US Postage Stamps: From Early Beginnings to Modern Times

The history of US postage stamps is a fascinating story that spans over two centuries. The first postage stamp, the 5-cent Benjamin Franklin stamp, was issued in 1847 and was the first adhesive postage stamp to be used in the United States.

The early years of US postage stamps were marked by the use of private mail carriers, which ultimately led to the establishment of the US Postal Service in 1792. This marked the beginning of a standardized postal system.

The introduction of the 24-cent stamp in 1861 marked a significant change in the design of US postage stamps, with the inclusion of a portrait of Salmon P. Chase, the Secretary of the Treasury at the time. This design change set the stage for future innovations in stamp design.

From the early beginnings of US postage stamps to the modern times, the designs and themes have evolved significantly, reflecting the changing values and culture of the United States.

The early days of postage stamps were quite fascinating. The first postage stamp was the Penny Black, issued in 1840, featuring a portrait of Queen Victoria.

It was a significant innovation in postal history, making it easier and more affordable for people to send letters. The Penny Black was a uniform 1d stamp, with a distinctive black design and a profile of the Queen.

The Penny Black was a huge success, with over 68 million stamps issued in the first year alone.

Before the introduction of postage stamps, it was the recipient of mail who generally paid the cost of postage, giving the fee directly to the postman on delivery.

This system was quite inefficient, as the postman had to collect money for each letter, slowing him down on his route.

The addressee would often refuse a piece of mail, which then had to be taken back to the post office, adding to the post office's budget for unpaid-for mail.

In some cases, senders would pay delivery costs in advance, but this usually required a personal visit to the post office.

Postmasters allowed some citizens to run charge accounts for their delivered and prepaid mail, but bookkeeping on these was another inefficiency.

The lack of standardized rates for delivery throughout the country made it difficult to implement a postage system that would truly revolutionize the process.

The Provisional Issue was a temporary solution to the US Postal Service's need for postage stamps in 1847.

The first stamps were made by cutting up sheets of paper that had been printed with the required designs and denominations.

These early stamps were not printed with perforations, making them difficult to separate without tearing.

The Provisional Issue stamps were used until the first definitive stamps were issued in 1847, which included the 5-cent Benjamin Franklin and the 10-cent George Washington designs.

The 5-cent stamp featured a portrait of Benjamin Franklin, who was a Founding Father and a key figure in American history.

The 10-cent stamp featured a portrait of George Washington, the first President of the United States.

First National was a significant player in the early days of postage stamps. It was one of the first companies to issue stamps in the United States.

The company's first stamp, issued in 1847, was a 5-cent stamp featuring a portrait of Benjamin Franklin. This was a bold move, as it was the first time a private company had issued a stamp.

The First National stamp was a huge success, and it paved the way for other private companies to issue their own stamps.

The Post Office issued commemorative stamps in conjunction with national expositions, starting with the Louisiana Purchase Exposition in 1904.

In 1907, a trio of stamps commemorated the Jamestown Exposition in Norfolk, Virginia.

The first postwar commemorative stamp was released in 1919, a 3¢ "victory" stamp, after the normal letter rate was raised to 3¢ in 1917 to support the war effort.

The Post Office began issuing commemorative stamps unconnected to national expositions with the Lincoln Memorial issue of 1909.

Encased postage stamps were a unique solution to a pressing problem during the Civil War era. John Gault invented the encased postage stamp in 1862.

These stamps were wrapped around a circular cardboard disc and placed inside a coin-like circular brass jacket. A transparent mica window in the jacket allowed the face of the stamp to be seen.

All eight denominations available in 1861-62, ranging from 1 cent to 90 cents, were offered in encased versions. Raised lettering on the metal backs of the jackets often advertised the goods or services of business firms.

The Aerated Bread Company, Ayer's Sarsaparilla and Cathartic Pills, and Burnett's Cocoaine were just a few of the businesses that advertised on these encased stamps.

The 1902-1903 definitive stamps were a departure from tradition, featuring printed names and birth and death dates, a design element more typically found in Commemorative stamps.

These stamps were the first to be entirely designed and printed by the Bureau of Engraving and Printing, and their Baroque revival style is reminiscent of the Pan-American commemoratives issued in 1901.

There are fourteen denominations ranging from 1-cent to 5-dollars, each with its own individual design, except for the 2-cent George Washington stamp which appeared with two different designs.

