This was a single stamp issue of 11p value, released on 2nd June. The stamp was designed by Philip Sharland, and showed a bust of Benjamin Franklin by Jean-Jacques Caffieri at the Royal Society of Arts, London.

Benjamin Franklin attempted to mediate between the British Government and the American colonies before the final break on 4th July 1776. When the American Continental Congree adopted the Declaration of Independence, Franklin signed it and became one of the “Founding Fathers” of the new republic. Formerly the Postmaster of Philadelphia, he later became Deputy Postmaster General under the British Colonial Administration of Philadelphia and then Postmaster General under the independent American Government.

The stamp was available in all normal forms and was also available on an American first day cover, along with American stamps, which were subsequently posted to the UK.

Just under 10 million of the stamps were produced, but were withdrawn a year later with a large amount stamps reportedly destroyed, although the presentation pack sold out within 6 months.

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