN JAY by Gilbert Stuart (National Gallery of Arts)


25c. PAUL REVERE by Gilbert Stuart (National Collection of Fine Arts)


30c. ROBERT E. LEE photo by Matthew Brady


40c. JOHN MARSHALL by Rembrandt Peale (Supreme Court of the United States, Washington D.C.)


50c. SUSAN B. ANTHONY photo in the Library of Congress


$1 PATRICK HENRY painting by Alonzo Chappel


$5 ALEXANDER HAMILTON by John Trumbull (National Gallery)


This is one of the most interesting series of the past 60 years in American Philately

Best Regards

Hi

I think it is Wayne Youngblood has done a study of the Liberty Series stamps.

Maybe Googling with his name will bring up helpful information.

Jerry B

For those who have studied these stamps in great detail, I have a question: Why did the stamp artwork use the last name only on the 1c, 2c, 4c, 5c and 7c stamps of this series, when all the other stamps had the full first and last name of the person being depicted?

Personally, I think it may have had to do with the assumption that as Presidents, the last name would suffice, however, in the cases of Benjamin Harrison and Theodore Roosevelt they were compelled to use the full first and last name so as to distinguish them from the other Harrison (William Henry) and Roosevelt (Franklin Delano) who were also Presidents.

Does anyone know for sure?

jorgesurcl
I just found your great Liberty series stamps/paintings & photos. What a beautiful presentation! I just keep looking at all the excellent details in the portraits & stamps.
Wonderful, wonderful...
Thanks for sharing.

When I was starting out as a kid in the early 1980's I was surprised to find these old stamps coming out of a vending machine in Marco island Florida while visiting my cousins. I scavenged a few quarters and bought a few. Also, this stamp was my very first stamp that started me to collecting several years earlier. I saw one at a friends house and thought wow that is neat. My friend's parents said I could have one! And thus my journey began.... What is amazing is I still have this very first Paul Revere stamp complete with heavy horizontal crease, some toning from my little finger oils, and the scotch tape residue I used to "hinge" it in a book.

It is a great stamp, and my most treasured.

I would love a complete set of the Liberty Series in PSE GRADED CAPSULES as matched grade 95 or 98 never hinged if anyone happens to have an unwanted set.

It would take me awhile to convince myself to get 1041a.


-IBFS

So yes I know this thread is almost two years old. But ...

That is a FABULOUS photo essay. I have always loved this series. Never liked Prominent Americans for its mishmash and horrible clash of styles (and some of the designs in that series are frankly, downright ugly). But this series is great - always liked the color on the 2c Jeff; the composition of the Palace of the Governors (and the odd denomination); the majesty of the Hamilton; the fierceness of the Henry; the 30c Lee (one of his few issues); and the 50c SBA.

Wish I had some unused assorted specimens to use on real U.S. mail.

Wet printings were produced on Stickney rotary presses in the process of being replaced with Huck-Cottrell presses as the series was being issued. Early printings of some sheet stamps and coils were wet printings because the Huck-Cottrell presses were not ready in time. There was some additional delay for the perforators associated with the new presses. Some early Cottrell press coil printings were on smaller plates (fewer subjects) compatible in width to the older perforating equipment, which had larger pins than the newer perforators. Hence large hole and small hole in the dry printing. Later it was discovered that a few wet printed coils were showing up with small holes. First it was thought that some wet printed coils were tested with the new perforator. That theory evaporated when a small hole variety of the 1917 five cent coil, Scott 496, were discovered. As I understand it, the Bureau of Engraving and Printing had a rotary coil perforator with smaller pins, developed originally as an in-line perforator for the Stickney press, but for various reasons it was rarely used. Some individuals associated with the USSS are reportedly working on an explanation and an article will be forthcoming someday. As it exists, less than ten wet printed small hole 3 cent liberty coil strips exist and only one two cent strip is known. Also one 3 cent Presidential coil was certified with small holes. The 1917 small hole 496, now listed as 496a, is relatively plentiful in comparison because a dealer in the Northwest apparently had a part roll and sold off strips and pairs to collectors over a period of time without realizing that the coils had a noticeably smaller hole size. More pairs and strips remain to be discovered in collections and dealer stocks.

Also, many of the imperforate error coils are quite scarce. The imperforate 1054A coil, precancelled Seattle was discovered only a few years ago. Only 13 fully imperforate copies are known.

Clark