The 8-cent stamp featured an image of Martha Washington, the first woman to appear on a U.S. definitive series.

The postal service continued to produce commemorative sets in conjunction with important national expositions between 1904 and 1907. These issues included a set of five stamps for the Louisiana Purchase Exposition in St. Louis, Missouri, in 1904.

A trio of stamps commemorated the Jamestown Exposition, held in Norfolk, Virginia, in 1907. This marked another notable commemorative issue during this period.

These commemorative issues were an important part of the postal service's efforts to engage with national events and celebrations.

The Washington Era was a significant time for US postage stamps, marked by a special issue in 1932 to celebrate George Washington's 200th birthday. This bicentennial issue featured a set of 12 stamps, including the iconic 2¢ red Washington stamp.

The 2¢ red Washington stamp was a familiar image of George Washington, taken from the Gilbert Stuart portrait. After postal rates rose in July 1932, the 2¢ red Washington stamp was redesigned as a 3¢ stamp and issued in the purple color that became a standard for US commemoratives.

The 1869 Pictorial Issue was a game-changer for U.S. postage stamps. It marked the first time the Post Office contracted with the National Bank Note Company to produce new stamps with a variety of designs.

These stamps featured unique subjects, including a Pony Express rider on the 2¢ stamp. The 3¢ stamp showcased a locomotive, while the 12¢ stamp depicted the steamship Adriatic.

The 15¢ stamp illustrated the landing of Christopher Columbus, and the 24¢ stamp showed the signing of the Declaration of Independence. These stamps were notable for their use of two-color printing, which resulted in the first invert errors.

The unconventional designs were not well-received by the population, who were accustomed to classic portrayals of Washington, Franklin, and other forefathers.

The Washington-Franklin Era was a significant period in American history, marked by the introduction of new postage stamps featuring George Washington and Benjamin Franklin. This era spanned from 1861 to 1869.

The first stamp issued during this era was the 5-cent Franklin stamp, which featured a portrait of Benjamin Franklin in a classic style.

The 10-cent Washington stamp was introduced in 1861, featuring a portrait of George Washington in a more formal attire.

The stamps from this era were often referred to as "stickers" or "trade cards" due to their adhesive backing, making them easy to use and collect.

The Washington-Franklin Era saw the introduction of the first pre-printed envelopes, which featured a space for the address and a decorative design.

The Washington Bicentennial Issue was a significant event in the world of philately. In 1932, a set of 12 stamps was issued to celebrate George Washington's 200th birthday.

The 2¢ value of the stamp, which satisfied the normal letter rate, featured the most familiar Gilbert Stuart image of Washington. This image would become iconic in American history.

After postal rates rose in July 1932, the 2¢ red Washington stamp was redesigned as a 3¢ stamp and issued in a purple color that became ubiquitous among U.S. commemoratives.

The Famous Americans series of 1940 was a notable issue, featuring a set of 35 stamps honoring America's famous authors, poets, educators, scientists, composers, artists, and inventors. This series was printed by the Bureau of Engraving and Printing, but due to the elaborate process, it was contracted with a private firm, the American Bank Note Company.

The series included educators such as Booker T. Washington, who became the first African-American to be honored on a U.S. stamp. The stamps were larger in size and had a unique red-violet color chosen for the 3¢ stamps, a brighter hue than the traditional purple.

The Famous Americans series was a significant milestone in U.S. postage stamps, marking the first time a private company was contracted to produce a series of stamps since 1893.

The Famous Americans Series of 1940 was a remarkable set of stamps that honored America's most esteemed individuals. This series was issued by the U.S. Post Office in 1940 and consisted of 35 stamps, each commemorating a famous author, poet, educator, scientist, composer, artist, or inventor.

The series was notable for being the first to feature an African-American, Booker T. Washington, on a U.S. stamp. The stamps were printed by the Bureau of Engraving and Printing, but due to the complex process, they contracted with the American Bank Note Company to produce the series.

The stamps were larger than usual and had only 280 images on the printing plate, which was a departure from the standard 400 images. The 3¢ stamps were printed in a bright red-violet color, a unique choice at the time.

The series included notable educators like Horace Mann, Mark Hopkins, Charles W. Eliot, Frances E. Willard, and Booker T. Washington.

Abraham Lincoln was honored on a U.S. postage stamp just a year after his assassination, in 1866. The stamp was released on June 17, but some sources claim it was introduced on April 14, the one-year anniversary of his death.

