The Presidential Series of 1938, known to collectors as the Prexies, was the first U.S. definitive series to depict all presidents in order of service, from Washington through Calvin Coolidge.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

• Catalog Number: Scott #804

• Denomination: 1 cent (1¢)

• Date of Issue: April 25, 1938

• Printing Method: Rotary Press, Engraved (Intaglio)

• Perforation: 11 × 10½

• Color: Green

• Subject: Portrait of George Washington

CONDITION ANALYSIS (Seller-Assessed)

• Status: Used

• Grading: Extremely Fine

• Postmark: Black wavy-line machine postmark present. Clean and well-placed without obscuring the portrait or principal design elements.

• Obverse: Design is clear and fully legible throughout. Portrait, denomination, and framing elements are all sharp and intact.

• Reverse: No original gum, as expected for a used stamp.

• Centering / Margins: Excellent, with perforations clear of the design frame on all sides.

• Perforations: All perforations present. No tears or repairs observed. Condition reflects normal wear for a stamp of this era.

HISTORY

The Presidential Series of 1938, affectionately known among collectors as the Prexies, was one of the most ambitious definitives the U.S. Post Office Department ever produced. Running across 29 denominations from ½¢ to $5, it depicted every American president in order of service, from George Washington through Calvin Coolidge. It was the first series to attempt a complete presidential portrait gallery on stamps, and the engraved portraits were produced with considerable care.

Scott #804 is the 1¢ Washington, issued April 25, 1938, as the opening stamp of the series. The left-facing profile follows a long tradition of Washington imagery in American philately, but the Prexies gave it a cleaner, more modern presentation than earlier issues. The series was designed to serve all domestic postal rates of the era, with denominations ranging from the lightest makeup rates to high-value registry fees, making it one of the most comprehensive rate-coverage series ever issued.

The Prexies remained in active use well into the 1950s, and the lower denominations continued circulating even after newer series had replaced them for first-class use. Collectors building a complete set of the Presidential Series often find the lower denominations the easiest to locate in quality condition, while the higher values present considerably more of a challenge.

STEVEN SAYS

The Prexies are one of those series where the ambition of the project is worth appreciating. Every president in order, one stamp each, all the way through Coolidge. Washington gets the first one and the 1¢ rate. Feels right.