This postage stamp was issued over 150 years ago, 1873. It depicts the Secretary of State under Abraham Lincoln, William Seward.

Seward played a critical role for the Union in the American Civil War, and was even portrayed by David Strathairn in the 2012 movie “Lincoln”. This stamp is referred to as an official.

Official Mail was only used by the United States government for mailing. This means that private citizens were not allowed to use it. In fact, you could face a hefty fine if you used it for personal purposes.

The word “State” at the top of the stamp means that this stamp could only be used by the State Department for mailing.

This $2 stamp is one of 15 different denominations in this set. It is better known to stamp collectors as Scott number O68. Scott is the standard value guide recognized by all United States stamp collectors. In 2024, it was valued at $1,800.