MikeInColo

22 Jun 2015
05:33:03pm

re: The Prexies - definitive issues of 1938

From musicman
"I'm curious; any ideas as to what area you want to start in or are interested in?"

I am thinking that I would like to collect US stamps of people. That seems to be a large area but I would find it challenging to find those stamps.

Thanks for the welcome everybody.

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Bobstamp

22 Jun 2015
09:30:07pm

re: The Prexies - definitive issues of 1938

I've always liked the U.S. Prexies, the long series of definitives issued in 1938 and in continuous use until 1954. They picture all of the U.S. presidents through Calvin Coolidge, with the exceptions of the 1/2-cent Benjamin Franklin stamp, 1 1/2-cent stamp picturing Martha Washington and the 4 1/2-cent value, picturing the White House. It was these stamps that I was most familiar with in my childhood. Here's a postcard that I sent to my parents in 1954 from Boy Scout Camp, franked with a 2-cent Prexy. (Please, no comments about my godawful handwriting!) I have no idea why I addressed it only to my mom!



Today, except for the 20-cent value, I have the basic set in both mint-hinged condition, as well as a few coil singles and various odds and ends:



I have very mixed feelings about these "Prexy Presidents". In my youthful naiveté, I assumed that all of them to a man were wise, honourable men. In my jaded older age (OK, almost old age), I understand that they are, or were, just men, subject to the same weaknesses and strengths of all men everywhere. The world benefitted greatly from the strengths of some of them; others, well, perhaps if their mothers had aborted them we would all be better off. Then there are those whose records include acts that might qualify them for sainthood on the one hand, and the firing squad on the other. One of this latter group is President Johnson, whose ill-conceived plan to widen the war in Vietnam to include American combat troops rather than just advisors led to a debacle that haunts us still (me personally, I might add). However, he bravely took necessary steps to begin a war on another front, that on American racism, a war which shows few signs of ever ending.

I've thought about developing a philatelic exhibit, and possibly a web page, featuring all of the Prexies along with brief biographies concerning both the kudos and the slings and arrows that these men deserve. But it's not very high on my list of priorities — I can think of at least a dozen other exhibits and web pages I'd rather do.

Bob

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re: The Prexies - definitive issues of 1938

@Bob,
Thank you for sharing your take on the Prexies. I've got to admit, I've never given the series much thought. To me, they've always been this long string of rinky ding little boring stamps that are down right, well, ugly.

I didn't realize they were in service for so long and it puts an ENTIRELY different spin on things when you can produce a post card you wrote as a kid with one it!

That's fantastic that you have that postcard. It's a good thing that you and your family are savers/collectors. Items like that are literally priceless.

-Ernie

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