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US Stamps

Commemoratives of 1965-1966

Thirty-three commemorative US stamps were issued between 1965 and 1966, making an average output of about sixteen commemorative stamp issues per year.

Some single US stamps noted below will have two catalog numbers.  In those cases, the second number is that of the "phosphor tagged" variety.

It has been observed by many philatelists over the years that the number of stamp issues, beginning in the 1960's, were excessive. I guess at some point, the postal service determined that they could sell many more commemorative US stamps to collectors than to actual postal customers.  It took them long enough!  The governments of the Eastern European Socialist countries figured that out decades earlier!

The 5 C. denomination US stamp shown above, at the left (Sc. #1261), was issued on January 8, 1865 to celebrate the 150th Anniversary of the Battle of New Orleans and the Establishment of Peace between Great Britain and the United States.

The Battle of New Orleans was the last major engagement of the War of 1812.  It was actually fought between December 24, 1814 and January 8, 1815 at Chalmette Plantation, Louisiana.  The War of 1812 actually ended with the signing of the Treaty of Ghent on December 24, 1814, however trans-Atlantic communications didn't travel very quickly in those days.  The battle was a decisive American victory, and it dashed any hopes of the British establishment of a colonial foothold, ever again, within United States territory. 

The design of these US stamps features Major General Andrew Jackson and the sesquicentennial medal.


The 5 C. denomination US stamp shown above, at the right (Sc. #1265), was issued on June 15, 1965 to celebrate the 750th Anniversary of the Magna Carta.

The Magna Carta or Magna Carta Liberatum (Latin:  Great Charter of the Liberties) is a charter, or treaty, signed by King John of England at Runnymede, near Windsor, on June 15, 1215.  It was drafted by the Archbishop of Canterbury to make peace between the Crown and the rebellious barons.  It promised protection of church rights, protection from illegal imprisonment, access to swift justice, and limitations of feudal payments (taxes) to the Crown.  During the ensuing centuries, the Magna Carta established the basis of England's, and, ultimately, the United States' statue law.

The 5 C. denomination US stamp shown above, at the left (Sc. #1262), was issued on February 15, 1965 to publicize the importance of Physical Fitness and to celebrate the 100th Anniversary of the first Sokol (Athletic) Organization in America.

The design features a discus thrower.


The 5 C. denomination US stamp shown above, at the right (Sc. #1263), was issued on April 1, 1965 to publicize the Crusade Against Cancer and the importance of Early Cancer Diagnosis.

The design features a microscope and a stethoscope.

The 5 C. denomination US stamp shown above, at the left (Sc. #1264), was issued on May 13, 1965 as a memorial to Sir Winston Churchill.

Sir Winston Spencer Churchill (1874-1965) was a British politician who was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1940-1945 and from 1951-1955.  He is regarded as the greatest wartime leader of the 20th Century.  Churchill was also an army officer, a historian, a writer, and an artist.  For his achievements, he became the first person to be made an honorary citizen of the United States in 1963.


The 5 C. denomination stamp shown above, at the right (Sc. #1267), was issued on July 2, 1965 to celebrate the 100th Anniversary of the founding of the Salvation Army.

The Salvation Army, originally known as the East London Christian Mission, is a Christian church and a charitable organization, structured in a quasi-military fashion.  It was founded on July 2, 1865 in London by the former Methodist circuit-preacher, William Booth (1829-1912).  The purpose is: "the advancement of the Christian religion ... of education, the relief of poverty, and other charitable objects beneficial to society or the community of mankind as a whole".

The 5 C. denomination stamp shown above, at the left (Sc. #1266), was issued on June 26, 1965 to publicize International Cooperation Year 1965 and to celebrate the 10th Anniversary of the United Nations.

The design of these US stamps features the International Cooperation Year (ICY) emblem.


The 5 C. denomination stamp shown above, at the right (Sc. #1270), was issued on August 19, 1965 to commemorate the 100th Anniversary of the Death of Robert Fulton.

Robert Fulton (1765-1815), was an American engineer and inventor.  He designed the first commercial steamship, the Clermont.  In 1800, he was also commissioned by Napoleon Bonaparte of France to design the Nautilus, the first practical submarine in history.

The 5 C. denomination stamp shown above, at the left (Sc. #1268), was issued on July 17, 1965 to celebrate the 700th Anniversary of the Birth of Dante Alighieri.

