George Washington 3-cent Imperforate

United States · 1851 · 3 Cents

This definitive stamp features a left-facing bust of George Washington, based on the sculpture by Jean-Antoine Houdon. The design is framed by ornate scrollwork, with the denomination 'THREE CENTS' inscribed below the portrait. As one of the earliest regular issues, its simple yet elegant design set a standard for American philately.

Issued in 1851, this was the first 3-cent stamp in the United States, created to pay the new, lower single-letter domestic postage rate. It became one of the most widely used stamps of the pre-Civil War era.