Designs of the 1954 Series - The Liberty Issue
Bureau of Engraving and printing rotary press printings (unless otherwise noted)
Electric eye plates of 400, split into panes of 100 stamps
Design size Portrait Stamps: .75 x .82 inches (about 19 x 20.8mm) Landscape Stamps: .82 x .75 in. (about 20.8 x 19mm), unless noted otherwise
More information
Wet and Dry Printing Methods
Click on underlined Catalog Numbers below to see more details.
½¢ Benjamin Franklin
Red Orange
Designer: Charles R. Chickering Engravers: Charles A. Brooks
Lettering: Robert J. Jones
|
| Number | FDC | Printing Method Type | Perforation | Tagging | Collectible Varieties |
| 1030 | 10/20/1955 | sheet stamp - wet printing | 11 x 10.5 | none | plate number block (4) |
| 1030a | May 1958 | sheet stamp - dry printing | 11 x 10.5 | none | plate number block (4) |
1¢ George Washington
Dark Green
Designer: C. R. Chickering Vignette: Richard M. Bower
Frame: C. A. Brooks Lettering: John S. Edmondson
|
| Number | FDC | Type | Perforation | Tagging | Collectible Varieties |
| 1031 | 8/26/1954 | sheet stamp - wet printing | 11 x 10.5 | none | plate number block (4) |
| 1031b | --- | sheet stamp - dry printing | 11 x 10.5 | none | vert. and horiz. gutter pairs |
| 1054 | 10/8/1954 | wet printing coil - large holes | 10 vert. | none | joint line pair |
| 1054b | Aug. 1957 | dry printing coil - large holes | 10 vert. | none | joint line pair |
| 1054b | Feb. 1960 | dry printing coil - small holes | 10 vert. | none | joint line pair |
| 1054c | --- | imperforate coil pair | imperf. | none | --- |
1 ¼¢ Palace of the Governors
Turquoise
Designer: Tyler Dingee & William Schrage Engravers: Matthew D. Fenton
Lettering: George L. Huber
|
| Number | FDC | Type | Perforation | Tagging | Collectible Varieties |
| 1031A | 6/17/1960 | sheet stamp - dry printing only | 10.5 x 11 | none | plate number block (4) |
| 1054A | 6/17/1960 | coil stamp - small holes | 10 horiz. | none | joint line pair |
| 1054A | --- | coil stamp - large holes | 10 horiz. | none | joint line pair |
| 1054Ad | --- | imperforate coil stamp | --- | none | --- |
1 ½¢ Mount Vernon
Brown Carmine
Designer: William K. Schrage Engravers: C. A. Brooks
Lettering: John S. Edmondson
|
| Number | FDC | Type | Perforation | Tagging | Collectible Varieties |
| 1032 | 2/22/1956 | sheet stamp - dry printing only | 10.5 x 11 | none | plate number block (4) |
2¢ Thomas Jefferson
Carmine Rose
Designer: Tyler Dingee & William Schrage Engravers: Matthew D. Fenton
Lettering: George L. Huber
|
| Number | FDC | Type | Perforation | Tagging | Collectible Varieties |
| 1033 | 9/15/1954 | sheet stamp - dry printing only | 11 x 10.5 | none | PB; vert. and horiz. gutter pairs |
| 1033a | Dec. 1954 | sheet stamp - Silkote paper | 11 x 10.5 | none | plate number block (4) |
| 1055 | 10/22/1954 | coil - wet printing - large holes | perf 10 vert. | none | joint line pair |
| 1055a | May 1957 | coil - dry printing - large holes | perf 10 vert. | none | joint line pair |
| 1055b | 5/6/1968 | coil - dry printing - small holes | perf 10 vert. | tagged; shiny gum | joint line pair |
| 1055c | --- | imperf. coil pair - Riverdale, MD pre-cancel | none | joint line pair | |
| 1055d | --- | imperforate coil pair; tagged; shiny gum | tagged; shiny gum | joint line pair | |
2 ½¢ Bunker Hill
Gray Blue
Designer: Robert L. Miller Engravers: Arthur W. Dintaman
Lettering: John S. Edmondson
|
| Number | FDC | Type | Perforation | Tagging | Collectible Varieties |
| 1034 | 6/17/1959 | sheet stamp - dry printing only | 11 x 10.5 | none | plate number block (4) |
| 1056 | 9/9/1959 | sidewise coil stamp - large holes | perf 10 vert. | none | joint line pair |
| 1056 | Jan. 1961 | sidewise coil stamp - small holes | perf 10 vert. | none | joint line pair |
