48-star flag, 1957

This is a survey of the postage stamps and postal history of the United States. ImageMetadata File history File links Stamp_US_1957_4c_flag. ... ImageMetadata File history File links Stamp_US_1957_4c_flag. ...

Early postal history

(add pre-stamp postal history here)

Provisionals

The introduction of postage stamps in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland in May 1840 was received with great interest around the world, and in the United States. On March 3, 1845, Congress reduced and regularized postal rates, with a uniform rate of five cents for distances under 300 miles (500 km). However, Congress did not authorize the production of stamps, so postmasters made provisional issues. These included both prepaid envelopes and stamps, mostly of crude design, the New York Postmaster's Provisional being the only one of quality comparable to later stamps. The provisionals of Baltimore were notable for the reproduced signature of the city's postmaster—James Buchanan, later President of the United States. All of the provisionals are rare, and several command prices above US$100,000. These cities issued provisionals in 1845 and 1846: A selection of Hong Kong postal stamps A postage stamp is evidence of pre-paying a fee for postal services. ... Royal motto: Dieu et mon droit (French: God and my right)1 Capital London Head of State King or Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland Head of Government Prime Minister Parliament House of Commons, House of Lords This article is about the historical state called the... March 3 is the 62nd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (63rd in leap years). ... 1845 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... If you are looking for different meanings of this word, see Postmaster (disambiguation) A postmaster is a term used in post offices to denote the head or master of the office. ... The provisional mood is a verb form in some languages expressing a condition in a different way from the conditional mood in those languages. ... Flag Seal Nickname: Monument City, Charm City, Mob Town, B-more Motto: Get In On It (formerly The City That Reads and The Greatest City in America; BELIEVE is not the official motto but rather a specific campaign) Location Location of Baltimore in Maryland Coordinates , Government Country State County United... James Buchanan (April 23, 1791 – June 1, 1868) was the 15th president of the United States (1857–1861). ... The presidential seal was used by President Hayes in 1880 and last modified in 1959 by adding the 50th star for Hawaii. ...

Providence provisional

• Alexandria, Virginia ("ALEXANDRIA POST OFFICE" in circle)
• Annapolis, Maryland (eagle in circle)
• Baltimore, Maryland (James Buchanan signature)
• Boscawen, New Hampshire ("PAID / 5 / CENTS")
• Brattleboro, Vermont (shaded box with postmaster initials inside)
• Lockport, New York ("LOCKPORT N.Y." in oval)
• Millbury, Massachusetts (woodcut of George Washington)
• New Haven, Connecticut ("POST OFFICE" in box, P.M. signature)
• New York, New York ("POST OFFICE" over Washington portrait)
• Providence, Rhode Island ("POST OFFICE / PROV. R.I." in shaded box)
• St. Louis, Missouri St. Louis Bears (Missouri coat of arms)

Location Location in Virginia Coordinates , Government Country State United States   Virginia Founded 1718 Mayor William D. Euille Geographical characteristics Area     City 39. ... Flag Seal Nickname: Americas Sailing Capital , Naptown, San Diego East, Dogtown Motto: Vixi Liber Et Moriar (Latin:I have lived, and I shall die, free) Location Location in Maryland Coordinates , Government Country State County United States Maryland Anne Arundel County Founded Incorporated 1649 1708 Mayor Ellen O. Moyer (D... Flag Seal Nickname: Monument City, Charm City, Mob Town, B-more Motto: Get In On It (formerly The City That Reads and The Greatest City in America; BELIEVE is not the official motto but rather a specific campaign) Location Location of Baltimore in Maryland Coordinates , Government Country State County United... Boscawen is a town located in Merrimack County, New Hampshire. ... Brattleboro, Vermont Brattleboro is a town located in Windham County, Vermont. ... Lockport, New York refers to both a city and a town in Niagara County, New York, near Niagara Falls and Buffalo. ... Millbury is a town located in Worcester County, Massachusetts. ... George Washington (February 22, 1732 – December 14, 1799) was the Commander in Chief of American forces in the American Revolutionary War (1775–1783), and, later, the first President of the United States, an office he held from 1789 to 1797. ... Nickname: The Elm City Official website: www. ... Midtown Manhattan, looking north from the Empire State Building, 2005 New York City (officially named the City of New York) is the most populous city in the state of New York and the entire United States. ... Nickname: Beehive of Industry, The Renaissance City Official website: http://www. ... Flag Seal Nickname: Gateway City, Gateway to the West, or Mound City Location Location in the state of Missouri Coordinates , Government Country State County United States Missouri Independent City Mayor Francis G. Slay (D) Geographical characteristics Area     City 66. ...

