Defense Stamp Appraisal

United States 4 Cents Defense Stamp

This item is a postage stamp, specifically a 4 Cents United States stamp featuring the Statue of Liberty. The stamp is predominantly green in color with black printed text. At the top, it reads "UNITED STATES OF AMERICA" and beneath that, "INDUSTRY - AGRICULTURE". The iconic Statue of Liberty is centrally depicted, reaching upwards. Below the Statue, the text "FOR DEFENSE" is visible. At the very bottom, it states "POSTAGE 4 CENTS". The stamp exhibits a rectangular shape with visible perforations along its edges, indicating it was torn from a sheet. Overlaid upon the stamp image, there are two distinct black horizontal lines, suggesting a cancellation mark, perhaps indicating that the stamp has been used. Additionally, there are other faint markings or smudges visible outside the stamp's border, to the left, which appear to be purple or dark in color and are indistinct. The overall condition appears consistent with a used stamp, showing some wear and the prominent cancellation marks. The image quality is somewhat blurry, making it difficult to discern very fine details or specific manufacturing marks, but the main textual elements and imagery are clear enough to identify the stamp's purpose and design. The style is typical of early to mid-20th-century U.S. postage stamps, likely from a period emphasizing national unity or wartime efforts due to the "FOR DEFENSE" inscription.