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

• 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.

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.

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.

• 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.

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.