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Smithsonian sunburst Smithsonian National Postal Museum
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  • Presidential Series Washington experimental plate proof
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Presidential Series Washington experimental plate proof

Object Details

Description
The Bureau of Engraving and Printing produced this experimental plate, incorporating Elaine Rawlinson’s winning stamp design for the 1938 presidential series and four other designs, from which President Franklin D. Roosevelt made the final selection. Rawlinson’s design, seen in the top two rows of each pane, captured the president’s imagination.
Certified plate proofs are the last printed proof of the plate before printing the stamps at the Bureau of Engraving and Printing. These plate proofs are each unique, with the approval signatures and date. For postal scholars these plates provide important production information in the plate margin inscriptions, including guidelines, plate numbers, and initials of the siderographer, or person who created the plate from a transfer roll.
Plate No.
Denomination: 1c, 3c
Subject: Washington, 4 designs
Color: green
Data Source
National Postal Museum
Date
1938
Object number
0.309126.1318
Printer
Bureau of Engraving and Printing
Type
Bureau Plate Proofs
Medium
paper; ink (137842) / engraving
Dimensions
Height x Width: 20 1/2 x 18 in. (52.07 x 45.72 cm)
Place
United States of America
See more items in
National Postal Museum Collection
On View
Currently on exhibit at the National Postal Museum
Title
Scott Catalogue USA 804-E
Topic
National Stamp Collection
Record ID
npm_0.309126.1318
Usage
CC0
GUID
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/hm893728c2d-ba51-439f-90dd-3658739acbdb
This image is in the public domain (free of copyright restrictions). You can copy, modify, and distribute this work without contacting the Smithsonian. For more information, visit the Smithsonian's Open Access page.
International media Interoperability Framework
IIIF provides researchers rich metadata and media viewing options for comparison of works across cultural heritage collections. Visit the IIIF page to learn more.
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HomeSmithsonian National Postal Museum

Visit »

Open daily 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Admission is always free!

2 Massachusetts Ave., N.E.
Washington, DC 20002

The museum's main entrance is located on the corner of First Street and Massachusetts Avenue NE. Other entrances have variable hours.

street map of Postal museum

Learn more
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