U.S. #2168
1¢ Margaret Mitchell
Great Americans Series
Issue Date: June 30, 1986
City: Atlanta, GA
Quantity: 56,950,000
Printed By: Bureau of Engraving and Printing
Printing Method: Engraved
Perforations: 11
Color: Brownish vermillion
Margaret Mitchell's book, "Gone With the Wind," is the most widely read novel in history. It has been translated into 27 languages and published in 327 countries. In 1937, Mitchell received the Pulitzer Prize for Literature for her work, and the movie based on the book won nine academy awards. Mitchell is pictured on the 1¢ Great Americans stamp.
Issued between 1980 and 1999, the Great Americans definitive series features 63 designs, making it the largest set of face different Regular Issue stamps issued in the 20th century. One stamp honors a couple (Lila and Dewitt Wallace) while the remaining 62 commemorate individuals.
The series is characterized by a standard definitive size, simple design and monochromatic colors. The Bureau of Engraving and Printing produced most of the stamps, but some were printed by private firms. Several stamps saw multiple printings. The result is many different varieties, with tagging being the key to understanding them.