query: what 's the price of a us postage stamp

pos: Postage stamps and postal history of the United States $600,000 in damages. Later in the 2010s, automated stamp and bank automatic teller machines began dispensing thinner stamps. The thin stamps were to make it easier for automated stamp machines to dispense and to make the stamps more environmentally friendly. On January 26, 2014, the postal service raised the price of First-class postage stamps to 49 cents. Rates for other mail, including postcards and packages, also increased. Twelve criteria for new stamps and postal stationery include that "events of historical significance shall be considered for commemoration only on anniversaries in multiples of 50 years." For many years, these included the

pos: History of United States postage rates request, but the USPS filed an appeal with the Federal Court of Appeals in Washington DC. On September 25, 2013, the USPS announced a 3 cent increase in the First Class postal rate, to be effective January 26, 2014, increasing the price of a stamp to 49 cents. Bulk mail, periodicals, and package service rates were also increased by 6 percent. A loss of US$5 billion during the 2013 fiscal year was the reason given for the increase. The legislation which set the price to 49 cents was enacted as a temporary measure and as an "exigent surcharge for mailing

neg: History of United States postage rates yields the graph shown to the right. The dark plot is the nominal issued price of the stamp and the light plot is the price adjusted for inflation and is shown in 2016 US cents. This plot shows that, despite the rise in the nominal cost of a first-class stamp, the adjusted cost of the stamp has stayed relatively stable. The large jumps in the early 1900s are because a change by a single penny was large compared to the cost of the stamp. For example, the price increase from $0.02 to $0.03 on July 6, 1932 was a 50%

neg: Breast cancer research stamp Breast cancer research stamp The breast cancer research stamp (BCRS) is a semi-postal non-denominated postage stamp issued by the United States Postal Service, priced in 2011 as eleven cents higher than the standard first-class letter rate. The surplus above the price of the first-class stamp is collected by the United States Postal Service (USPS) and allocated to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Department of Defense (DoD) for breast cancer research. If a person used this stamp exclusively, and mailed one letter per day for a year, the resulting donation would amount to US $40. Originally created in

neg: History of United States postage rates products and services". However, this legislation was set to expire in April 2016. As a result, the Post Office retained one cent of the price change as a previously allotted adjustment for inflation, but the price of a first class stamp became 47 cents: for the first time in 97 years (and for the third time in the agency's history), the price of a stamp decreased. Unions of the U.S. Postal Service: History: History of United States postage rates Initial United States postage rates were set by Congress as part of the Postal Service Act signed into law by President

neg: Postage stamp design and aiding clerks in quick recognition of appropriate postage, postal customers simply expect stamps to carry a design. The fundamental purpose of a stamp is to indicate the prepayment of postage. Since different kinds and sizes of mail normally pay different amounts of postage, the stamps need to carry a value. In a very few cases, the denomination has been omitted; for instance, during the tumults of 1949 China, undenominated stamps were issued, so as to allow the price of a stamp to fluctuate on a daily basis depending on the value of the gold yuan. The usual form of

neg: Postage due unused, postal administrations have sold them to collectors, and postage dues of many countries exist in large numbers, often unused and of low value. Conversely, surviving examples of valid postally used postage due stamps tied together by a dated cancellation or other postal markings with a postage stamp on cover are less common and are sought after by philatelists. Postage due Postage due is the term used for mail sent with insufficient postage. A postage due stamp is a stamp added to an underpaid piece of mail to indicate the extra postage due. While the problem of what to do

neg: Semi-postal stamp Semi-postal stamp A semi-postal stamp or semipostal stamp, also known as a charity stamp, is a postage stamp issued to raise money for a particular purpose (such as a charitable cause) and sold at a premium over the postal value. Typically the stamp shows two denominations separated by a plus sign, but in many cases the only denomination shown is for the postage rate, and the postal customer simply pays the higher price when purchasing the stamps. The first semi-postal was actually a postal card; to commemorate the Uniform Penny Post in 1890, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and

neg: Semi-postal stamp Semi-postal stamp A semi-postal stamp or semipostal stamp, also known as a charity stamp, is a postage stamp issued to raise money for a particular purpose (such as a charitable cause) and sold at a premium over the postal value. Typically the stamp shows two denominations separated by a plus sign, but in many cases the only denomination shown is for the postage rate, and the postal customer simply pays the higher price when purchasing the stamps. The first semi-postal was actually a postal card; to commemorate the Uniform Penny Post in 1890, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and

neg: Postage stamp design includes designs that are simply rejected by the stamp-buying public. The of the US is a well-known example; it consists merely of the slogan "Alcoholism: You Can Beat It!", which must have looked good during the design process, but affixed to the corner of an envelope it suggests that the recipient is an alcoholic in need of public encouragement, and few people ever used this stamp on their mail. Postage stamp design Postage stamp design is the activity of graphic design as applied to postage stamps. Many thousands of designs have been created since a profile bust of Queen Victoria

neg: Postage stamps and postal history of Finland in the Russian public on the special rights of the Finnish people and efforts were undertaken to abolish these special rights granted to them, and by many small steps this led to the Russification of the Finnish Post. The Finnish Post Office now offers a service by which the purchaser of postage stamps can have their own chosen image personalized onto the face of a postage stamp. The user uploads the image to the post office web site and pays a fee over and above the price of a normal postage stamp. Postage stamps and postal history of Finland Finland

neg: Denomination (postage stamp) Denomination (postage stamp) In philately, the denomination is the "inscribed value of a stamp". For instance, if you visit the post office to buy a stamp to pay $1's worth of postage you will receive a stamp that has the value "$1" printed on it in words or numbers. The denomination is not the same as the value of a stamp on the philatelic market, which is usually different, and the denominations of a country's stamps and money do not necessarily match. For instance, there might be a 47c stamp to pay a particular postal rate but there is unlikely

neg: John Gault US because they were evidence of having paid for postage. This remedial law was only a temporary solution due to the fragile nature of a thin, paper postage stamp. Postage stamps were easily torn and damaged when constantly handled. Gault proposed a solution to this problem in August of that year when he patented his idea of the encased postage stamp. He advertised his invention in the local newspapers as “New Metallic Currency.” His ingenuity was simple and his invention was based on the familiar roundness of coins. As suggested by its name, the encased postage stamp consisted of a