Dante Alighieri (1265-1321) was a noteworthy Italian poet of the Middle Ages, but he is World-renowned today for a single work, The Divine Comedy.  The Divine Comedy, written between 1308 and 1321, is a fictional poetic work in three parts.  The verse follows Dante on his journey, with the Roman poet, Virgil, as his tour guide, through Hell, Purgatory, and Paradise (Heaven).  The comedic part is that Dante included historical figures from the past, as well as political figures from his own time (that he disliked) in his Divine Comedy, especially in the section describing Hell.


The 5 C. denomination stamp shown above, at the right (Sc. #1269), was issued on August 10, 1965 to honor President Herbert Hoover.

Herbert Hoover (1874-1964) was a professional mining engineer and businessman.  He became the head of the U.S. Food Administration during World War I, and he achieved World-wide notoriety through his humanitarian efforts in war-time Belgium.  Hoover ran for President in 1928, having no prior elected-office experience, and he won the election.  Half way through his term, the Great Depression began, which severely affected his presidential legacy.  One of his greatest public works projects, during the Great Depression, was the construction of the Boulder Dam on the Colorado River.  The dam was later renamed to the Hoover Dam, in his honor.

The 5 C. denomination stamp shown above, at the left (Sc. #1272), was issued on September 3, 1965 to publicize Traffic Safety and Traffic Accident Prevention.

The design features a red traffic signal-light and the inscription "Stop traffic accidents".


The 11 C. denomination stamp shown above, at the right (Sc. #1274), was issued on October 6, 1965 to celebrate the 100th Anniversary of the International Telecommunication Union, originally the International Telegraph Union.

The design features a world map, a radio sine wave, and Morse code.

Portrait of the Copely Family (c. 1776-1777)
By: John Singleton Copely

The 5 C. denomination stamp shown above, at the left (Sc. #1273), was issued on September 17, 1965 to commemorate the 150th Anniversary of the Death of John Singleton Copely.

The design of these US stamps features the portrait of Elizabeth Clarke Copely (1770-1866), one of the daughters of John Singleton Copely.  This is a detail from the larger painting (shown above) of the Copely Family, painted during the time they were living in London.

John Singleton Copely (1738-1815) was an American painter from Boston, Massachusetts.  He was active in both America and England, but he is best remembered for his portrait paintings of important figures in Colonial New England.  His paintings were innovative, in that they often depicted artifacts related to these individuals' lives.


The 5 C. denomination stamp shown above, at the right (Sc. #1271), was issued on August 28, 1965 to celebrate the 400th Anniversary of the Settlement of Florida and the first permanent European Settlement in Continental North America near present day St. Augustine, Florida in 1565.

The design of these US stamps features a Spanish explorer, the Royal Flag of Spain, and Spanish Galleons.

The 5 C. denomination stamp shown above, at the left (Sc. #1275), was issued on October 23, 1965 in memory of Adlai Stevenson II.

Adlai Stevenson II (1900-1965) was an American politician and diplomat.  Adlai Stevenson II served as the Governor of Illinois from 1949 to 1953, and he was a Democratic Party U.S. Presidential candidate in 1952 and 1956.  He served as the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations from 1961 to 1965.  While visiting London, on July 14, 1965, he died of a heart attack.


The 5 C. denomination stamp shown above, at the right (Sc. #1308), was issued on April 16, 1966 to celebrate the 150th Anniversary of Indiana Statehood.

The design of these US stamps features the Indiana Sesquicentennial Seal.

The 5 C. denomination stamp shown above, at the left (Sc. #1306), was issued on March 16, 1966 to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Migratory Bird Treaty between the United States and Canada.

The design of these US stamps features migratory birds crossing the United States - Canada border.


The 5 C. denomination stamp shown above, at the right (Sc. #1307), was issued on April 9, 1966 to promote the Humane Treatment of Animals and to celebrate the 100th Anniversary of the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA).

The design of these US stamps features a mixed-breed dog.

The 5 C. denomination sheet-format stamp shown above, at the top (Sc. #1310), was issued on May 21, 1966 to publicize the Sixth International Philatelic Exhibition.

The design of these US stamps features a stamped letter.


The imperforate souvenir sheet shown above, at the bottom (Sc. #1311), was issued on May 23, 1966 for the Sixth International Philatelic Exhibition, held in Washington, D.C. from May 21 through May 30, 1966.

