page_title: Presidents of the United States on U.S. postage stamps
section_title: Classic period
hierarchical_section_title: Presidents of the United States on U.S. postage stamps / George Washington / Classic period
caption_attribution_description: English: US Postage stamp: Washington, 1851 Issue, 3c
context_page_description: Presidents of the United States have frequently appeared on U.S. postage stamps since the mid-1800s. The United States Post Office Department released its first two postage stamps in 1847, featuring George Washington on one, and Benjamin Franklin on the other. The advent of presidents on postage stamps has been definitive to U.S. postage stamp design since the first issues were released and set the precedent that U.S. stamp designs would follow for many generations.
  The paper postage stamp itself was born of utility, as something simple and easy to use was needed to confirm that postage had been paid for an item of mail. People could purchase several stamps at one time and no longer had to make a special trip to pay for postage each time an item was mailed. The postage stamp design was usually printed from a fine engraving and were almost impossible to forge adequately. This is where the appearance of presidents on stamps was introduced. Moreover, the subject theme of a president, along with the honors associated with it, is what began to define the stamp issues in ways that took it beyond the physical postage stamp itself and is why people began to collect them.
context_section_description: Postage stamp designs of this period were typically taken from paintings and other works by famous artists that set the precedent for stamp designs in the ensuing years of American stamp production. Engravers from this period typically used the works of John Trumbull, Gilbert Stuart and Jean Antoine Houdon as models for their engravings.
  On July 1, 1851, the U.S. Post Office issued a 3-cent postage stamp. Because of die recuts, double transfers from die to plate and different paper used for its printing, this issue comes in numerous varieties. The authoritative book on the issue, 'Classic U.S. Stamps 1845–1869' was written by Carroll Chase, published in 1962. Engraving of image taken from a sculpture by Jean Antoine Houdon. The Post Office did not produce perforated versions of this stamp until 1857.
  The Post Office released the 12-cent Washington on August 4 of 1851. The engraving of Washington is modeled after a portrait by Gilbert Stuart. When the 12¢ issue was printed the stamp was the highest U.S. denomination ever issued. The issue was printed by Toppan, Carpenter, Casilear & Co. A perforated version appeared in 1857.
  In 1855 the postal rate for mail bound for destinations over 3,000 miles was increased from 6 cents to 10 cents, a change that prompted the issue of the 1855 10-cent Washington stamp. This 10-cent green issue was printed by Toppan, Carpenter, Casilear & Co. who reused the engraving of Washington (the vignette) of the 12-cent Washington 1851 Issue for this 10-cent postage stamp. The engraving was modeled after Gilbert Stuart's portrait of Washington. A perforated version appeared in 1857.
  In 1857 printing plates were made for a 24-cent Washington issue, but the stamp itself was not produced until 1860; the earliest known date of usage is July 7.
  On August 13, 1860 the Post Office issued the Washington 90¢ issue. Washington's engraving was modeled after a portrait by John Trumbull, titled George Washington before the Battle of Trenton, painted in 1792. It was only issued in the year 1860 and because of its high denomination only 29,000 copies were made and surviving examples are scarce. There were very few occasions where the amount of postage required to mail an item cost as much as 90¢ and as a result, genuine postally used examples of this issue are worth about twice as much as unused specimens.
caption: Issue of 1860
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