SCOTT #2496-2500 OLYMPIANS 25 CENT

     Each of the athletes honored in this series won two or more medals in Olympic competition as a group, they won an astonishing 19 gold medals.

      Jesse Owens

      Ray Ewry

      Hazel Wightman

      Eddie Eagan

      Helene Madison

                                                  

SCOTT #2006-09 KNOXVILLE WORLD'S FAIR 20 CENT

     In 1982, the World's Fair was held in Knoxville, Tennessee. Knoxville is located on the Tennessee River and is well known as a commercial and industrial center. "Energy Turns  the World" was the theme of the fair.

                                              

SCOTT #1935 JAMES HOBAN (WHITE HOUSE) 18 CENT

     When the federal government prepared to build living quarters for its President and his family,an open contest was sponsored to decide the plan for the building. The competition attracted a great deal of attention. Among all the entrants, James Hoban's design won.
     Hoban was born in Ireland and drew upon this influence; his drawings were modeled after the Irish Parliament's meeting place, the Leinster House.

                                            

WHY WATERMARKS?

Stamp watermarks were security features used to prevent counterfeiting.  Creating these watermarks was part of the paper-making process.  First, the pump was put on a wire mesh screen – like a window screen – with thin metal letters attached to it.  When pressed down, the letters on top of the screen made the paper thinner than the spaces where there were no letters.

The first watermarked stamps were released in April of 1895 – 125 years ago this year!  The Bureau of Engraving and Printing (BEP) took over printing postage stamps from the American Bank Note Company in 1894.  The BEP took the original dies and plates of the 1894 series and made improvements, which included adding watermarks.  But this led to unforeseen problems for the BEP…

SCOTT #4380-83 ABRAHAM LINCOLN 42 CENT

     16TH President that is in the news a lot these days. These stamp show Lincoln as:
      Rail spliter
      Lawyer
      Politician
      President

                                           

SCOTT #4248-52 AMERICAN JOURNALISTS 42 CENT

     Post Office paying homage to journalists.
      Martha Gellhorn
      John Hersey
      George Polk
      Ruben Salazar
      Eric Sevareid

                                              

SCOTT #4224-27 AMERICAN SCIENTISTS 41 CENT

     Post Office paying homage to American Scientists.
      1. John Bardeen---Theoretical Physicist
      2. Edwin Hubble--Astronomer
      3. Linus Pauling---Chemist
      4. Gerty Cori-------Biochemist

                                      

SCOTT #4124 LONGFELLOW 39 CENT

     Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807-1882) rooted his poetry in European forms and traditions while exploring many uniquely American subjects. One of the most popular poets of the 19th century, he is remembered for lively narrative works such as "Paul Reveres Ride" and "The Song of Hiawatha".

                                             

SCOTT#2267-74 SPECIAL OCCASIONS 22 CENT

     For many years the Postal Service received requests for stamps that could be used for special occasions. These were the first US stamps to be specifically created for a specialized market.