West Point Appraisal

US Postage Stamp: West Point - United States Military Academy

This is a rectangular United States postage stamp, predominantly in shades of blue and white, depicting a prominent illustration of the United States Military Academy at West Point. The central image showcases several institutional buildings, likely cadet barracks or academic halls, rendered with architectural detail. In the foreground, trees and foliage are visible, contributing to a landscaped appearance. The sky above the academy features a subtle texture or cloud formation. Along the top edge of the stamp, 'WEST POINT' is clearly inscribed in a bold, capitalized font, with 'DUTY HONOR COUNTRY' appearing directly below it in a smaller, serif font. The left vertical border of the stamp reads 'U.S. POSTAGE' vertically, and the right vertical border reads 'FIVE CENTS' vertically. The denomination '5' is prominently displayed in the bottom-left and bottom-right corners within solid blue squares, matching the color scheme of the main illustration. The bottom horizontal border bears the full inscription 'UNITED STATES MILITARY ACADEMY' in capitalized letters. The stamp exhibits perforation along its edges, though some areas appear worn or chipped, particularly on the right side. The overall condition suggests it is a used stamp, as evidenced by the bold, dark ink cancellation marks that traverse the central image, partially obscuring 'WEST POINT' and some of the buildings. These cancellation marks appear to be from a postal service, indicating it has been through mail. The blue ink used for the illustration and text is rich and consistent, demonstrating good printing quality for its era. The visible details suggest a stamp from the mid-20th century, likely commemorating the military academy. The paper appears to be of standard stamp paper quality, and despite the cancellation, the fine line work of the engraving or printing is still discernible.