Preliminary identification
Photo reference
1 uploaded photo
Overview
A deep violet 3-cent postage stamp featuring George Washington, issued as part of the Washington Bicentennial or the subsequent Presidential Series. This specific design was the workhorse of the American postal system during the Great Depression, carrying millions of first-class letters across a struggling nation.
Story
In 1932, the U.S. celebrated Washington's 200th birthday with a massive philatelic tribute. This purple stamp became the standard rate for a first-class letter, witnessing the intimate correspondence of the New Deal era.
Maker / Origin
The Bureau of Engraving and Printing (BEP) produced these using the rotary press method, a high-speed printing process developed to meet the massive demand of the 1930s. The portrait is based on the famous 1785 bust of Washington by French sculptor Jean-Antoine Houdon.
Condition & Value
The stamp shows a heavy black wavy-line machine cancellation, which is typical for the era. The perforations appear mostly intact, though the centering is slightly off-to-the-left. Used condition with a heavy cancel keeps the value at the minimum collector level.
Full Research
Sold comps, value drivers, and venue guidance pulled from recent auction results.
Build on this identification
Layer in sold comps, value drivers, and venue guidance.
Comparable demand stays strongest where maker, originality, and venue confidence line up. Broader examples still trade, but the range tightens quickly when provenance, condition, or selling lane fit is missing.
Best Venue
Specialty auction or a focused dealer with buyers already in this lane.
Signed example with light edge wear and original frame.
Comparable format with stronger provenance and cleaner surface.
Smaller related piece with visible craquelure and trimmed margins.
Period match with softer condition and weaker subject matter.
Close market lane comp with similar material and presentation.