On May 19, 1938, a half-cent stamp was issued by the United States Post Office to honor Benjamin Franklin. This denomination was part of a new Presidential Series, with one stamp honoring each of the past, deceased presidents. The denominations followed the order number of the presidency of each of the men who held that office – 1 cent for 1st president, George Washington; 2 cent for 2nd president John Adams, etc., until the 22nd for Grover Cleveland, when the denominations were higher and concluded with $1, $2 and $5 stamps for Wilson, Harding and Coolidge.
Three stamps did not honor presidents. The half-cent stamp honored Franklin, the 1 1/2 cent stamp honored the first First Lady, Martha Washington, and the 4 1/2 cent stamp pictured the White House.
The policy of the Post Office was to issue the stamps in one city, usually in a place significant to the subject of the stamp. Therefore, the Franklin stamp was issued in Philadelphia – and issued at the main post office there, which was located across the street from 30th Street Station of the Pennsylvania Railroad. On the first day of issue, stamps could only be sold at the official site. The Post Office provided an official cancel which read, “First Day of Issue.” Official cancels were only applied at the main post office in Philadelphia. However, nothing stopped collectors from purchasing the stamps and then having covers/envelopes date canceled at other post offices.
Pictured above is an unofficial First Day Cover for the Benjamin Franklin stamp. J. Paul Garrett was for a time postmaster of Herndon, Northumberland County, Pennsylvania. He was also an antique dealer and stamp collector. Someone, perhaps Garrett himself, traveled to Philadelphia for the First Day ceremonies, purchased the stamps, and then returned by train to Herndon. The cover was machine canceled at Herndon Post Office, May 19, 1938, at 9:30 p. m. The hand printed information was probably done by Garrett himself.
In researching the type of event that took place in Philadelphia where the stamp was first issued, it was found that that the issuance of the stamp was not the most important event that took place on that date. The following article was from the Sunbury Daily Item, May 19, 1938, and includes the fact that the Postmaster General was there, but does not state that earlier in the day he took part in the First Day ceremony at the main post office.
PAY TRIBUTE TO FRANKLIN
Philadelphia, May 19 [1938] (AP) — Benjamin Franklin, the pauper boy who came to Philadelphia in 1723 and grew to be one of the outstanding men in American history, received today the tribute of scientists and scholars at ceremonies dedicating the new Franklin Statue in the Franklin Institute.
To the accompaniment of songs from the throats of thousands of Philadelphia school children, the music of dozens of high school and college bands and a salute from the field guns of the Pennsylvania National Guard, an heroic statue of the colonial diplomat, scientist and philosopher was unveiled.
Heading the delegation of thousands which took part in the ceremony were Secretary Daniel C. Roper of the Department of Commerce, who represented President Roosevelt; Count Rene Doynel de Saint Quentin, French Ambassador to the United Stats; Sir Herbert Marler, Canadian Minister to the United States; Postmaster General James A. Farley. With them were several hundred representatives of the national and state governments, foreign countries, universities and scientific organizations of the United States, Europe, and Asia.
The three-day ceremony honoring Franklin will include a scientific program with 12 of the outstanding scientists of the United States, France and Scotland speaking; conferring of memberships in the French Legion of Honor; awarding of five honorary degrees by the University of Pennsylvania; and the awarding of 11 medals by the Franklin Institute in recognition of outstanding scientific research.
Former President Herbert Hoover was scheduled to be the speaker at a banquet Saturday night climaxing the program.
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News article from Newspapers.com.
Corrections and additional information should be added as comments to this post.