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

POSTAL SAVINGS OFFICIAL STAMPS-ISSUE OF 1911

The Act of Congress approved June 25, 1910, establishing postal savings depositories, provides:

"SEC. 2. That the Postmaster General is hereby directed to prepare and issue special stamps of the necessary denominations for lise, in lieu of penalty or franked envelopes, in the transmittal of free mail resulting from the administration of this act."

Under this provision of law the Department issued postal savings official stamps in five denominations.

The stamp is a rectangle on end, of about the same size as an ordinary postage stamp. In the center is an ellipse containing the words "Official mail" in white letters, the background within the ellipse being lathe­work. Outside of and following the curve of the ellipse are the words "U. S. postal savings" in white letters. In each lower corner is a numeral expressing the denomi­nation, and between these numerals the word "Cents" (or "Dollar") appears in white let­ters. In the corners at the top are small triangular panels containing relief work.

There was also issued a 1-cent and 2-cent official stamped envelope for use of the postal savings. The embossed stamp is an ellipse on end; in the center in plain Gothic type appcar the words "Official mail" in two horizontal lines. In the upper half of the border are the words "U. S. postal savings", and in the lower half "One I cent" (or "Two 2 cents"), the numerals beiug prominent.

The use of postal savings official stamps was discontinued by the Act of Congress approved September 23, 1914, providing the penalty privilege for official business of the Postal Savings System.

The unused stamps in the hands of postmasters were returned to the Department and later destroyed by a committee appointed for that purpose.