1949 Love of Liberty Issue

This set is said to be the first six color stamps ever issued in the world.

309-12

C63-4

Issue date	April 14, 1949
Designer	Arthur Szyk
Printing Method	Six color lithography
Printer	Herman Jaffe
Paper	Unwatermarked
Perforation	11¾ first printing, 12½ second printing
Sheet size	20 (4x5)
Subjects	1c - Natives approaching village; 2c - Rubber tapping and planting; 3c - Landing of first colonists; 5c - Jehudi Ashmun and defenders; 25c - Map and citizens; 50c - Arms, farmers and agricultural products
Number printed	First printing: 100,000 of the 4 lower values, 45,000 of the 2 higher values; Second printing: 100,000 complete sets[1]; Von Saleski states that only 40,000 sets of the first printing were produced[2].

These progressive proofs were sold together as a set with each stamp in a glassine envelope with the following information printed on the outside:

This is the yellow color plate specimen. The first step in printing the stamp.
Red color plate specimen. Second color to be used.
Yellow and red color plates make this combination. (Second printing stage).
The black color plate.
Yellow, red and black combination. (Third printing stage).
The light blue color plate.
Yellow, red, black and light blue combination. (Fourth printing stage).
The dark blue color plate.
Yellow, red, black, light blue and dark blue combination. (Fifth printing stage).
The pink color plate.
Yellow, red, black, light blue, dark blue and pink combination. (sixth and final printing stage).

According to Kasimir Bileski, this is a rejected 7th stamp in the series.

1. A Century of Liberian Philately / Rogers, Henry H. / 1971

2. Liberia Specialized Catalogue, 1975 / Von Saleski, Lothar / 1975

Liberian Philately