A Special Message from President George H. W. Bush
Shortly after a new President is inaugurated, the United States Mint is authorized to strike a medal engraved with the portrait of the President. This is a revered tradition, and the United States Mint has created medals for every President, going back to George Washington and following through to such great men as Abraham Lincoln, Franklin D. Roosevelt, nJohn F. Kennedy and Ronald Reagan. The Presidential Medals symbolize the ultimate authority bestowed by the Constitution, and act as a reminder, both to the incumbent and the country, of the power and responsibility that goes with the office.
The United States Postal Service also has played a crucial role in defining our country. For more than two centuries, our nation's postage stamps have accurately reflected the heroes, aspirations, and great events that shaped America. And, like the Presidential Medals, it has become a tradition that each late President is commemorated on a postage stamp with a portrait that captures for posterity the character and personality of the man.
Now, for the first historic stamps have been brought in the American Presidents Collection, a set of 25 beautifully crafted stamp ingots. It gives me great pleasure to introduce this magnificent and original collection to the world. I hope that the beautifully sculpted images of our most famous Presidents bring alive some of the drama of American history, and give you and your family great satisfaction, now and in the years to come.
President George H. W. Bush
CREATED BY THE WORLD'S FINEST ENGRAVERS
The stamps in this exclusive American Presidents Collection are first sculpted in bas-relief by the world's most skilled artists. Once each portrait has been modeled to perfection, the three-dimensional sculpture is transferred onto a steel minting die using a reduction pantograph. It takes many days to engrave the delicate contours of each sculpture into hard steel, to the exact same size as the original stamp.
Only when the Mint Master is satisfied that the die is flawless does the minting process begin. The master die is locked into a 360-ton proofing press, and highly polished solid silver blanks, 2.2mm thick, are struck one at a time with massive pressure to bring out every tiny detail of the original stamp design. Perforations are precision diamond cut, and each stamp ingot is generously layered in pure 24-karat gold. The result is a perfect proof masterpiece that rivals the world's finest coins.
A Magnificent Collection of America's Commanders In Chief
Now, for the first time in history, 25 remarkable Presidential stamps have been preserved forever in solid silver ingots layered with pure 24-karat gold to create a unique tribute to the American Presidents. This one-of-a-kind collection is officially licensed by the United States Postal Service and the United States Mint.As a subscriber to the American Presidents collection, you will receive one stamp ingot per month until your collection is complete. To assure the highest quality and collector value, only 17,500 complete sets will be struck and certified. When the minting is complete, the master dies for the stamp ingots will be defaced and can never be used again.
Each delivery is accompanied by a Fact Card with details about the original stamp, the featured President. You will also receive, at no additional cost, a beautiful lacquered wood Collector's Chest, a jeweler's cloth and gloves, a numbered Certificate of Authenticity.
George washington was the father of his country and one of the Nation's greatest patriots and heroes. He played a pivotal role in the defining events in the founding of the united states.
In 1775, he became commander in chief of the continental army and was responsible for victory in the american revolution. In 1787, he helped draft the constitution that established the u.s. Government. And in 1789, he was unanimously elected as the first president of the united states.
Thomas jefferson was one of the most extraordinary founding fathers. He drafted the declaration of independence in 1776 and was secretary of state under president george washington. In 1801, he became america's third president.
During his term as president, the united states acquired the louisiana territory that almost doubled the size of the nation. He also arranged the lewis & clark expedition that opened the new western lands to exploration and settlement.
He died on the precise 50th anniversary of the declaration of independence - july 4, 1826.
Abraham Lincoln became President at a difficult time in history. When he took office in 1861, America was on the verge of civil war
For the next four years, he struggled valiantly to hold the nation together. His most impassioned argument for the Union came in the 1863 Gettysburg Address. He is also remembered for the Emancipation Proclamation that freed the slaves.
Lincoln was assassinated in 1865, just weeks after his second inauguration and just days after the end of the Civil War.
Franklin Delano Roosevelt, commonly known as FDR, was an American statesman and political leader who served as the 32nd President of the United States, from 1933 to 1945.
John F. Kennedy was the youngest elected President, and he ushered in an exciting new era that was dominated by America's youth.
Handsome, intelligent, and savvy, he invigorated the nation with his ideals about community service and helping our fellow men. He was passionate aboute quality and civil rights, both in America and overseas. On November 22, 1963, Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas, Texas, bringing the Kennedy "Camelot" era to a sudden and tragic end.
Ronald Reagan charmed America with his quick wit and easy-going personality. After a career as a Hollywood movie actor, he became governor of California before storming into the White House in 1981. Reagan revolutionized the way government was run. He cut spending and reduced the size of government while also inspiring an economic boom and helping the collapse of communism in the former Soviet Union. Reagan died in 2004 at the age of 93.