First stamps

1847 5¢; the first US stamp, Scott #1

1847 10¢, Scott #2

Congress finally provided for the issuance of stamps by passing an act on March 3, 1847, and the Postmaster-General immediately let a contract to the New York City firm of Rawdon, Wright, Hatch, and Edson. The first stamp issues of the U.S. were offered for sale on July 1, 1847, in NYC, with Boston receiving stamps the following year and other cities thereafter. They consisted of an engraved 5-cent red brown stamp depicting Benjamin Franklin (the first postmaster of the US), and a 10-cent value in black with George Washington. As for all U.S. stamps until 1857, they were imperforate. Although a number of philatelists have studied these stamps for years, much remains unknown about the details of the original contract, design process, and the printing of these stamps. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (600x787, 155 KB) United States 5-cent postage stamp of 1847, scanned April 2005 by User:Stan Shebs File links The following pages link to this file: Postage stamps and postal history of the United States User:Stan Shebs/Gallery/Philately... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (600x787, 155 KB) United States 5-cent postage stamp of 1847, scanned April 2005 by User:Stan Shebs File links The following pages link to this file: Postage stamps and postal history of the United States User:Stan Shebs/Gallery/Philately... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (600x755, 161 KB) United States 10-cent postage stamp of 1847, scanned April 2005 by User:Stan Shebs File links The following pages link to this file: Postage stamps and postal history of the United States User:Stan Shebs/Gallery/Philately... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (600x755, 161 KB) United States 10-cent postage stamp of 1847, scanned April 2005 by User:Stan Shebs File links The following pages link to this file: Postage stamps and postal history of the United States User:Stan Shebs/Gallery/Philately... March 3 is the 62nd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (63rd in leap years). ... 1847 was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... The Postmaster General is the executive head of the United States Postal Service. ... July 1 is the 182nd day of the year (183rd in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 183 days remaining. ... 1847 was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... Boston is a town and small port c. ... Engraving is the practice of incising a design onto a hard, flat surface, by cutting grooves into it. ... Benjamin Franklin by Jean-Baptiste Greuze 1777 Benjamin Franklin (January 17 [O.S. January 6] 1706 – April 17, 1790) was one of the most prominent of the Founders and early political figures, inventors, and statesmen of the United States. ... Black is a colour with several subtle differences in meaning. ... George Washington (February 22, 1732 – December 14, 1799) was the Commander in Chief of American forces in the American Revolutionary War (1775–1783), and, later, the first President of the United States, an office he held from 1789 to 1797. ... For postage stamps, separation is the means by which individual stamps are made easily detachable from each other. ...

3 cents, 1851

1 cent, 1851, type II

The stamps were an immediate success; about 3,700,000 of the 5¢ and about 865,000 of the 10¢ were sold, and enough of those have survived to ensure a ready supply for collectors, although the demand is such that a very fine 5¢ sells for around US$500 as of 2003, and the 10¢ for around $1,400 in used form. Unused stamps are much rarer, fetching around $6,000 and $28,000 respectively. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (600x755, 149 KB) United States 3-cent postage stamp of 1851 with a likely plate crack, scanned April 2005 by User:Stan Shebs File links The following pages link to this file: Postage stamps and postal history of the United States... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (600x755, 149 KB) United States 3-cent postage stamp of 1851 with a likely plate crack, scanned April 2005 by User:Stan Shebs File links The following pages link to this file: Postage stamps and postal history of the United States... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (600x791, 164 KB) United States 1-cent postage stamp of 1851, type II, scanned April 2005 by User:Stan Shebs File links The following pages link to this file: Postage stamps and postal history of the United States User:Stan Shebs... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (600x791, 164 KB) United States 1-cent postage stamp of 1851, type II, scanned April 2005 by User:Stan Shebs File links The following pages link to this file: Postage stamps and postal history of the United States User:Stan Shebs... 2003 is a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar, and also: The International Year of Freshwater The European Disability Year Events January events January 1 Luíz Inácio Lula Da Silva becomes the 37th President of Brazil. ...

The post office had become so efficient by 1851 that Congress was able to reduce the common rate to three cents (which remained unchanged for over a century), necessitating a new issue of stamps. Values included a 1¢ profile of Franklin in blue, a 3¢ profile of Washington in red brown, a 5¢ portrait of Thomas Jefferson, and portraits of Washington for 10¢ green and 12¢ black values. The 1c stamp achieved notoriety, at least among philatelists, because production problems led to substantial plate modifications, and there are no less than seven major varieties, ranging in price from $100 to $200,000, and sharp-eyed collectors periodically find the rare types going unrecognized. Thomas Jefferson (April 13, 1743 N.S. – July 4, 1826) was the third President of the United States (1801–1809), principal author of the Declaration of Independence (1776), and an influential Founding Father of the United States. ...

1857 saw the introduction of perforation, and in 1860 24¢, 30¢, and 90¢ values (with still more images of Washington and Franklin) were issued for the first time. A perforation is a hole made by puncturing a surface. ...