neg: Postage stamp problem + 1, etc.), but to get 13 cents one must use at least four stamps. Mathematically, the problem can be formulated as follows: This problem can be solved by brute force search or backtracking with maximum time proportional to |"V" |, where |"V" | is the number of distinct stamp values allowed. Therefore, if the capacity of the envelope "m" is fixed, it is a polynomial time problem. If the capacity "m" is arbitrary, the problem is known to be NP-hard. Postage stamp problem The postage stamp problem is a mathematical riddle that asks what is the smallest postage value

neg: Postage stamp problem Postage stamp problem The postage stamp problem is a mathematical riddle that asks what is the smallest postage value which cannot be placed on an envelope, if the latter can hold only a limited number of stamps, and these may only have certain specified face values. For example, suppose the envelope can hold only three stamps, and the available stamp values are 1 cent, 2 cents, 5 cents, and 20 cents. Then the solution is 13 cents; since any smaller value can be obtained with at most three stamps (e.g. 4 = 2 + 2, 8 = 5 + 2

neg: Postage stamp gold). Switzerland made a stamp that contained a bit of lace and one of wood. The United States produced one of plastic. East Germany issued a stamp of synthetic chemicals. In the Netherlands a stamp was made of silver foil. Bhutan issued one with its national anthem on a playable record. The subjects found on the face of postage stamps are generally what defines a particular stamp issue to the public and are often a reason why they are saved by collectors or history enthusiasts. Graphical subjects found on postage stamps have ranged from the early portrayals of kings, queens

neg: Presidential Issue sale, perforated 11 x 10. A reprinting of the $1 Wilson denomination in 1950 or '51 resulted—by accident—in the first watermarked U. S. postage stamp issued since 1916. For this printing run, the technicians inadvertently failed to use normal postage stamp paper, but instead employed a batch of revenue-stamp paper watermarked with copies of the logo "U S I R." in double-line letters. (When any stamp from this run is immersed in a special watermark-detecting fluid, part of one or more letters becomes visible.) While examples of the watermarked $1 stamp are not inordinately rare, they still command some thirty

neg: Stanley Gibbons catalogue Stanley Gibbons catalogue The first Stanley Gibbons stamp catalogue was a penny price list issued in November 1865 and reissued at monthly intervals for the next 14 years. The company produces numerous catalogues covering different countries, regions and specialisms; many of them are reissued annually. The catalogues list all known adhesive postage stamp issues and include prices for used and unused stamps. Unlike other dealers' catalogues, Stanley Gibbons state that their catalogue is a retail price list. In other words, if they had that exact stamp in stock in the exact condition specified, the current catalogue price is the price

neg: Postage due Postage due Postage due is the term used for mail sent with insufficient postage. A postage due stamp is a stamp added to an underpaid piece of mail to indicate the extra postage due. While the problem of what to do about letters not paying the full correct fee had existed since the creation of regular postal systems, it was greatly heightened by the advent of postage stamps, since customers were now making their own decisions about the right amount to pay, without the assistance of a presumably knowledgeable postal clerk. While at various times some countries have simply adopted

neg: Zachary Taylor appear again on a US postage stamp, this time on the 12-cent Presidential Issue of 1938. Taylor's last appearance (to date, 2010) on a US postage stamp occurred in 1986, when he was honored on the AMERIPEX presidential issue. After Washington, Jefferson, Jackson and Lincoln, Zachary Taylor was the fifth American president to appear on US postage. He is the namesake for several entities and places around the United States, including: President Taylor was also the namesake for architect Zachary Taylor Davis. Almost immediately after his death, rumors began to circulate that Taylor was poisoned by pro-slavery Southerners, and similar

neg: Treskilling Yellow Then, in 1996 it sold again for 2,880,000 Swiss francs. Each successive sale was a world record price for a postage stamp. On May 22, 2010, the yellow stamp was auctioned once again by David Feldman in Geneva, Switzerland. It sold "for at least the $2.3 million price [that] it set a record for in 1996". The buyer reportedly was an "international consortium" and the seller was a financial firm auctioning the stamp to pay the former owner's debt. The exact price and the identity of the buyer were not disclosed, however, and all bidders reportedly were sworn to secrecy.

neg: Stamp program Stamp program The stamp program of a postal organization is an umbrella term for the entire process of postage stamp issuance and distribution by the organization. Aspects include the decision of about stamps to issue, what postal rates they will pay, postage stamp design, printing, and publicity for the new stamps. The stamp program is generally managed by a specialized department within the organization, which balances demands from the rest of the organization, the nation's government, stamp collectors, and the public which actually buy and use the stamps. Originally, the choice of stamps to issue was primarily driven by changes

neg: Louis Macouillard He served in the US Navy in the South Pacific during World War II. While serving in the Navy he produced many artworks showcasing his travels that he mailed to his fiancé, which were featured in a six-page spread and cover of the October 1943 issue of Life (magazine). Macouillard's designed two postage stamps, one of them being the commemorative 6¢ US postage stamp of Daniel Boone issued in September 1968. In 1963 Macouillard designed a mosaic mural that adorns a mid-century modern bank at 300 S. El Camino Real, San Mateo, California. The mural was constructed by Alfonso Pardiñas

neg: Stamp program changes; a souvenir sheet commemorating the Mars Pathfinder mission was issued by the USPS December 10, 1997, some five months after the touchdown, while the "United We Stand" stamp in response to the September 11, 2001 attacks came out on October 2, just three weeks later. Stamp program The stamp program of a postal organization is an umbrella term for the entire process of postage stamp issuance and distribution by the organization. Aspects include the decision of about stamps to issue, what postal rates they will pay, postage stamp design, printing, and publicity for the new stamps. The stamp program

neg: Mount Brown (philatelist) were published in "The Stamp Collector's Magazine", of which Mr Viner was editor 1863-67, and revisions to the format of the catalogue took place in the third edition, following contact between Mount Brown and Dr. Gray of the British Museum. The number of stamps listed also expanded and details of forgeries began to be included. As well as catalogues, a stamp album was available, billed as "Mount Brown's Postage-Stamp or Crest Album", price seven and a half shillings, and lists of unused postage stamps. By 1870 Brown's philatelic business was so great that he was forced to choose between it

neg: BONZZO (comic strip) handling costs. He later continued to explain -in a separate interview- that the Bonzzo Postage Stamp can be used to send a letter and that it wasn’t purely decorative but real postage, with which you can send mail from everywhere in the US and its territories." The main event got on its way with the general manager of the US Postal Service’s Caribbean district Steven Hernández officially announced the approval of the new Bonzzo stamp. The 45 cent postage seal will perpetuate Rivas’ character in Bonzzo in the chronicles of American history. The founder and other members of Puerto Rico’s

neg: Non-denominated postage essentially equivalent to the American NVI program, as both covered regular domestic first-class mail. One Canada Post NVI stamp covers the cost of mailing a standard letter up to 30 g within Canada. On 11 December 2013, Canada Post unveiled its Five-point Action Plan, which temporarily removed "Permanent" stamps from sale, although they remained valid for postage. On March 31, the regular domestic stamp price increased from CA$0.63 to CA$0.85 (roll & bundle issued stamps) and up to $1.00 for single stamp purchase, beginning on 31 March 2014. Sale of "Permanent" stamps resumed on that day at the new rate.

