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How much is a George Washington stamp worth?

Most George Washington stamps are worth a few cents to a dollar. Washington appeared on the most common US stamps for over a century, so the value depends on the exact issue, variety and condition, not the portrait.

The red 2¢ Washington, the letter-rate stamp for decades, is the classic example. Billions were used, so most are worth a few cents, but certain varieties printed on the wrong paper, perforated differently or from a different press are worth far more.

How much is a Benjamin Franklin stamp worth?

Most Franklin stamps are common too, but early Franklin issues can be valuable. The 1847 5¢ Franklin was one of the first two US stamps, and the 1¢ Franklins of the 1850s–60s are worth checking.

Franklin, the first Postmaster General, has appeared on US stamps since 1847. The 1¢ blue Franklin of 1851–1861 comes in several types that specialists separate by tiny design differences, and the 1861–1866 1¢ Franklin in StampGo's own screenshots carries a $15–$75 reference range. In the Washington-Franklin series, Franklin appears on the 1908 1¢ and, from 1912, on the higher values.

The rarest of all is the 1868 1¢ Franklin “Z Grill”, with only two known. It's one of the most valuable US stamps. See US stamp values.

Why is the Washington-Franklin series so hard to identify?

About 250 different stamps share a handful of designs. They were printed between 1908 and 1922 with different perforations, watermarks, papers and presses, and some combinations are far scarcer than others.

1. Perforation gauge: perf 12, 10, 8½ or compound gauges such as 12 × 10, plus imperforate and coil stamps.
2. Watermark: a double-line “USPS”, a single-line “USPS”, or none.
3. Printing method: flat-plate and rotary-press stamps of the same design differ slightly in size.
4. Paper: most were printed on ordinary paper, but some were printed on bluish or other unusual papers.

How do I identify my Washington or Franklin stamp?

Start with the denomination, color and design to find the issue, then measure the perforation gauge, check the watermark and measure the size to pin down the exact variety.

A photo gets you to the issue. For Washington-Franklins, the rest needs a perforation gauge, a watermark tray and a millimeter ruler. Our guide to how to identify stamps explains each tool.

Are 1 cent and 2 cent Washington stamps worth anything?

Usually only a few cents, because they were printed in the billions to pay everyday postage. The exceptions are scarce varieties and unused, well-centered copies of early issues.

Condition matters a lot for the better varieties, so check centering and gum before you compare prices. See stamp condition grades.

What's the difference between flat-plate and rotary-press stamps?

They're the same designs printed on different presses. Rotary-press stamps were printed from curved plates, which stretched the image slightly, so they're a fraction of a millimeter taller or wider than flat-plate stamps of the same design.

Rotary presses were first used for coil stamps in the mid-1910s and later for sheet stamps. To tell the two apart, measure the printed design with a millimeter ruler and compare it with a catalogue's dimensions. Many rotary-press stamps from the 1920s onward also show faint ridges on the back from gum breakers, which were used to stop the sheets curling.

It matters because some Washington-Franklin values are common in one printing and scarce in the other, even with the same perforation and watermark. That's why careful collectors check all three: perforation, watermark and press.