About This Stamp
The likeness of James Buchanan (1791–1868), the 15th president of the United States, appears on the 15-cent issue of the 1938 Presidential series. The image was inspired by a bust displayed in the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C.
Buchanan served in a number of high-ranking positions before being elected to his one term as president, 1856–1861. Among the positions were congressman (1821–1831), senator (1834–1845), minister to Russia (1832–1834), secretary of state (1845–1849), and minister to Great Britain (1853–1856). After serving as president, he retired to his Wheatland, his country estate in Pennsylvania. Wheatland appeared on a 1956 stamp. Buchanan was the only bachelor to serve as president.
The 15-cent blue gray stamp was printed only as a sheet stamp and was issued on October 13, 1938. This was James Buchanan's first appearance on a postage stamp.
The 15-cent Buchanan was used extensively both in combinations with other stamps and as a solo paying various rates. For example, a 15-cent stamp would pay the one-ounce airmail rate to/from the territory of Hawaii (in effect January 15,1945, through September 30, 1946), the half-ounce airmail rate to the Canal Zone (in effect December 1, 1937, through March 31, 1945), the half-ounce airmail rate to Colombia, Peru, Ecuador, and Venezuela (in effect April 1, 1945, through October 31, 1946), and the half-ounce airmail rate to Europe and North Africa (in effect November 1, 1946, through April 30, 1967).