Civil war

The outbreak of the American Civil War threw the postal system into turmoil. On April 13, 1861 (the day after the firing on Fort Sumter, John H. Reagan, postmaster-general of the Confederate States of America, ordered local postmasters to return their US stamps to Washington DC (although it is unlikely that many did so), while in May the Union decided to withdraw and invalidate all existing US stamps, and to issue new stamps. Confederate post offices were left without legitimate stamps for several months, and while many reverted to the old system of cash payment at the post office, over one hundred post offices across the South came up with their own provisional issues. Many of these are quite rare, with only single examples surviving of some types. Eventually the Confederate government issued its own stamps; see stamps and postal history of the Confederate States. Combatants United States of America (Union) Confederate States of America (Confederate) Commanders Abraham Lincoln, Ulysses S. Grant Jefferson Davis, Robert E. Lee Strength 2,200,000 1,064,000 Casualties Killed in action: 110,000 Total dead: 360,000 Wounded: 275,200 Killed in action: 93,000 Total dead: 258... April 13 is the 103rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (104th in leap years). ... 1861 is a common year starting on Tuesday. ... Fort Sumter, located in Charleston, South Carolina, harbor, was named after General Thomas Sumter. ... John Henninger Reagan (October 8, 1818 - March 6, 1905), was an Nineteenth Century Texan Democratic politician and postmaster general of the Confederacy. ... Motto: Deo Vindice (Latin: With God As Our Vindicator) Anthem: God Save the South (unofficial) Dixie (popular) The Bonnie Blue Flag (popular) Capital Montgomery, Alabama February 4, 1861–May 29, 1861 Richmond, Virginia May 29, 1861–April 9, 1865 Danville, Virginia April 3–April 10, 1865 Largest city New Orleans... 5c Jefferson Davis stamp This is a survey of the postage stamps and postal history of the Confederate States of America. ...

In the North, the new stamp designs became available in August, and old stamps were accepted in exchange until the end of the year. The whole process was very confusing to the public, and there are number of covers from 1862 and later with 1857 stamps and bearing the marking "OLD STAMPS NOT RECOGNIZED".

The 1861 stamps had in common the letters "U S" in their design. The original issue included 1¢, 3¢, 5¢, 10¢, 12¢, 24¢, 30¢, and 90¢ stamps. Several are superficially similar to their earlier counterparts, differing primarily in the design of the frame.

The "Black Jack", 1863

A 2¢ stamp in black featuring Andrew Jackson was issued in 1863 and is now known to collectors as the "Black Jack". A black 15¢ stamp depicting the recently-assassinated Abraham Lincoln was issued in 1866, and is generally considered part of the same series. Although it was not officially described as such, and the 15¢ value was chosen to cover newly-established fee for registered letters, many philatelists consider this to be the first memorial stamp ever issued. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (600x739, 162 KB) United States 2-cent postage stamp of 1863 (the Black Jack), scanned April 2005 by User:Stan Shebs File links The following pages link to this file: Postage stamps and postal history of the United States User:Stan... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (600x739, 162 KB) United States 2-cent postage stamp of 1863 (the Black Jack), scanned April 2005 by User:Stan Shebs File links The following pages link to this file: Postage stamps and postal history of the United States User:Stan... Andrew Jackson (March 15, 1767– June 8, 1845) was the seventh President of the United States (1829-1837), first governor of Florida (1821), general of the Battle of New Orleans (1815), a co-founder of the Democratic Party, and the eponym of the era of Jacksonian democracy. ... Black Jack The 2-Cent denomination United States postage stamp issued from July 1, 1863 to 1870, is generally referred to as the Black Jack due to the large portraiture of the United States President, Andrew Jackson on its face printed in pitch black. ... For other uses of the name Abraham Lincoln, see Abraham Lincoln (disambiguation) Abraham Lincoln (February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865), sometimes called Abe Lincoln and nicknamed Honest Abe, the Rail Splitter, and the Great Emancipator, was the 16th President of the United States (1861 to 1865), and the first president...

The war greatly increased the amount of mail in the North; ultimately about 1,750,000,000 copies of the 3¢ stamp were printed, and a great many have survived to the present day, typically selling for 2-3 dollars apiece. Most are rose-colored; pink versions are much rarer and quite expensive, especially the "pigeon blood pink" which goes for $3,000 and up. Species Between 100 and 150, see list A rose is a flowering shrub of the genus Rosa, and the flower of this shrub. ... Pink is a color made by mixing red and white and sometimes described as being a light red, but it is more accurately a bright undersaturated red. ...

Grills

"G" grill on an 1869 issue

In this 3-cent stamp, the grill pattern is visible in the cancel.

