US Stamps
Commemoratives of 1959-1960
Thirty-eight commemorative US stamps (not including Champion of Liberty Issues)
were issued between 1959 and 1960, making an average output of about nineteen commemorative stamp issues per
year. Many of the stamps issued during his period, celebrate or honor
contemporary events, in addition to historical anniversaries.
The Champion of Liberty Issues, due to the large number of these commemorative US stamps, are not included in this site category's "Commemoratives" pages. They will be described in their own page in this site category, called "Champion of Liberty Issues of 1957-1961".
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The 4 C. denomination stamp shown above, at the left (Sc. #1124), was issued on February 14, 1959 to celebrate the 100th Anniversary of Oregon Statehood.
The design features a covered wagon, with Mt. Hood (11,250 ft.) in the distance.
The 4 C. denomination stamp shown above, at the right (Sc. #1128), was issued on April 6, 1959 to celebrate 50 Years of Arctic Explorations.
The design features the North Pole, a dog sled, and the submarine "Nautilus".
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The 8 C. denomination stamp shown above, at the left (Sc. #1129), was issued on April 20, 1959 for the 17th Congress of the International Chamber of Commerce, held in Washington, D.C. from April 19 through April 25, 1959.
The design of these US stamps features a globe, laurel wreath, and the slogan, "WORLD PEACE THROUGH WORLD TRADE".
The 4 C. denomination stamp shown above, at the right (Sc. #1130), was issued on June 8, 1959 to commemorate the 100th Anniversary of the Discovery of Silver, called the Comstock Lode on Mt. Davidson (7,863 ft.), near Virginia City, Nevada.
The design of these US stamps features Henry Comstock (1820-1870) at the Mt. Davidson discovery site.
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The two stamps shown above (Sc. US #1131, CAN #387) were issued on June 26, 1959. They were a joint issue by the United States and Canada, celebrating the Opening of the St. Lawrence Seaway on April 25, 1959.
The designs of these two stamps feature the Great Lakes, a Maple Leaf emblem, and an American Eagle emblem.
Wait a minute, there's something a little odd about the Canadian stamp shown above! YEP, this stamp was Canada's FIRST INVERT. It is estimated that about 200 of these inverted Canada stamps exist, both mint and used (Sc. CAN #387a). Today, they are very scarce, with the a mint example realizing around $10,000, when it is occasionally offered by one of the major auction houses.
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The 4 C. denomination stamp shown above, at the left (Sc. #1132), was issued on July 4, 1959 to celebrate the new U.S. Flag, required by the Admission of Alaska as the 49th State of the United States on January 3, 1959.
The design of these US stamps features the new 49-star U.S. Flag.
The 4 C. denomination stamp shown above, at the right (Sc. #1133), was issued on August 26, 1959 to publicize Soil Conservation and to honor farmers and ranchers who use soil and water conservation measures.
The design features a modern farm.
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The 4 C. denomination stamp shown above, at the left (Sc. #1134), was issued on August 27, 1959 to commemorate the 100th Anniversary of the American Oil Industry and the completion of the nation's First Oil Well at Titusville, Pennsylvania.
The design features an oil derrick.
The 4 C. denomination stamp shown above, at the right (Sc. #1146), was issued on February 18, 1960 to celebrate the Opening of the 8th Olympic Winter Games in Squaw Valley, California, held between February 18 and February 29, 1960.
The 1960 Winter Olympics were opened by Vice President Richard Nixon, and the opening and closing ceremonies were produced by Walt Disney. Thirty nations participated in the 1960 Winter Olympics. The Soviet Union dominated the medal count, winning twenty-one medals, of which seven were gold. The United States was third in the medal count, winning ten medals, of which three were gold. This was the first Winter Olympics where the figure skating events were held indoors. After the 1960 Winter Olympics, they would never be held outdoors again!
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The 4 C. denomination stamp shown above, at the left (Sc. #1135), was issued on September 14, 1959 to publicize Dental Health and to celebrate the 100th Anniversary of the American Dental Association.
The design features children at play and a smiling girl.
The 4 C. denomination stamp shown above, at the right (Sc. #1145), was issued on February 8, 1960 to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Boy Scouts of America.
The design features a Boy Scout giving the Scout Salute.
