The Liberty Series gave Washington a new portrait in 1954: a modernized engraving distinct from the Prexies design, the first significant visual update to his definitive stamp appearance in over a decade.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

• Catalog Number: Scott #1031

• Denomination: 1 cent (1¢)

• Date of Issue: September 2, 1954

• Printing Method: Rotary Press, Engraved (Intaglio)

• Perforation: 11 × 10½

• Color: Dark Green

• Subject: Portrait of George Washington, Liberty Series

CONDITION ANALYSIS (Seller-Assessed)

• Status: Used

• Grading: Very Fine

• Postmark: Minimal, with a faint impression that does not obscure the portrait or principal design elements.

• Obverse: Design is clear and fully legible throughout. Minor surface marks and light handling signs present but do not significantly affect the portrait.

• Reverse: No original gum present, consistent with postal use. Back is clean with no visible tears, thinning, or repairs.

• Centering / Margins: Perforations clear of the design frame on all sides.

• Perforations: Intact on all four sides. Minor edge roughness at perforation tips consistent with normal postal handling. No missing perforations observed.

HISTORY

The Liberty Series, issued from 1954 to 1961, replaced the Presidential Series of 1938 with a broader visual program featuring presidents, statesmen, and national symbols. George Washington appeared on the 1¢ denomination as the series opener, issued September 2, 1954, and the portrait was notably redesigned from the Prexies version that had served the same rate since 1938. The new engraving adopted a slightly different rendering of Washington's face and a cleaner, more open background that reflected the modernizing aesthetic of American stamp design in the postwar years.

Washington's presence on the 1¢ denomination had a long history by 1954. He had appeared at this rate across multiple definitive series stretching back decades, a continuity that reflected both his foundational status in American history and the practical reality that the 1¢ rate required a recognizable, trusted image that postal customers could identify at a glance.

The Liberty Series 1¢ Washington circulated widely as a supplemental and makeup rate stamp throughout the late 1950s, the same period in which the series as a whole was establishing the visual language of American definitives for nearly a decade. For collectors building complete Liberty Series sets, Scott #1031 is the natural starting point.

STEVEN SAYS

Washington on the 1¢ rate goes back a long way. The Liberty Series gave him a new portrait after sixteen years of the Prexies design. Worth a close comparison if you collect both series.