During the 1860s, the postal authorities became concerned about postage stamp reuse. Although there is little evidence that this actually occurred much, many post offices had never received any cancelling devices, and improvised by scribbling on the stamp with an ink pen ("pen cancellation"), or whittling designs in pieces of cork, sometimes very creatively ("fancy cancels"), and poor-quality ink could be washed from the stamp. A number of inventors patented various ideas to solve the imagined problem. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (750x742, 145 KB) Photo of a postage stamp grill (G grill) as seen from the back of a US 1869 stamp, taken April 2005 by User:Stan Shebs The G grill is 12 points across by 11 to 11 1/2... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (750x742, 145 KB) Photo of a postage stamp grill (G grill) as seen from the back of a US 1869 stamp, taken April 2005 by User:Stan Shebs The G grill is 12 points across by 11 to 11 1/2... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (750x916, 197 KB) United States 3-cent postage stamp of 1867, with F grill, scanned April 2005 by User:Stan Shebs File links The following pages link to this file: Postage stamps and postal history of the United States User:Stan... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (750x916, 197 KB) United States 3-cent postage stamp of 1867, with F grill, scanned April 2005 by User:Stan Shebs File links The following pages link to this file: Postage stamps and postal history of the United States User:Stan... In the earlier days of the postage stamp, postal officials worried much about the problem of postage stamp reuse, and invented a number of schemes to mark or deface the stamps. ... A cork stopper for a wine bottle Champagne corks Varnished cork tiles can be used for flooring, as a substitute for linoleum or tiles. ... US 2-cent stamp of 1870, cancelled with a leaf shape in blue ink A fancy cancel is a postal cancellation that includes an artistic design. ...

The Post Office eventually adopted the grill, a device consisting of a pattern of tiny pyramidal bumps that would emboss the stamp, breaking up the fibers so that the ink would soak in more deeply, and thus be harder to clean off. While the patent survives (No. 70,147), much of the actual process of grilling was not well-documented, and there has been considerable research trying to recreate what happened and when. Study of the stamps shows that there were ten types in use, distinguished by size and shape (philatelists have labelled them with letters A-I and Z), and that the practice started some time in 1867 and was abandoned around 1871. A number of grilled stamps are among the great rarities of US philately; the United States 1¢ Z grill is the rarest of all US stamps, with only two known to exist. (See grilled stamp for more details.) EMBOSS is an acronym for European Molecular Biology Open Software Suite. ... G grill on a stamp of the 1869 issue A grill on a postage stamp is an embossed pattern of small indentations intended to discourage postage stamp reuse. ...

1869s

15 cent value depicting the landing of Christopher Columbus

3 cent value depicting a locomotive

In 1868 the Post Office contracted with the National Bank Note Company to produce new stamps with a variety of designs. These came out in 1869, and were notable for the variety of their subjects; the 2¢ depicted a Pony Express rider, the 3¢ a locomotive, the 12¢ the steamship Adriatic, the 15¢ the landing of Christopher Columbus, and the 24¢ the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (750x754, 181 KB) United States 15-cent postage stamp of 1869, scanned April 2005 by User:Stan Shebs File links The following pages link to this file: User:Stan Shebs Postage stamps and postal history of the United States User:Stan... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (750x754, 181 KB) United States 15-cent postage stamp of 1869, scanned April 2005 by User:Stan Shebs File links The following pages link to this file: User:Stan Shebs Postage stamps and postal history of the United States User:Stan... Image File history File links United States 3-cent postage stamp of 1869, scanned April 2005 by User:Stan Shebs File links The following pages link to this file: Postage stamps and postal history of the United States User:Stan Shebs/Gallery/Philately ... Image File history File links United States 3-cent postage stamp of 1869, scanned April 2005 by User:Stan Shebs File links The following pages link to this file: Postage stamps and postal history of the United States User:Stan Shebs/Gallery/Philately ... The Utah portion of the Pony Express Trail. ... A locomotive (from Latin loco motivus) is a railway vehicle that provides the motive power for a train, and has no payload capacity of its own; its sole purpose is to move the train along the tracks. ... Paddle steamers - Lucerne-Switzerland Left: original paddlewheel from a paddle steamer on the lake of Lucerne. ... Several notable steamships have been named SS Adriatic, after the Adriatic Sea. ... For information about the film director, see Chris Columbus. ... U.S. Declaration of Independence The Declaration of Independence is the document in which the Thirteen Colonies in North America declared themselves independent of the Kingdom of Great Britain and explained their justifications for doing so. ...

Other innovations included the first use of two-color printing on U.S. stamps, and as a consequence the first inverted stamps. Although popular with collectors today, the unconventional stamps were the targets of much scorn when they came out, and were superseded by a new issue just a year later.

