Star Routes
On March 3, 1845, a congressional act established star routes. Businesses would carry mail under contract with the post office on these postal routes.
Postal History
Bank Note Series
March 1, 1870, is the earliest known use of one of the Bank Note stamps, a long-running series of stamps produced by three different bank note companies. These stamps have interesting differences thanks to secret marks, grills, paper varieties, fancy cancels, and more!
Ukraine War Stamps Chronicle History as it Happens
On February 24, 2022, Russia sparked outrage worldwide when it invaded Ukraine. Ukraine has not only fought back, they’ve harnessed the power of the postage stamp to bring worldwide attention to the conflict and raise money for its troops with clever, edgy, and playful issues.
Washington Establishes U.S. Post Office
On February 20, 1792, George Washington signed the Postal Service Act, creating the US Post Office.
First Highway Post Office
On February 10, 1941, the first Highway Post Office began service in the United States. These Highway Post Offices provided mail service to areas that didn’t have passenger train service to bring in the mail.
First U.S. Olympic Stamp
On January 25, 1932, the US Post Office Department issued its first stamp honoring the Olympic Games. Those games were the first to be held in the US.
Universal Postal Union Colors
On January 17, 1898, the first US stamp created to conform to the change in colors recommended by the Universal Postal Union was issued. The UPU had recommended the standardization of colors to make international mail easier to process.
America’s Smallest Postage Stamp
On January 11, 1978, the USPS issued its smallest postage stamp, featuring the famed Indian Head Penny. The stamp was a USPS experiment to cut costs and increase output.
First Nationwide Coil Stamp Issued
On December 29, 1908, the US Post Office Department issued its first coil stamps on a national scale. These stamps ushered in a new era in both mail delivery and philately.