neg: Harvey Milk the United States Postal Service issued a postage stamp honoring Harvey Milk, the first openly LGBT political official to receive this honor. The stamp features a photo taken in front of Milk's Castro Camera store and was unveiled on what would have been his 84th birthday. Harry Britt summarized Milk's impact the evening Milk was shot in 1978: "No matter what the world has taught us about ourselves, we can be beautiful and we can get our thing together ... Harvey was a prophet ... he lived by a vision ... Something very special is going to happen in this

neg: Poster stamp Poster stamp The poster stamp was an advertising label, a little larger than most postage stamps, that originated in the mid-19th century and quickly became a collecting craze, growing in popularity until World War One and then declining by World War Two until they were almost forgotten except by collectors of cinderella stamps. Poster stamps were revived in 2017 by The Portland Stamp Company. The unofficial nature of poster stamps has led to debate about exactly what is and is not a poster stamp. One definition has been "labels without postage stamp values, not good for postal service; advertising labels

neg: Postage stamp design rules governing the choice of designs or design elements. Stamps of the UK must depict the sovereign (typically as a silhouette), while stamps of the US may not visibly depict any person who has been dead for less than 10 years, except for ex-Presidents, who may appear on a stamp one year after their demise. The choice of postage stamp color may be specified, acting as a sort of color code to different rates. Most countries issue commemorative issues from time to time, perhaps to celebrate some special event, with designs relating to the event. While they are legitimate postage

neg: Non-denominated postage Postal Service flexibility to refrain from reprinting hundreds of millions of stamps in a new denomination. The rate increase, to thirteen cents (US$0.13), occurred just after Christmas. The United States also issued stamps with letter denomination, beginning from "A", "B", etc., during postal rate changes. After reaching the letter "H", this practice was discarded in favor of simply indicating the class of postage (e.g., first class) for which the stamp was intended. In 2006, the United States Postal Service applied for permission to issue a stamp similar to non-denominated stamps in the UK, termed the "forever stamp", for first-class postage.

neg: S. Kellogg Stryker S. Kellogg Stryker S. Kellogg Stryker (February 5, 1902 – July 20, 1989), of New York City, was a stamp dealer recognized in the philatelic community as an expert on 19th century and 20th century postage stamps. Stryker started out in the stamp business in 1928. In 1942 he and Robert Laurence formed Laurence and Stryker, a philatelic auction house which sold rare postage stamps and postal covers from 1942 to 1960. Stryker is noted for a number of rare philatelic “finds” of United States stamps, such as discovering the first unused copy of the 1923 one-cent Franklin (Scott 594),

neg: S. Kellogg Stryker S. Kellogg Stryker S. Kellogg Stryker (February 5, 1902 – July 20, 1989), of New York City, was a stamp dealer recognized in the philatelic community as an expert on 19th century and 20th century postage stamps. Stryker started out in the stamp business in 1928. In 1942 he and Robert Laurence formed Laurence and Stryker, a philatelic auction house which sold rare postage stamps and postal covers from 1942 to 1960. Stryker is noted for a number of rare philatelic “finds” of United States stamps, such as discovering the first unused copy of the 1923 one-cent Franklin (Scott 594),

neg: William Tecumseh Sherman to have appeared on several different US postage stamp issues. The first stamp issue to honor him was released on March 21, 1893, a little more than two years after his death. The engraving was modeled after a taken by Napoleon Sarony in 1888. The Post Office released a second and third Sherman issue of 1895, both almost identical to the first issue, with slight changes in the framework design and color. Sherman appeared again in the , a commemorative postage stamp jointly honoring Generals Sherman, Grant and Sheridan. The last stamp issue to honor Sherman was released in 1995

neg: Postage stamps and postal history of the Caribbean Netherlands Postage stamps and postal history of the Caribbean Netherlands The three public bodies of Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba started issuing postal stamps after the dissolution of the Netherlands Antilles in 2010. The islands form a separate postage region under the name Caribisch Nederland (). The first stamp issued showed the maps of the three islands. Stamps of similar design were issued in the other newly formed postage regions of Sint Maarten and Curaçao. The value of the current stamp is denominated in Netherlands Antillean guilders, but is expected to be replaced by US-dollar denominated stamps in 2011 when the

neg: Lester George Brookman Lester George Brookman Lester George Brookman (September 3, 1904 – November 23, 1971), of Minnesota, was a stamp dealer who was an expert on 19th century United States postage stamps and postal history. Brookman started his business of selling stamps in 1934. He published the "Brookman's U.S. Price List", which was used as a standard pricing tool by stamp dealers for many years. Brookman published his most significant work, "The United States Postage Stamps of the 19th Century", in three volumes from 1947 to 1967 for which he was awarded the Grand Award. From 1941 to 1945 Brookman was editor

neg: Breast cancer research stamp in making the Loganville post office the number one seller per capita of the Breast Cancer Research Stamp. Breast cancer research stamp The breast cancer research stamp (BCRS) is a semi-postal non-denominated postage stamp issued by the United States Postal Service, priced in 2011 as eleven cents higher than the standard first-class letter rate. The surplus above the price of the first-class stamp is collected by the United States Postal Service (USPS) and allocated to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Department of Defense (DoD) for breast cancer research. If a person used this stamp exclusively, and mailed

neg: Presidents of the United States on U.S. postage stamps use was needed to confirm that postage had been paid for an item of mail. People could purchase several stamps at one time and no longer had to make a special trip to pay for postage each time an item was mailed. The postage stamp design was usually printed from a fine engraving and were almost impossible to forge adequately. This is where the appearance of presidents on stamps was introduced. Moreover, the subject theme of a president, along with the honors associated with it, is what began to define the stamp issues in ways that took it beyond the