"Bank Notes"

The stamps of the 1870s and 1880s are collectively known as the "Bank Notes" because they were produced by the American Bank Note Company, Columbian Bank Note Company, and National Bank Note Company. After the 1869 fiasco, the new Postmaster-General decided to base a series of stamps on the "heads, in profile, of distinguished deceased Americans" using "marble busts of acknowledged excellence" as models. The various subjects included both presidents and other notables, such as Henry Clay and Oliver Hazard Perry. National first printed these, then in 1873 Continental received the contract—and the plates that National used. Continental added secret marks to the plates of the lower values, distinguishing them from the previous issues. The American Bank Note Company acquired Columbian in 1879, and took over the contract printing similar designs on softer papers and with some color changes. Henry Clay Henry Clay (April 12, 1777 in Hanover County, Virginia, USA – June 29, 1852 in Washington, D.C.) was a leading American statesman and orator who served in both the House of Representatives and Senate. ... Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry (August 23, 1785 – August 23, 1819) was an officer in the United States Navy. ...

During the 1880s, some new designs came out, including a 5¢ stamp in 1882 honoring the assassinated President Garfield. In 1890, a new series came out with the same basic designs, but in a smaller size. James Abram Garfield (November 19, 1831 – September 19, 1881) was the 20th President of the United States (1881), and the second U.S. President to be assassinated. ...

Columbian Issue

The World Columbian Exposition of 1893 commemorated the 400th anniversary of the landing of Christopher Columbus in the Americas. The Post Office got in on the act, issuing a series of 16 stamps depicting Columbus and episodes in his career, ranging in value from 1¢ to $5 (a princely sum in those days). They are often considered the first commemorative stamps issued by any country. The stamps were interesting and attractive, designed to appeal to both collectors and the general public. They were quite successful (a great contrast to the pictorials of 1869), with lines spilling out of the nation's post offices to buy the stamps. They are still prized by collectors today, with prices steadily climbing from a few cents for the low values, to $2,000 for the $5 stamp—less than 22,000 having been sold for the then-princely sum. See Columbian Issue. One-third scale replica of The Republic, which once stood in the great basin at the exposition, Chicago, 2004 The World Columbian Exposition (also called The Chicago Worlds Fair), a Worlds fair, was held in Chicago in 1893 to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Christopher Columbuss discovery... For information about the film director, see Chris Columbus. ... The Common Man featured in a commemorative golden postage stamp released by the Indian Postal Service on the 150th anniversary of the Times of India - 1988 A commemorative stamp is a postage stamp issued to honor or commemorate a place, event or person. ...

Bureau issues

Also during 1893, the Bureau of Engraving and Printing competed for the stamp printing contract, and won it on the first try. The stamps of the 1894 series were generally similar to those of 1890, but with triangles in the upper corners. In 1895 counterfeits of the 2¢ value were discovered, which prompted the BEP to begin issuing stamps printed on watermarked paper for the first time in US history; a practice that would be abandoned in 1917. BEP Annual Production Figures Categories: U.S. Dept. ... The examples and perspective in this article or section may not represent a worldwide view. ... This Crown & CA (for Crown Agent) watermark was standard for postage stamps of the British colonies from the 1880s to the 1920s. ...

Turn of the century

In 1898, the Trans-Mississippi Exposition opened in Omaha, Nebraska, and the Post Office was ready with the Trans-Mississippi Issue. Originally to be bi-colored, the needs of the Spanish-American War consumed too much of the BEP's ability, and the stamps came out in single colors. They were received favorably, though with less excitement than the Columbians; but like the Columbians, they are today prized by collectors, and many consider that the $1 "Black Bull" is the most attractive of all U.S. stamps. Categories: United States-related stubs | Worlds Fairs ... Flag Seal Nickname: Gateway to the West Location Location in Nebraska Coordinates , Government Country   State     County United States   Nebraska     Douglas Founded   Incorporated 1854   1857 Mayor Michael Fahey Geographical characteristics Area     City 307. ... Flag cancel used on a 2c Trans-Miss The Trans-Mississippi Issue, or Trans-Miss for short, is a set of nine commemorative postage stamps issued by the United States to mark the 1898 Trans-Mississippi Exposition held in Omaha, Nebraska. ... Combatants United States Republic of Cuba Philippine Revolutionaries Spain Casualties 379 U.S. dead; considerably higher though undetermined Cuban and Filipino casualties Unknown[1] The Spanish-American War took place in 1898, and resulted in the United States gaining control over the former colonies of Spain in the Caribbean and... Flag cancel used on a 2c Trans-Miss The Trans-Mississippi Issue, or Trans-Miss for short, is a set of nine commemorative postage stamps issued by the United States to mark the 1898 Trans-Mississippi Exposition held in Omaha, Nebraska. ...

Another high spot in stamp design came with the definitive series of 1902, although some of the philatelic press criticized the florid designs.

