Unused 19th Century US Stamps
The first official U.S. postage stamps were issued in 1847, depicting Benjamin Franklin on a 5-cent stamp and George Washington on a 10-cent stamp. Rawdon, Wright, Hatch & Edson of New York City printed these first stamps, charging 25 cents per thousand for two-color stamps and 20 cents per thousand for one-color stamps. Curiously, these stamps were not initially required to mail a letter. In fact, until 1856, people in the United States...Continue Reading