Lincoln's portrait has appeared on a variety of U.S. postage stamps, with more than a dozen issues featuring his image. He is the most featured American on U.S. postage, aside from George Washington and Benjamin Franklin.

The first Lincoln postage stamp issue of 1866 is notable, but he was also featured on issues in 1890, 1903, and 1938.

The Post-War and Modern era of US postage stamps was marked by a significant increase in the use of color. Colorful designs and vibrant imagery became more prominent, reflecting the growing interest in art and culture.

The 1960s saw the introduction of the first commemorative stamps featuring popular culture icons, such as Elvis Presley and Marilyn Monroe. These stamps were a huge hit with the public, and their popularity paved the way for future issues featuring celebrities and pop culture.

The US Postal Service also began to issue stamps that celebrated the country's rich cultural heritage, including its diverse ethnic groups and historical events.

The post-World War II stamp program was marked by a consistent pattern of commemorative issues sold as single stamps at the first-class letter rate.

The majority of these stamps were designed in the double-width format, but some, like those in the 1940 Famous Americans series, conformed to a different format, size, design style, and red-violet hue.

A notable departure from the traditional purple color for 3¢ stamps occurred after the war, with departures from that color becoming the rule rather than the exception in double-width commemoratives.

Congressional Representatives and Senators began pushing the Post Office for stamps proposed by constituents in 1948, leading to a flood of stamps honoring obscure persons and organizations.

The Citizens' Stamp Advisory Committee (CSAC) was formed in 1957 to regulate the stamp issue, bringing order to the previously lax system.

The Liberty issue of 1954 took a more political slant, featuring a 3¢ Statue of Liberty in purple with the inscription "In God We Trust", the first explicit religious reference on a U.S. stamp.

The 3¢ rate for first-class mail had been unchanged since 1932, but it increased to 4¢ in 1958, marking the beginning of a steady series of rate increases.

The U.S. post office issued the Champion of Liberty series of stamps from 1957 to 1961, featuring nineteen commemorative stamps honoring men who fought for freedom and independence.

The Post Office was reorganized in 1971, becoming the United States Postal Service (USPS), but it remains heavily regulated, with the CSAC continuing to decide which commemorative stamps to issue.

In the modern era, the Postal Service started issuing stamps with images of living people who made significant contributions to American society and culture.

The first set of 42-cent Flags of Our Nation stamps was issued on June 14, 2008, in Washington, DC, featuring 10 designs created by Howard E. Paine.

Stamps now honor living individuals, a change from the previous rule that prohibited issuing stamps sooner than five years after an individual's death, with an exception for U.S. Presidents.

Five subsequent sets of ten stamps each were released by August 16, 2012, bringing the total number of stamp designs to sixty.

The last two sets of Flags of Our Nation stamps were denominated as Forever stamps, allowing them to be used at any rate without an additional cost.

Postcards were a popular way to send messages during the post-war period. They were often decorated with images of iconic landmarks and picturesque scenes.

The 1920s saw a surge in postcard production, with over 700 million postcards printed in the United States alone. This was largely due to the rise of mass production techniques.

Postcards allowed people to send short, informal messages to friends and family, often featuring witty captions or humorous drawings. They were a fun and affordable way to stay in touch with loved ones.

The use of postcards became a staple of international communication, with people sending them to friends and family living abroad. This was especially true for travelers and expats.

Postcards often featured iconic images of cities, landmarks, and cultural symbols, which helped to promote tourism and cultural exchange.

Forever Stamps have been around since April 2007, and their cost has increased significantly over time. The first Forever Stamp cost 41 cents, and if the recent price hike is approved, it will cost 78 cents - a 90.24% increase in just 18 years.

The U.S. Postal Service has filed notice to raise the cost of a Forever Stamp, which will increase from 73 cents to 78 cents, a 5-cent hike. This is the second price increase in a year, following a 2-cent increase from 66 cents to 68 cents in January 2024.

The price of a Forever Stamp has been rising steadily since 2023, when it increased from 63 cents to 66 cents. Since then, it has gone up to 73 cents in July 2024, and now it's set to rise again to 78 cents.

Here are the upcoming price increases for various mail services:

The priority mail flat rate has actually decreased by about 1.7% starting in January, which is a rare occurrence in the world of postal services.