United States Postage Stamps
A History
Regular, Commementive, Memorial Issues
Introduction
~ Series of 1847
Series of 1851-57
Series of 1861
Series of 1869
Issues of 1870
Issues of 1890&3
Columbian Series of 1893
Isues of 1894
Trans-Mississippi Exposition Stamps of
1898
Pan-American Stamps of 1901
Series of 1902-3
Lousiana Purchase Commemorative Stamps of
1904
Jamestown Commemorative Stamps of
1907
Issues of 1908-9
Issues of 1909
Issues of 1912
Panama-Pacific
Commemorative Stamps of 1913
Issues of 1914-5
Issues of 1918
Issues of 1919
Pilgram Tercentenary Commemorative Stamps
of 1920
Issues of 1922-23
Issue of 1923
Huguenot-Walloon Tercentenary Stamps of
1924
Issues of 1925
Issues of 1926
Issues of 1927
Issues of 1928
Issues of 1929
Issues of 1930
Isues of 1931
Washington Bicentennal Commemorative Stamps
of 1932 & other Issues
Issues of 1933
Issues of 1934
Issues of 1935
Special
Souvenior sheets of 1935
Issues of 1936
Issues of 1937
Issues of 1938
Issues of 1939
Famous Americans Commem's of 1940 &
Others
Vnmont Statehood of 1941
Issues of 1942
Overrun Countries commem's of 1943-44 &
Others
Issues of 1944
Roosevelt and Armed Forces Series of 1945
& Others
Issues of 1946
Issues of 1947
Air Mail Stamps
Issues
of 1918-1947
Carriers' Stamps
Issues of 1851
Newspaper & Periodical Stamps
Issues
of 1865
Issues of 1875
Issues of 1895
Offical Postage Stamps
Issues
of 1873-1884
Parcel Post Stamps
Issues of 1912-1913
Postage Due Stamps
Issues of 1879-1930
Parcel Post Postage Due Stamps
Issues of 1912
Postal Savings Offical Stamps
Issues of 1910-1911
Postal Savings Stamps
Issue
of 1911
Registry Stamp
Issue of 1911
Special Delivery Air Mail Stamp
Issue of 1934-1936
Special Delivery Stamps
Issues
of 1885-1925
Special Handling Stamp
Issue of 1925
United States Postage Stamps
1847 through 1947 ~ The first 100 years
Series of 1851-57 Imperf
The above were issued perforated 1857-61
Following issued 1857-61 Perferated
One-cent.-Profile bust of Franklin looking to the right, the words "U. S. postage" following an outside-border line in the medallion at the top, and "One cent" at the bottom in white capitals and 'On curved panels; on the corners and partly surrounding the two panels are convolute scroll-work ornaments, nearly meeting in points on the sides. Color, indigo blue. These were the first stamps in perforated sheets, and they were issued as early as the 24th of February, 1857.
Three-cent.-Profile of Washington, after bust by J. A. Houdon, facing left. Surrounding the ellipse is a tessellated frame, terminating in each of the four corners with a fine lathework rosette. At the top and bottom of the stamp are straight panels with a small part cut off at each end, the top bearing the words "D. S. postage" and the bottom "Three cents" in white capitals. In each of the four excised panel ends forming the extreme corners of the stamp is a small white diamond figure. A fine white line forms an outer rectangular border. Color, brick red.
Five-cent.-Portrait of Jefferson, after a painting by Stuart, three-quarters face, looking to the right and upon a ground slightly lighter than the general cast of the stamp. The lathework border nearly follows the rectangular outer lines of the stamp. It extends inward about %6 of an inch wide, curving inward at the middle of the four sides, at the top and bottom touching the medallion and at the sides passing under it, thus leaving small spaces of a different figure at the four points outside the ellipse. This border follows the curved lines at the corners. It has slight projections on the outer side, equidistant from the corners. The words "D. S. postage" are in the middle of the border at the top, and "Five cents" at the bottom in white capitals follows the slightly curved line of the border. Color, brown.
Ten-cent.-Portrait of Washington, after the painting by Stuart, three-quarters face, looking to the left. Around the upper portion of the medallion, on a solid ground, are 13 five-pointed stars, above which, in a white panel following the general line of the medallion, are the words, in small stencil capitals, "D. S. postage", and at the bottom, in white capitals and following a double reverse curve, are the words "Ten cents." In each of the upper corners is the Roman number "X" in the nearly circular spaces left by the foliate and scroll ornamentations which appear there as well as, to a larger extent, in the trigonal spaces in the lower corners of the stamp. Color, dark green.
Twelve-cent. -Portrait of Washington, the same as on the 10-cent stamp. Above the medallion and conforming to its curve are the words "D. S. postage" in white shaded capitals, and below, similarly inscribed, are the words "Twelve cents." The medallion lies upon a rectangular, straight-line engraved background. The corners, which appear outside the ellipse are ornamented by scroll-work rosettes. Between this background and the outer border of the stamp, there is a finely tessellated space. Color, black.
Twenty-four-cent.-Portrait of Washington after the same original as the 10- and 12-cent, but reduced to about two-thirds the size and facing three-quarters to the right. Double lines inclose the medallion, with a space sufficient between them to place at the top in white capitals the words "D. S. postage" and upon the lower half the words "Twenty four cents." These two inscriptions are separated on each side by rectangular ornaments with a white border and a white spot in the middle. Outside of this is intricate lathework extending to the outer limit of the stamp, which has rounded corners and curved outer lines. Color, very dark lilac.
Thirty-cent. -Profile bust of Franklin looking to the left, slightly smaller, but evidently a reproduction, reversed, of that on the 1-cent stamp. At the top, following the elliptical lines of the medallion, is the word "postage" in white capitals, and immediately above, reaching nearly to the border of the stamp, the letters "D. S.", and at the bottom "30" in Arabic numerals. On the left of the medallion is the word "Thirty" reading up, and on the right the word "Cents" reading down. In each corner is a shield with radiant lines extending from it into the.corners, and bits of scroll work on each of the sides of the shield, the point of the shield being directed inward toward the center of the stamp. The irregular outer border terminates at each corner in two white spear points. Color, orange.
Ninety-cent. -Portrait of Washington in general's uniform, after the painting by Trumbull, three-quarters face. The tablet upon which this portrait appears is oblong, with an arched top, differing in this respect from any other stamp in the series. The ground is a deep, solid color and the picture occupies about one-half the opening. The words "U. S. postage", in white capitals, on a tablet following the arched line, appear at the top, and at the bottom, on a straight panel with rounded ends, are the words "Ninety cents." Outside the portrait enclosure, in the middle of each side, the frame appears to roll back, and there are some slight ornaments. Color, deep indigo blue.
These stamps are obsolete and worthless for postage today. (Too valuable to collectors to be used anyway!). A reasonable time was given after the Civil War began in 1861 for the exchange of stamps by the public and for the replacement of post office stocks. Their acceptance in the prepayment of postage was discontinued in the several States and Territories effective November 1and December 1, 1861, and January 1, 1862, depending on the distance from Washington.