Thomas J Bakos was born in Bridgeport, Connecticut, on 24
March 1949. He has a degree in art history from the George Washington University,
and worked at the Bureau of Engraving and Printing in the 1970s and 1980s.
Bakos was a letter engraver, who was responsible for the
lettering on definitive sets such as the Great Americans and the Transport
series. His first issued engraving was the 16c value of the Americana
definitive set, with the head of the Statue of Liberty, and Bakos’ text “I lift
my lamp beside the golden door”.
Bakos also engraved two whole designs, because these were mainly
based on lettering anyway. In 1981 he engraved the (in) famous “Alcoholism You
can beat it” stamp and in 1983 he engraved the Medal of Honor stamp.
You will find Thomas J Bakos' database HERE.