The six commemorative US stamps shown above (Sc. #1139-44) were issued during 1960 and 1961 to emphasize the ideals upon which America was formed and to honor those great Americans who wrote these universally known CREDOS.
CREDO is the Latin word meaning "I Believe". It originally referred to religious beliefs, as in the Apostles' Creed. Today, it has a broader meaning of "any system of principles that guide a person or group".
The descriptions of the CREDOS on these six US stamps are as follows:
- 4 C. (Violet Blue & Carmine) - "Observe good faith and justice toward all nations" by George Washington, from his 1796 Farewell Address.
- 4 C. (Olive Bister & Green) - "Fear to do ill, and you need fear Nought else" by Benjamin Franklin, from Poor Richard's Almanac.
- 4 C. (Gray & Vermilion) - "I have sworn ... Hostility against every form of TYRANNY over the mind of man" by Thomas Jefferson, from a statement at the Constitutional Convention concerning his opposition to a state religion, inscribed inside the dome of the Jefferson Memorial.
- 4 C. (Carmine & Blue) - "And this be our motto, in GOD is our TRUST" by Francis Scott Key from the fourth stanza of The Star Spangled Banner.
- 4 C. (Green & Brown) - "Give me LIBERTY or give me DEATH" by Patrick Henry, from a speech he gave to the Virginia Convention in 1775, urging Virginians to join the American War of Independence.
- 4 C. (Magenta & Green) - "Those who Deny freedom to others Deserve it not for themselves" by Abraham Lincoln, from an 1859 letter expressing his views on slavery.
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The 4 C. denomination stamp shown above, at the left (Sc. #1149), was issued on April 7, 1960 to publicize World Refugee Year.
The design features an allegory of a family walking toward a new life.
The 4 C. denomination stamp shown above, at the right (Sc. #1150), was issued on April 18, 1960 to stress the importance of Water Conservation and to celebrate the 7th Watershed Congress, held in Washington, D.C.
The design features water: from watershed to the consumer.
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The 4 C. denomination stamp shown above, at the left (Sc. #1152), was issued on June 2, 1960 to pay Tribute to American Women and their accomplishments in civic affairs, education, the arts, and in industry.
The design of these US stamps features an American mother and daughter.
The 4 C. denomination stamp shown above, at the right (Sc. #1154), was issued on July 19, 1960 to commemorate the 100th Anniversary of the Pony Express.
The design of these US stamps features a Pony Express rider, along with a map of the route from St. Joseph, Missouri to Sacramento, California.
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The 4 C. denomination stamp shown above, at the left (Sc. #1153), was issued on July 4, 1960 to celebrate the new U.S. flag, required by the Admission of Hawaii as the 50th State of the United States on August 21, 1959.
The design of these US stamps features the new 50-star U.S. Flag.
The 4 C. denomination stamp shown above, at the right (Sc. #1155), was issued on August 28, 1960 to promote the Employment of the Physically Handicapped and to publicize the 8th World Congress of the International Society for the Welfare of Cripples, held in New York City.
The design of these US stamps features a man in a wheelchair operating a drill press.
The 4 C. denomination stamp shown above (Sc. #1156) was issued on August 29, 1960 to publicize the 5th World Forestry Congress, held in Seattle, Washington from August 29 to September 10, 1960.
The design features the World Forestry Congress emblem.
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The two stamps shown above (Sc. US #1157, MEX #910) were issued on September 16, 1960. They were a joint issue by the United States and Mexico, celebrating the 150th Anniversary of Mexican Independence from Spain.
The design of the two stamps features the Mexican Liberty Bell.
The Mexican War of Independence lasted from September 16, 1810 until September 27, 1821. The first and foremost leader of the Mexican War of Independence was Miguel Hidalgo (1753-1811), a priest from Dolores, Mexico, who is now considered the Father of the Mexican Nation. The Mexican Liberty Bell, originally in Dolores, Mexico, where the revolution began, is now located in the National Palace in Mexico City. The President of Mexico rings the bell every September 16, during Mexico's Independence Day celebrations.
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The 4 C. denomination stamp shown above, at the left (Sc. #1158), was issued on September 28, 1960 to celebrate the 100th Anniversary of the United States - Japan Treaty of Amity and Commerce.