neg: Philatelic fakes and forgeries loss of a war. In some cases a genuine stamp can have a fake cancellation applied to make it appear to be a rare, and valuable postally used example. A notable example is the 90¢ U. S. stamp of 1860, withdrawn within a year, on which a genuine cancellation raises the Scott Catalogue value from US $3000 to $11,000. Scott's listing includes the caveat: "All used examples … must be accompanied by certificates of authenticity issued by recognized expertizing committees." It is also important to know that not all cancellations are postal. Some countries have inscribed their stamps "Postage and

neg: Postage stamp paper Postage stamp paper Postage stamp paper is the foundation or substrate of the postage stamp to which the ink for the stamp's design is applied to one side and the adhesive is applied to the other. The paper is not only the foundation of the stamp but it has also been incorporated into the stamp's design, has provided security against fraud and has aided in the automation of the postal delivery system. Stamp catalogs like Scott's Standard Postage Stamp Catalog (SC) often document the paper the stamp is printed on to describe a stamp's classification. The same stamp design can

neg: Postage stamp paper Postage stamp paper Postage stamp paper is the foundation or substrate of the postage stamp to which the ink for the stamp's design is applied to one side and the adhesive is applied to the other. The paper is not only the foundation of the stamp but it has also been incorporated into the stamp's design, has provided security against fraud and has aided in the automation of the postal delivery system. Stamp catalogs like Scott's Standard Postage Stamp Catalog (SC) often document the paper the stamp is printed on to describe a stamp's classification. The same stamp design can

neg: Fred Rogers Joanne Byrd Rogers, as well as clips of memorable moments from the show, such as Rogers visiting Koko the gorilla, Margaret Hamilton dressing up as "The Wizard of Oz"'s Wicked Witch of the West, and Jeff Erlanger in his wheelchair singing "It's You I Like" with Rogers. Fred Rogers appeared on a commemorative US postage stamp in 2018. The stamp, showing him as Mister Rogers alongside King Friday XIII, was issued on March 23, 2018, in Pittsburgh. On September 21, 2018, Google Doodle honored him with a stop motion video of "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood." At 90, his widow, Joanne Byrd

neg: Postage stamps and postal history of the Northern Nigeria Protectorate in slightly different colors was issued on July 1, 1902, depicting King Edward VII. Unusually, a £25 stamp was issued in April 1904. This was really intended as a revenue stamp, it being nearly impossible to invent a piece of mail needing so much postage. It was used to pay for imported liquor licences. It is the great rarity of philately with copies commanding a high price. The King Edward series was reissued in 1905 in eight denominations, and again in 1910-11 in eleven denominations. The final series of stamps for the Northern Nigeria Protectorate was a series of thirteen

neg: Trading stamp incentive. By 1957 it was estimated that nearly 250,000 retail outlets were issuing trading stamps with nearly two thirds of American households saving various trading stamps. During this time trading stamp companies had between 1,400 - 1,600 retail centers where consumers could redeem their trading stamps for consumer goods. In the early 1960s, the S&H Green Stamps company boasted that it printed more stamps annually than the number of postage stamps printed by the US government. In 1968 it was reported that more than $900 million in stamps were sold in the United States. Beginning in the early 1970s the

neg: Postage stamp design have a year or name worked into a design, while the US stamp honoring Rabbi Bernard Revel has a minute Star of David visible in his beard. Secret marks are small design alterations added to distinguish printings unambiguously. These usually take the form of small lines or marks added to clear areas of a design. Chinese stamps of the 1940s have secret marks in the form of slightly altered characters, where two arms might be changed to touch, when previously they were separate. The usual shape of a postage stamp is a rectangle, this being an efficient way to pack

neg: Grill (philately) Grill (philately) A grill on a postage stamp is an embossed pattern of small indentations intended to discourage postage stamp reuse. They were supposed to work by allowing the ink of the cancellation to be absorbed more readily by the fibres of the stamp paper, making it harder to wash off the cancellation. The best-known (indeed only major) examples of grilling are the United States issues of the late 1860s and early 1870s, when grilling was standard for all US stamps. "Grilling" therefore remains a specialist interest only for American philatalists. While many types of grilled stamps are common, certain

neg: Grill (philately) 9 x 14 mm. The other two grills measure, respectively, 11 x 15½ mm. and 10 x 12 mm. Grill (philately) A grill on a postage stamp is an embossed pattern of small indentations intended to discourage postage stamp reuse. They were supposed to work by allowing the ink of the cancellation to be absorbed more readily by the fibres of the stamp paper, making it harder to wash off the cancellation. The best-known (indeed only major) examples of grilling are the United States issues of the late 1860s and early 1870s, when grilling was standard for all US stamps.

neg: Postage stamp design resulted in a backlash; a famous example is that of the US in the late 1940s, when the US Congress had direct authority over stamp design, and a large number of issues were put out merely to please a representative's constituency or industry lobbyists. The resulting uproar resulted in the formation of an independent Citizens' Stamp Advisory Committee that reviews and chooses from hundreds of proposals received each year. Occasionally the public is polled for its choice of design, as with the US Elvis stamp of 1993, or some issues of the Celebrate the Century series. Many countries have specific

neg: CIA invert Stamp catalogs list its price as only $15,000, one-tenth of the Inverted Jenny that is valued at $150,000 despite the fact that about the same number of each stamp exist. A block of four stamps sold in 2004 for $60,000 and a second block was sold in 2015 for $71,875. Reproductions have been sold on eBay. CIA invert The CIA invert is a one-dollar value postage stamp error issued by the United States Postal Service. It is one stamp from the Americana series that were produced between 1975 and 1981. The $1 colonial rushlight holder stamp was first issued on

neg: Postage stamps and postal history of the United States Later that year, Daniel Webster rose in the U.S. Senate to recommend that the recent English postal reforms—standardized rates and the use of postage stamps—be adopted in America. It would be private enterprise, however, that brought stamps to the U. S. On February 1, 1842 a new carrier service called "City Despatch Post" began operations in New York City, introducing the first adhesive postage stamp ever produced in the western hemisphere, which it required its clients to use for all mail. This stamp was a 3¢ issue bearing a rather amateurish drawing of George Washington, printed from line engraved plates

neg: Postage stamps and postal history of the United States a frame, which enclosed the words "This U. S. stamp, along with 25c of additional U. S. postage, is equivalent to the 'F' stamp rate." The Great Americans series and the Transportation coils began appearing in 1980 and 1981, respectively. The transportation coils were used steadily for some 20 years, while Great Americans was replaced by the Distinguished Americans series, which began in 2000. The increasing use of email and other technologies during the 1990s led to a decline in the amount of first-class mail, while bulk mail increased. A large variety of commemorative stamps continue to appear, but more

