U.S. #852
1939 3¢ Golden Gate International Exposition
Issue Date: February 18, 1939
First City: San Francisco, California
Quantity Issued: 114,439,600
Printed by: Bureau of Engraving and Printing
Printing Method: Rotary Press
Perforation: 10 ½ x 11
Color: Bright Purple
The Post Office Department issued U.S.... more
U.S. #852
1939 3¢ Golden Gate International Exposition
Issue Date: February 18, 1939
First City: San Francisco, California
Quantity Issued: 114,439,600
Printed by: Bureau of Engraving and Printing
Printing Method: Rotary Press
Perforation: 10 ½ x 11
Color: Bright Purple
The Post Office Department issued U.S. #852 in conjunction with the Golden Gate International Exposition – and on the same day it opened. The Exposition was a World’s Fair, celebrating two new bridges – the Golden Gate Bridge (opened in 1937) and the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge (opened in 1935). The stamp shows the “Tower of the Sun,” which symbolized the “Pageant of the Pacific” theme. The tower rose 400 feet high and was surrounded by four statues representing Science, Agriculture, Industry, and Art.
Golden Gate International Exposition
On February 18, 1939, the Golden Gate International Exposition opened in San Francisco, California.
The idea for the exposition dates back to 1933 when a letter to The San Francisco News suggested the city hold a world’s fair to honor the completion of the Bay Bridge and the Golden Gate Bridge. Construction on both bridges had begun in 1933 and was completed in 1936 and 1937.
Dredging on Treasure Island began on February 11, 1936. The project, overseen by the US Army Corps of Engineers, involved the dumping of 287,000 tons of boulders and 25 million cubic yards of mud and sand surrounded by a three-mile-long seawall. When completed, the island wasn’t entirely stable on the north end, which would slowly sink over time. After the exposition, the island would be used as a municipal airport.
The exposition officially opened on February 18, 1939. While the original intent was to honor the bridges, as planning progressed, it was decided that the expo would honor all the countries and continents surrounding the Pacific, with San Francisco serving as the gateway. This led to the theme, A Pageant of the Pacific. The expo included historical pageants, technological innovations, and early examples of corporate branding. Among the attractions was Forty Acres of Fun, which included an automobile racetrack for monkeys. The expo also had a $40 million art exhibition with works borrowed from European museums.
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