20c Ralph Bunche Stamp (1982): How to Identify It
20c Ralph Bunche, Great Americans Series (1980-1999), issued 1982-01-12: design, perforation, printing and varieties to check, with the issue notes quoted from stamp references and USPS.
At a glance
- Denomination: 20c
- Series: Great Americans Series (1980-1999)
- Issued: 1982-01-12
- First-day city: New York, NY
- Scott catalog number: 1860
- Designer / engraver: Portrait by artist Jim Sharpe
- Printing: Engraved
- Perforation: 11 x 10 1/2
- Color: Claret
How to recognize the 20c Ralph Bunche stamp
- Standard series layout: the simple design includes a portrait, the word 'USA,' the denomination, the person's name, and in some cases their occupation or reason for recognition.
- Where it was issued: issued at the United Nations General Assembly Building, where Bunche served as under-secretary from 1955 to 1971.
Checks that apply to any U.S. definitive
- Measure the perforations with a gauge; the same design often exists in two or three gauges, and that is usually what separates the common one from the scarce one.
- Sheet, coil or booklet: coils have two straight edges on opposite sides; booklet panes have one or two straight edges from the pane edge.
- Tagging: hold it under a longwave UV lamp; tagged and untagged printings of the same design are listed separately.
- Condition (centering, gum, cancel) is a separate question from identification.
How to photograph it for identification
Lay the stamp flat on a dark background in daylight, fill the frame, and keep the phone parallel so the perforations are not distorted. Photograph the back too if there is a watermark or gum question. The app reads the design and denomination; the perforation and tagging checks above settle which listing it is.
FAQ
When was the 20c Ralph Bunche stamp issued?
1982-01-12, first day in New York, NY, as part of the Great Americans Series (1980-1999).
How do I know it is the 1982 Ralph Bunche and not another one?
Standard series layout: the simple design includes a portrait, the word 'USA,' the denomination, the person's name, and in some cases their occupation or reason for recognition.
Is my copy worth anything?
This page identifies the stamp; it does not price it. Most definitives were printed in the hundreds of millions, so what matters is which variety you have and its condition. Identify it here first, then use the varieties list to see if you have one of the scarcer printings.
Related
Sources
Updated 2026-09-11.