George Washington - Olive Green - Charles Saint Memin - 1798

The stamp is of olive green color and is inclosed in a white-line border. In a large upright oval in the center of the stamp is a profile bust portrait of Washington facing to the left, reproduced from a crayon drawing made from life by Charles B. J. F. Saint Memin at Philadelphia in 1798. Inclosing the central oval is a narrow panel with white edges and dark ground containing the inscription "United States postage" in white Roman letters. On each side of the central oval near the top is shown the upper corner of a shieldlike inner panel. In each lower corner is an upright rectangular panel with white edge and double curved top is the numeral "8" on a dark background. At the base of the stamp in a narrow white edged panel between the numerals is the word "Cents" in white Roman on a dark background. At the base of the central oval is a white ribbon with the name "Washington" in dark lettering in the center and on the curved and raised ends 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