Yorktown 1931 Issue-2c

What it is

This is a 2-cent United States postage stamp issued in 1931 by the Bureau of Engraving and Printing to mark the sesquicentennial of the Battle of Yorktown. It shows oval portraits of Rochambeau, Washington, and de Grasse labeled with their names.

Why it matters

The stamp presents Rochambeau alongside Washington and the French admiral de Grasse as the three figures credited with the victory at Yorktown, which effectively ended the American Revolutionary War. Issuing such a stamp 150 years later shows how the United States continued to honor its wartime allies, especially the French contribution to independence.

Look closer

• Why place Rochambeau's portrait beside Washington's rather than listing only American leaders?
• What does including a French admiral and general on American currency-like material suggest about how the alliance was remembered?
• What is left out of a stamp design that a longer history might include?