| Name | Value |
|---|---|
| Date of Issue | July 14, 1953 |
| Year | 1953 |
| Denomination |
5¢
|
| Denomination Value | $0.05 | Color | Green |
| Issue Location | Washington, D.C. |
| Size | 0.84 by 1.44 inches |
| Postal Administration | United States |
| Condition | Name | Avg Value |
|---|---|---|
|
M-NH-VF
|
Mint - Never Hinged - Very Fine | View price |
|
U-VF
|
Used - Very Fine | View price |
Printed by the rotary process in green, electric-eye perforated and issued in sheets of 50.
This stamp was issued to commemorate the one hundredth anniversary of Commodore Matthew Calbraith Perry's negotiations with Japan, which opened her doors to foreign trade after more than 200 years of isolation.
The stamp is 0.84 by 1.44 inches in dimension, arranged horizontally, printed by the rotary process in green, electric-eye perforated and issued in sheets of 50.
The over-all design of the stamp depicts a night scene of the first anchorage of Commodore Perry's vessels off Tokyo Bay with Mount Fuji in the distant background. Arranged vertically on the left of the stamp appears the wording "U. S. Postage" and "5¢" in a dark modern French alphabet, creating a Japanese stenciled effect. In the upper right corner is shown a likeness of Commodore Perry and directly underneath the portrait appears the descriptive title "Commodore Matthew C. Perry U. S. Navy," arranged in three lines in white-face Gothic. Placed in a dark panel which forms the bottom of the stamp is the wording "1853 · Centennial of Opening of Japan · 1953," in white-face Gothic.
The stamp was first placed on sale at Washington, D.C., on July 14, 1953.