neg: Postage stamp separation of US stamps only a handful of these are known to exist. The various types of perforation errors are collectively known as misperfs. Postage stamp separation For postage stamps, separation is the means by which individual stamps are made easily detachable from each other. Methods of separation include: In the early years, from 1840 until 1850, all stamps were issued imperforate, and had to be cut from the sheet with scissors or knife. This was time-consuming and error-prone (as mangled stamps of the era attest). Once reliable separation equipment became available, nations switched rapidly. Imperforate stamps have been issued occasionally

neg: Armand Rousso contributions to the 1996 Senate campaign of Robert G. Torricelli. Rousso was identified as having bought at auction the Treskilling Yellow, a unique Swedish postage stamp printed in the wrong color. The stamp had been auctioned on 22 May 2010, by David Feldman in Geneva, Switzerland, for at least $2.3 million, the world's record price for a stamp at auction. In May 2013 the stamp was acquired in a private sale by Count Gustaf Douglas, a Swedish nobleman and politician. Rousso was founder of "Accoona", a B2B search engine. Launched in 2004 with former President Bill Clinton as chief announcer,

neg: Women on US stamps Postage Stamps Women on US stamps The history of women on US stamps begins in 1893, when Queen Isabella became the first woman on a US stamp. Queen Isabella helped support Christopher Columbus's 1492 voyage, and 1893 marked the end of a year-long celebration of the 400th anniversary of that voyage. The first US stamp honoring an American woman honored Martha Washington, and was issued in 1902. In 1907, Pocahontas became the first Native American woman (and the first Native American) to be honored on a US stamp. In 1978, Harriet Tubman became the first African-American woman to be honored

neg: Liberty Issue stamp of that value was issued in 1959. It was also the last appearance of Franklin on a lower value stamp in a regular series, a tradition that had been followed since 1847. In this series, two of the fractional denominations—1¼¢ and 2½¢—appeared on U. S. postage stamps for the first time. Sheet format: Coil stamps: In late 1954 5000 panes, each 100 stamps, of the 2¢ Jefferson, Scott catalog 1033, were printed on experimental bright Silkote postage stamp paper. These were released at a few post offices in Maine. It is estimated that no more than 400 of these

neg: Postage stamps and postal history of the United States of them just go to collectors, while the stamps of the average person's daily mail are non-denominated types issued specifically for businesses. The first US postage stamp to incorporate microprinting as a security feature was the American Wildflower Series introduced by The United States Postal Service in 1992. It was also the first commemorative stamp to be wholly produced by offset lithography. The USPS has since issued other stamps with more complex microprinting incorporated along with dates, words, and abbreviations such as "USPS" and even entire stamp designs composed of microprint letters. In 2005, after 111 years of producing American

neg: Western Cattle in Storm Western Cattle in Storm Western Cattle in Storm is a $1 stamp issued by the United States Post Office Department as part of the 1898 Trans-Mississippi Issue. "Western Cattle in Storm" is one of nine commemorative postage stamps in the series, which marked the 1898 Trans-Mississippi Exposition held in Omaha, Nebraska. While the entire Trans-Mississippi Issue set has been praised for its quality, viewed by generations of U. S. stamp specialists as "one of the most beautiful sets of postage stamps our country has ever issued," the $1 stamp, also called the "Black Bull", stands out from the rest. The

neg: Postage stamps and postal history of British Columbia stamp was sold for 2½d, 3d, 5c, 6¼c, and 7½c without ever receiving a surcharge indicating a changed value. The surviving unified stamps sell for about US$250 , but much more if they are in good condition and well-centered. Postage stamps and postal history of British Columbia The postage stamps and postal history of British Columbia started in 1860 with the issue of a single brownish-rose stamp depicting Queen Victoria in profile and denominated as 2½ pence. It was issued jointly by Vancouver Island and British Columbia as each colony had insufficient postal trade to justify printing separate stamps. In

neg: Seventh-day Adventism in popular culture stamp depicting the Centerville Church in Nassau the Bahamas first Adventist congregation organized in 1911. A 2009 postage stamp depicts Grant's Town Adventist Church on New Providence Island. A February 1986 US Postal Service stamp commemorated Sojourner Truth (1797-1893) who was a famous advocate for abolition of slavery and women's rights. Truth was pictured on the Black History series stamp with a double portrait to emphasize her two focused fights against slavery and for women's rights. She is expected to be pictured on the back of a new US $10 bill by 2020. A November 11, 2013 stamp issue by

neg: Postage stamps and postal history of the United States only 250 examples known in existence. Widespread hoarding of coins during the Civil War created a shortage, prompting the use of stamps for currency. To be sure, the fragility of stamps made them unsuitable for hand-to-hand circulation, and to solve this problem, John Gault invented the encased postage stamp in 1862. A normal U. S. stamp was wrapped around a circular cardboard disc and then placed inside a coin-like circular brass jacket. A transparent mica window in the jacket allowed the face of the stamp to be seen. All eight denominations available in 1861-62, ranging from 1 cent to 90

neg: Postage stamp reuse Postage stamp reuse The article outlines methods used in the design of postage stamps to avoid their fraudulent reuse (mainly by removing the postmark), attempted to avoid postage fees. It does not concern methods to limit the production of fake or forgery (rare) postage stamps to abuse the collectors. The crux of the problem was the stamp paid the fee for a single usage of the mails, but the stamp itself tended to arrive at the destination in reasonably good condition; it would be the work of a moment to remove the stamp from the envelope and then attach it

neg: Postage stamp design error and may not be noticed during the stamp's period of use. The largest run of an error on a postage stamp is the 2011 United States 'Statue of Liberty Forever stamp'. The stamp shows the replica of the Statue of Liberty in Las Vegas rather than the original in New York. The stamp was released in December 2010 and the error was not noticed until March 2011 when it was identified by Sunipix, a stock photo agency in Texas. Ten and a half billion of the error stamps were produced. Postage stamp design error A postage stamp design error is

neg: Postage stamps and postal history of the Confederate States service between the North and South had ended. Jefferson Davis is depicted on the first issue of 1861. The appearance of a living person on a postage stamp marked a break from the tradition adhered to by the US Post Office, that a person may be depicted on U.S. postage or currency only after death. During the five months between the US Post office's withdrawal of services from the seceded states and the first issue of Confederate postage stamps, postmasters throughout the Confederacy used temporary substitutes for postal payment. Postmasters had to improvise and used various methods to apply confirmation

