2c Thomas Jefferson Stamp (1954): How to Identify It
Quick answer
2c Thomas Jefferson, Liberty Series (1954-1968), issued 1954-09-15: design, perforation, printing and 1 variety to check, with the issue notes quoted from stamp references and USPS.
Updated 2026-09-10 · Sources: Mystic Stamp Company
Have one? Scan it to see what it's worth.
Download on the App StoreWhat are the key facts?
- Denomination: 2c
- Series: Liberty Series (1954-1968)
- Issued: 1954-09-15
- Scott catalog number: 1033
- Designer / engraver: Designed by Tyler Dingee and William Schrage; engraved by Matthew D. Fenton; lettered by George L. Huber
- Printing: Rotary press (issued in both wet-printed and dry-printed forms over its long production run)
- Perforation: 11 x 10 1/2
- Color: Carmine rose
How to recognize the 2c Thomas Jefferson stamp
- Design subject: pictures a portrait of President Thomas Jefferson.
- Color: carmine rose.
- Postal rate covered: issued to cover the 2-cent postcard rate and to honor the third U.S. president.
Varieties to check
The same design was issued in more than one form. Which one you have changes the catalog listing:
- Wet vs. dry printing, coil vs. sheet, regular vs. silkote paper, perforated vs. imperforate: Because it was reprinted for decades to cover the 2-cent postcard rate, this stamp exists in more documented production variants than most other Liberty Series values.
Why this stamp is so common
Reprinted repeatedly to cover the 2-cent postcard rate and remained on sale for years, unlike many other Liberty Series values that were replaced sooner.
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 2c Thomas Jefferson stamp issued?
1954-09-15, as part of the Liberty Series (1954-1968).
How do I know it is the 1954 Thomas Jefferson and not another one?
Design subject: pictures a portrait of President Thomas Jefferson.
Are there different versions of the 2c Thomas Jefferson stamp?
Yes. Wet vs. dry printing, coil vs. sheet, regular vs. silkote paper, perforated vs. imperforate: Because it was reprinted for decades to cover the 2-cent postcard rate, this stamp exists in more documented production variants than most other Liberty Series values.
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.
More in U.S. Definitive Stamp Identifier
- 1/2c Benjamin Franklin Stamp (1954): How to Identify It
- 1c George Washington Stamp (1954): How to Identify It
- 1 1/2c Mount Vernon Stamp (1956): How to Identify It
- 2 1/2c Bunker Hill Monument Stamp (1959): How to Identify It
- 3c Statue of Liberty Stamp (1954): How to Identify It
- 4c Abraham Lincoln Stamp (1954): How to Identify It
- 4 1/2c The Hermitage (Andrew Jackson's home) Stamp (1959): How to Identify It
- 5c James Monroe Stamp (1954): How to Identify It
- 6c Theodore Roosevelt Stamp (1955): How to Identify It
- 7c Woodrow Wilson Stamp (1956): How to Identify It
- 8c Statue of Liberty Stamp (1954): How to Identify It
- 25c Paul Revere Stamp (1958): How to Identify It
Related
See what your stamps are really worth.
Start with a single scan.
Have one? Scan it to see what it's worth.
Sources
- Mystic Stamp Companywww.mysticstamp.com/1033-1954-2c-liberty-series-thomas-jefferson/
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.