The Washington-Franklin era

2¢ Washington of 1914 (perf. 10, wmkd. single-line USPS

1908 saw the beginning of the long-running Washington-Franklin series of stamps. Although there were just two basic designs, a profile of Washington and one of Franklin, the Post Office was going through a period of experimentation. The result was several variations on the design, a half-dozen different perforations, three kinds of watermarking, three printing methods, and large numbers of values, all adding to several hundred distinct types identified by collectors. Some are quite rare, but many are extremely common; this was the era of the postcard craze, and almost every antique shop in the U.S. will have some postcards with green 1¢ or 2¢ stamps from this series. ImageMetadata File history File links Stamp_US_1914_2c. ... ImageMetadata File history File links Stamp_US_1914_2c. ... A sample of various postcards. ...

This era started to see the regular issue of individual commemorative stamps instead of the large sets of the 1890s, at a rate of about one or two stamps each year.

The 1920s and 1930s

The stamps of the 1920s were dominated by the Series of 1922, the first new design of stamps to appear in a generation. The lower values depicted various Presidents, with the 5c particularly intended as a memorial of the recently-deceased Theodore Roosevelt, while the higher values included an "American Indian" (Hollow Horn Bear), the Statue of Liberty, Golden Gate (sans bridge, which had yet to be built), Niagara Falls, a buffalo, the Lincoln Memorial and so forth. Stamp printing was switching from a flat plate press to a rotary press while these stamps were in use, and most come in two perforations as a result; 11 for flat plate, and 11x10.5 for rotary. Theodore Roosevelt, Jr. ... An Atsina named Assiniboin Boy Photo by Edward S. Curtis. ... Statue of Liberty and Liberty Island Liberty Enlightening the World, known more commonly as the Statue of Liberty, is a statue given to the United States by France in 1886, standing at Liberty Island in the mouth of the Hudson River in New York Harbor as a welcome to all... The Golden Gate The Golden Gate, looking south towards San Francisco. ... For other uses, see Niagara Falls (disambiguation). ... Binomial name Bison bison Linnaeus, 1758 Subspecies B. b. ... The Lincoln Memorial, on the extended axis of the National Mall in Washington, D.C., is a United States Presidential Memorial built for United States President Abraham Lincoln. ... A rotary printing press is a printing press in which the impressions are curved around a wheel so that the printing can be done on long continuous rolls of paper, cardboard, plastic, or a large number of other substrates. ...

The 1920s saw a number of 150th anniversaries connected with the American Revolutionary War, and a number of stamps were issued in connection with those. These included the first US souvenir sheet, for the Battle of White Plains sesquicentenary, and the first overprint, reading "MOLLY / PITCHER", the heroine of the Battle of Monmouth. Combatants American Revolutionaries, France, Netherlands, Spain, Native Americans Great Britain, German mercenaries, Loyalists, Native Americans Commanders George Washington, Comte de Rochambeau, Nathanael Greene William Howe, Henry Clinton, Charles Cornwallis (more commanders) The American Revolutionary War (1775–1783), also known as the American War of Independence,[1] was a war between... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Battle of White Plains Historic Site Battle of White Plains Historic Site : George Washingtons HQ The Battle of White Plains was an inconclusive meeting on October 28, 1776 in the American Revolutionary War. ... An overprint is the addition of text (and sometimes graphics) to the face of a postage stamp after it has been printed. ... Molly Pitcher was a nickname given to a woman who may have fought briefly in the American Revolutionary War. ... The Battle of Monmouth was an inconclusive battle of the American Revolutionary War fought on June 28, 1778. ...

In 1929, theft problems in the Midwest led to the Kansas-Nebraska overprints on the regular stamps.

65-cent "Zeppelin" of 1930, issued in April for the May-June Pan-American flight of the Graf Zeppelin

The German zeppelins were of much interest during this period, and in 1930 the Department issued special stamps to be used on the Pan-American flight of Graf Zeppelin. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1200x561, 199 KB) Scan of United States 64c airmail Zeppelin stamp of 1930, made by User:Stan Shebs File links The following pages link to this file: Postage stamps and postal history of the United States Zeppelin mail LZ 127 Graf... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1200x561, 199 KB) Scan of United States 64c airmail Zeppelin stamp of 1930, made by User:Stan Shebs File links The following pages link to this file: Postage stamps and postal history of the United States Zeppelin mail LZ 127 Graf... Graf Zeppelin, filled with abundant hydrogen, circumnavigated the globe. ... LZ127 Graf Zeppelin, one of the two zeppelins that carried passengers from Germany to the United States. ... Graf Zeppelin, filled with abundant hydrogen, circumnavigated the globe. ...

Although the stamps are today highly prized by collectors as masterpieces of the engraver's art, in 1930 the recent stock market crash meant that few were able to afford these stamps (the $4.55 value for the set represented a week's food allowance for a family of four). Less than 10% of the 1,000,000 of each denomination issued were sold and the remainders were incinerated (the stamps were only available for sale to the public from April 19, 1930 to June 30, 1930). It is estimated that less than 8 percent of the stamps produced survive today and they remain the smallest U.S. issue of the 20th century (only 229,260 of these stamps were ever purchased, and only 61,296 of the $2.60 stamp were sold).

