United States 1c Benjamin Franklin, 1851

United States · 1851 · 1 Cent

This definitive stamp features a right-facing portrait of Benjamin Franklin, one of the Founding Fathers of the United States. The design is based on a bust by French sculptor Jean-Jacques Caffieri. It was one of the first perforated U.S. stamps and part of the 1851-1857 series, which introduced new lower postal rates.

Issued in 1851, this stamp reflects a period of postal reform in the United States aimed at making mail service more affordable and accessible to the general public, encouraging correspondence and commerce.