U.S. Stamp Encyclopedia
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1-39 is the Search Group
Until 1847, local postmasters used hand-stamping devices or pens to validate mail being delivered by stagecoach and post riders on horseback. Postal clerks would mark envelopes "Paid" to indicate payments made in advance, or recipients would pay. Since it was common practice to refuse to accept a letter, the Post Office absorbed numerous losses. All that changed when Congress authorized the Postmaster General to release the first U.S. postage stamps with adhesive backing on July 1, 1847, seven years after the world's first stamp was introduced in Great Britain. The 5 cent Benjamin Franklin, honoring America's first Postmaster General made him the first person in the world other than a head of state to be pictured on a stamp. The 10 cent George Washington was issued simultaneously. They paid the domestic letter rates of 5 cents per half-ounce for up to 300 miles, and 10 cents per half-ounce for over 300 miles. The stamps had no perforations. Postal clerks used scissors to cut the straight-edged stamps from sheets.| Scott | Issues From | Click For Availability | Cat Price Mint | Cat Price Used | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1847 - 1861 | 6500.00 |
0.00 |
5¢ Franklin, The first US postage stamp, issued in 1847 as an imperforate stamp. Demonetized on July 1,1851 because of the Civil war. 3,700,000 copies were issued. I think every stamp collector dreams of having one of this issue in his collection. Many color and plate varieties make it interesting. | |
| 2 | 1847 - 1861 |  | 30000.00 |
1350.00 |
10¢ Washington, the Second US postage stamp, also issued in 1847 as an imperforate. 1,050,000 stamps were issued; 865,000 of them were sold. |
| 3 | 1847 - 1861 |  | 750.00 |
0.00 |
5¢ Franklin Reproduction of the first (1847) postage stamp, it was issued in 1875. It was not valid for postage. Issued with no Gum on Bluish Paper as an imperforate. |
| 4 | 1875 - 1875 |  | 925.00 |
0.00 |
10¢ Washington, Reproduction of second (1847) postage stamp, issued in 1875. Not valid for postage. Along with #3, it was issued with no gum, on bluish paper as an imperforate. |
| 5 | 1847 - 1861 |  | 225000.00 |
45000.00 |
1¢ Franklin, Issued as imperforate in 1851-56. Several major and minor varieties exist. Demonetized in April,1861 because of the Civil War. |
| 5A | 1847 - 1861 | | 17500.00 |
7500.00 |
1¢ Franklin, Issued as imperforate 1851-56. Several major and minor varieties exist. Demonetized in April, 1861 |
| 6 | 1847 - 1861 | | 40000.00 |
11000.00 |
1¢ Franklin, Issued as imperforate 1851-56. Several major and minor varieties exist. Demonetized in April, 1861 at the start of the Civil War. |
| 7 | 1847 - 1861 | | 1200.00 |
160.00 |
1¢ Franklin, Issued as imperforate 1851-56. Several major and minor varieties exist. Demonetized in April, 1861 |
| 8 | 1847 - 1861 | | 16000.00 |
3250.00 |
1¢ Franklin, Issued as imperforate 1851-57. Several major and minor varieties exist. Demonetized in April, 1861 |
| 9 | 1847 - 1861 | | 800.00 |
130.00 |
1¢ Franklin, Issued as imperforate 1851-56. Several major and minor varieties exist. Demonetized in April, 1861 at the start of the Civil War. |
| 10 | 1847 - 1861 |  | 3500.00 |
130.00 |
3¢ Washington, Issued as imperforate 1851-56. Orange Brown and Red Brown color varieties and many plate varieties make this stamp interesting. Demonetized by the government in April, 1861. This issue along with #11, 25 and 26 have been studied and written about more than many others. Of interest to the stamp specialist. |
| 11 | 1847 - 1861 |  | 300.00 |
12.50 |
3¢ Washington, Issued as imperforate 1851-56. Orange Brown and Red Brown color varieties exist, as well as many plate varieties. Demonetized in April, 1861 because of the Civil War. This issue along with #10, 25 and 26 have been studied and written about more than many others. Of interest to the stamp specialist. |
| 12 | 1847 - 1861 |  | 20000.00 |
900.00 |
5¢ Jefferson, Issued as imperforate in 1851-56 and perforated 15 in 1857-1861. Several major and minor varieties exist. Demonetized in April, 1861 because of the Civil War. |
| 13 | 1847 - 1861 |  | 16000.00 |
850.00 |
10¢ Washington, Issued as imperforate 1851-56, and perforated 15 in 1857-1861. Several major and minor varieties. Demonetized in April, 1861 |
| 14 | 1847 - 1861 | | 5000.00 |
200.00 |
10¢ Washington, Issued as imperforate 1851-56 and perforated 15 in 1857-1861. Several major and minor varieties. Demonetized in April, 1861 |
| 15 | 1847 - 1861 | | 5000.00 |
200.00 |
10¢ Washington Issued as imperforate 1851-56 and perforated 15 in 1857-1861. Several major and minor varieties. Demonetized in April, 1861 |
| 16 | 1847 - 1861 | | 30000.00 |
1600.00 |
10¢ Washington Issued as imperforate 1851-56 and perforated 15 in 1857-1861. Several major and minor varieties exist. Demonetized in April, 1861 |
