5c Pearl S. Buck Stamp (1983): How to Identify It

5c Pearl S. Buck, Great Americans Series (1980-1999), issued 1983-06-25: design, perforation, printing and varieties to check, with the issue notes quoted from stamp references and USPS.

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At a glance

Denomination: 5c
Series: Great Americans Series (1980-1999)
Issued: 1983-06-25
First-day city: Hillsboro, WV
Scott catalog number: 1848
Designer / engraver: Designed by stamp artist Paul Calle, based on a painting by Freeman Elliot
Printing: Engraved
Perforation: 11 x 10 1/2
Color: Henna brown

How to recognize the 5c Pearl S. Buck stamp

Portrait source: designed by renowned stamp artist Paul Calle, based on a painting by Freeman Elliot held by the Pearl Buck Foundation.
Standard series layout: standard definitive size, simple design, and monochromatic color.

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 5c Pearl S. Buck stamp issued?

1983-06-25, first day in Hillsboro, WV, as part of the Great Americans Series (1980-1999).

How do I know it is the 1983 Pearl S. Buck and not another one?

Portrait source: designed by renowned stamp artist Paul Calle, based on a painting by Freeman Elliot held by the Pearl Buck Foundation.

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.

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Sources

Updated 2026-09-11.