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Smithsonian sunburst Smithsonian National Postal Museum
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  • 23c Wilma Rudolph single
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23c Wilma Rudolph single

Object Details

Description
On August 24, 2000, the United States Postal Service released the 10-cent Stilwell stamp as part of the Great Americans Series, begun in 1980. Its appearance differed so dramatically from earlier stamps in the series that collectors thought a new series had begun. The USPS had independently reached the same conclusion and named it the "Distinguished Americans Series." This evolution followed a tradition begun with Famous Americans (1940), Prominent Americans (1965-1978) and Great Americans (1980-1989), and, finally, the Distinguished Americans.
Illustrator Mark Summers gave the Distinguished Americans Series its new look. He used a scratchboard technique, in which the artist begins with a completely black surface and scratches away the unwanted color, leaving the remaining lines and shapes to form the final picture. Summers illustrated the first twelve stamps released in the Distinguished Americans Series.
References:
Kloetzel, James E., ed. 2009 Specialized Catalogue of United States Stamps and Covers. 87th ed. Sidney, Ohio: Scott Publishing Co. 2008.
Amick, George. Linn's US Stamp Yearbook 2000, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007. Sidney, Ohio: Amos Press, 2000, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007.
unused
Credit line
Copyright United States Postal Service. All rights reserved.
Data Source
National Postal Museum
Date
July 14, 2004
Object number
2005.2003.7.5
Type
Postage Stamps
Medium
paper; ink (multicolored)/ lithographed
Place
United States of America
See more items in
National Postal Museum Collection
Title
Scott Catalogue USA 3436
Topic
Sports
Contemporary (1990-present)
Black Heritage
Women's Heritage
U.S. Stamps
Record ID
npm_2005.2003.7.5
Usage
Usage conditions apply
GUID
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/hm825ae1607-691e-4c6d-b2f7-7f5daf02780a

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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

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