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
GENERAL PULASKI COMMEMORATIVE STAMP (2-CENT)-ISSUE OF 1931
This special 2-cent commemorative postage stamp in honor of Gen. Casimir Pulaski was issued in recognition of the one hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the death of the noted Polish patriot and hero of the American Revolution.
The stamp is the same shape and size as the regular issue, 75/100 by 85/100 inch in dimension, and is printed in red ink. The stamp has a flat, dark border with beveled outer edge, slightly indented at the sides. On the border at the top in two lines is the wording "United States postage", in white-faced Roman letters. In both lower corners in white bordered circles is the numeral "2" in white-faced Roman and above the circles in the bordering panel in white numerals are the dates, "1743" at the left and "1779" at the right, representing the dates of birth and death, respectively, of General Pulaski. Across the bottom of the stamp in a dark panel with white edges connecting the numerals is the word "Cents" in white Roman lettering. In a central panel of oval form with a narrow white edge is the likeness of General Pulaski modeled from a portrait in Jones's History of Georgia, printed from an etching by H. B. Hall in 1371. In a white curved ribbon panel at the base of the portrait are the words "General Pulaski" in red Gothic letters. Projecting from behind the central panel with their staffs extending to the upper corners are the flags of the two nations, that of the United States to the left and the Republic of Poland to the right.
The General Pulaski commemorative stamp was first placed on sale January 16, 1931, at the following post offices:
Savannah, Ga. Buffalo, N.Y.
Chicago, Ill. New York, N.Y.
Gary, Ind. Cleveland, Ohio.
South Bend, Ind. Toledo, Ohio.
Detroit, Mich. Pittsburgh, Pa.
Brooklyn, N.Y. Milwaukee, Wis.
RED CROSS COMMEMORATIVE POSTAGE STAMP (2-CENT)-ISSUE OF 1931
This stamp was issued to commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of the founding of the American Red Cross.
The stamp is printed in two colors, black and red, and is the same size as the regular issue, 75/100 by 87/100 inch, arranged as an upright rectangle. The stamp is enclosed in a border formed by a heavy black outer and lighter inner line slightly indented along the center on all four sides. Across the top of the stamp in two lines are the words "United States postage" in white-faced Roman lettering. The central design of the stamp, printed in black, is the figure of a Red Cross nurse kneeling before the globe with outstretched hands, reproduced from the 1930 poster entitled "The Greatest Mother." In the upper part of the stamp at the left of the figure is the Greek cross with five equal squares, the emblem of the organization, printed in red. Arranged vertically, opposite the indentation on either side, are the dates in black Gothic figures "1331" at the left and "1931" at the right. In both lower corners within white bordered ovals with black background appears the white numerals "2." The ovals are surmounted by acanthus scroll ornaments. Across the bottom of the stamp in a straight line between the ovals containing the denomination numeral is the word "Cents" in white Roman letters.
The Red Cross commemorative stamp was placed on sale May 21, 1931, at Washington, D.c., national headquarters of the American Red Cross, and Dansville, N.Y., where the first local chapter was established.
YORKTOWN COMMEMORATIVE POSTAGE STAMP (2-CENT)-ISSUE OF 1931
The Battle of Yorktown stamp commemorates the one hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the surrender of Cornwallis.
The stamp is rectangular in shape, 89/100 by 1 46/100 inches in dimension. It is printed in two colors, the background in red, and the three portraits composing the central design in black. In a horizontal line across the top of the stamp are the words "United States postage" in small white Roman letters. Directly below on a white ribbon panel in red lettering is the word "Yorktown" in the center with the dates on either side, "1731" at the left and "1931" at the right. At the base of the stamp in a small panel with curled scrolls at either end is the word "Cents" in white-faced Roman on a solid background. In each lower corner in a small panel with narrow white horder and scrolled top is the numeral "2" in white Roman on a solid background. Extending across the center of the stamp are three ovals with white outer and red inner line borders containing, in order, beginning at the left, the portraits of Rochambeau, Washington, and De Grasse, the names appearing in red lettering on white ribbon panels at the base of the ovals.
The Yorktown stamp was first placed on sale October 19, 1931, at the post offices in Yorktown, Va., and Wethersfield, Conn. (branch of Hartford). The latter post office was included in the first day list for the reason that it was at that place that the plans for the Yorktown campaign were agreed to by General Washington and Count Rochambeau.