On July 1, 1847, the United States Postal Service (USPS) issued its first-ever postage stamps in New York City. The two stamps featured designs of Benjamin Franklin on the five-cent stamp and George Washington on the ten-cent stamp. Originally, stamps were not sold in book form as they are today. Instead, workers at the post office had to cut stamps individually using scissors, with sheets of stamps being pre-gummed for easier application to envelopes.
The idea of postage stamps was first proposed in 1837 by British teacher and inventor Sir Rowland Hill, who suggested uniform postage rates for mail within the British Isles. Three years later, in 1840, the United Kingdom introduced the Penny Black and the Two Penny Blue stamps for use on half-ounce and full-ounce letters. The United States quickly followed suit when the City Despatch Post in New York City began issuing adhesive postage stamps in 1842.
In 1845, postage rates in the United States were simplified, with some postmasters creating Postmasters’ Provisionals to allow people to prepay for letters. Prior to the invention of postage stamps, individuals had to pay for each letter at the post office in person. It wasn’t until January 1, 1856, that the use of U.S. postage stamps became mandatory, with postage rates based on the length of the letter and its destination.
Before 1847, individuals mailing letters could choose to pay in advance, have the recipient pay upon delivery, or split the cost between the sender and receiver. Postmasters would mark pre-paid envelopes with “PAID” in the upper right corner instead of using a stamp. By 1855, prepayment for postage became mandatory, with U.S. postage stamps becoming obligatory the following year.
Since the introduction of postage stamps in the 1800s, the USPS has evolved the material, delivery, and sale of stamps over the years. In 1893, the USPS issued the first U.S. commemorative stamps, featuring designs commemorating Christopher Columbus’ voyages. These larger stamps were popular, leading to the creation of thousands of commemorative stamps over the years, including the bestselling Elvis Presley stamp in 1993.
Stamps began being sold in book form in 1900, with the first self-adhesive stamp introduced in 1974. In 2007, the USPS released the “forever” stamp, a non-expiring stamp intended for mailing First-Class Mail regardless of future price changes. This innovation has made sending mail more convenient for customers.
