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

CARRIER STAMPS - OFFICIAL ISSUES - 1851

One-cent carrier stamp.-Profile bust of Franklin, looking to the left. At the top, on a straight line, in white capitals, is the word "Carriers", terminating at each end with a five-pointed star in heavy parentheses, and at the bottom in a straight line of white capitals, the word "Stamp", terminating also at each end with a white five-pointed star in heavy white parentheses. The corners of a straight rectangular figure, engraved in horizontal lines, appear from under the medallion and are marked by scroll-work rosettes. The remainder of the space inside the border lines of the stamp is in fine tessellated work. The value of the stamp is not stated, though it represented 1 cent. Color, indigo blue on rose-colored paper.

One-cent carrier stamp.-Picture of an eagle upon the branch of a tree, poised as for flight, looking to the left. The central portion of the ground is dark, shaded into white near the circumference. Within a dark border delineated by double lines, there are the words "D. S. P. O. despatch" in white capitals and at the bottom "Pre-paid. One cent". The tablets on which these words appear do not quite meet on the left and right, leaving spaces of lighter color. Leaves of oak appear in the left corners and of laurel in the right, clinging to the inscription surrounding the medallion, but leaving in the extreme corners a white ground. The longest diameter of the ellipse is horizontal. Color, light indigo blue.

The above two stamps were used to defray delivery to a post office on letters going to another post office, and for collection and delivery in the same city (local letters handled only by the carrier deptyartment) A less common usage was for a collection fee from the addressee at the post office ("drop letters").