| Name | Value |
|---|---|
| Date of Issue | August 27, 1958 |
| Year | 1958 |
| Denomination |
4¢
|
| Denomination Value | $0.04 | Color | Sepia |
| Series | Birth of Abraham Lincoln |
| Series Time Span | 1959 |
| Issue Location | Freeport, Ill. |
| 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 sepia, electric-eye perforated, and issued in sheets of 50.
This 4-cent stamp, the first in a series of four commemorating the sesquicentennial of the birth of Abraham Lincoln, was issued on the 100th anniversary of the Lincoln-Douglas debates. The Lincoln-Douglas debates held in Ottawa, Freeport, Jonesboro, Charleston, Galesburg, Quincy and Alton, Ill., each attracted crowds of 10,000 to 15,000 people in the 1858 contest for United States Senator. Although Douglas was reelected, Lincoln emerged a national figure and was elected President 2 years later.
The stamp is 0.84 by 1.44 inches in dimension, arranged horizontally, printed by the rotary process in sepia, electric-eye perforated, and issued in sheets of 50.
The central design is a reproduction of an old print showing Lincoln addressing an outdoor crowd with Douglas standing behind him. The denomination designation "4¢" appears in a large shaded oval at the lower left. A thin ribbon forms the border at the top, right, and bottom and contains the inscription "Lincoln-Douglas Debates" across the top "1858–1958" at the right; and "United States Postage" at the bottom, all in dark Gothic.
This issue was first released on August 27, 1958, at Freeport, Ill., the site of one of the most important debates.
This series of four commemorates the sesquicentennial of the birth of Abraham Lincoln.