In 1933, Franklin D. Roosevelt became President. He was notable not only as an avid collector in his own right (with a collection estimated at around 1 million stamps), but also for taking an interest in the stamp issues of the Department; many designs of the 1930s were inspired or altered according to his advice. Franklin Delano Roosevelt (January 30, 1882–April 12, 1945), 32nd President of the United States, the longest-serving holder of the office and the only man to be elected President more than twice, was one of the central figures of 20th century history. ...

Prexies

U.S. 2¢ stamp of 1938 with precancel

The famous Presidential Issue, known as "Prexies" for short, came out in 1938. The series featured all 29 U.S. presidents through Calvin Coolidge, as small busts printed on solid-color designs through 50¢, then black on white with colored lettering for $1, $2, and $5 values. Additional stamps depicted Franklin (1/2¢), Martha Washington (1 1/2¢), and the White House (4 1/2¢). Many of the values were just included so that all presidents were on a stamp and did not necessarily correspond to a postal rate, and one of the (difficult) games for Prexie collectors is to find a cover with, for instance, a single 16¢ stamp that pays a combination of rate and fees valid during the Prexies' period of usage. Many such covers remain to be discovered; some sellers on eBay have been surprised to discover an ordinary-seeming cover bid up to several hundred dollars because it was one of the sought-after solo usages. US 2c stamp of 1938 precancelled, scanned by User:Stan Shebs This image of a postage stamp has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... US 2c stamp of 1938 precancelled, scanned by User:Stan Shebs This image of a postage stamp has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... John Calvin Coolidge, Jr. ... Martha Washington Martha Dandridge Custis Washington (June 2, 1731 – May 22, 1802) was the wife of George Washington, the first president of the United States, and therefore is seen as the first First Lady of the United States (although that title was not coined until after her death; she was... The southern side of the White House The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the President of the United States of America. ... eBay Inc. ...

Modern U.S. stamps

See also: List of available US stamp denominations Available US stamp denominations: // Regular Postage Single or Sheet (panes of up to 100) $0. ...

The post-WWII stamp program followed a consistent pattern for many years; a steady stream of commemoratives issued as single stamps priced at the first-class letter rate. Beginning in 1948, the Congress of the United States began to push the Post Office for stamps proposed by constituents, leading to a relative flood of obscure stamps that was not well-regulated until the formation of the Citizens' Stamp Advisory Committee (CSAC) in 1957. Congress in Joint Session. ... The United States Postal Services Citizens Stamp Advisory Committee (CSAC) is a committee whose purpose is to evaluate potential subjects for U.S. postage stamps, stamped post cards and postal stationery. ...

The Liberty issue of 1954, deep in the Cold War, took a much more political slant than previous issues. The common first-class stamp was a 3¢ Statue of Liberty in purple, and included the inscription "In God We Trust", the first explicit religious reference on a U.S. stamp. The other stamps included liberty-related subjects and themes, such as Patrick Henry, although other subjects, such as Benjamin Harrison, are harder to explain. The Cold War was the protracted geopolitical, ideological, and economic struggle that emerged after World War II between the global superpowers of the Soviet Union and the United States, supported by their military alliance partners. ... Statue of Liberty and Liberty Island Liberty Enlightening the World, known more commonly as the Statue of Liberty, is a statue given to the United States by France in 1886, standing at Liberty Island in the mouth of the Hudson River in New York Harbor as a welcome to all... In God We Trust on the twenty dollar bill In God We Trust is the national motto of the United States of America. ... Patrick Henry (May 29, 1736 – June 6, 1799) was a prominent figure in the American Revolution, known and remembered primarily for his stirring oratory. ... Benjamin Harrison VI (August 20, 1833 – March 13, 1901) was the 23rd President of the United States. ...

The 3¢ rate for first-class had been unchanged since 1851, but by 1958 there were no more efficiency gains to keep the lid on prices, and the rate went to 4¢, beginning a steady series of rate increases that reached 39¢ as of 2006. 2006 is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

5¢ George Washington, 1967

The Prominent Americans series superseded the "Liberties" in the 1960s, and were themselves replaced by the Americana series in the 1970s. Image File history File links Stamp_US_1967_5c_Washington_redrawn. ... Image File history File links Stamp_US_1967_5c_Washington_redrawn. ... George Washington (February 22, 1732 – December 14, 1799) was the Commander in Chief of American forces in the American Revolutionary War (1775–1783), and, later, the first President of the United States, an office he held from 1789 to 1797. ... Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. ... The infamous CIA Invert, Scott 1610c The Americana Series was a series of United States postage stamps, which replaced the Prominent Americans series. ...

