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The First U.S. Stamps
The first official U.S. federal government adhesive postage stamps were issued on July 1, 1847. These stamps were made available for sale to the public on July 1 of that year. Prior to this date, postage stamps had been issued by a number of postmasters and private postal services in a limited number of U.S. cities (known as "locals" or "provisionals") but these were not officially sanctioned by the federal government. In fact, prior to 1847, most mail was "stampless" , with local postmasters using pens or hand-stamps to indicate payment rates for mail being delivered.
The first official U.S. stamps were issued simultaneously in two denominations - a 5 cent red-brown stamp on bluish paper featuring a portrait of Benjamin Franklin and a 10 cent black stamp on bluish paper depicting George Washington. Benjamin Franklin was chosen to appear on the 5 cent stamp in recognition of his role as the first Postmaster General of the U.S. Confederation. George Washington was chosen to appear on the 10 cent stamp in honor of his role as a Revolutionary War hero and the nation's first President.
The stamps paid the domestic letter rates of 5¢ per half-ounce for for letters traveling 300 miles or less and 10¢ per half-ounce for letters traveling more than 300 miles. The stamps had no perforations and it was necessary for postal clerks to use scissors to cut the required number of straight-edged stamps from sheets.
The first two U.S. stamps are generally identified and referred to by stamp collectors as Scott #1 and Scott # 2. About 3.7 million of the 5 cent red-brown Benjamin Franklin stamps (Scott #1) were issued and approximately 900,000 of the 10-cent black George Washington stamps (Scott # 2) were printed . Although neither of these two stamps are exceedingly rare, only a small percentage of these two stamps can be found in the higher grade conditions - stamps that show four full margins are even rarer. Further, the ink used to print the 5 cent stamp caused a wide range of color shades over time and these different shades can greatly affect the value of the stamp.
In the case of the 5 cent stamp, Scott #1 has a catalog value of about $600 for a used copy in very fine condition. The rare, red-orange shade catalogs for about $3500. A used copy of the 10 cent stamp, Scott # 2, in very fine condition, has a catalog value of about $1400.
Being the first U.S. stamps, Scott #1 and Scott #2 have always been popular with collectors and have a history of appreciating in value over the long run. Selling the stamps is easy as the market for these two issues is very liquid.
The two stamps were reissued by the U.S. postal service in 1997 in souvenir sheets of twelve (with denominations of 50 cents and 60 cents) in honor of the 150th anniversary of the first issuance of the original stamps.
The first official U.S. federal government adhesive postage stamps were issued on July 1, 1847. These stamps were made available for sale to the public on July 1 of that year. Prior to this date, postage stamps had been issued by a number of postmasters and private postal services in a limited number of U.S. cities (known as "locals" or "provisionals") but these were not officially sanctioned by the federal government. In fact, prior to 1847, most mail was "stampless" , with local postmasters using pens or hand-stamps to indicate payment rates for mail being delivered.
The first official U.S. stamps were issued simultaneously in two denominations - a 5 cent red-brown stamp on bluish paper featuring a portrait of Benjamin Franklin and a 10 cent black stamp on bluish paper depicting George Washington. Benjamin Franklin was chosen to appear on the 5 cent stamp in recognition of his role as the first Postmaster General of the U.S. Confederation. George Washington was chosen to appear on the 10 cent stamp in honor of his role as a Revolutionary War hero and the nation's first President.
The stamps paid the domestic letter rates of 5¢ per half-ounce for for letters traveling 300 miles or less and 10¢ per half-ounce for letters traveling more than 300 miles. The stamps had no perforations and it was necessary for postal clerks to use scissors to cut the required number of straight-edged stamps from sheets.
The first two U.S. stamps are generally identified and referred to by stamp collectors as Scott #1 and Scott # 2. About 3.7 million of the 5 cent red-brown Benjamin Franklin stamps (Scott #1) were issued and approximately 900,000 of the 10-cent black George Washington stamps (Scott # 2) were printed . Although neither of these two stamps are exceedingly rare, only a small percentage of these two stamps can be found in the higher grade conditions - stamps that show four full margins are even rarer. Further, the ink used to print the 5 cent stamp caused a wide range of color shades over time and these different shades can greatly affect the value of the stamp.
In the case of the 5 cent stamp, Scott #1 has a catalog value of about $600 for a used copy in very fine condition. The rare, red-orange shade catalogs for about $3500. A used copy of the 10 cent stamp, Scott # 2, in very fine condition, has a catalog value of about $1400.
Being the first U.S. stamps, Scott #1 and Scott #2 have always been popular with collectors and have a history of appreciating in value over the long run. Selling the stamps is easy as the market for these two issues is very liquid.
The two stamps were reissued by the U.S. postal service in 1997 in souvenir sheets of twelve (with denominations of 50 cents and 60 cents) in honor of the 150th anniversary of the first issuance of the original stamps.