3¢ Statue of Liberty
Deep Violet
Designer: Charles R. Chickering Engravers: Richard M. Bower
Lettering: George L. Huber
|
| Number | FDC | Type | Perforation | Tagging | Collectible Varieties |
| 1035 | 6/24/1954 | sheet stamp - wet printing | 11 x 10.5 | none | plate number block (4) |
| 1035a | 6/30/1954 | booklet (pane of 6) - wet | 11 x 10.5 | none | --- |
| 1035b | --- | booklet pane; imperf. between - wet | 11 x 10.5 | none | --- |
| 1035c | --- | sheet stamp - dry printing | 11 x 10.5 | none | PB; vert. & horiz. gutter pairs |
| 1035e | 7/6/1966 | sheet stamp - dry printing | 11 x 10.5 | tagged; shiny gum | plate number block (4) |
| 1035f | --- | imperforate pair (~18.75 x 22.5mm) | imperf. | none | --- |
| 1035g | --- | horiz. pair imperf. between | 11 x 10.5 | none | --- |
| 1057 | 7/20/1954 | coil - wet printing - large holes | perf 10 vert. | none | joint line pair |
| 1057a | Oct. 1956 | coil - dry printing - large holes | perf 10 vert. | none | gripper cracks; joint line pair |
| 1057a | Mar. 1958 | coil - dry printing - small holes | perf 10 vert. | none | joint line pair |
| 1057b | --- | imperforate pair (~19.5 x 22mm) | imperf. | none | joint line pair |
| 1057c | Oct. 1966 | Look magazine coil (dry, small) | perf 10 vert. | tagged (no fluorescence) | joint line pair |
| 1057d | 6/26/1967 | "Look" coil; philatelic printing | perf 10 vert. | tagged (slightly fluorescent) | joint line pair |
4¢ Abraham Lincoln
Red Violet
Designer: Charles R. Chickering Vignette: Richard M. Bower
Frame: C. A. Brooks Lettering: J. S. Edmondson
|
| Number | FDC | Type | Perforation | Tagging | Collectible Varieties |
| 1036c | 11/19/1954 | sheet stamp - wet printing | 11 x 10.5 | none | plate number block (4) |
| 1036 | --- | sheet stamp - dry printing | 11 x 10.5 | none | PB; vert. and horiz. gutter pairs |
| 1036b | 11/2/1963 | sheet stamp - dry printing | 11 x 10.5 | tagged | plate number block (4) |
| 1036a | 7/31/1958 | booklet (pane of 6) - dry | 11 x 10.5 | none | --- |
| 1036d | --- | booklet pane; imperf. between - dry | 11 x 10.5 | none | --- |
| 1036e | --- | horiz. pair imperf. between (booklet pane/dry) | none | --- | |
| 1058b | coil - wet printing - large holes - not issued w/o pre-cancel | none | joint line pair | ||
| 1058 | 7/31/1958 | coil - dry printing - large holes | perf 10 vert. | none | joint line pair |
| 1058 | --- | coil - dry printing - small holes | perf 10 vert. | none | joint line pair |
| 1058a | --- | imperf. coil pair; dry; small holes | imperf. | none | joint line pair |
4 ½¢ Hermitage
Blue Green
Designer: Charles R. Chickering Engravers: Matthew D. Fenton
Lettering: George A. Payne
|
| Number | FDC | Type | Perforation | Tagging | Collectible Varieties |
| 1037 | 3/16/1959 | sheet stamp - dry printing | 10.5 x 11 | none | plate number block (4) |
| 1059 | 5/1/1959 | coil - dry printing - large holes | perf 10 horiz. | none | joint line pair |
| 1059 | --- | coil - dry printing - small holes | perf 10 horiz. | none | joint line pair |
5¢ James Monroe
Deep Blue
Designer: C. R. Chickering Vignette: A. W. Dintaman
Frame: C. A. Brooks Lettering: J. S. Edmondson
|
| Number | FDC | Type | Perforation | Tagging | Collectible Varieties |
| 1038 | 12/2/1954 | sheet stamp - dry printing only | 11 x 10.5 | none | plate number block (4); horizontal gutter pair (pair with full vertical gutter between) |
6¢ Theodore Roosevelt
Carmine
Designers: Victor S. McCloskey & C. Chickering Vignette: M. Fenton
Frame: C. Brooks Lettering: G. Payne
|
| Number | FDC | Type | Perforation | Tagging | Collectible Varieties |
| 1039 | 11/18/1955 | sheet stamp - wet printing | 11 x 10.5 | none | plate number block (4) |
