USPS on 9 February 2009 commemorated the 200th anniversary of the birth of Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865) with four First-Class 42-cent stamps. The stamps were dedicated at the Old State Capitol in Springfield, Illinois, by Postmaster General John Potter and Assistant Majority Leader Senator Richard J. Durbin (D-IL). FDC cancellation postmark depicts an outline of Lincoln and originated from Springfield, Illinois.
The art stamps were created by Mark Summers, who is noted for his scratchboard technique, a style distinguished by a dense network of lines etched with exquisite precision. Each stamp features a different aspect of Lincoln’s life.
The stamp showing Lincoln as a rail-splitter includes the earliest-known photograph of Lincoln, dated 1846, by N. H. Shepherd, and depicts Lincoln as a youth splitting a log for a rail fence on what was then the American frontier. When he was a candidate for president in 1860, the Republican Party used the image of Lincoln as a “rail-splitter” to enhance his appeal to the working man.
Lawyer
The stamp featuring Lincoln as a lawyer includes a photograph of Lincoln, dated 7 May 1858, by Abraham Byers, and shows Lincoln in a courtroom in Illinois, the state where he was a practicing attorney for nearly 25 years.
The stamp featuring Lincoln as a lawyer includes a photograph of Lincoln, dated 7 May 1858, by Abraham Byers, and shows Lincoln in a courtroom in Illinois, the state where he was a practicing attorney for nearly 25 years.
Politician
The stamp of Lincoln as a politician includes a Mathew Brady photograph of Lincoln dated 27 February 1860, and shows Lincoln debating Stephen A. Douglas during their 1858 campaign for a U.S. Senate seat from Illinois.
The stamp of Lincoln as a politician includes a Mathew Brady photograph of Lincoln dated 27 February 1860, and shows Lincoln debating Stephen A. Douglas during their 1858 campaign for a U.S. Senate seat from Illinois.
President
The stamp featuring Lincoln as president includes an Alexander Gardner photograph of Lincoln, dated 8 November 1863, and depicts Lincoln conferring with generals Ulysses S. Grant and William T. Sherman toward the end of the Civil War. The depiction is based on “The Peacemakers” (1868), a painting by George P. A. Healy.
The stamp featuring Lincoln as president includes an Alexander Gardner photograph of Lincoln, dated 8 November 1863, and depicts Lincoln conferring with generals Ulysses S. Grant and William T. Sherman toward the end of the Civil War. The depiction is based on “The Peacemakers” (1868), a painting by George P. A. Healy.
For information on philately visit the Smithsonian’s National Postal Museum website. It maintains the world’s largest collection of stamp images online through its Arago website
Since 1866, 74 stamps have been issued in Lincoln’s honor, including these stamps to honor his 200th birthday. To see all of the Lincoln stamps visit the National Postal Museum’s Arago website:
Source: U.S. Postal Service
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