neg: Naked Maja (postage stamps) detail his teenager collector's feelings in relation to its purchase. In philatelic literature "La maja desnuda" of 1930 is considered to be "[t]he best-known sexually related stamp in history, probably." In 1958, the Spanish "La maja desnuda" stamps were reproduced in the US on one stamp of the 10-stamp set with the most famous paintings of Goya issued for the Day of the Stamp. Another issue, an imperforated block of four stamps with four facsimiles of the 1930 4 pesetas Spanish stamp, albeit in different colors, was issued in the US in 1996. Both issues, however, were only a private

neg: Printer's sample stamp Consort Essay" was a printer's sample stamp created in 1851 as an example of the surface printed stamps that Henry Archer proposed to print and perforate under contract with the British government at a lower price than the current printing firm of Perkins Bacon. The Prince Consort stamps were provided by the artist Robert Edward Branston, from an engraving executed by Samuel William Reynolds. Although commonly known as an essay, the stamp was not really an essay as it was never intended that a postage stamp be produced based on the design, nor was it an un-adopted design. It is

neg: Postage stamps and postal history of Mayotte two stamps of 20 francs. Stamp catalogues gave a high price to these stamps (150 euros minimum in "Dallay" 2006-2007), the stamp must be on cover and cancelled during the shortage period that ended with the arrival of French stamps and the introduction of the French franc. In February 1976, stamps identical to those used in Metropolitan France arrived. Like in the Réunion in January 1975, the French franc replaced the CFA franc through the Institut d'émission d'Outre-Mer, the CFP franc issuing bank. Only the date stamp distinguished a stamp used in Mayotte. The post in Mayotte is operated by

neg: A Sentimental Journey (Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased)) be the disloyal henchmen and he discovers that what he was really after was a stolen an extremely rare and valuable postage stamp which was masked in the receipt by a newer stamp. The duo escape leaving Jeff unconscious, and are again tracked by the ghost Marty as they escape by car. However whilst in their car it turns out the pretty blonde also double-crosses her boyfriend, pretending there is a problem with the rear wheel. As he stops and checks, his supposed girlfriend leaves him in the lurch with the valuable postage stamp. Marty is able to give Jeff

neg: Postage stamp annual average number of new postage stamp issued by the U.S.P.S. has significantly increased. Postage stamp A postage stamp is a small piece of paper issued by a post office, postal administration, or other authorized vendors to customers who pay postage (the cost involved in moving, insuring, or registering mail), who then affix the stamp to the face or address-side of any item of mail—an envelope or other postal cover (e.g., packet, box, mailing cylinder)—that they wish to send. The item is then processed by the postal system, where a postmark or cancellation mark—in modern usage indicating date and point

neg: Intrepid (balloon) Union Army General Samuel P. Heintzelman from what would have been sure defeat at the hands of the Confederates. The "Intrepid" undergoing a lengthy inflation was quickly hooked up to the spout of the smaller "Constitution" by means of a de-bottomed camp kettle by which the gas was transferred in shorter time to make the ascent. In 1983, the U.S. Postal Service honored the "Intrepid" with a postage stamp. 2. Novel By Gaslight, by Steven Price Intrepid (balloon) The Intrepid was a hydrogen gas balloon or aerostat built for use by the Union Army Balloon Corps for aerial reconnaissance purposes

neg: Postage stamps and postal history of Pakistan used with perforation at 13C. The price was Rs. 20 even though the stamps were valued at only Rs. 18. The third booklet, for a stamp exhibition in Peshawar, was released in a quantity of 8,500. It was sold through the philatelic bureau across the country.This exhibition organize of Peshawar Stamp Society, Peshawar. Released on 20 January 1993, 3 values (SG 632, 633 and 636) from the forts definitive issue were used and 18 stamps each were printed. The price was Rs. 30, Rs. 3 more than the value inside. There was no watermark and perforation was 11C. Both PVA

neg: United States Postal Service of postage meters. A postage meter imprints an amount of postage, functioning as a postage stamp, a cancellation and a dated postmark all in one. The meter stamp serves as proof of payment and eliminates the need for adhesive stamps. In addition to using standard stamps, postage can now be printed in the form of an electronic stamp, or e-stamp, from a personal computer using a system called Information Based Indicia. This online PC Postage method relies upon application software on the customer's computer contacting a postal security device at the office of the postal service. Electronic Verification System (eVS)

neg: Pagsanjan Falls stamp the most sought after in the set: the 2008 Scott catalogue value for a very fine mint never-hinged copy of the stamp (Scott #357) is US$25.00, while no other stamp in the set exceeds US$1.00. The rest of the set comprise: 2¢ – Mount Mayon, 4¢ – the Manila Central Post Office, 12¢ – Pier No. 7, Manila, 20¢ – planting rice, 24¢ – rice terraces and 32¢ – Baguio zigzag. The postage stamp design is of an upright rectangular form, a shape chosen so that the waterfall could be displayed in its entirety, and is printed in yellow and

neg: Lynne S. Warm-Griffiths Lynne S. Warm-Griffiths Lynne S. Warm-Griffiths (July 26, 1923 – August 22, 1990), of New Orleans, New York City, and California, was a philatelist who created award-winning collections and helped stamp collecting by participating actively in various philatelic organizations. Her philatelic collections were specialized and included collections of United States postage stamps used overseas between 1894 and 1904, United States Newspaper stamps, Periodical stamps and First Bureau Issues. Her collections won awards at major stamp exhibitions. Lynne S. Warm-Griffiths was very active within the philatelic community, serving in a number of posts at the Crescent City Stamp Club in New

neg: Postage stamp design error Postage stamp design error A postage stamp design error is a mistake made during the design phase of the postage stamp production process. Design errors most commonly occur as minor mistakes, such as a missing letter in the binomial name of an organism depicted on the stamp, but some have been major gaffes, such as a map appearing to lay claim to another country's territory, or the depiction of the wrong person on the stamp. A design error caught during the production process may disappear quietly, with copies of the error only getting into the public's hands via unscrupulous employees

neg: Postage meter Postage meter A postage meter or franking machine is a mechanical device used to create and apply physical evidence of postage (or franking) to mailed matter. Postage meters are regulated by a country's postal authority. A postage meter imprints an amount of postage, functioning as a postage stamp, a cancellation and a dated postmark all in one. The meter stamp serves as proof of payment and eliminates the need for adhesive stamps. Since the issuance of adhesive stamps in 1840, postal officials have been concerned about security against stamp theft and how to process mail in a timely fashion. One

