Americana series
Encyclopedia
The Americana series was a series of United States
definitive
postage stamp
s issued between 1975 and 1981. Denominations ranged from one cent to five dollars. It superseded the Prominent Americans series
, and was in turn superseded by the Great Americans series
and the Transportation coils
. The series consisted of twenty stamps issued in sheets, twelve issued in coils, and one produced especially for a booklet.
While the stamps were not part of the Bicentennial Series
of stamps released from 1971-1983, their theme fit in well with the idea of looking back over two hundred years. For the series celebrated basic American concepts that have animated the nation's entire history, rather than individual heroes or heroines from any particular period. Unlike any previous definitive series, the Americana set did not contain a single image of a president (an omission that may perhaps reflect national disillusion in the wake of the recent Watergate scandal). Indeed, this was the first American definitive series in which no male human being appeared, and the two female figures in the set are purely allegorical, rather than representing actual women.
The preceding Prominent Americans series had been deliberately produced without basic design guidelines, resulting in widely diverse pictorial and lettering styles. In clear contrast, the Americana series strictly followed a uniform plan that dictated the appearance both of individual stamps and of stamps grouped together in blocks of four. Each denomination is framed on two adjacent sides by text (generally relating to American history or freedoms) which curves around one corner of the stamp. The twenty sheet-stamps are planned so that, in a group of four rising values, the curve cycles through the four corners: top left, top right, bottom left, and bottom right. Each of the five resulting blocks accordingly appears with text that completely surrounds its perimeter, forming a rectangular border with rounded corners.
All five blocks have themes: The first, "Roots of Democracy," the second, "Rights and Freedoms of the American People," the third, "Symbols of America," the fourth, "Pioneer America" and the fifth, "America's Light". (The framing plan was only partially carried out with the coil stamps of the series. Among the twelve stamps, only two blocks can be formed, and only one of these proves thematic.)
The Americana series was the first definitive issue since that of 1922-31 not to include any fractional-cent values; instead, it presented the first decimal values assigned to U. S. Postage stamps, which appeared on coil stamps denominated between 3.1 cents and 8.4 cents, produced for the use of bulk mail
ers and other businesses.
Among philatelists, the Americana series is most famous for the CIA invert
. An invert error
of the $1 lamp stamp, it was so named because the original sheet was bought by a CIA
employee who had gone to the post office to buy some stamps. Copies have sold at auction for as much as $15,000.
The 16 cent and the 29 cent were issued for a proposed, but never implemented "business rate" for first class mail, which was to be higher than the personal rate (only letters with handwritten addresses would be eligible for the lower rate). The proposed rate was rejected by the Postal Rate Commission
which chose instead a 15 cent rate (for two ounces, 28 cents) for all mail. Since the 16 and 29 cent stamps satisfied no rate, and were not a convenient round number, they saw little use.
The design for the 1 cent stamp was originally designated for a never-issued 26 cent stamp.
Many of the stamps were issued in mid-November in New York City. At the time, it was usual to have a stamp issuance during the annual stamp show for the American Stamp Dealers Association
, which was then held in mid-November in New York City. The March stamps issued in New York were issued at the ASDA-sponsored INTERPEX show.
The series was the first U. S. omnibus definitive series since 1875 not to include a five cent stamp.
Coil stamps:
Stamps issued only within booklets:
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
definitive
Definitive stamp
A definitive stamp is a postage stamp, that is part of a regular issue of a country's stamps available for sale by the postal service for an extended period of time...
postage stamp
Postage stamp
A postage stamp is a small piece of paper that is purchased and displayed on an item of mail as evidence of payment of postage. Typically, stamps are made from special paper, with a national designation and denomination on the face, and a gum adhesive on the reverse side...
s issued between 1975 and 1981. Denominations ranged from one cent to five dollars. It superseded the Prominent Americans series
Prominent Americans series
The Prominent Americans series is a set of definitive stamps issued by the United States Post Office Department between 1965 and 1978....
, and was in turn superseded by the Great Americans series
Great Americans series
The Great Americans series is a set of definitive stamps issued by the United States Postal Service, starting on December 27, 1980 with the 19¢ stamp depicting Sequoyah, and continuing through 2002, the final stamp being the 78¢ Alice Paul self-adhesive stamp. The series, noted for its simplicity...
and the Transportation coils
Transportation coils
The Transportation coils series is a set of definitive stamps issued by the United States Postal Service between 1981 and 1995. Officially dubbed the "Transportation Issue" or "Transportation Series", they have come to be called the "transportation coils" because all of the denominations were...
. The series consisted of twenty stamps issued in sheets, twelve issued in coils, and one produced especially for a booklet.
While the stamps were not part of the Bicentennial Series
Bicentennial Series
The Bicentennial Series was a lengthy series of American commemorative postage stamps.It began with the issuance of a stamp showing the logo for the Bicentennial celebrations on July 4, 1971, and concluded on September 2, 1983 with a stamp for the Treaty of Paris...
of stamps released from 1971-1983, their theme fit in well with the idea of looking back over two hundred years. For the series celebrated basic American concepts that have animated the nation's entire history, rather than individual heroes or heroines from any particular period. Unlike any previous definitive series, the Americana set did not contain a single image of a president (an omission that may perhaps reflect national disillusion in the wake of the recent Watergate scandal). Indeed, this was the first American definitive series in which no male human being appeared, and the two female figures in the set are purely allegorical, rather than representing actual women.
