United States 5 Cents James Monroe Postage Stamp

This item is a vintage United States postage stamp featuring a portrait of James Monroe, the fifth President of the United States. The stamp is predominantly blue, exhibiting a slightly faded or muted tone across its surface, suggesting age or possible exposure. The portrait of James Monroe is depicted in profile, facing right, with visible detail in his hair, facial features, and the collar of his attire. Above the portrait, on the right side of the stamp, the words "UNITED STATES POSTAGE" are printed in capitalized block letters, stacked vertically across three lines. Below Monroe's portrait, also on the right, his name "JAMES MONROE" is printed, followed by what appears to be a date range, possibly "1817-1825", though the last digit is somewhat obscured. The denomination "5 CENTS" is clearly printed at the bottom center of the stamp, flanked by the numeral "5" on both the left and right sides. The stamp is perforated along all four edges, with the perforations showing some minor wear and slight irregularities, particularly along the top and right sides. There are visible signs of wear and faint discoloration on the stamp's surface, consistent with an item of its age, including some darker specks or marks primarily over the 'UNITED STATES' text and across Monroe's head and neck. The overall condition suggests it has been previously handled or possibly removed from an album. The style of the portrait and typography indicates an earlier 20th-century design, likely from the Regular Issues series which featured portraits of Presidents.