The United States Post Office Department issues a set of 12 stamps commemorating the 200th anniversary of George Washington's birth.

The Washington Bicentennial stamps, a significant philatelic issue, were meticulously released by the United States government in 1932 to honor the momentous 200th anniversary of the birth of George Washington, the nation's revered first President. This commemorative series was not merely a set of stamps but a historical collection, comprising twelve distinct values. Each stamp within this collection uniquely depicted President Washington at various stages of his life, offering a visual chronological journey through his formative years and public service, an approach designed to highlight his multifaceted contributions to American history.

This remarkable series was brought to life by the artistic and technical expertise of designers from the Bureau of Engraving and Printing (BEP), the primary security printer for the United States government, responsible for producing currency, postage stamps, and other vital government documents. The principal designers for the Washington Bicentennial series were Clair Aubrey Huston and Alvin Meissner. Their task involved translating historical depictions of Washington into miniature works of art suitable for postage. Specifically, the stamps ranging from the ½-cent through the 10-cent denominations featured portraits of Washington derived directly from authentic paintings, engravings, or sculptures created during his actual lifetime, ensuring historical accuracy and artistic integrity. Clair Aubrey Huston, a prolific stamp designer, was responsible for seven of the twelve values: the ½-cent, 1½-cent, 2-cent, 3-cent, 6-cent, 8-cent, and 9-cent stamps. Alvin Meissner designed the remaining five values, contributing to the comprehensive nature of the collection.

The selection of specific portraits and concepts for these stamps was a collaborative effort, involving recommendations from three key entities: the Washington Bicentennial Commission, established to coordinate nationwide celebrations of the anniversary; the United States Post Office Department, responsible for postal services; and the Bureau of Engraving and Printing itself. Initially, the vision for the series was far more ambitious, extending beyond mere portraits to include significant historical events, iconic locations, and symbolic images associated with Washington's life and his enduring legacy even after his death. This expansive concept, however, underwent a significant modification, ultimately being streamlined to feature exclusively portraits of Washington.

The Post Office Department officially unveiled its definitive plans for the series in November 1930. These initial plans were grand in scope, projecting a monumental series of no fewer than eighteen stamps, covering a wide range of denominations from ½-cent up to $5. To put this in historical context, this would have made the Washington Bicentennial issue the largest commemorative set ever released by the U.S. Post Office at that time. Previously, the largest was the landmark Columbian Exposition issue of 1893, which consisted of sixteen stamps celebrating the 400th anniversary of Christopher Columbus's voyage. No other prior commemorative set had exceeded the nine values of the 1898 Trans-Mississippi series. Echoing the scale and breadth of the Columbians, the wide format of those 1893 stamps was initially considered for the Washington Bicentennial series. This format would have allowed for expansive tableaux and detailed portraits surveying Washington's entire career. In January 1931, the enthusiasm for the bicentennial even led a congressman to introduce a bill (though it was never enacted) proposing that for the entirety of 1932, "all postage stamps offered for sale through the United States..., of whatever color or denomination, shall bear the portrait of George Washington."

Numerous preparatory wide-format designs were indeed produced by the Post Office, including detailed tableaux for 14-cent, 17-cent, and 25-cent denominations. These elaborate designs were even intended to be printed in two colors, adding to their complexity and visual appeal. Among the compelling subjects envisioned for these stamps were:

Ultimately, however, the Post Office made a pivotal decision to forgo historical tableaux entirely. The rationale behind this was a concern that the public would anticipate these depictions to precisely replicate famous historical paintings, many of which were known to contain historical inaccuracies or artistic liberties. To avoid potential public critique and ensure factual consistency, the Post Office elected to simplify the series. The final collection would consist of single-width, single-color issues, exclusively dedicated to portraits of Washington. Furthermore, the series was reduced in scope to twelve denominations, with the highest value not exceeding 10 cents. In addition to the stamps, a parallel series of stamped envelopes featuring an image of Washington's iconic home at Mount Vernon was also issued, broadening the commemorative offerings.

The Washington Bicentennial stamps were officially made available for sale to the public on January 1, 1932, with the inaugural sale occurring at the post office in Washington, D.C., a fitting location for such a significant national commemoration.

While the bicentennial issue introduced many less familiar images of Washington to the general public, the Post Office thoughtfully ensured that the widely recognized and beloved Gilbert Stuart portrait of the President was featured prominently on the 2-cent stamp. This strategic choice was significant because the 2-cent stamp satisfied the normal first-class letter rate at the time, guaranteeing it would be the most frequently used stamp in the series. This decision aimed to connect the public with a familiar and revered image of Washington. However, several months after the series was launched, a crucial change occurred: the first-class letter rate was unexpectedly raised from 2 cents to 3 cents. This sudden increase led to an immense and unforeseen demand for 3-cent stamps, a demand that could not be adequately met by emergency reprintings of the existing 3-cent Washington Bicentennial issue or the 3-cent Abraham Lincoln regular issue then in circulation. Adding to the challenge, the new 3-cent Washington Bicentennial stamp, which was now the de facto everyday-use stamp for first-class mail, featured a relatively little-known and somewhat uncharacteristic image of Washington. Recognizing the public's preference for a more familiar depiction, the Post Office Department felt compelled to rapidly introduce a new regular-issue 3-cent stamp featuring a more recognizable Washington portrait. Rather than undertaking the time-consuming process of creating an entirely new design from scratch, the BEP ingeniously revamped the existing bicentennial 2-cent "Atheneum" value (which featured the Gilbert Stuart portrait) as a 3-cent stamp (Scott #720). This transformation involved removing the "1732-1932" date ribbons flanking the portrait, effectively converting it into a standard regular issue stamp. This revised stamp was printed in the then-standard 3-cent color (purple) and was also made available in both vertical and horizontal coil formats to accommodate various postal needs, quickly becoming a staple for daily correspondence.

Frequently Asked Questions About the Washington Bicentennial Stamps of 1932

What were the Washington Bicentennial stamps?
The Washington Bicentennial stamps were a series of twelve U.S. postage stamps issued in 1932 to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the birth of George Washington, the first U.S. President. Each stamp featured a different portrait of Washington, representing various periods of his life.
Who designed these commemorative stamps?
The series was designed by two notable designers from the Bureau of Engraving and Printing (BEP): Clair Aubrey Huston and Alvin Meissner. Huston designed seven of the stamps, and Meissner designed the remaining five, drawing their portraits from authentic period paintings, engravings, and sculptures.
Why did the Post Office decide to only feature portraits on the stamps?
Initially, plans included historical tableaux depicting events and locations. However, the Post Office chose to focus exclusively on portraits to avoid potential public expectations for these scenes to precisely replicate famous paintings, many of which contained historical inaccuracies or artistic interpretations, thereby ensuring greater factual integrity for the series.
How did the postal rate change impact the Washington Bicentennial stamps?
Shortly after their release, the first-class letter rate increased from 2 cents to 3 cents. This created a high demand for 3-cent stamps. The original 3-cent Bicentennial stamp featured a lesser-known Washington portrait, so the Post Office quickly adapted the popular Gilbert Stuart portrait from the 2-cent stamp (Scott #720) into a new 3-cent regular issue by removing the commemorative dates, ensuring a familiar image was available for everyday use.
When and where were the Washington Bicentennial stamps first sold?
The stamps were first placed on sale on January 1, 1932, at the post office located in Washington, D.C.