neg: Presidents of the United States on U.S. postage stamps physical postage stamp itself and is why people began to collect them. There exist entire series of stamp issues whose printing was inspired by the subject alone. The portrayals of Washington and Franklin on U.S. postage are among the most definitive of examples and have appeared on numerous postage stamps. The presidential theme in stamp designs would continue as the decades passed, each period issuing stamps with variations of the same basic presidential-portrait design theme. The portrayals of U.S. presidents on U.S. postage has remained a significant subject and design theme on definitive postage throughout most of U.S. stamp issuance

neg: BONZZO (comic strip) bare reason to make us proud. Dr. Hermán J. Cestero MD, from the Philatelic Society of Puerto Rico put the historic event in perspective by explaining the practice of commemorative stamps. “This is the second US Postal cancellation stamp for Bonzzo and the first time that a Bonzzo postage stamp has been officially made part of the US Postal Service.” He said that the use of the stamp began as a practical form of showing from where the mail originated, later they were used to commemorate important historical events, in benefit to specific causes and made to cover transportation and

neg: Stamps on stamps to 2014 Stamps on stamps Stamps on stamps is a philatelic term for depicting images of postage stamps on postage stamps. Some postage stamp collectors have specialized in collecting stamps on stamps as a topical collection. Type A – Stamp that contain (fully or partly) the original stamp (some times with modification). Type SY / U - Stamp that contain an unidentifiable form of stamp: stamp on an envelope, symbol of stamp, etc. Type B – Stamp that contain something of the original design or that use the same design with modifications. Pakistan Pakistan have issued three stamp on stamps

neg: Stamps on stamps Stamps on stamps Stamps on stamps is a philatelic term for depicting images of postage stamps on postage stamps. Some postage stamp collectors have specialized in collecting stamps on stamps as a topical collection. Type A – Stamp that contain (fully or partly) the original stamp (some times with modification). Type SY / U - Stamp that contain an unidentifiable form of stamp: stamp on an envelope, symbol of stamp, etc. Type B – Stamp that contain something of the original design or that use the same design with modifications. Pakistan Pakistan have issued three stamp on stamps from 1947

neg: Nicholas F. Seebeck Nicholas F. Seebeck Nicholas Frederick Seebeck (1857 – June 23, 1899) was a stamp dealer and printer, best known for his stamp-printing contracts with several Latin American countries in the 1890s. Seebeck emigrated from Germany to the United States at the age of 9. He soon established himself as a stamp dealer and cataloguer (as a sideline to owning a stationery and printing shop) in New York City, and published the "Descriptive Price Catalogue of All Known Postage Stamps of the United States and Foreign Countries" in 1876. In 1879, he began printing stamps for the Dominican Republic and the

neg: Cut to shape — the unique 1856 British Guiana 1c magenta — is cut into an octagonal shape. Consequently, it has been referred to as being cut to shape, although technically that term is incorrect as the stamp design is rectangular in shape. Cut to shape Cut to shape is a philatelic term referring to a postage stamp or postal stationery indicium (printed stamp image) that has been cut to the shape of the design, such as an octagon, circle or oval, instead of simply cut into a square or rectangular shape. Stamps cut to shape almost always command a lower price than

neg: Cut to shape Cut to shape Cut to shape is a philatelic term referring to a postage stamp or postal stationery indicium (printed stamp image) that has been cut to the shape of the design, such as an octagon, circle or oval, instead of simply cut into a square or rectangular shape. Stamps cut to shape almost always command a lower price than those cut square, and sometimes have little or no value, especially envelope indicia cut to shape. Although many stamps unfortunately have been cut to shape by stamp collectors, some early stamps were produced without perforations and were often cut to

neg: Postage stamp block block contains the name of printer in either bottom or top margin of the stamp sheet. Gutter Block Gutter block contains stamp margins which are normally at corners of stamps are in the centre of block of stamps. Although blocks of rare stamps are highly valued, a block's price may actually be so high that no buyers can be found, leaving the owner with the agonizing prospect of breaking up the block, so as to be able to sell the stamps individually. In some cases, dealers have publicized plans to break up a famous block, in the hopes of that

neg: Prince Consort Essay Prince Consort Essay The Prince Consort Essay was a surface printed printer's sample stamp created in 1851 as an example of the surface printed stamps that Henry Archer proposed to print and perforate under contract with the British government at a lower price than the current printing firm of Perkins Bacon. The Prince Consort stamps were provided by the artist Robert Edward Branston, from an engraving executed by Samuel William Reynolds. Although commonly known as an essay, the stamp was not really an essay as it was never intended that a postage stamp be produced based on the design, nor

neg: Postage stamp postage stamp. In 1680, William Dockwra, an English merchant in London, and his partner Robert Murray established the London Penny Post, a mail system that delivered letters and small parcels inside the city of London for the sum of one penny. Confirmation of paid postage was indicated by the use of a hand "stamp" to frank the mailed item. Though this 'stamp' was applied to the letter or parcel itself, rather than to a separate piece of paper, it is considered by many historians to be the world's first postage stamp. In 1835, the Slovene civil servant Lovrenc Košir from

neg: Postage stamps and postal history of Guernsey the 1950s Guernsey used British regional stamps marked specifically for use in Guernsey but valid for postage throughout the United Kingdom. Guernsey has issued its own stamps since the creation of Guernsey Post, 1 October 1969. The Bailiwick of Guernsey incorporates Alderney, Herm and Sark which all used the Guernsey issues from 1969. From 1983 Guernsey began issuing specific stamps designated Alderney for use in that island which are also valid throughout the Bailiwick of Guernsey.. In 1998 postage stamps were issued without a price stated on the stamp, the terms "Local" and "UK" being used to distinguish the values.