| 1039a | --- | sheet stamp - dry printing | 11 x 10.5 | none | plate number block (4) |
| 1039b | --- | imperforate block of 4 | imperf. | none | --- |
7¢ Woodrow Wilson
Rose Carmine
Designer: Tyler Dingee & William Schrage Engravers: Matthew D. Fenton
Lettering: George L. Huber
|
| Number | FDC | Type | Perforation | Tagging | Collectible Varieties |
| 1040 | 1/10/1956 | sheet stamp - dry printing only | 11 x 10.5 | none | plate number block (4) |
| 1040a | --- | Dark Rose Carmine sheet stamp - dry printing |
11 x 10.5 | none | plate number block (4) |
8¢ Statue of Liberty
Dark Violet Blue & Carmine
Designer: C. Chickering Vignette: M. Fenton
Frame: C. Brooks Lettering: J. Edmondson
|
| Number | FDC | Type | Perforation | Tagging | Collectible Varieties |
| 1041 | 4/9/1954 (this was the 1st Liberty Issue stamp) |
flat plate dry printing size: about 22.7mm high |
11 x 11 | none | plate block (4) 2 plate
numbers; plate block, red # only; plate block blue # only |
| 1041a | --- | carmine double impression | 11 x 11 | none | --- |
| 1041B | 4/9/1954 | rotary press dry printing size: 22.9mm high (slightly taller) |
11 x 11 | none | plate block (4) 2 plate numbers, one red and one blue |
8¢ Statue of Liberty
Redrawn Design
Designer: C. Chickering Vignette & Frame: M. Fenton
Lettering: Howard F. Sharpless
|
| Number | FDC | Type | Perforation | Tagging | Collectible Varieties |
| 1042 | 3/22/1958 | Giori press size: about 22.8mm high |
11 x 11 | none | plate number block (4); note: there is only one plate number, since the Giori press printed both colors in one pass and only one plate was needed |
8¢ General John J. Pershing
Brown
Designer: Robert J. Jones Vignette & Frame: Matthew D. Fenton
Lettering: George A. Payne
|
| Number | FDC | Type | Perforation | Tagging | Collectible Varieties |
| 1214 | 11/17/1961 | rotary press dry printing | 11 x 10.5 | none | plate number block (4) |
9¢ Alamo
Rose Lilac
Designer: Charles Chickering Vignette: Richard M. Bower
Lettering: Howard F. Sharpless
|
| Number | FDC | Type | Perforation | Tagging | Collectible Varieties |
| 1043 | 9/14/1956 | rotary press dry printing | 10.5 x 11 | none | plate number block (4) |
| 1043a | --- | dark rose lilac; rotary press dry printing |
10.5 x 11 | none | plate number block (4) |
10¢ Independence Hall
Rose Lake
Designer: Charles R. Chickering Engravers: Charles A. Brooks
Lettering: George L. Huber
|
| Number | FDC | Type | Perforation | Tagging | Collectible Varieties |
| 1044 | 7/4/1956 | rotary press dry printing | 10.5 x 11 | none | plate number block (4) |
| 1044b | --- | dark rose lake; rotary press dry printing |
10.5 x 11 | none | plate number block (4) |
| 1044d | 7/6/1966 | rotary press dry printing | 10.5 x 11 | tagged | plate number block (4) |
10¢ Independence Hall
Rose Lake
Designer: Charles R. Chickering Engravers: Charles A. Brooks
Lettering: George L. Huber
|
| Number | FDC | Type | Perforation | Tagging | Collectible Varieties |
| 1044A | 6/15/1961 | Giori press | 11 x 11 | none | plate number block (4) |
| 1044Ac | 1/11/1967 | Giori press | 11 x 11 | tagged | plate number block (4) |
12¢ Benjamin Harrison
Red
Designer: Victor S. McCloskey Vignette: Richard M. Bower
Lettering: Charles A. Smith
|
| Number | FDC | Type | Perforation | Tagging | Collectible Varieties |
| 1045 | 6/6/1959 | rotary press dry printing | 11 x 10.5 | none | plate number block (4) |
| 1045a | (1968) | rotary press dry printing | 11 x 10.5 | tagged | plate number block (4) |
15¢ John Jay
Rose Lake
Designers: V. S. McCloskey & C. Chickering Vignette: A. W. Dintaman
Lettering: George A. Payne
|
| Number | FDC | Type | Perforation | Tagging | Collectible Varieties |
| 1046 | 12/12/1958 | rotary press dry printing | 11 x 10.5 | none | plate number block (4) |