The preceding Prominent Americans series had been deliberately produced without basic design guidelines, resulting in widely diverse pictorial and lettering styles. In clear contrast, the Americana series strictly followed a uniform plan that dictated the appearance both of individual stamps and of stamps grouped together in blocks of four. Each denomination is framed on two adjacent sides by text (generally relating to American history or freedoms) which curves around one corner of the stamp. The twenty sheet-stamps are planned so that, in a group of four rising values, the curve cycles through the four corners: top left, top right, bottom left, and bottom right. Each of the five resulting blocks accordingly appears with text that completely surrounds its perimeter, forming a rectangular border with rounded corners.
All five blocks have themes: The first, "Roots of Democracy," the second, "Rights and Freedoms of the American People," the third, "Symbols of America," the fourth, "Pioneer America" and the fifth, "America's Light". (The framing plan was only partially carried out with the coil stamps of the series. Among the twelve stamps, only two blocks can be formed, and only one of these proves thematic.)
The Americana series was the first definitive issue since that of 1922-31 not to include any fractional-cent values; instead, it presented the first decimal values assigned to U. S. Postage stamps, which appeared on coil stamps denominated between 3.1 cents and 8.4 cents, produced for the use of bulk mail
Bulk mail
Bulk mail broadly refers to mail that is mailed and processed in bulk at reduced rates. The term does not denote any particular purpose for the mail; but in general usage is synonymous with "junk mail."...
ers and other businesses.
CIA invert
The CIA invert is a one-dollar value postage stamp error issued by the United States Postal Service. It is one stamp from the Americana series that were produced between 1975 and 1981. The $1 colonial rushlight holder stamp was first issued on July 2, 1979 and one sheet of 100 stamps was issued...
. An invert error
Invert error
In philately, an invert error occurs when part of a postage stamp is printed upside-down. Inverts are perhaps the most spectacular of a postage stamp errors, not only because of the striking visual appearance, but because they are almost always quite rare, and highly valued by stamp...
of the $1 lamp stamp, it was so named because the original sheet was bought by a CIA
Central Intelligence Agency
The Central Intelligence Agency is a civilian intelligence agency of the United States government. It is an executive agency and reports directly to the Director of National Intelligence, responsible for providing national security intelligence assessment to senior United States policymakers...
employee who had gone to the post office to buy some stamps. Copies have sold at auction for as much as $15,000.
The 16 cent and the 29 cent were issued for a proposed, but never implemented "business rate" for first class mail, which was to be higher than the personal rate (only letters with handwritten addresses would be eligible for the lower rate). The proposed rate was rejected by the Postal Rate Commission
Postal Rate Commission
The United States Postal Regulatory Commission is an independent regulatory agency created by the Postal Reorganization Act of 1970...
which chose instead a 15 cent rate (for two ounces, 28 cents) for all mail. Since the 16 and 29 cent stamps satisfied no rate, and were not a convenient round number, they saw little use.
The design for the 1 cent stamp was originally designated for a never-issued 26 cent stamp.
Many of the stamps were issued in mid-November in New York City. At the time, it was usual to have a stamp issuance during the annual stamp show for the American Stamp Dealers Association
American Stamp Dealers Association
The American Stamp Dealers Association is an international philatelic organization of stamp dealers.-History:ASDA was founded in 1914 as an association “dedicated to promoting integrity, honesty and reliability, and we are the hobby builders of philately.” The ASDA is structured similarly to other...
, which was then held in mid-November in New York City. The March stamps issued in New York were issued at the ASDA-sponsored INTERPEX show.
The series was the first U. S. omnibus definitive series since 1875 not to include a five cent stamp.
Denominations, subject, inscription, place and date of issue
Sheet stamps:- 1 cent, quill pen and inkwell, "The Ability to Write * A Root of Democracy", St. Louis MO, Dec. 8, 1977
- 2 cent, speaker's stand, "Freedom To Speak Out * A Root of Democracy", St. Louis MO, Dec. 8, 1977
- 3 cent, ballot box, "To Cast A Free Ballot * A Root of Democracy", St. Louis MO, Dec. 8, 1977
- 4 cent, books and eyeglasses, "A Public That Reads * A Root of Democracy", St. Louis MO, Dec. 8, 1977
- 9 cent, (gray paper) Capitol dome, "Right of People Peaceably to Assemble", Washington DC, Nov. 24, 1975
- 10 cent, head of statue of Justice, "People's Right To Petition For Redress", New York NY, Nov. 17, 1977
- 11 cent, early printing press, "Liberty Depends on Freedom of the Press", Philadelphia PA, Nov. 13, 1975
- 12 cent, torch of Statue of Liberty, "Freedom of Conscience * An American Right", Dallas TX, Apr. 8, 1981
- 13 cent, Liberty BellLiberty BellThe Liberty Bell is an iconic symbol of American Independence, located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Formerly placed in the steeple of the Pennsylvania State House , the bell was commissioned from the London firm of Lester and Pack in 1752, and was cast with the lettering "Proclaim LIBERTY...
