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 STAMP (13-CENT)ISSUE OF 1926
A new postage stamp of 13-cent denomination was issued and first placed on sale January 11, 1926, at Washington, D.C., and Indianapolis, Indiana.
The stamp is the same shape and size, 75/100 by 87/100 inch, as the 12-cent stamp of the series 1922-23, and is printed in green ink. The central design is a portrait of Benjamin Harrison within an oval with open background and is partly enclosed in a panel which is supported on either side by acanthus scrolls. Above the portrait, in a curved line, appear the words "United States postage" in white Roman letters. On a ribbon below the oval is the name "Harrison", and under this, at the bottom of the stamp, appears the word "Cents." In both lower corners, within ovals with dark backgrounds, are the white numerals "13." The entire stamp is enclosed within a cross-line border with small triangular ornaments in both upper corners.
This stamp was issued primarily for use in prepaying postage on parcels and postage and insurance fee on insured parcels amounting to 13 cents.
SESQUICENTENNIAL COMMEMORATIVE STAMP (2-CENT)-ISSUE OF 1926
A new postage stamp of 2-cent denomination was issued to commemorate the one hundred and fiftieth anniversary of American independence and in connection with the Sesquicentennial Exposition held in Philadelphia in 1926.
The stamp is a horizontal rectangle of the same size as the special delivery stamp, 84/100 by 1 44/100 inches, and is printed in red ink. The central design is the Liberty Bell, which swings from the top of four flat ornamental columns that rest on the lower panel. The words "Sesquicentennial Exposition" appear across the top of the stamp in a straight line, with a ruled shadow background. Under these in a curved panel appear the words "United States postage." This panel is supported at either end by a scroll extending out of circular panels at either lower corner. Within these circular panels appears the numeral "2." Across the bottom of the stamp are the words "Two cents" within a horizontal panel. In the upper corners under the words "Sesquicentennial Exposition" appear the dates, "1776" at the left and "1926" at the right. All the lettering on the stamp is white-faced Roman.
The sesquicentennial stamp was first placed on sale May 10, 1926, at the post offices at Philadelphia, Pa., Boston, Mass., and Washington, D.C.
ERICSSON MEMORIAL STAMP 5-CENT)ISSUE OF 1926
A new postage stamp of 5-cent denomination was issued as a memorial to John Ericsson, builder of the Monitor, and in connection with the unveiling of his statue by the Crown Prince of Sweden at Washington, D.C., on May 29, 1926.
The subject of this stamp is a model similar to the John Ericsson memorial statue designed by J. E. Fraser.
This stamp is an upright rectangle, 144/100 by 84/100 inches in size, printed in purplish blue ink. The central design is the white marble figure of John Ericsson seated in a large chair resting on a stone base. Upon the base appear the words "John Ericsson Memorial" and "Cents" in white Gothic letters with the numeral "5" in both corners. Extending from either side and in the rear of chair on darker stone appear the ye,ars of his birth and death, "1803-1889." On an ornate base, above and to the rear of the figure of Ericsson, is a group of allegorical figures in white marble, of which only the center one, representing "Vision", is shown. The background for this statue is a dark sky with darkly silhouetted evergreens showing on each side. A narrow white line border surrounds the stamp with a shield of the United States in the upper left corner and a shield of Sweden in the upper right corner. Connecting the two shields is a panel supported on each side by small ornamental brackets and containing the words "U.S. postage" in whiteface Gothic letters.
The Ericsson stamp was first placed on sale May 29, 1926, at the post offices at New York, N.Y., Chicago, Ill., Minneapolis, Minn., and Washington, D.C.
BATTLE OF WHITE PLAINS COMMEMORATIVE STAMP (2-CENT)-ISSUE OF 1926
This stamp of 2-cent denomination was issued to commemorate the one hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the Battle of White Plains.
The new stamp is a horizontal rectangle, 75/100 by 87/100 inch in size, and is printed in red ink. The center vignette shows a gun crew in action, consisting of four men dressed in Continental uniform, with cannon and ammunition, copied from a painting by E. F. Ward, submitted by Dr. Jason S. Parker, of White Plains, N.Y. Over the vignette, in ribbon form, are the words "United States postage" in Roman letters. In the upper left corner appears the year "1776" and in the upper right corner the year "1926." Below the vignette in the center of the stamp is a circle, containing the large numeral "2", with the word "Cents" on both sides. Above the circle are the words "Battle of White Plains." In the lower left corner is the Continental flag and in the lower right corner the historic "Liberty or Death" flag, first used in the Battle of White Plains, both appearing in oblique position.
This stamp was first p]aced on sale October 18, 1926, at the post office at White Plains, N.Y. For the benefit of philatelists, it was also placed on sale the same date at the branch of the Department's Philatelic Agency which was temporarily established at the International Philatelic Exhibition held at Grand Central Palace, New York City, from October 16 to 23, inclusive. On October 28, 1926, the anniversary of the Battle of White Plains, the new stamp was placed on sale at the Philatelic Agency at Washington, D.C., and at a number of the larger post offices.
The Battle of White Plains stamp was also issued in special sheets of 25 stamps each, with the inscription "International Philatelic Exhibition, October 16 to 23, 1926, New York, N.Y., U.S.A.", appearing on the margins of each sheet. These sheets were all printed, gummed, and perforated at the Bureau of Engraving and Printing, and sent to the branch Philatelic Agency at the International Philatelic Exhibition, to be placed on sale October 18, 1926, the same date the regular sheets containing 100 stamps were also placed on sale. These special sheets were also placed on sale at the Philatelic Agency at Washington, D.C., on October 28, 1926. They were not issued to postmasters for sale to the public.
As a special feature of the International Philatelic Exhibition, the Bureau of Engraving and Printing installed a hand-roller press and printed 700 sheets of White Plains stamps from plate No. 18772. These sheets, containing four blocks of 25 stamps each, were not gummed or perforated, and none was sold. They were all returned to the Bureau of Engraving and Printing and dcstroyed by a special committee appointed for that purpose. At the same time, plate No. 18772, from which they were printed, was mutilated and later destroyed.