# 326 - 1904 5c William McKinley, dark blue
1904 5¢ McKinley
Louisiana Purchase Commemorative
Quantity issued: 6,926,700
Printed by: Bureau of Engraving and Printing
Method: Flat plate
Watermark: Double line USPS
Perforation: 12
Color: Dark blue
Louisiana Purchase Exposition & Stamps
Also known as the St. Louis World’s Fair, this expo was held from April 30 to December 1 and commemorated the 100th anniversary of Thomas Jefferson’s Louisiana Purchase. The largest fair up to that time, it had over 1,500 buildings and 75 miles of roads and walkways. The fair’s opening ceremonies were presided over by President Theodore Roosevelt and Secretary of War William Howard Taft.
The fair also featured exhibits from 62 foreign nations and 43 of the 45 U.S. states. Over the course of the expo, more than 19 million people visited to see the sights. Many of the buildings remain in use today, including the St. Louis Art Museum and Administration Building of Washington University.
Notable visitors to the fair included John Philip Sousa, Thomas Edison, and Helen Keller. A fruit specialist introduced the phrase “an apple a day keeps the doctor away” at one of the lectures. The United States also hosted the Summer Olympic Games for the first time during the fair. However, with the events held over several months and in competition with the fair itself, many European athletes did not compete.
Louisiana Purchase Exposition Stamps
Promoters for this exposition lobbied for a Congressional bill to subsidize the cost of it. President William McKinley signed the bill, prompting the Post Office Department to consider commemorative stamps and the authorization of cancelling slogans to advertise the event. Five commemorative stamps were issued in denominations ranging from 1¢ to 10¢.
Click here for images and programs from the fair and here for a booklet on the opening ceremonies.
1904 5¢ McKinley
Louisiana Purchase Commemorative
Quantity issued: 6,926,700
Printed by: Bureau of Engraving and Printing
Method: Flat plate
Watermark: Double line USPS
Perforation: 12
Color: Dark blue
Louisiana Purchase Exposition & Stamps
Also known as the St. Louis World’s Fair, this expo was held from April 30 to December 1 and commemorated the 100th anniversary of Thomas Jefferson’s Louisiana Purchase. The largest fair up to that time, it had over 1,500 buildings and 75 miles of roads and walkways. The fair’s opening ceremonies were presided over by President Theodore Roosevelt and Secretary of War William Howard Taft.
The fair also featured exhibits from 62 foreign nations and 43 of the 45 U.S. states. Over the course of the expo, more than 19 million people visited to see the sights. Many of the buildings remain in use today, including the St. Louis Art Museum and Administration Building of Washington University.
Notable visitors to the fair included John Philip Sousa, Thomas Edison, and Helen Keller. A fruit specialist introduced the phrase “an apple a day keeps the doctor away” at one of the lectures. The United States also hosted the Summer Olympic Games for the first time during the fair. However, with the events held over several months and in competition with the fair itself, many European athletes did not compete.
Louisiana Purchase Exposition Stamps
Promoters for this exposition lobbied for a Congressional bill to subsidize the cost of it. President William McKinley signed the bill, prompting the Post Office Department to consider commemorative stamps and the authorization of cancelling slogans to advertise the event. Five commemorative stamps were issued in denominations ranging from 1¢ to 10¢.
Click here for images and programs from the fair and here for a booklet on the opening ceremonies.