United States Postage Stamps
A History
Regular, Commementive, Memorial Issues
Introduction
~ Series of 1847
Series of 1851
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
ORDINARY POSTAGE STAMPS 1/2-CENT AND 1 1/2-CENT-ISSUE OF 1925
NEW DENOMINATIONS
The Postal Service Act approved February 28, 1925, increasing the rates of postage effective April 15, 1925, made it necessary to issue a new 1/2-cent and a 1 1/2-cent ordinary postage stamp.
These new stamps are the same shape and size as the 1-cent ordinary stamp of the issue of 1922-23. The 1/2-cent stamp bears the portrait of Nathan Hale, with the name "Nathan Hale" on a ribbon below the portrait. The surrounding design is the same as the 1-cent stamp except that the numeral "1/2" appears in the ovals in both lower corners. The stamp is enclosed within a cross-line border and is printed in sepia.
The 1/2-cent stamp was first placed on sale April 4, 1925, at New Haven, Conn., and Washington, D.c.
The 1 1/2-cent stamp bears the portrait of the late President Warren G. Harding with the name "Harding" on a ribbon below the portrait. The surrounding design is the same as the current 2-cent stamp, except that the numeral "1 1/2" appears in the ovals in both lower corners and the triangular ornaments in both upper corners were changed. The stamp is enclosed within a plain border and is printed in light brown.
The 1 1/2-cent stamp was first placed on sale March 19, 1925, at Washington, D.C.
LEXINGTON-CONCORD COMMEMORATIVE STAMPS-ISSUE OF 1925
This series of postage stamps was issued to commemorate the one hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the Battle of Lexington and Concord. They were first placed on sale April 4, 1925, at Washington, D.C., and the following additional post offices: Concord, Mass., Concord Junction, Mass., Boston, Mass., Cambridge, Mass., Lexington, Mass.
The stamps are rectangular in shape. The sizes are 0.84 x 1.435 for the 1- and 2-cent stamp and 0.84 x 1.43 for the 5-cent stamp.
The subject of the I-cent stamp is "Washington at Cambridge" from a photoglyphic chart and represents Washington taking command of the American Army. The title appears in small white letters under the central design. Beneath this, on a ribbon scroll, appear the words "Lexington-Concord", and at the bottom of the stamp are the words "One cent." In a straight line, at the top of the stamp, appear the words "United States postage" in white Roman letters, and in both lower corners, within circles, is the white numeral "1." Above the circles are the years "1775" at the left and "1925" at the right, and in panels arranged at the right and left of the central design are two muskets with powderhorns. The entire design is enclosed within a straight line border and is printed in green ink.
The subject of the 2-cent stamp is "Birth of Liberty" from the painting by Henry Sandham in the town hall at Lexington and represents the Battle of Lexington and Concord. The title appears in small white letters under the central design. The surrounding design is the same as the 1-cent stamp except that the numeral "2" appears in the circles and the words "Two cents" appear at the bottom of the stamp. This stamp is printed in red ink.
The subject of the 5-cent stamp is "The Minute Man" from a photograph of the statue located at Concord, Mass. The title appears in small dark letters under the central design, which stands between two columns. To the right and left of the columns are two tablets bearing the following inscription: "By the rude bridge that arched the flood their flag to April's breeze unfurled. Here once the embattled farmers stood and fired the shot heard around the world." The surrounding design is the same as the other denominations except that the numeral "5" appears in the circles and the words "Five cents" appear at the bottom of the stamp. This stamp is printed in blue ink.
This series of commemorative stamps was issued in sheets of 50.
NORSE-AMERICAN COMMEMORATIVE STAMPS (2-CENT AND 5-CENT)-ISSUE OF 1925
These stamps were issued to commemorate the one-hundredth anniversary of the arrival in New York, on October 9, 1825, of the sloop Restaurationen with the first group of immigrants to the United States from Norway.
The stamps are in two denominations, 2-cent and 5-cent, and are described as follows:
They are the same size, 75/100 by 87/100 inch, as the ordinary series of postage stamps, but with horizontal design, printed in two colors.
The 2-cent stamp has for its central design a ship representing the sloop Restaurationen, with a smaller vessel in the background, from a photoengraving. At the top of the stamp, in a straight panel, appear the words "NorseAmerican" in white Roman letters, and below this, on a curved ribbon, is the word "Centennial" in dark letters. Ribbon scrolls appear in the upper portion on each side of the stamp with the years "1825" at the left and "1925" at the right. At the bottom of the stamp, in three straight lines, are the words "United States postage, two cents", and in both lower corners, within circles with dark backgrounds, is the white numeral "2." The central design is printed in black with the border design printed in red.
The 5-cent stamp has for its central design a Viking ship from a photoengraving. At the top of the stamp, in white Gothic letters, appear the words "Norse-American" and below this, on a curved ribbon, is the word "Centennial" in dark letters. At the left of the stamp is a shield of Norway with the year "1825" above, and at the right of the stamp is a shield of the United States with the year "1925" above. Below the central design, in three straight lines, are the words "United States postage, five cents", and in both lower corners within circles with dark backgrounds, is the white numeral "5." The central design is printed in black with the border design printed in blue.
The first issue of the Norse-American commemorative stamps was placed on sale May 18, 1925, at the following post offices: St.Paul, Minneapolis, Benson, and Northfield, Minn.; Algona and Decorah, Iowa; and Washington, D.C.
ORDINARY POSTAGE STAMP (17 -CENT)ISSUE OF 1925
NEW DENOMINATION
A new postage stamp of 17-cent denomination, bearing the portrait of Woodrow Wilson, was issued and first placed on sale December 28, 1925, at Washington, D.c., Princeton, N.J., New York, N.Y., and Staunton, Va.
The stamp is the same shape and size, a horizontal rectangle, as the 20-cent stamp of the series of 1922-23, and is printed in bank note black ink. The central design is a portrait of Woodrow Wilson within a semicircle and is partly enclosed in a panel which is supported on either side by acanthus scrolls. Within this panel and above the portrait appear the words "United States postage" in white Roman letters. On a ribbon below the portrait is the name "Wilson" and under this, at the bottom of the stamp, appears the word "Cents." In both lower corners, within circles with dark backgrounds, are the white numerals "17." Triangular white-line ornaments appear in both upper corners and the entire stamp is enclosed within a single white-line border.
The new stamp was issued primarily for use in prepaying a single rate of letter postage and registry fee and was also available to the amount of its value for other purposes for which ordinary postage stamps are used.