| 17 | 1847 - 1861 | 5500.00 |
325.00 |
12¢ Washington, Issued as imperforate 1851-56 and perforated 15 in 1857-1861. Several major and minor varieties. Demonetized in April, 1861 | |
| 18 | 1847 - 1861 |  | 2250.00 |
650.00 |
1857-1861 Regular issue, Blue Type I, Perforated 15 1/2. Printed by Toppan Carpenter Co. This Issue has very small margins. |
| 19 | 1847 - 1861 | | 30000.00 |
8500.00 |
1¢ Franklin, Perforated 15 1/2. Several major and minor varieties exist. Demonetized in April, 1861 at the start of the Civil War. |
| 20 | 1847 - 1861 | | 1250.00 |
275.00 |
1¢ Franklin, Perforated 15 1/2. Several major and minor varieties. Demonetized in April, 1861 at the start of the Civil War. |
| 21 | 1847 - 1861 | | 15000.00 |
2750.00 |
1¢ Franklin, Perforated 15 1/2. Several major and minor varieties. Demonetized in April, 1861 at the start of the Civil War. |
| 22 | 1847 - 1861 | | 2500.00 |
550.00 |
1¢ Franklin, Perforated 15 1/2. Several major and minor varieties. Demonetized in April, 1861 at the start of the Civil War. |
| 23 | 1847 - 1861 | | 9000.00 |
800.00 |
1¢ Franklin, Perforated 15 1/2. Several major and minor varieties. Demonetized in April, 1861 at the start of the Civil War. |
| 24 | 1847 - 1861 | | 180.00 |
45.00 |
1¢ Franklin, Perforated 15 1/2. Several major and minor varieties. Demonetized in April, 1861 at the start of the Civil War. |
| 25 | 1847 - 1861 |  | 3000.00 |
125.00 |
3¢ Washington, Perforated 15 1/2. Several major and minor Plate and color varieties exist. Demonetized in April, 1861 at the start of the Civil War. This issue along with #10, 11 and 26 have been studied and written about more than many others. Of interest to the stamp specialist. |
| 26 | 1847 - 1861 | | 75.00 |
8.00 |
Regular Issue of 1857-61, Perforated 15 1/2, Dull Red to Orange Brown Color varieties, Type II, Outer frame lines were re-cut, Many engraving varieties. This issue along with #10, 11 and 25 have been studied and written about more than many others. Of interest to the stamp specialist. |
| 26a | 1847 - 1861 | | 300.00 |
75.00 |
26a is a Plate Variety of the # 26 issue. The frame lines were re-cut and extend on the sides only to the top and bottom of the design to make it a Type IIa |
| 27 | 1847 - 1861 |  | 30000.00 |
1600.00 |
5¢ Jefferson, Perforated 15 1/2. Brick Red - Red Brown- Brown Color varieties. Several major and minor varieties. Demonetized in April, 1861 at the start of the Civil War. |
| 28 | 1847 - 1861 | | 6250.00 |
1100.00 |
5¢ Jefferson, Perforated 15 1/2. Brick Red - Red Brown- Brown Colors. Several major and minor varieties. Demonetized in April, 1861 at the start of the Civil War. |
| 28A | 1847 - 1861 | | 35000.00 |
3250.00 |
This is the Indian Red Color Variety of # 28. The stamp is a Type I |
| 29 | 1847 - 1861 | | 2750.00 |
400.00 |
5¢ Jefferson, Perforated 15 1/2. Brick Red - Red Brown- Brown Color Varieties exist. Several major and minor varieties also. Demonetized in April, 1861 at the start of the Civil War. |
| 30 | 1847 - 1861 | | 1250.00 |
1250.00 |
5¢ Jefferson, Perforated 15 1/2. Brick Red - Red Brown- Brown colors. Several major and minor varieties. Demonetized in April, 1861 at the start of the Civil War. |
| 30a | 1847 - 1861 | | 2100.00 |
300.00 |
5¢ Jefferson, Perforated 15 1/2. Brick Red - Red Brown- Brown colors. Several major and minor varieties. Demonetized in April, 1861 at the start of the Civil War. |
| 31 | 1847 - 1861 |  | 20000.00 |
1200.00 |
10¢ Washington, Perforated 15 1/2. Several major and minor varieties. Demonetized in April, 1861 at the start of the Civil War. |
| 32 | 1847 - 1861 | | 6000.00 |
300.00 |
10¢ Washington, Perforated 15 1/2. Several major and minor varieties. Demonetized in April, 1861 at the start of the Civil War. |
| 33 | 1847 - 1861 | | 6000.00 |
300.00 |
10¢ Washington, Perforated 15 1/2. Several major and minor varieties. Demonetized in April, 1861 at the start of the Civil War. |
| 34 | 1847 - 1861 | | 32500.00 |
2250.00 |
10¢ Washington, Perforated 15 1/2. Several major and minor varieties. Demonetized in April, 1861 at the start of the Civil War. |
| 35 | 1847 - 1861 | | 275.00 |
65.00 |
10¢ Washington, Perforated 15 1/2. Several major and minor varieties. Demonetized in April, 1861 at the start of the Civil War. |
| 36 | 1847 - 1861 | 1500.00 |
350.00 |
12¢ Washington, Perforated 15 1/2. Several major and minor varieties. Demonetized in April, 1861 at the start of the Civil War | |
| 37 | 1847 - 1861 |  | 1700.00 |
400.00 |
24¢ Washington, Perforated 15 1/2. Demonetized in April, 1861 at the start of the Civil War. |
| 38 | 1847 - 1861 |  | 2000.00 |
500.00 |
30¢ Franklin, Perforated 15 1/2. Demonetized in April, 1861 at the start of the Civil War. |
| 39 | 1861 - 1861 |  | 3250.00 |
8000.00 |
The 90 cent Blue Washington, 1857-61 Issue |
