US Presidents — Crypto Stamp Presidential Series 1938

About the USPS Presidential Series 1938 (NFT Adaptation 2023)

The USPS Presidential Series 1938 is a multi-part NFT series and a retro stamp resurrection: the NFT adaptation of a historical US stamp series from 1938, the Prexie Series. The original stamps are one of the most important stamp series in US philately, the NFT adaptation is a modern tribute.

The Historical 1938 Presidential Series

The 1938 Presidential Issue (nicknamed Prexie Series) was issued by USPS in 1938 — a completeness stamp series showing all 32 then-deceased US presidents in chronological order.

Face value logic: each president gets a cent value corresponding to their order:

This face-value symbolism is philatelically elegant — each stamp is simultaneously historical educational tool and functional postage stamp.

NFT Adaptation: Four Drops 2023

USPS NFT adaptation divides the original 32-president series into four drops. The June 2023 release includes 8 presidents with a total mintage of 9,804 NFTs:

• Grover Cleveland — 1,938 editions
• Benjamin Harrison — 1,938 editions
• William McKinley — 1,538 editions
• Theodore Roosevelt — 1,538 editions
• William Howard Taft — 1,038 editions
• Woodrow Wilson — 1,038 editions
• Warren G. Harding — 538 editions
• Calvin Coolidge — 238 editions

The 1,938 Mintage Symbolism

A philatelic detail: the mintage of the Grover Cleveland NFT is exactly 1,938 editions — corresponding to stamp year 1938. This numerical homage connects:

• Original stamp publication 1938 (year)
• NFT mintage 1,938 (number of editions)

This logic is unique in the crypto stamp space — other issuers typically choose mintages based on market conditions or rarity pyramids. USPS 1,938 mintage is a historical-symbolic choice understood by collectors with stamp history knowledge.

Benjamin Harrison also has 1,938 editions. Other presidents have decreasing mintages: McKinley and Roosevelt at 1,538, Taft and Wilson at 1,038, Harding at 538, and Coolidge at 238.

Visual Adaptation

The NFT versions show the bust profiles of the presidents — the characteristic representation form of the original 1938 series. This classical-sculptural aesthetic differs from most other USPS NFTs:

This historical aesthetic is consistent with the theme — presidents are traditionally-sculptural figures in US visual culture (Mount Rushmore, Lincoln Memorial, presidential statues). The NFT adaptation respects this visual tradition.

Structural Peculiarity: Multi-Part Logic

The Presidential Series is USPS first explicitly multi-part NFT series with own drop numbering:

• Series 1 → first drop
• Series 2 → second drop
• Series 3 → third drop
• Series 4 → fourth drop

This explicit numbering is structuring in the NFT space — different from the Lunar series (annual, with year reference) or the Christmas series (opportunistic, without strict annual binding). The Presidential Series creates a clear collector completeness logic — those who collect all 4 Series have the complete historical 1938 stamp series as NFT.

Theme: American History and Patriotism

The choice of the 1938 Presidential Series as NFT theme is culturally strategic:

Patriotism — presidents as symbol of American history. Educational function — collectors learn US presidential order. Stamp philately heritage — tribute to the original 1938 series. Diversification — alongside cultural occasions also classical-historical themes. Collector completeness trigger — multi-part format motivates continuous purchases.

Unlike Day of the Dead (Latino diversity) or Lunar New Year (Asian-American diversity), the Presidential Series is mainstream-American and addresses patriotic-historical collectors.

Significance in the Programme

The Presidential Series demonstrates:

Longest multi-part series in the USPS NFT programme (4 drops). Retro stamp resurrection — 85-year-old stamps in NFT adaptation. Symbolic mintage mathematics — 1,938 editions = stamp year 1938. Classical-historical aesthetic — bust profiles instead of contemporary designs. Patriotic-historical theme as complement to cultural diversity.

The series shows USPS theme versatility — from cultural occasions through seasonal drops to classical-historical stamp tradition. This theme breadth distinguishes USPS from the focused programmes of other issuers.

Outlook

USPS has positioned this as part of a multi-part series of the 1938 Presidential stamps. Possible follow-up programmes:

• 1869 Pictorial Series — other classical US stamp series as NFT adaptation
• Black Heritage Series — ongoing series with civil rights personalities
• Modern President Stamps — newer presidents (Eisenhower, Kennedy, Reagan, etc.)

These themes would be consistent with USPS historical-patriotic strategy and could be launched as new multi-part series.