neg: Elvis Presley Forever stamp offices around the United States and on the internet. Other than the Rev. Martin Luther King and several US Presidents, Elvis Presley is the only US national who has been the subject of two commemorative stamps by the USPS. The first was issued in 1993. The first stamps, and earliest known use (EKU), were purchased August 10, 2015 at the Mason, Tennessee post office by stamp collector David Saks. Elvis Presley Forever stamp The Elvis Presley Forever postage stamp is a part of the Music Icons series issued by the United States Postal Service. It features Presley in a 1955

neg: John N. Luff "What Philately Teaches Us" (1899) to the classic reference work "The Postage Stamps of the United States" (1902), and numerous articles in the "AJP" and "Mekeel's Weekly Stamp News". In addition to building a US collection that won the gold medal at the Paris exhibition of 1900, Luff also collected Great Britain, Shanghai, Hawaii, Japan, and China. But his most important collection was a reference collection that he used as a basis for comparison when expertizing stamps at Scott. He sold the collection to Scott when he left in 1905; the collection was later donated to the Philatelic Foundation, where

neg: Franking ("Penny Black") and 1841 ("Penny Red"), pre-paid franking was applied exclusively by a manuscript or handstamped "Paid" marking and the amount of the fee collected. The first US postage stamp was the red brown Five cent Franklin (SC-1) issued in 1847. In addition to stamps, postage franking can be in the form of printed or stamped impressions made in an authorized format and applied directly by a franking machine, postage meter, computer generated franking labels or other similar methods ("Postage Evidencing Systems"), any form of preprinted "postage paid" notice authorized by a postal service permit ("Indicia"), or any other marking

neg: Postage stamp Postage stamp A postage stamp is a small piece of paper issued by a post office, postal administration, or other authorized vendors to customers who pay postage (the cost involved in moving, insuring, or registering mail), who then affix the stamp to the face or address-side of any item of mail—an envelope or other postal cover (e.g., packet, box, mailing cylinder)—that they wish to send. The item is then processed by the postal system, where a postmark or cancellation mark—in modern usage indicating date and point of origin of mailing—is applied to the stamp and its left and right sides

neg: Postage stamp reuse unusual methods have included tearing or slicing the stamp, but this is a slower process and can easily damage the contents, and was only occasionally used. An example is 19th-century Afghanistan, where cancellation involved the removal of part of the stamp rather than applying ink or other surface marking. Postage stamp reuse The article outlines methods used in the design of postage stamps to avoid their fraudulent reuse (mainly by removing the postmark), attempted to avoid postage fees. It does not concern methods to limit the production of fake or forgery (rare) postage stamps to abuse the collectors. The crux

neg: Mystic Stamp Company Mystic Stamp Company The Mystic Stamp Company, based in Camden, New York, since 1923, is a mail-order postage stamp dealer, one of the largest in operation and notable for both its promotion of stamp collecting as a hobby and for its acquisition of the Z Grill, the rarest United States stamp. The company deals primarily in US stamps and supplies, with some supplies of stamps and supplies made by foreign postal authorities and the United Nations Postal Administration. Like most stamp dealers, sales of stamps and postal products are made through printed catalogs as well as an online catalog that

neg: Postage stamps and postal history of the United States 1¢ profile of Franklin in blue, a 3¢ profile of Washington in red brown, a 5¢ portrait of Thomas Jefferson, and portraits of Washington for 10¢ green and 12¢ black values. The 1¢ stamp achieved notoriety, at least among philatelists, because production problems (the stamp design was too tall for the space provided) led to a welter of plate modifications done in piecemeal fashion, and there are no fewer than seven major varieties, ranging in price from $100 to $200,000 (the latter for the only stamp of the 200 images on the first plate that displays the design's top and

neg: Postage stamps and postal history of the United States postage stamps, the Bureau of Engraving and Printing ended its involvement with the postal service. On April 12, 2007, the Forever stamp went on sale for 41 cents, and is good for mailing one-ounce First-Class letters anytime in the future—regardless of price changes. In 2011, the Post Office began issuing all new stamps for First-Class postage—both definitives and commemoratives—as Forever stamps: denominations were no longer included on them. On February 25, 2010, the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit ruled 2-1 that Frank Gaylord, sculptor of a portion of the Korean War Veterans Memorial, was entitled to

neg: William A. Price testimony Price was indicted on charges of contempt of Congress, along with journalists Alden Whitman and Robert Shelton. Price was eventually convicted of the charge and was sentenced to three months in jail and a fine of $500. Price was an activist for tenant rights on the Upper West Side of Manhattan for over forty years. He was a direct descendant of the American revolutionary William Henry and one of the founders of Scranton, Pennsylvania: Charles Scranton. His cousin, George Polk, a foreign correspondent for CBS, was honored on a U.S. postage stamp in 2008. A Flight Along America's Highways

neg: Presidents of the United States on U.S. postage stamps Presidents of the United States on U.S. postage stamps Presidents of the United States have frequently appeared on U.S. postage stamps since the mid–1800s. The United States Post Office released its first two postage stamps in 1847, featuring George Washington on one, and Benjamin Franklin on the other. The advent of presidents on postage stamps has been definitive to U.S. postage stamp design since the first issues were released and set the precedent that U.S. stamp designs would follow for many generations. The paper postage stamp itself was born of utility (in England, 1840), as something simple and easy to

neg: Meter stamp Meter stamp A meter stamp, or meter mark, is the impression made by a postage meter machine that indicates that postage has been paid on a letter or parcel. Meter stamps are widely used by businesses and organisations as they are more efficient than using postage stamps. Meter stamps are not adhesive postage stamps in the normal sense, although they may be printed on adhesive labels before being applied to mail. Meter stamps are normally in red, although a variety of colours are found. The usual components of a meter stamp are: The international use of meter marks was approved

neg: Postage stamp design Postage stamp design Postage stamp design is the activity of graphic design as applied to postage stamps. Many thousands of designs have been created since a profile bust of Queen Victoria was adopted for the Penny Black in 1840; some designs have been considered very successful, others less so. A stamp design includes several elements required for it to accomplish its purpose satisfactorily. Most important is the denomination indicating its monetary value, while international agreements require a country name on almost all types of stamps. A graphic design is very nearly universal; in addition to making counterfeits harder to produce

neg: One kreuzer black One kreuzer black The One kreuzer black, or Schwarzer Einser, was the first postage stamp issued in the Kingdom of Bavaria, and the first anywhere in the territories making up modern Germany. It was issued on 1 November 1849. 832,500 copies were printed on handmade paper in the printing shop of University of Munich. In October 1851 the stamps were removed from sale, but remained valid for postage until 31 August 1864. The stamp was designed by Johann Peter Haseney, engraved by F.J. Seitz and printed by J.G. Weiss; their initials 'PH', 'S', and 'W' are hidden according to Joseph

neg: Postage stamp color normally printed in ultramarine, but a handful were printed in blue, a shade with distinctly more green; these are worth in the US$10,000 range instead of the usual $10. Inks may also be diluted or applied more thinly, as for instance the World War I stamps of Germany and World War II stamps of the United Kingdom. It can also happen randomly, if a printing plate is accidentally under-inked. Ultraviolet light is destructive to a great many pigments, and can cause considerable lightening. In addition, some countries have used water-soluble materials known as fugitive inks to prevent postage stamp reuse.