Stamps

Commemorative Postage Stamps of 1939
Rotary Press - Perf 10½ x 11 - 200 Subject Plates

Golden Gate Intl. Expo
San Francisco - Feb. 18, 1939
114,439,600 issued

New York World's Fair
New York - April 1, 1939
101,699,550 issued

Washington's Inauguration
New York - April 30, 1939
72,764,550 issued

Printing in Colonial America
New York - Sept. 25, 1939
71,394,750 issued

Rotary Press - Perf 11 x 10½ - 200 Subject Plates

Baseball Centennial
Cooperstown, N.Y. - June 12, 1939
81,269,600 issued

Panama Canal Issue
U.S.S. Charleston, Canal Zone
Aug. 15, 1939 - 67,813,350 issued

50th Anniversary of Four States
Bismarck ND & Pierre SD: Nov. 2
Helena MT: Nov. 8 - Olympia WA: Nov. 11
66,835,000 issued

The Air Mail Stamp of 1939
Flat Plate - Perforated 11 - 100 Subject Plates

30¢ Trans-Atlantic Winged Globe
FDC: May 16, 1939
19,768,150 Issued

Although deemed not necessary by the Postmaster General and the U.P.U, this stamp was issued on May 16, possibly to promote the new Trans-Atlantic service. The first flights were from New York to Paris via Bermuda and Portugal, with a New York to Great Britain service, via Canada and Newfoundland, added later.

The following postage stamp varieties were first issued by the U.S. in 1939

Prexie Booklets
see also: The Prexies of 1938
Number 804b - The 1¢ George Washington Booklet pane of 6
Number 806b - The 2¢ John Adams Booklet pane of 6
Number 807a - The 3¢ Thomas Jefferson Booklet pane of 6

Horizontal Coils - Perf 10 Vertically - January 20, 1939
Number 839 - The 1¢ George Washington
Number 840 - The 1½¢ Martha Washington
Number 841 - The 2¢ John Adams
Number 842 - The 3¢ Thomas Jefferson
Number 843 - The 4¢ James Madison
Number 844 - The 4½¢ White House
Number 845 - The 5¢ James Monroe
Number 846 - The 6¢ John Quincy Adams
Number 847 - The 10¢ John Tyler

Vertical Coils - Perf 10 Horizontally - January 27, 1939
Number 848 - The 1¢ George Washington
Number 849 - The 1½¢ Martha Washington
Number 850 - The 2¢ John Adams
Number 851 - The 3¢ Thomas Jefferson

Commemoratives
Number 852 - 3¢ Golden Gate International Exposition in San Francisco Designer: Wm. A. Roach - Engravers: C. A. Brooks (vignette) · E. M. Hall (lettering)
Number 853 - 3¢ New York World's Fair of 1939 Designer: C. Dale Badgely - Engraver: Edward M. Weeks (vignette and lettering)
Number 854 - 3¢ Sesquicentennial of Washington's Inauguration Designer: Alvin R. Meissner - Engravers: J. Eissler (vignette) · E. M. Hall (lettering)
Number 855 - 3¢ Baseball Centennial Designer: William A. Roach - Engravers: Charles A. Brooks (vignette) · J. T. Vail (lettering)
Number 856 - 3¢ Panama Canal Issue Designer: Wm. Roach - Engravers: W. O. Marks (vignette) · W. B. Wells (lettering)
Number 857 - 3¢ 300th Anniversary of Printing in Colonial America Designer: Wm. K. Schrage - Engravers: Carl T. Arlt (vignette) · J. T. Vail (lettering)
Number 858 - 50th Anniv. of North & South Dakota, Montana, & Washington Designer: A. R. Meissner - Engravers: M. D. Fenton (vignette) · W. B. Wells (lettering)

"Lettering" refers to the lettering, numerals and, where applicable, the frame. Each engraver was assigned a portion of the stamp which emphasized his particular area of expertise. In practice, this meant the senior engravers were assigned the task of engraving the portrait or vignette and the less senior engravers the task of engraving the numerals, lettering and frame.

Air Mail
Number C24 - The 30¢ Trans-Atlantic Winged Globe Designer: A. R. Meissner - Engravers: C. A. Brooks & Frank Pauling (vignette) · E. M. Hall & J. T. Vail (lettering)

Special Delivery
There were no new Special Delivery stamps issued in 1939.

Suggested reading
Franklin D. Roosevelt and the Stamps of the United States 1933-1945 - by Brian C. Baur (1993 Linn's Stamp News)
The Prexies - by Roland Rustad (1994 USSS)