1c George Washington Stamp (1938): How to Identify It

1c George Washington, Presidential Series "Prexie" (1938-1954), issued 1938-04-25: design, perforation, printing and 1 variety to check, with the issue notes quoted from stamp references and USPS.

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At a glance

Denomination: 1c
Series: Presidential Series "Prexie" (1938-1954)
Issued: 1938-04-25
First-day city: Washington, DC
Scott catalog number: 804
Designer / engraver: Design by Elaine Rawlinson, winner of a public design contest with over 1,100 submissions
Printing: Rotary press
Perforation: 11 x 10 1/2
Color: Green

How to recognize the 1c George Washington stamp

Designer background: designed by the first person, since the Bureau of Engraving and Printing began producing U.S. stamps, who was not a government employee.
Design contest origin: designer Elaine Rawlinson won a public design contest that drew over 1,100 submissions.

Varieties to check

The same design was issued in more than one form. Which one you have changes the catalog listing:

Booklet pane of 6 (Scott 804b): Sold bound into a pane of 6 stamps rather than as a full sheet.

1c George Washington vs 1c George Washington, Liberty Series (Scott 1031, 1954)

The 1938 Presidential series 1c Washington (Scott 804) was replaced by the 1954 Liberty Series 1c Washington (Scott 1031); both are green, so check the issue date/design style rather than color to tell them apart. See the 1c George Washington page.

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 1c George Washington stamp issued?

1938-04-25, first day in Washington, DC, as part of the Presidential Series "Prexie" (1938-1954).

How do I know it is the 1938 George Washington and not another one?

Designer background: designed by the first person, since the Bureau of Engraving and Printing began producing U.S. stamps, who was not a government employee.

Are there different versions of the 1c George Washington stamp?

Yes. Booklet pane of 6 (Scott 804b): Sold bound into a pane of 6 stamps rather than as a full sheet.

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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