Approximately 75,500,000 stamps were released by the Bureau of Engraving and Printing, using a Rotary Press
When 46 nations gathered in San Francisco on 25 April 1945, they were exhausted from the extended war, disheartened by the inhumanity they seen, and determined to prevent future generations from experiencing what they had seen firsthand. Their ultimate goal was to form an international organisation that would have the power to maintain security and foster prosperity and give human rights an international legal status.
A group of non-governmental organisations lobbied vigorously for a strong commitment to human rights in the U.N. Charter. In particular, several small Latin American countries were committed to the inclusion of such a guarantee. A Pan-American conference held in Mexico City produced a group united in their determination to see such goals met. A number of American non-governmental groups also pushed for a type of bill of rights in the charter. Over 1,300 organisations placed ads in newspapers demanding that human rights be an integral part of the international organization.
When the member nations met in San Francisco in April of 1945, their proposal fell short of the clear and concise commitment to human rights that these groups sought. Forty-two American groups serving as consultants to the U.S. delegation convinced participating governments of the need to clearly state a policy of protection for individual human rights. They were persuasive, and the result was a legal commitment by governments around the world to promote and encourage respect for the inalienable human rights of every man, woman, and child.
The central design showed American troops from the 1st Battalion, 112th Infantry Regiment of the famous 28th Infantry Division, while the extreme right portion of the stamp illustrated the 1st Battalion, 110th Infantry Regiment of the same division marching through the streets of Paris toward the Arc de Triomphe during the city's liberation in August 1944. Six bombers are depicted flying overhead. While the stamp appears to show soldiers marching through the Arch, in reality, they were routed around it to respect the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier of France.
Nearly 500 million khaki-coloured stamps, in a nod to the U.S. Army, were released by the U.S. Bureau of Engraving and Printing.
This postcard was part of a collection compiled by Kano Kokichi (1865–1942), a Japanese anthropologist and educator. It captured the cultural "South Seas Customs" as viewed through a mid-20th-century Japanese lens.
Shown here three women from Sumenep (East Java) wearing traditional garments.
Kain Sarong: They wore vibrant, patterned sarongs (wraparound skirts) made of batik or similar traditional textiles. These are wrapped around the waist and reached to the ankles.
Breast Cloth (Kemben): Two of the women are shown wearing a kemben, a traditional torso wrap that covers the chest. In Javanese history, this was common everyday attire before more modest garments like the kebaya (blouse) became widespread due to Islamic and colonial influences.
Shoulder Cloth (Selendang): All three women use a selendang, a long piece of cloth draped over one shoulder. Historically, these were used both ornamentally and practically for carrying items or children.
NETHERLAND INDIES (now Indonesia) in 1943 during World War II issued a set of local motifs and landmarks, with the top inscription 大日本帝國郵便 (Dainippon Teikoku Yūbin) translating to "GREAT JAPANESE EMPIRE POST".
Stamps shown:
- 5 Sen (Green) depicted a traditional Javanese dancer.
- 10 Sen (Blue) featured the Borobudur temple, a famous 9th-century Buddhist monument in Central Java.
- 20 Sen (Yellow-Green) displayed a decorative emblem incorporating a map of the Indonesian archipelago.
In this case, the red circular cancellation postmark is dated 18.12.8. In the Japanese imperial calendar (Showa era), "18" refers to Showa 18, which is 1943. The full date, 8 December 1943, is significant as it was the second anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor (which occurred on 8 Dec., Japanese date).
Postcards like this one were produced by organisations like the Army Art Association to boost domestic morale and spread propaganda, often depicting soldiers in idealized, peaceful, or heroic settings. They were common during the Second Sino-Japanese War and World War II. These "Gunji Yubin" (Military Mail) cards allowed soldiers to communicate with their families while serving in occupied territories like China or Southeast Asia.
The illustration depicted a Japanese soldier standing in a flowering wisteria tree, serving as a "lookout" or "observation post (tenbōshō). This specific artwork is signed by the artist Mori Shunchō (森春鳥).
The characters (中豐) inside the postmark likely referred to a specific field post office or military location where the card was processed, possibly in occupied territory like Central China.
The purple stamp (left) is a 1/2 sen definitive postage stamp from Japan's First Showa series, issued between 1937 and 1940. The stamp featured a traditional Japanese cargo ship, known as a sengoku-bune.
The blue 1½ sen stamp (right) is from the Tazawa series (named after designer Tazawa Shogen). It was issued during the Taisho era, specifically starting around 1913 till 1931.
Both stamps contain the Imperial Chrysanthemum Crest at the top centre, flanked by decorative vine patterns.
The central image featured the university's historic colonnade. It was flanked by portraits of the school's namesakes: George Washington on the left and Robert E. Lee on the right.
Historically, George Washington saved the school from financial ruin with a $20,000 endowment in 1796, whereas Robert E. Lee served as the university's president from 1865 to 1870.
The stamp was printed in ultramarine blue using a rotary press. Over 104 million copies were released.
