As the true 100th birthday of The American Legion draws closer, Emblem Sales has available for purchase a souvenir from a previous landmark anniversary: a limited quantity of original first-day issues of the American Legion 50th Anniversary stamp by the U.S. Postal Service. The 6-cent stamp is postmarked from – and was first placed on sale at – Washington, D.C., on March 15, 1969, the Legion’s 50th anniversary.

According to the Postal Bulletin from Feb. 20, 1969, artist Robert Hallock of Newton, Conn., adapted a portion of the bald eagle on the Great Seal of the United States for the design. The eagle clutches an olive branch, the heraldic symbol of peace. The stamp was lithographed and engraved using a Giori press. Inside the envelope that contains the stamp is a postcard describing The American Legion in 1969.

The collection was made available to Emblem Sales by the library at American Legion National Headquarters in Indianapolis. The stamps are $2 each. You can purchase them here.