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1981 18-Cent Commemorative issues

Including rate change stamps and other regular issues from the same 18¢ period.

The 18¢ rate was in effect for less than a year, the shortest period for any regular postage rate.  The Postal Service had requested a rate hike from 15¢ to 20¢, and the Postal Rate Commission allowed the increase to only 18¢.  The Postal Service immediately appealed, and the 20¢ rate was approved for later in the year.

Scott 1818, (18¢) "B" Eagle, plate number 36471 LR

The "B" rate change stamps were printed at a time when the 5-digit plate numbers were still standard.  They were then stored in vaults (the famous Kansas City underground caves) until needed for the new rate change.  By 1981, the conversion to representative plate numbers was complete.

Scott 1877, 18¢ Cammelia Rose from Roses block of 4 (Scott 1879a), plate number 111111 UR

Scott 1879, 18¢ Lily Rose from Roses block of 4 (Scott 1879a), plate number 111111 LR

Scott 1880, 18¢ Bighorn Sheep from Wildlife booklet (Scott 1889), plate number 2.

The same Bighorn Sheep design was used for a 20¢ booklet stamp a year later.

Scott 1880 var and 1881 var, imperforate between vertically, error, photographically cropped from one of only two known imperforate between booklets (Scott 1889a var).

Scott 1890, 18¢ Flag Over Grain, plate number 1 R

Scott 1891, 18¢ Flag Over Sea Shore coil, plate number 1

Scott 1893b, 6¢ Stars error, pair from booklet pane imperforate vertically, plate number 1over right stamp

Scott 1910, 18¢ Nursing, plate number 111111 LL

Scott 1912, 18¢ Exploring the Moon from Space block of 8 (Scott 1919a), plate number 111111 UL

Scott 1916, 18¢ Probing the Planets from Space block of 8 (Scott 1919a), plate number 222222 LL

Scott 1920, 18¢ Joseph Wharton, Professional Management, plate number 11 LL

Scott 1922, 18¢ Grasslands from Wildlife Habitat issue (Scott 1924a), plate number 11111 UR

Scott 1924, 18¢ Woodlands from Wildlife Habitat issue (Scott 1924a), plate number 11111 LR

Scott 1925, 18¢ Disabled, plate number 111111 UR

Scott 1925a, 18¢ Disabled, imperforate error, plate number 111111 UR

Scott 1926, 18¢ Edna St. Vincent Millay, plate number 111111 LL

Scott 1926 var, 18¢ Edna St. Vincent Millay, plate number pair showing severe shift of engraved black to right, with engraved plate number 4 falling in the margin

Scott 1927, 18¢ Alcoholism, plate number 1 R

Scott 1928, 18¢ NYU Library from Architecture block of 4 (Scott 1931a), plate number 5 UL

Scott 1929, 18¢ Biltmore from Architecture block of 4 (Scott 1931a), plate number 6 UR

Scott 1932, 18¢ Babe Zaharias, plate number 2 UR

Scott 1933, 18¢ Bobby Jones, plate number 1 LR

Scott 1934, 18¢ Frederic Remington, plate number 2 LL

Scott 1934b, 18¢ Remington, brown omitted error, plate number 1-2 UR

Scott 1937, 18¢ Battle of Yorktown, plate number 211111 UL, and Scott 1938, 18¢ Battle of Virginia Capes, plate number 211111 UR

Scott 1937a var, 18¢ Battle of Yorktown and Virginia Capes, engraved black shifted up, nearly omitted on LR stamp, plate number 212122-3 LR

Scott 1938b, 18¢ Chesapeake Capes, black (text and denomination) omitted, plate number 211111 UR

Scott 1935, 18¢ James Hoban, plate number 111111 UL

Scott 1936, 20¢ James Hoban, plate number 111112 UL

The 18¢ value, Scott 1935, was valid for such a short period at the end of the 18¢ rate period that the Postal Service immediately reissued the same stamp with a 20¢ denomination so that a stamp honoring the Irish architect of the White House could continue to be used under the new postal rates.  This was unusual; the fact that the James Hoban stamp was a joint issue with Ireland may have had something to do with it.

Since the final digit of the plate number (engraved black #1) printed the original "USA 18¢" denomination, the plates for the original portrait and design were re-used, and a new plate #2 was created to print the new "USA 20¢" denomination.

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This page last updated November 26, 2007.

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