This cover featured a mixed franking of both Austrian and German stamps, which was common during the brief transition period after the annexation.
- Austrian postage in the upper section contains a set of airmail stamps (Flugpost) from the 1935 pictorial series which showed aircraft flying over Austrian landscapes. At the bottom are two stamps of different colours and denominations with a vase of roses surrounded by zodiac symbols; these were designed by renowned Austrian artist Wilhelm Dachauer. Another Dachauer designed stamp from the 1926 Child Welfare series depicted a scene from the Nibelungenlied saga, specifically the legendary hero Rüdiger von Bechelaren.
- German stamps include several German "Deutsches Reich" stamps, notably the 6 Reichspfennig "Anschluss" stamp (depicting two men carrying the Nazi flag) issued specifically for the 10 April plebiscite.
- Adolf Hitler stamps featuring his profile are present, including those issued for his 49th birthday in 1938.
The stamps were cancelled with a special slogan postmark reading "Ein Volk, Ein Reich, Ein Führer – 10. April 1938 – Wien" ("One People, One Empire, One Leader"). This specific cancel was only used in Vienna on the day of the controversial vote to approve the annexation. Interestingly this slogan is similar to the German Reich stamp issued on the 25th Anniversary of Kaiser Wilhelm II's reign -- "Ein Reich, Ein Volk, Ein Gott" (One Empire, One People, One God).
The date, 10 April 1938, was the day of the national referendum where 99.7% of Austrians reportedly voted "Yes" to join the Third Reich. Such covers were often produced as patriotic souvenirs or propaganda pieces to commemorate the "reunification".
The registration label at the bottom right indicates it was sent from the Wien 64 post office (registered number 1292).
The stamp commemorated these four Army chaplains of different faiths who sacrificed their lives during the sinking of the SS Dorchester on 3 February 1943.
When a German torpedo slammed into the USAT Dorchester, the transport ship sank in under 20 minutes, plunging its more than 900 servicemen and civilians into chaos. Amidst the panic and terror, these four Army chaplains moved calmly among the men. They offered prayers, soothed the frightened, and guided the disoriented toward lifeboats.
When the supply of life jackets ran out, the chaplains removed their own and gave them to four young soldiers. Survivors last saw them standing on the slanting deck, arms linked in prayer and singing hymns, as the ship slipped beneath the icy Atlantic waters.
The central design featured the four chaplains above the sinking SS Dorchester. It included the inscriptions "These Immortal Chaplains..." and "Interfaith in Action" to honour their cooperation and sacrifice.
Because they did not meet the strict "under fire" requirements for the Medal of Honour at the time, Congress authorised a one-time Special Medal for Heroism (The Four Chaplains' Medal) in 1960, which was presented to their families in 1961.
Over 121 million stamps were originally printed. The U.S. Bureau of Engraving and Printing used a Rotary Press to print these grey black stamps.
It featured inset portraits of John McLoughlin (left) and Jason Lee (right), two pivotal figures in the early history of the Oregon region.
The centre image depicted a covered wagon being pulled by oxen on the Oregon Trail, symbolising the westward migration.
John McLoughlin (1784-1857) was director of the Hudson Bay Company (a British Trading firm) in the Oregon region from 1824-46. During that time, he effectively governed the region and did a great deal to encourage and aid settlers. Remembered as the father of Oregon, he eventually became a U.S. citizen.
Rev. Jason Lee (1803-45) played a key role in organising the settlement of Oregon and establishing its territorial government. Lee presided over Oregon's first territorial organisation meeting in 1841. Later, he helped to form the territory's provisional government. Unfortunately, Rev. Lee died before the Oregon Territory was formed. Lee represents Oregon in Statuary Hall at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C.
The design incorporated the official emblem of the American Chemical Society. Also included in the design was an alembic (an early distilling apparatus), a hydrometer, and a modern ionisation indicator. The right side of the stamp featured the "chemical century" with industrial structures, including a catalytic cracking plant, a butadiene reactor, and a fractionating unit.
Approximately 110–117 million stamps were released.
The imagery features a Puerto Rican farmer holding a cogwheel, representing industry, and a ballot box, symbolising the democratic process.
C.R. Chickering designed the stamp, based on a sketch by Irene Delano from the Office of the Governor.
The central design depicted a United Confederate Veteran as he appeared in 1951. Behind him, he was shown in his youth as a Confederate soldier. Across the top of the stamp is the wording "Final Reunion United Confederate Veterans" in whiteface Gothic. In the upper left corner of the design is an hourglass representing time, most of which has run out as indicated by the sand in the lower half.
The stamp was printed by the rotary process, electric-eye perforated, and issued in panes of 50 stamps each. The printing of 110 million copies of this stamp was authorised.
The stamp depicted John Luther "Casey" Jones in the center, flanked by a steam locomotive on the left and a modern diesel train on the right.
It commemorated Jones, a famous locomotive engineer who died a hero in a train wreck in 1900.