| 1046a | 7/6/1966 | rotary press dry printing | 11 x 10.5 | tagged | plate number block (4) |
20¢ Monticello
Ultramarine
Designer: William K. Schrage Vignette: C. A. Brooks
Lettering: J. S. Edmondson
|
| Number | FDC | Type | Perforation | Tagging | Collectible Varieties |
| 1047 | 7/13/1956 | rotary press dry printing | 10.5 x 11 | none | plate number block (4) |
| 1047a | --- | deep bright ultramarine rotary press dry printing |
10.5 x 11 | none | plate number block (4) |
25¢ Paul Revere
Green
Designers: V. S. McCloskey & C. Chickering Vignette: R. M. Bower
Lettering: J. S. Edmondson
|
| Number | FDC | Type | Perforation | Tagging | Collectible Varieties |
| 1048 | 4/18/1958 | rotary press dry printing | 11 x 10.5 | none | plate number block (4) |
| 1059A | 2/25/1965 | rotary press coil dry printing | 10 vert. | none | joint line pair |
| 1059Ab | 4/3/1973 | rotary press coil dry printing | 10 vert. | tagged/shiny gum | joint line pair |
| 1059Ab | (1980) | rotary press coil dry printing | 10 vert. | tagged/dull gum | joint line pair |
| 1059Ac | --- | imperforate rotary coil pair | imperf. | none | joint line pair |
30¢ Robert E. Lee
Black
Designers: V. S. McCloskey & C. Chickering Vignette: M. Fenton
Frame: C. Brooks Lettering: R. Jones
|
| Number | FDC | Type | Perforation | Tagging | Collectible Varieties |
| 1049 | 9/21/1955 | rotary press - wet printing | 11 x 10.5 | none | plate number block (4) |
| 1049a | (June 1957) | rotary press - dry printing | 11 x 10.5 | none | plate number block (4) |
| 1049b | --- | intense black; harder, whiter paper; rotary press - dry printing |
11 x 10.5 | none | plate number block (4) |
40¢ John Marshall
Brown Red
Designers: W. K. Schrage & C. Chickering Vignette: R. Bower
Frame: C. Brooks Lettering: J. Edmondson
|
| Number | FDC | Type | Perforation | Tagging | Collectible Varieties |
| 1050 | 9/24/1955 | rotary press - wet printing | 11 x 10.5 | none | plate number block (4) |
| 1050a | (Apr. 1958) | rotary press - dry printing | 11 x 10.5 | none | plate number block (4) |
50¢ Susan B. Anthony
Bright Purple
Designers: Charles R. Chickering Vignette and Frame: Charles A. Brooks
Lettering: John S. Edmondson
|
| Number | FDC | Type | Perforation | Tagging | Collectible Varieties |
| 1051 | 8/25/1955 | rotary press - wet printing | 11 x 10.5 | none | cracked plate; plate number block (4) |
| 1051a | (Apr. 1958) | rotary press - dry printing | 11 x 10.5 | none | plate number block (4) |
$1 Patrick Henry
Purple
Designers: V. McCloskey & C. Chickering Vignette: A. Dintaman
Frame: C. Brooks Lettering: J. Edmondson
|
| Number | FDC | Type | Perforation | Tagging | Collectible Varieties |
| 1052 | 10/7/1955 | rotary press - wet printing | 11 x 10.5 | none | plate number block (4) |
| 1052a | (Oct. 1958) | rotary press - dry printing | 11 x 10.5 | none | plate number block (4) |
$5 Alexander Hamilton
Black
Designers: V. McCloskey & C. Chickering Vignette and Frame: C. Brooks
Lettering: J. Edmondson
|
| Number | FDC | Type | Perforation | Tagging | Collectible Varieties |
| 1053 | 3/19/1956 | flat plate - dry printing | 11 x 11 | none | plate number block (4) |
Bibliography and suggested additional reading:
The Liberty Series, by Ken Lawrence and Tony Wawrukiewicz (2007)
Ordinary Postage Stamps - Series of 1954, by Sol Glass, in a series of articles in the Bureau Specialist in the late 1950's
The Encyclopedia of United States Stamps and Stamp Collecting edited by Rodney A. Juell & Steven J. Rod - USSS (2006)
Scott's United States Stamp Catalogue Specialized - 1949, Scott Publications, Inc.
Websites of interest to the Liberty Issue collector:
USSS Liberty Series Committee headed by Roland Austin.
