# 1562 PB - 1975 18c Contributors to the Cause: Peter Francisco
1975 18¢ Peter Francisco
Contributors to the Cause Series
City: Greensboro, North Carolina
Quantity: 44,825,000
Battle Of Monmouth
In 1778, the British planned to evacuate their position in Philadelphia and move the majority of their troops to the main base in New York City. On June 18, the troops began their 100-mile march in temperatures over 100 degrees.
Meanwhile, Washington was leading his larger army towards the battle when he discovered Lee’s men retreating. He relieved Lee of his command and rallied the troops. Some went on to delay the British pursuit, while the majority moved to the west to prepare for a fight. Once the British reached the American army at Monmouth Courthouse, they fought for an hour until the British line was forced to reform.
As the anniversary of the Battle of Monmouth approached, New Jersey residents requested that a stamp be issued honoring the fabled heroine Molly Pitcher. However, the Post Office Department claimed it had issued its quota of commemoratives and couldn’t issue the stamp they wanted. But New Jersey Congressman Harold G. Hoffman believed that his state deserved a stamp for its role in the Revolution and continued to write letters to the Post Office Department.
Finally, with support from Connecticut Congressman John Q. Tilson, the Department agreed to issue an overprinted stamp, as they had done with the Discovery of Hawaii stamp. While New Jersey residents were happy to have their stamp, collectors and the general public were unimpressed with the stamp’s lack of creativity, not even showing who or what Molly Pitcher was.
The “Molly Pitcher” stamp is an overprint on the regular two-cent value of the 1922-23 series. This overprint and others issued as commemoratives in 1928 caused confusion even in US post offices when they were mistaken for canceled regular issues stamps!
1975 18¢ Peter Francisco
Contributors to the Cause Series
City: Greensboro, North Carolina
Quantity: 44,825,000
Battle Of Monmouth
In 1778, the British planned to evacuate their position in Philadelphia and move the majority of their troops to the main base in New York City. On June 18, the troops began their 100-mile march in temperatures over 100 degrees.
Meanwhile, Washington was leading his larger army towards the battle when he discovered Lee’s men retreating. He relieved Lee of his command and rallied the troops. Some went on to delay the British pursuit, while the majority moved to the west to prepare for a fight. Once the British reached the American army at Monmouth Courthouse, they fought for an hour until the British line was forced to reform.
As the anniversary of the Battle of Monmouth approached, New Jersey residents requested that a stamp be issued honoring the fabled heroine Molly Pitcher. However, the Post Office Department claimed it had issued its quota of commemoratives and couldn’t issue the stamp they wanted. But New Jersey Congressman Harold G. Hoffman believed that his state deserved a stamp for its role in the Revolution and continued to write letters to the Post Office Department.
Finally, with support from Connecticut Congressman John Q. Tilson, the Department agreed to issue an overprinted stamp, as they had done with the Discovery of Hawaii stamp. While New Jersey residents were happy to have their stamp, collectors and the general public were unimpressed with the stamp’s lack of creativity, not even showing who or what Molly Pitcher was.
The “Molly Pitcher” stamp is an overprint on the regular two-cent value of the 1922-23 series. This overprint and others issued as commemoratives in 1928 caused confusion even in US post offices when they were mistaken for canceled regular issues stamps!