U.S. 1940 3¢ Pan American Union Stamp Sheet
Artifact IDMO 1958.53.43
Object Type
Stamp, Postage
Maker
United States Postal Service
(American, founded 1775)
Date1940
Mediumpaper, ink, adhesive
Dimensionsoverall H 9 in x W 10 1/8 in (22.9 cm x 25.7 cm )
Physical Descriptiona) A full sheet (no. 22562) of fifty unused U.S. 1940 light violet 3¢ Pan American Union stamps (Scott 895) showing an image of Botticelli's, The Three Graces. The top margin of the sheet has the original ink signatures of "Franklin D. Roosevelt," "Roy M. North," and "Hector Davis Castro."
Also in the top margin is a typed note that reads: This is the first sheet of the 3-cent Pan-American commemorative postage stamp sold at Washington, D.C., on April 14, 1940 by Roy M. North, Acting Third Assistant Postmaster General, to Senor Dr. Don Hector David Castro, Minister of El Salvador to the United States, and Vice Chairman of the Governing Board of the Pan-American Union.
b) Included with the stamp sheet is an April 29, 1940 letter to Franklin D. Roosevelt from Roy North, presenting FDR with this first sheet of stamps commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Pan-American Union.
Historical NoteFranklin Roosevelt was an avid, lifelong stamp collector who gathered over 1.2 million stamps into his personal collection during the course of his life. He began collecting stamps at the age of eight at the suggestion of his mother, Sara Delano Roosevelt, who passed on her collection to him.Also in the top margin is a typed note that reads: This is the first sheet of the 3-cent Pan-American commemorative postage stamp sold at Washington, D.C., on April 14, 1940 by Roy M. North, Acting Third Assistant Postmaster General, to Senor Dr. Don Hector David Castro, Minister of El Salvador to the United States, and Vice Chairman of the Governing Board of the Pan-American Union.
b) Included with the stamp sheet is an April 29, 1940 letter to Franklin D. Roosevelt from Roy North, presenting FDR with this first sheet of stamps commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Pan-American Union.
After FDR's death, his personal stamp collection – including this stamp sheet – was sold at public auction in 1946 in accordance with his wishes. The sheet is one in a group of fifty U.S. stamp sheets and panes (MO 1958.53.1-50) signed by Franklin D. Roosevelt, Henry Morgenthau Jr., and others.
Additional Details
Custodial History NoteDonated to the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum by Joseph S. Lindemann in 1958.
Credit LineGift of Joseph S. Lindemann
National Archives Catalog CollectionFranklin D. Roosevelt Library Museum Collection (National Archives Identifier 735948)
National Archives Catalog SeriesStamp Collecting Materials (National Archives Identifier 749938)
Use Restriction StatusUnrestrictedCopyrightReproduction or other use of these holdings or images thereof is unrestricted.In Collection(s)
Not on view