The souvenir sheet features an imperforate version of the sheet-format stamp, a view of the Capitol Building and Washington Monument in Washington, D.C., the signature of Lawrence F. O'Brien, the Postmaster General of the United States, and the slogan "Discover America".

The 5 C. denomination stamp shown above, at the left (Sc. #1309), was issued on May 2, 1966 to honor the American Circus on the 100th Anniversary of the Birth of John Ringling.

John Ringling (1866-1936) is the most well known of the seven Ringling Brothers that formed the Ringling Brothers Circus.  Five of the Ringling Brothers merged their traveling circus with the Barnum & Baily Circus in 1919, creating a monopoly of traveling circuses and helping to shape the American circus into what it is today.


The 5 C. denomination stamp shown above, at the right (Sc. #1312), was issued on July 1, 1966 to commemorate the 175th Anniversary of the U.S. Bill of Rights, being the First Ten Amendments to the United States Constitution, ratified on September 25, 1789.

Very briefly summarized, the first ten amendments to the U.S. Constitution are as follows:

• I -- Establishes freedom of religion and freedom of speech.
• II -- Establishes the right to keep and bear arms (referring to State Militias).
• III -- Prohibits any soldier from entering a private home, without the consent of the owner.
• IV -- Prohibits any unreasonable searches and seizures, without a judicial warrant.
• V -- Prohibits any person being accused of or held for any crime without an indictment by a Grand Jury.  Also prohibits anyone from being deprived of life, liberty, or property, without the due process of the law.
• VI -- Establishes the right to a public trial, to a trial by an impartial jury, to be informed of the criminal charges, to confront witnesses, and to legal representation.
• VII -- Establishes the right to a jury trial in civil cases where the settlement would exceed $20.00.
• VIII -- Prohibits the imposition of excessive bails or fines.
• IX -- Guarantees reasonable rights that may not be explicitly stated in the United States Constitution or the Bill or Rights.
• X -- Establishes that the powers not delegated to the federal government by the U.S. Constitution are reserved to the states or to the people.
  
  
  

The 5 C. denomination stamp shown above, at the left (Sc. #1314, #1314a), was issued on August 25, 1966 to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the National Park Service.

The design, "Parkscape USA", identifies National Park Service facilities.


The 5 C. denomination stamp shown above, at the right (Sc. #1316, #1316a), was issued on September 12, 1966 to celebrate 75 Years of Service by the General Federation of Women's Clubs.

The design features women in the attire of 1890 and 1966.

The 5 C. denomination stamp shown above, at the left (Sc. #1313), was issued on July 30, 1966 to commemorate the 1,000th Anniversary of the Adoption of Christianity in Poland.

The design features the Polish heraldic eagle and a cross.


The 5 C. denomination stamp shown above, at the right (Sc. #1315, #1315a), was issued on August 29, 1966 to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the founding of the Marine Corps Reserve.

The design features U.S. Marines in various roles, ranging from 1775 to 1966.

The 5 C. denomination stamp shown above, at the left (Sc. #1318, #1318a), was issued on October 5, 1966 to publicize President Johnson's "Plant for a more Beautiful America" campaign.

The design features a view of the Jefferson Memorial and Cherry Blossoms.


The 5 C. denomination stamp shown above, at the right (Sc. #1322, #1322a), was issued on November 17, 1966 to honor American artist Mary Cassatt.

The design features the painting, "The Boating Party", by Mary Cassatt (1844-1926).

The 5 C. denomination stamp shown above, at the left (Sc. #1317, #1317a), was issued on September 24, 1966 to honor Johnny Appleseed (John Chapman).

John Chapman or Johnny Appleseed (1774-1845) was an American pioneer nurseryman who introduced apple trees to large parts of Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, Indiana, and Illinois.  He became an American legend, while still alive, due to his kind, generous ways, and his leadership in conservation.


The 5 C. denomination stamp shown above, at the right (Sc. #1319, #1319a), was issued on October 21, 1966 to publicize the 5,600 mile Great River Road, connecting New Orleans, Louisiana with Kenora, Ontario, following the Mississippi River and its tributaries for most of the way.

The design features a map of the Central United States and the route of the Great River Road.

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Commemoratives of 1965-1966

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