# 864-68 - 1940 American Poets, collection of 5 stamps
Is Your Famous Americans Series Missing the American Poets?
American Poets:
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807-1882) â wrote âPaul Revereâs Ride,â and The Song of Hiawatha
John Greenleaf Whittier (1807-1892) â wrote Lays of My Home and Other Poems and Songs of Vermonters
James Russell Lowell (1819-1891) â wrote A Yearâs Life and Under the Willows
Walt Whitman (1819-1892) â wrote O Captain! My Captain! and As I Pondered in Silence
James Whitcomb Riley (1849-1916) â wrote âLittle Orphant Annie,â the inspiration for the Little Orphan Annie comic strip and the Raggedy Ann doll
Famous Americans Series BeginsÂ
In 1938, the Post Office Department announced plans for a series of stamps recognizing 10 famous Americans and invited the public to submit recommendations. The response was so great that it was decided to increase the number from 10 to 35. This required an unexpected level of organization by the Post Office Department for this series.
Seven categories were decided upon â authors, poets, educators, scientists, composers, artists, and inventors. Each category of five has the same set of denominations â 1¢, 2¢, 3¢, 5¢, and 10¢. And each rate had a valid use. The 1¢ stamp paid for a letter that was dropped off at a post office to someone who had a box at the same office. The 2¢ was for local delivery. The 3¢ paid the normal non-local mail rate, and the 5¢ and 10¢ were used in combination for heavier letters and special rates. The denominations also shared a consistent coloring scheme: 1¢ is bright blue-green; 2¢ is rose carmine; 3¢ is bright red violet; 5¢ is ultramarine; and 10¢ is dark brown.
The first two stamps honoring Washington Irving and James Fenimore Cooper were issued on January 29, 1940. Subsequent stamps in the series were issued every few weeks until the final stamp, honoring Alexander Graham Bell, was issued on October 28.
Click here to get the complete set and save.  Or click here for individual stamps (and covers).
Or get the Famous Americans by category:
Â
Is Your Famous Americans Series Missing the American Poets?
American Poets:
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807-1882) â wrote âPaul Revereâs Ride,â and The Song of Hiawatha
John Greenleaf Whittier (1807-1892) â wrote Lays of My Home and Other Poems and Songs of Vermonters
James Russell Lowell (1819-1891) â wrote A Yearâs Life and Under the Willows
Walt Whitman (1819-1892) â wrote O Captain! My Captain! and As I Pondered in Silence
James Whitcomb Riley (1849-1916) â wrote âLittle Orphant Annie,â the inspiration for the Little Orphan Annie comic strip and the Raggedy Ann doll
Famous Americans Series BeginsÂ
In 1938, the Post Office Department announced plans for a series of stamps recognizing 10 famous Americans and invited the public to submit recommendations. The response was so great that it was decided to increase the number from 10 to 35. This required an unexpected level of organization by the Post Office Department for this series.
Seven categories were decided upon â authors, poets, educators, scientists, composers, artists, and inventors. Each category of five has the same set of denominations â 1¢, 2¢, 3¢, 5¢, and 10¢. And each rate had a valid use. The 1¢ stamp paid for a letter that was dropped off at a post office to someone who had a box at the same office. The 2¢ was for local delivery. The 3¢ paid the normal non-local mail rate, and the 5¢ and 10¢ were used in combination for heavier letters and special rates. The denominations also shared a consistent coloring scheme: 1¢ is bright blue-green; 2¢ is rose carmine; 3¢ is bright red violet; 5¢ is ultramarine; and 10¢ is dark brown.
The first two stamps honoring Washington Irving and James Fenimore Cooper were issued on January 29, 1940. Subsequent stamps in the series were issued every few weeks until the final stamp, honoring Alexander Graham Bell, was issued on October 28.
Click here to get the complete set and save.  Or click here for individual stamps (and covers).
Or get the Famous Americans by category:
Â