In 1971 the Post Office was reorganized, becoming the United States Postal Service (USPS). However, it is still heavily regulated, with for instance the CSAC continuing to decide which commemorative stamps to issue. A previous USPS logo The United States Postal Service (USPS) is an independent establishment of the executive branch of the United States government (see ) responsible for providing postal service in the United States; it is generally referred to within the United States as the post office. ...

The first self-adhesive stamp was a Christmas issue of 1974. It was not considered successful, and the surviving stamps, though not rare, are all gradually becoming discolored due to the adhesive used. Self-adhesives were not issued again until 1989, gradually becoming so popular that as of 2004, only a handful of types are offered with the traditional gum (now affectionately called "manual stamps" by postal employees.) Self-adhesive stamps were first issued in such tropical climates as Sierra Leone and Tonga in an attempt to avoid the sticking-together tendencies traditional water-activated stamps had in humid conditions. ... 2004 is a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

The Great Americans series and the Transportation coils began appearing in 1980 and 1981, respectively. The transportation coils were used steadily for some 20 years, while Great Americans still appear regularly as of 2004. The 78¢ Alice Paul self-adhesive stamp was the last in the Great Americans series. ... The $1 Seaplane is the largest denomination of the Transportation Coil Series. ... 2004 is a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

The increasing use of email and other technologies during the 1990s led to a decline in the amount of first-class mail, while bulk mail increased. A large variety of commemorative stamps continue to appear, but more and more of them just go to collectors, while the stamps of the average person's daily mail are nondenominated types issued specifically for businesses. E-mail, or email, is short for electronic mail and is a method of composing, sending, and receiving messages over electronic communication systems. ...

Timeline

• 1639 - First American Post Office set up in Boston
• 1672 - New York City mail service to Boston, Massachusetts
• 1674 - Mail service in Connecticut
• 1683 - William Penn begins weekly service to Pennsylvania and Maryland villages and towns
• 1693 - service between colonies began in Virginia
• 1775 - First postmaster general appointed: Benjamin Franklin
• 1785 - First trans-Atlantic air-borne mail delivery by hot-air balloon (?)from America to Benjamin Franklin in France
• 1799 - U.S. Congress passes law authorizing death penalty for mail robbery
• 1813 - First mail carried by steamboat
• 1832 - First official railroad mail service
• 1857 - perforated stamps introduced
• 1860 - Pony Express started
• 1893 - First commerative event stamps: Chicago World's Fair
• 1913 - Parcel delivery began
• 1918 - First airmail stamps used
• 1920 - Transcontinental mail between New York and San Francisco
• 1958 - Well-known artists begin designing stamps
• 1963 - Zip-codes introduced

Official language(s) None, English de facto Capital Albany Largest city New York City Area  Ranked 27th  - Total 54,520 sq mi (141,205 km²)  - Width 285 miles (455 km)  - Length 330 miles (530 km)  - % water 13. ... Boston is a town and small port c. ... Official language(s) English Capital Hartford Largest city Bridgeport Area  Ranked 48th  - Total 5,549 sq. ... William Penn William Penn (October 14, 1644–July 30, 1718) founded the Province of Pennsylvania, the British North American colony that became the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. ... Official language(s) None Capital Harrisburg Largest city Philadelphia Area  Ranked 33rd  - Total 46,055 sq mi (119,283 km²)  - Width 160 miles (255 km)  - Length 280 miles (455 km)  - % water 2. ... Official language(s) None (English, de-facto) Capital Annapolis Largest city Baltimore Area  Ranked 42nd  - Total 12,417 sq mi (32,160 km²)  - Width 90 miles (145 km)  - Length 249 miles (400 km)  - % water 21  - Latitude 37°53N to 39°43N  - Longitude 75°4W to 79°33... Official language(s) English Capital Richmond Largest city Virginia Beach Area  Ranked 35th  - Total 42,793 sq mi (110,862 km²)  - Width 200 miles (320 km)  - Length 430 miles (690 km)  - % water 7. ... Benjamin Franklin by Jean-Baptiste Greuze 1777 Benjamin Franklin (January 17 [O.S. January 6] 1706 – April 17, 1790) was one of the most prominent of the Founders and early political figures, inventors, and statesmen of the United States. ... Paddle steamers - Lucerne-Switzerland Left: original paddlewheel from a paddle steamer on the lake of Lucerne. ... The Utah portion of the Pony Express Trail. ... World Columbian Exposition, Chicago, 1893 The World Columbian Exposition (also called The Chicago Worlds Fair), a Worlds fair, was held in Chicago in 1893 to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Christopher Columbuss discovery of the New World. ...

References

• Scott catalog
• Lester G. Brookman, The Nineteenth Century Postage Stamps of the United States (Lindquist, 1947)
• Max Johl, The United States Postage Stamps of the Twentieth Century (Lindquist, 1937)

Covers of the 2002 edition featured art on stamps. ...

External links

• USPS Official web site
• Postal Rate Chart