George Washington - Black - John Trumbull - 1780

The stamp is printed in black ink with white edge and gray paneled border on the sides and top. The upright panels are slightly indented at the sides. Inside the border is a background of darker gray. Along the upper edge of the stamp in a horizontal line are the words "United States postage" in white Roman. In each lower corner is a circle with white edge and black ground inclosing the numeral "7" in white Roman. The circles are connected by a white edged panel containing the word "Cents" in white Roman on a dark background. In the center of the stamp is a large oval with light background and white border which contains a likeness of Washington in a colonial uniform showing the head and bust reproduced from a full length portrait painted by John Trumbull in 1780, the original of which is now in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Below the portrait is a double curved white ribbon bearing in the center in black Roman lettering the name "Washington." On the raised ends of the ribbon are the dates "1732" at the left and "1932" at the right.

In cooperation with the national celebration of the two hundredth anniversary of the birth of George Washington, the Department authorized a special series of 12 postage stamps in denominations of ½ cent to 10 cents, inclusive, to be kept on sale in post offices throughout the anniversary period in lieu of the regular series of stamps.

The stamps are of regulation size, 0.75 by 0.87 inch in dimension, arranged vertically, and have as the central designs portraits of Washington modeled from the works of noted artists