In the history of American philately, few stamp sets bear such a strong imprint of their era as the “Famous Americans Series” issued in 1940. This 35-stamp series spans multiple fields such as literature, education, science, music, and art, among which the “Artists” category is undoubtedly a focus of attention for both art lovers and stamp collectors.
Correct names and evidence boundary
The 1940 Famous Americans Artists group includes Gilbert Stuart, James McNeill Whistler, Augustus Saint-Gaudens, Daniel Chester French and Frederic Remington. The issuer was the U. S. Post Office Department. A documented April 12, 2026 auction sample involved certified, original-gum GEM 100 examples; those prices cannot be applied to ordinary or uncertified stamps.
Verified facts for this topic
The 1940 Famous Americans series contains 35 stamps: five subjects in each of seven groups—Authors, Poets, Educators, Scientists, Composers, Artists and Inventors. The Smithsonian records the subjects, denominations and issue dates.
This category commemorates five of the most influential artists in American art history:
Gilbert Stuart, James Mc Neill Whistler, Augustus Saint-Gaudens, Daniel Chester French, and Frederic Remington.
These correspond to Scott #884–#888 and they remain the most frequently encountered set of numbers by many collectors when searching for USPS stamp information and looking for old stamps.
These stamps not only have artistic value, but they are also miniature historical archives of American visual culture.
1940 American Celebrity Series: The largest and most complete classic stamp set.
education and In 1940, the U. S. Postal Service was placing great emphasis on cultural education, and thus launched its largest commemorative stamp program at the time—the Famous Americans Series. This set of stamps was divided into seven categories, with five people in each category, totaling 35 stamps.
The artist category (Scott #884–#888) encompasses five individuals spanning:
portrait
Tonism Toneism
sculpture
Public Art
American Western Visual Culture
rich and This makes the whole theme exceptionally rich, and also makes it one of the most comprehensive sub-series of USPS stamps for beginners studying American art history.
Design Language and Symbolic Meaning of Artist Categories
Consistent with the overall American Celebrity collection, the Artist sub-collection adopts a unified yet varied design framework, including:
Classic half-length portrait
Detailed symbols of professions (such as paintbrushes, palette knives, hammers, chisels, etc.)
Monochrome ink design
The name, occupation, and year of birth of the person being commemorated.
More subtle differences come from the symbolic language of the borders:
:Painter-themed stamps : palette, paintbrush, floral lines
:Sculptor-themed stamps : chisels, hammers, classical patterns
:Remington : Frontier motifs hint at the uniqueness of its Western themes.
The design is both unified and distinctive, making the five USPS stamps visually appealing when displayed as a set.
Five artists and their corresponding stamps (Scott #884–#888)
1. Gilbert Stuart – 1 cent (#884)
As one of America’s most important portrait painters, Stuart is best known for his portrait of Washington, which is featured on the $1 bill still in use today.
The 1-cent stamp features a simple and clean design and is the most numerous and affordable entry-level USPS stamp in the entire set.
2. James A. Mc Neil Whistler – 2 cents (#885)
color,Whistler was renowned in both Europe and America. His painting style emphasized atmosphere, color and spatial sense, and “Whistler’s Mother” is a global cultural symbol.
This 2-cent stamp conveys the exquisite quality characteristic of his work and is often placed in a prominent position by art-themed USPS stamp collectors.
3. Augustus Saint-Gaudens – 3 cents (#886)
His One of America’s most iconic sculptors,
his 1907 Double Eagle coin is often hailed as the most beautiful coin in American history.
Stamps, symbolizing his sculptural career through tools, are highly sought-after items by collectors of both coins and stamps.
4. Daniel Chester French – 5 cents (#887)
His masterpiece is one of the most important national symbols of the United States: the Lincoln Memorial statue
stamps.”The 5-cent stamp features a dignified and solemn portrait and is one of the core collectibles of the “Sculpture-themed USPS stamps”.
5. Frederick Remington – 10 cents (#888)
West.”Remington vividly documented life in the American West through his paintings and sculptures and is synonymous with “visual narrative of the American West”.
Because of its high face value, even fewer covers were actually used, making the 10-cent stamp one of the most valuable USPS stamps in this set.
Collection value, market conditions and purchase advice
Although the supply of these five stamps is relatively large, factors such as their condition of preservation, whether they have original gum, whether they are part of a set, and whether they come with a first-day cover will significantly affect their price.
Approximate market price range (under normal circumstances)
: $0.20–$0.30Stuart (1c) : $0.20–$0.30
: $0.30–$0.40Whistler (2c) : $0.30–$0.40
: $0.40–$0.50Saint-Gaudens (3c) : $0.40–$0.50
: $0.80–$1.00French (5c) : $0.80–$1.00
:Remington (10c) : Most likely to rise
First-day covers, blocks of four, and versions with perfect, unblemished original rubber are usually several times more expensive.
Collection Recommendations
Pay attention to the integrity of the perforation
The 1940 first-day cover (Washington, DC) is a market highlight.
The value of a complete set is greater than the value of a single piece.
We recommend purchasing acid-free photo album pages for this set of USPS stamps for preservation.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Series.”1. When were these stamps issued?
All of them were issued in 1940 and belong to the “American Celebrities Series”.
2. Why is Remington on the highest denomination?
Because the series is arranged by birth year and he is the youngest.
3. Are they suitable for beginners to collect?
Absolutely. They are affordable, well-documented, and an excellent starting point for studying the history of USPS stamps.
4. How to determine authenticity?
Check the Scott #884–888 number, perforations, adhesive surface, and paper texture.
Conclusion: A collection of USPS stamps that encapsulate American art history
masters but The 1940 artist-category stamps not only commemorate the artistic achievements of five masters, but also symbolize an important period in America’s understanding of art education and cultural values. From Stuart’s founding portrait to Remington’s Western legends, this set of stamps spans a century, showcasing the complete trajectory of American visual culture.
For any collector who loves history, art, and philately, this set of USPS stamps is both accessible and of great value for display and research, making it a timeless collecting theme.
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