1972 7c Benjamin Franklin

U.S. #1393D
7c Benjamin Franklin
Issue Date: October 20, 1972
City: Philadelphia, PA
Printed By: Bureau of Engraving and Printing
Printing Method: Rotary Press
Color: Bright blue

This stamp is part of the Regular Issue Series of the early 1970s and honors Benjamin Franklin, one of the most versatile and influential figures of America's founding era. Franklin was a signer of both the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, and he served as a diplomat whose efforts helped secure France's crucial financial and military support during the Revolutionary War, support that proved decisive in the American victory.

The design features a stylized portrait of Franklin rendered in white against a bright blue background, accompanied by elaborate cursive script text that summarizes his many contributions to the nation's founding. This departure from the more conventional engraved portrait style used elsewhere in American stamp design gives the issue a distinctive, decorative look within the broader regular issue series of the period.

Beyond his political and diplomatic achievements, Franklin was also known as a printer, newspaper publisher, author, scientist, and inventor, with wide ranging accomplishments that included his work on electricity and his authorship of Poor Richard's Almanack. He additionally served as the country's first Postmaster General, giving him a direct historical connection to the postal service that would later issue stamps in his honor.