Louisiana Purchase Exposition Issue

Appropriately the first denomination of the set, the 1-cent stamp of the Louisiana Purchase Exposition Issue features an image of Robert Livingston. Born in 1746, Livingston served as a delegate of New York in the Continental Congress and as a delegate to the Constitution Convention. He administered the oath of office to George Washington in 1789. After Thomas Jefferson's election to the presidency in 1800, Livingston was appointed minister to France. Livingston's efforts culminated in the purchase of the Louisiana Territory. He died in 1813.

The 1-cent Livingston stamp paid the one-cent card rate. It was also used with other denominations to fulfill large weight and destination rates. The Bureau of Engraving and Printing produced 79,779,200 Robert Livingston stamps.

Alexander T. Haimann, National Postal Museum

President Thomas Jefferson, architect of the Louisiana Purchase, is featured on the 2-cent stamp of the Louisiana Purchase Issue.

The 2-cent stamp paid the domestic first class rate. Combined with other denominations, it also fulfilled large weight and foreign destination rates. A total of 192,732,400 stamps were printed by the Bureau of Engraving and Printing.

Alexander T. Haimann, National Postal Museum

The Louisiana Purchase Expedition Issue marked the first appearance of James Monroe, the fifth President of the United States (1817-1825), on a US postage stamp. At Jefferson's direction, Monroe helped negotiate the purchase from Napoleon, a mission for which he has received very little recognition. His portrait in this set of stamps helped honor his significant contribution to the nation's expansion.

Patrons used the 3-cent stamp with other denominations to fulfill large weight and destination rates. The Bureau of Engraving and Printing produced a total of these 4,542,600 stamps.

Alexander T. Haimann, National Postal Museum

The Post Office Department featured President William McKinley (1897-1901) on the 5-cent stamp of the Louisiana Purchase Exposition Issue because it was McKinley who signed the bill committing the United States to staging the Exposition. An assassin's bullet fatally wounded McKinley in 1901, three years before the fair opened.

The 5-cent stamp most often paid the single-weight Universal Postal Union International rate or was used with other denominations to fulfill large weight and destination rates. The BEP produced 6,926,700 of these stamps.

Alexander T. Haimann, National Postal Museum

Every stamp of the Louisiana Purchase Exposition Issue portrays a person except the last, which features the very subject the Exposition actually celebrated—the lands of the purchase. The 10-cent stamp features a map of the United States with an outline of the new Louisiana Territory, a very fitting cap on a set of beautiful commemoratives.

The 10-cent stamps most often paid the domestic registered mail fee plus the domestic first class rate or double the UPU rate. Patrons also used it with other denominations to fulfill large weight and destination rates. The Bureau of Engraving and Printing produced 4,011,200 of these stamps.

Alexander T. Haimann, National Postal Museum