Franklin Roosevelt died on 12 April 1945, less than three months into a fourth term. The Post Office issued memorial stamps the same year.
Memorial issues are a particular category — produced quickly, in response to a death, while the subject is still a live public presence rather than a historical one. That gives them a different character from the commemoratives issued decades after the fact.
The life the stamps commemorate
Early years. Born in New York State in 1882 and directed toward public life early. At Harvard he edited the student newspaper and, in a move that says something about his instincts, arranged for his cousin Theodore — then Governor of New York — to speak at the university.
Marriage and connection. In 1904 he moved to Columbia to study law, and married Eleanor, Theodore Roosevelt's niece. The President presided at the wedding, and by most accounts the guests were rather more interested in him than in the couple — an early lesson in how proximity to power works.
Entry into government. In 1913 President Wilson appointed him Assistant Secretary of the Navy, the post from which he first became nationally visible.
Illness. At 39 he contracted polio and lost the use of his legs. He continued in public life and campaigned for the presidency afterwards, which at the time was not obviously survivable as a political matter.
The presidency
He took office as the 32nd president in 1933, at the depth of the Depression, and was re-elected in 1936.
Through the later 1930s he pressed Congress for increased naval funding, and expanded defence spending further as the war in Europe widened after 1939. Japan attacked Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941 and the United States entered the war the following day.
He was elected to a fourth term in 1944 — the only president to serve more than two, and the reason the two-term limit was subsequently written into the Constitution. He died at Warm Springs, Georgia, in April 1945, before the war in Europe ended the following month.
Why memorial issues matter to collectors
They are produced under time pressure and in large quantities, which makes them widely available rather than scarce. What gives them interest is the context: a memorial stamp records how a figure was regarded at the moment of their death, before any historical reassessment.
They are also denominated stamps from their period, not Forever stamps — so a 1945 issue covers its printed face value in postage, not a current letter.
Best deals on Forever stamps
For actual mailing, current Forever stamps are what you need. Historic issues like these are collector items, bought for condition and provenance rather than for carriage.
Where to buy
Historic issues come from established philatelic dealers and stamp shows, where condition can be examined properly. For current postage, the USPS official store or a verified surplus channel such as Forever Stamp Center. Biographical background is available via standard reference sources.
The short version
Issued in 1945 immediately after his death, the Roosevelt memorial stamps capture a figure at the moment of maximum public regard. They are common rather than rare, denominated rather than Forever, and interesting for their timing.
More on buying Forever stamps
Retired USPS mailroom supervisor with 30 years of service in Chicago. He now contributes columns on Forever Stamps, sharing trusted advice on spotting counterfeit risks and finding reliable discount deals for everyday mailers.