The design features the Washington Monument and Cherry Blossoms.
The 4 C. denomination stamp shown above, at the right (Sc. #1163), was issued on October 18, 1960 to celebrate the 100th Anniversary of the Boys' Clubs of America movement.
The Boys' Clubs of America is a national organization that provides after-school activities for young people. Their motto is: To enable all young people, especially those who need us most, to reach
their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens.
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The 4 C. denomination stamp shown above, at the left (Sc. #1162), was issued on October 15, 1960 to honor the American Automobile Industry and to publicize the National Automobile Show, held in Detroit, Michigan from October 15 to October 23, 1960.
The design features the Globe, along with a steering wheel, a tractor, a car, and a truck.
The 4 C. denomination stamp shown above, at the right (Sc. #1164), was issued on October 20, 1960 to publicize the Opening of the First Automated Post Office in the U.S. at Providence, Rhode Island.
The design features an aerial view of the Providence, Rhode Island automated post office.
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The 4 C. denomination stamp shown above, at the left (Sc. #1167), was issued on November 1, 1960 to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Camp Fire Girls movement.
Camp Fire Girls, now Camp Fire, is an organization emphasizing camping and other outdoor activities for youth.
The 4 C. denomination stamp shown above, at the right (Sc. #1173), was issued on December 15, 1960 to promote the concept of Communications for Peace.
The design of these US stamps features the Echo I, the World's first communications satellite, launched into orbit by NASA on August 12, 1960.
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Return to Modern US Stamps from
Commemoratives of 1959-1960
The 4 C. denomination stamp shown above (Sc. #1127) was issued on April 1, 1959 to celebrate the 10th Anniversary of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.
The design features the NATO emblem.
The 4 C. denomination stamp shown above (Sc. #1138) was issued on December 3, 1959 to honor Ephraim McDowell and the 150th Anniversary of the First Successful Ovarian Operation in the U.S., performed at Danville, Kentucky in 1809.
Ephraim McDowell (1771-1830) was an American physician and pioneer surgeon. He performed the first removal of an ovarian tumor in the history of the World. The operation was performed at his home and without anesthetic, as anesthesia didn't exist at the time. The patient quickly recovered, and she lived another 32 years after the operation. McDowell is regarded as the Father of Abdominal Surgery.
The 4 C. denomination stamp shown above (Sc. #1151) was issued on May 31, 1960 to honor the South-East Asia Treaty Organization and to publicize the SEATO Conference, held in Washington, D.C. from May 31 to June 3, 1960.
The design features the SEATO emblem.
The 4 C. denomination stamp shown above (Sc. #1161) was issued on October 10, 1960 in memory of Robert A. Taft (1889-1953), the U.S. Senator from Ohio.
The 4 C. denomination stamp shown above (Sc. #1170) was issued on November 5, 1960 in memory of Walter F. George (1878-1957), the U.S. Senator from Georgia.
The 4 C. denomination stamp shown above (Sc. #1171) was issued on November 25, 1960 to honor Andrew Carnegie, the great American industrialist and philanthropist.
Andrew Carnegie (1835-1919) immigrated from Scotland to America with his very poor parents in 1848. He worked as a telegrapher and amassed a fortune by investing in railroads, bridges, and oil derricks. He built the Carnegie Steel Company (Later: U.S. Steel), which he sold to J. P. Morgan in 1901 for 480 Million Dollars (13.6 Billion 2015 Dollars).
Carnegie devoted the remainder of his life to large-scale philanthropy, giving away about 350 Million Dollars (4.8 Billion 2015 Dollars), about 90% of his fortune, to charities and foundations. An article he published in 1889, "The Gospel of Wealth", called on the very rich to use their wealth to improve society, and it stimulated a wave of philanthropy at the time.
Carnegie's three stage view of a philanthropist's life was as follows:
(1) To spend the first third of ones life getting all the education one can.
(2) To spend the next third of ones life making all the money one can.
(3) To spend the last third of ones life giving it all away for worthwhile causes.
The 4 C. denomination stamp shown above (Sc. #1172) was issued on December 6, 1960 in memory of John Foster Dulles (1888-1959), the U.S. Secretary of State from 1953 to 1959.