Get the Complete American Bicentennial Series

Here's what you get:

100 Mint Stamps Plus 4 Souvenir Sheets

1432                 1971 8c American Revolution Bicentennial

1456-59            1972 8c Colonial Craftsmen

1476-79&nb...  more

Get the Complete American Bicentennial Series

Here's what you get:

100 Mint Stamps Plus 4 Souvenir Sheets

1432                 1971 8c American Revolution Bicentennial

1456-59            1972 8c Colonial Craftsmen

1476-79            1973 8c Colonial Communications       

1480-83            1973 8c Boston Tea Party        

1543-46            1974 1st Continental Congress

1559-62           1975 Contributors to the Cause

1563                1975 10c Lexington-Concord Battle

1564                1975 10c Bunker Hill Battle    

1565-68           1975 U.S. Military Uniforms

1629-31            1976 Spirit of '76

1633-82            1976 13c State Flags           

1686-89           13c - 31c Bicentennial    

1691-94            1976 Declaration of Independence

1704                 1977 13c Washington at Princeton

1716                 1977 13c Marquis de Lafayette  

1717-20            1977 Skilled Hands

1722                 1977 13c Herkimer at Oriskany  

1726                 1977 13c Articles of Confederation

1728                 1977 13c Surrender at Saratoga 

1753                 1978 13c French Alliance       

1789                 1979 15c John Paul Jones       

1826                 1980 15c Gen. Bernardo de Galvez

1937                 1981 18c Battle of Yorktown    

1938                 1981 18c Battle of the Virginia

1941                20c John Hanson           

2052                20c Signing of Treaty of Paris

In the 1970s, America celebrated its 200th anniversary with hundreds of national events commemorating the heroes and historic events that led to our nation’s independence from Great Britain.  The USPS joined in the festivities, issuing over 100 stamps honoring a wide range of subjects.  Now you can own the complete Bicentennial Series, totaling 100 stamps plus four souvenir sheets, in one easy order.  Just look at some of the neat stamps you’ll receive:

Several of the stamps honored colonial life – craftsmen and communication.  Other stamps honored important battles including Lexington and Concord, Bunker Hill, and Saratoga.  Significant events such as the Boston Tea Party, the meeting of the First Continental Congress, and the Declaration of Independence were featured as well.  The stamps also honored many significant people such as George Washington, Sybil Ludington, Salem Poor, and the Marquis de Lafayette.

Many of the stamps feature classic artwork.  For instance, the set of four souvenir sheets picture important events recreated by noted artists such as John Trumbull.  The Bicentennial Series also includes an important US postal first – the first 50-stamp se-tenant – featuring all 50 state flags.  The format proved to be popular with collectors, and has been repeated many times since.

The American Bicentennial Series is packed with important US history – it tells the story of our nation’s fight for independence through stamps.  Make all this history yours and save time and money by ordering the complete set in one convenient order.

Birth of Haym Salomon

Haym Salomon was born on April 7, 1740, in Leszno, Poland.  Salomon raised funds and gave his own money to help the American war effort during the Revolutionary War.

As a young man, Salomon traveled throughout Western Europe and learned a great deal about finance and other languages.  He returned home to Poland in 1770, and spent some time in England before immigrating to the US in 1775.

In New York City, Salomon found great success as a financial broker for merchants conducting overseas trade.  Salomon sympathized with the revolutionary cause in America and joined the Sons of Liberty.  However, in September 1776, he was arrested by the British for being a spy.  They pardoned him, but forced him to stay on a British ship for 18 months interpreting for the Hessian (German) soldiers.  Salomon complied, but also used this time to free some of the American prisoners on the ship and encouraged the Hessians to abandon their support of the British.  Salomon was released but arrested again in 1778.  He was sentenced to death, but was able to escape by bribing a jailer.

Salomon then made his way to Philadelphia and resumed his work as a broker.  He soon became the agent to the French consul and the paymaster for the French forces in America.  In 1781, Salomon started working with Robert Morris, the superintendent of Finance.

Later that year, George Washington had trapped British Lieutenant General Charles Cornwallis at Yorktown.  However, he was unable to launch the battle because he and Congress didn’t have enough money to provide food, uniforms, or supplies for the troops to carry it out.  Washington estimated he’d need $20,000 to cover these costs.  When Morris told him they didn’t have the funds, Washington replied, “Send for Haym Salomon.”  Salomon quickly raised the $20,000 by selling bills of exchange, enabling Washington to lead the successful Battle of Yorktown.

Salomon was able to keep the war effort funded largely by selling bills of exchange to American merchants for their dealings with France and the Dutch Republic.  He also offered low-interest loans to members of the Continental Congress and never asked that they be repaid.  Salomon also gave money to people that he considered were unsung heroes of the war.  One of these people was Bodo Otto, a surgeon for the Continental Army.  Otto had established a hospital at Valley Forge and used his own money to buy medical supplies.  After the war, Salomon gave him the money to reestablish his medical practice in Reading, Pennsylvania.

Between 1781 and 1784, Salomon contributed a great deal of his own fortune to the American cause.  He also conducted extensive fundraising – providing more than $650,000 (more than $338 million in today’s dollars) to the American war effort.

After the war, Salomon continued to contribute his own money to the fledgling nation.  He also fought to overturn laws that restricted Jewish citizens like himself.  Most notably, he successfully pushed for the Pennsylvania Council of Censors to remove the religious oath that was required for taking office.  Salomon died on January 8, 1785 from tuberculosis that he had contracted in prison.  He died in poverty, having given all of his fortune to the American war effort.

Several places are named in his honor as well as a World War II Liberty Ship.  He is also honored in the Heald Square Monument in Chicago as part of the sculpture Triumvirate of the Patriots.  The triumvirate consists of the figures of Robert Morris, Haym Salomon, and George Washington.