United States 2-Cent George Washington Carmine Postage Stamp (Washington-Franklin Series)

Shown are two examples of the United States 2-cent red postage stamp featuring the profile of George Washington. These stamps are part of the long-running Washington-Franklin Series, typically dated between 1908 and 1922. The design consists of a central medallion with Washington's profile facing left, encircled by 'UNITED STATES POSTAGE' and flanked by the numeral '2' in bottom corners within decorative scrollwork. The color is a deep carmine or rose-red on off-white paper. Physically, the left stamp shows horizontal wavy-line machine cancellations, while the right stamp features a heavier, darker smudge-style postmark over Washington’s face. Regarding condition, the stamps exhibit typical characteristics of circulated philatelic material: the perforations on the left stamp are irregular and slightly worn at the top and bottom edges, and the centering is moderately off to the left. The paper shows slight toning consistent with age. Both stamps appear to have been previously hinged or mounted. These stamps were produced by the Bureau of Engraving and Printing using the flat plate or rotary press process; specific identification would require measuring perforations and checking for watermarks to determine the exact Scott catalog number (e.g., #406, #407, #499, or #527), which significantly affects rarity.