22c John J. Audubon Stamp (1985): How to Identify It
Quick answer
22c John J. Audubon, Great Americans Series (1980-1999), issued 1985-04-23: design, perforation, printing and varieties to check, with the issue notes quoted from stamp references and USPS.
Updated 2026-09-10 · Sources: Mystic Stamp Company
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Download on the App StoreWhat are the key facts?
- Denomination: 22c
- Series: Great Americans Series (1980-1999)
- Issued: 1985-04-23
- First-day city: New York, NY
- Scott catalog number: 1863
- Designer / engraver: Portrait by Christopher Calle, based on a painting by Audubon's son John Woodhouse Audubon
- Printing: Engraved
- Perforation: 11
- Color: Dark chalky blue
How to recognize the 22c John J. Audubon stamp
- Portrait source: Christopher Calle created the portrait, based on a painting by Audubon's son John Woodhouse Audubon held in the collections of the New York Historical Society.
- Standard series layout: a portrait, the word 'USA,' the denomination, and the person's name.
22c John J. Audubon vs 1c John James Audubon, Famous Americans series (Scott 874, 1940)
Audubon also appears on an earlier, unrelated 1c stamp from the 1940 Famous Americans series -- a different series, design, and denomination from this 1985 Great Americans 22c stamp.
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 22c John J. Audubon stamp issued?
1985-04-23, first day in New York, NY, as part of the Great Americans Series (1980-1999).
How do I know it is the 1985 John J. Audubon and not another one?
Portrait source: Christopher Calle created the portrait, based on a painting by Audubon's son John Woodhouse Audubon held in the collections of the New York Historical Society.
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
- Mystic Stamp Companywww.mysticstamp.com/1863-1985-22c-great-americans-series-john-j-audubon/
- Mystic Stamp Companywww.mysticstamp.com/874-1940-1c-famous-americans-series-john-james-audubon/
Compiled by the PhilLens editorial team
Every fact on this page is taken from the sources listed above; numbers and prices are copied from the source, and prices name the guide or auction and its date. Research and drafting were assisted by AI, and each claim was then checked against the cited sources. Checked 2026-09-10. We do not buy, sell or grade items; the app identifies what you photograph and points you to these references.