Release: JUNE 27, 2025
In 1847, postal patrons were introduced to the first US postage stamp. It featured a portrait of colonial luminary, Benjamin Franklin. Prior to that, from as early as the 1700s, payment of postage was shown by a local postmaster writing the amount with a pen on the outside of the folded letter.
For as long as humans have existed, in all aspects of life, communication over distance has been key. Initially, the concept of a telephone or telegraph, much less e-mail or global messaging wasn’t even dreamed. Paper mail and newspapers were it....
The Constitution gave Congress the authority over the postal system including postal roads. Additionally, the First Amendment guaranteed “freedom of the press.” That may sound like a catch-all term for reporters but, back then, the “press” was literally a printing press from which newspapers were produced. Incidentally, tax revenue stamps were also once created for use on newspapers.
A few weeks ago, a multi-million-dollar parade took place in Washington DC to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the creation of the US Army. There won’t be nearly the brash festivity on July 26, which marks the 250th anniversary of the founding of the US Post Office department. On that day, in 1775, Benjamin Franklin was appointed as the first Postmaster General.
A printer by trade, even Franklin hadn’t conceived of the convenience of printed postage stamps. 250 years later, although some may contend paper mail – and/or “snail mail” – antiquated, it remains an essential tool for everything from bills and jury duty notices to tax statements and most any official correspondence. Yes, digital is great – quick, cheap, convenient and instantaneous. But, only paper mail still offers physical confirmation of delivery. As for its most populous usage, consider that even though the United States comprises only a mere four percent of the world’s population, the USPS handles 44 percent of mail for the entire globe.
For the looming semiquincentennial of our postal system, considerable thought has gone into some forthcoming stamps celebrating it. The stamps and an informational booklet, which showcases particularly popular US stamps over the years, come in a specially produced packet. Included with it are sheets containing a recreation of the very first Benjamin Franklin stamp. The modern version of the 1847 stamp features Ben on the original five-cent issue. Instead of the original brown color, the 2025 reproduction is printed in blue. At the top are the dates “1775 – 2025.” At the bottom it is inscribed, “FOREVER * USA US POSTAL SERVICE.”
Not quite as impressive is another sheet of 25 stamps with a cartoon illustration of a postal worker making her delivery rounds in a village. The individual stamps combine to create the entire picture. At the top of the sheet of “Forever” stamps are the words, “250 Years Of Delivering Mail.”
Pedestrian as the second sheet may be, they and the Ben Franklin stamps are packaged with the 32-page prestige “Putting a Stamp on the American Experience” booklet commemorating the anniversary. The packet with stamps is a precursor to the pending celebrations and countless philatelic releases planned for the 250th birthday of the 1776 founding of the United States next year.
But, don’t look for the anniversary packet in your local post office. According to the USPS, the only way to purchase the specially created booklet, the Ben Franklin stamps and “village” stamp sheet is by ordering directly from the USPS.
For more information or to order, those interested can contact the USPS online at: usps.com/shopstamps, or by phone by calling 844-737-7826.
Incidentally, over 250 years ago, before there was a United States and before an official postal service was designated, colonial legislators and politicos in New York and Philadelphia gave themselves the perk of just signing their names in the upper right of a folded letter or envelope to mail it. That was called “free franking” referring to their signature being a recognized postmark known as a “frank” and that, for them, the postage was free.
Naturally, British in the colonies could see who the officials of the American revolutionary government were via their names on the letters. Representatives knew that too. Via his signature, Ol’ Ben Franklin found a way to send a message while simultaneously annoying British snoops. On mailed envelopes, Ben would sometimes sign/frank it, “B. Free Franklin” making sure the message “BE FREE” was clear. Surviving examples of those rare Franklin signed envelopes now can sell for upwards of $250,000.
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