Used Pair of 1962 5-Cent George Washington Postage Stamps (Scott #1213)

This item consists of a horizontal pair of used United States 5-cent postage stamps featuring the portrait of George Washington. The design is based on a bust by sculptor Jean-Antoine Houdon. The stamps are printed in a blue-grey or slate ink on white paper. Each stamp clearly displays the '5c U.S. POSTAGE' denomination at the bottom. The pair shows evidence of horizontal perforations between the two stamps and partial perforations on the outer left edge, while the top, bottom, and right edges appear to be straight or roughly trimmed from an envelope. A heavy black wavy line machine cancellation and a partial circular date stamp (CDS) identifying 'BRANDON' are visible across the faces, indicating they were processed through the postal system. The condition is fair to used; the paper shows slight browning or foxing consistent with age, and the right edges are irregularly torn, suggesting they were roughly removed from a piece of mail. This specific design was first issued in 1962 as part of the Prominent Americans series (initially as a regular issue) and saw wide use throughout the 1960s. The engraving displays high-quality intaglio printing characteristic of the Bureau of Engraving and Printing from that era.