, "Proclaim Liberty Throughout the Land", Cleveland OH, Oct. 31, 1975 - 13 cent, eagle and shield, "One Nation Indivisible * E Pluribus Unum", Juneau AK, Dec. 1, 1975
- 15 cent, American Flag, "The Land of the Free * The Home of the Brave", Baltimore MD, Jun. 30, 1978
- 16 cent, head of Statue of LibertyStatue of LibertyThe Statue of Liberty is a colossal neoclassical sculpture on Liberty Island in New York Harbor, designed by Frédéric Bartholdi and dedicated on October 28, 1886...
, "I Lift My Lamp Beside the Golden Door", New York NY, Mar. 31, 1978 - 24 cent, Old North ChurchOld North ChurchOld North Church , at 193 Salem Street, in the North End of Boston, is the location from which the famous "One if by land, and two if by sea" signal is said to have been sent...
, "Midnight Ride * One if by Land, Two if by Sea", Boston MA, Nov. 14, 1975 - 28 cent, Fort NisquallyFort NisquallyFort Nisqually was an important fur trading and farming post of the Hudson's Bay Company in the Puget Sound area of what is now DuPont, Washington and was part of the Hudson's Bay Company's Columbia Department. Today it is a living history museum located in Tacoma, Washington, USA, within the...
, Washington, "Remote Outpost * New Nation Building Westward", Tacoma WA, Aug. 11, 1978 - 29 cent, Sandy HookSandy Hook, New JerseySandy Hook is a barrier spit, approximately 6.0 miles in length and varying between 0.10 and 1 miles wide in Middletown Township in Monmouth County, along the Atlantic Ocean coast of eastern New Jersey in the United States. The barrier spit encloses the southern entrance of Lower New York Bay...
lighthouse, "Lonely Beacon Protecting Those Upon the Sea", Atlantic City NJ, Apr. 14, 1978 - 30 cent, one room schoolhouse, "American Schools * Laying Future Foundations", Devils Lake ND, Aug. 27, 1979
- 50 cent, Betty lamp, "America's Light Sustained by Love of Liberty", San Juan PR, Sep. 11, 1979
- $1, rush lamp, "America's Light Fueled by Truth and Reason", San Francisco CA and nationwide, Jul. 2, 1979
- $2, kerosene lamp, "America's Light Will Shine Over All the Land", New York NY, Nov. 16, 1978
- $5, lantern, "America's Light Leads Her Generations Onward", Boston MA, Aug. 23, 1979
Coil stamps:
- 1 cent, quill pen and inkwell, "The Ability to Write * A Root of Democracy", New York NY, Mar. 6, 1980
- 3.1 cent, guitar, "Listen With Love to the Music of the Land", Shreveport LA, Oct. 25, 1979
- 3.5 cent, violins, "The Music of America is Freedom's Symphony", Williamsburg PA, Jun. 23, 1980
- 7.7 cent, saxhorns, "Marching in Step to the Music of the Union", New York NY, Nov. 20, 1976
- 7.9 cent, drum, "Beat the Drum for Liberty and the Spirit of 76", Miami FL, Apr. 23, 1976
- 8.4 cent, piano, "Peace Unites a Nation Like Harmony in Music", Interlochen MI, Jul. 13, 1978
- 9 cent, (gray paper) Capitol dome, "Right of People Peaceably to Assemble", Milwaukee WI, Mar. 5, 1978
- 10 cent, head of statue of Justice, "People's Right To Petition For Redress", Tampa FL, Nov. 4, 1977
- 12 cent, torch of Statue of Liberty, "Freedom of Conscience * An American Right", Dallas TX, Apr. 8, 1981
- 13 cent, Liberty BellLiberty BellThe Liberty Bell is an iconic symbol of American Independence, located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Formerly placed in the steeple of the Pennsylvania State House , the bell was commissioned from the London firm of Lester and Pack in 1752, and was cast with the lettering "Proclaim LIBERTY...
, "Proclaim Liberty Throughout the Land", Allentown PA, Nov. 25, 1975 - 15 cent, American Flag, "The Land of the Free * The Home of the Brave", Baltimore MD, Jun. 30, 1978
- 16 cent, head of Statue of LibertyStatue of LibertyThe Statue of Liberty is a colossal neoclassical sculpture on Liberty Island in New York Harbor, designed by Frédéric Bartholdi and dedicated on October 28, 1886...
, "I Lift My Lamp Beside the Golden Door", New York NY, Mar. 31, 1978
Stamps issued only within booklets:
- 9 cent (white paper, issued only with seven 13 cent Flag over Capitol stamps in a vending machine booklet), New York NY, Mar. 11, 1977
See also
- Postage stamps and postal history of the United States