Franklin Delano Roosevelt (FDR) was not the only president to collect stamps but he was the most avid collector of all US presidents. For him the joy of stamp collecting was a great stress release for the many difficult world problems that he faced during his presidency like The Depression and World War II.
This short video from the Smithsonian talks about his love of collecting but what surprised me was how FDR also influenced the design of several stamps. FDR suggested themes, images, colors, even designs for several issues including Byrd’s Antarctic expedition, Whistler’s famous painting of his mother for Mother’s Day and a bust of Susan B. Anthony to mark an anniversary of women’s suffrage. The issuance of 20 billion “Win the War” stamps—with a design selected by FDR, an eagle’s wings forming a V for victory—turned letter-writing into a patriotic act.
Read more: http://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/From-the-Castle-FDRs-Stamps.html#ixzz2Vd2kqh00
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After seeing the model for the Susan B. Anthony stamp, President Roosevelt sketched a revision and added a dark oval frame.