Postal History

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.

On February 20, 1792, George Washington signed the Postal Service Act, creating the US 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.

Franklin Delano Roosevelt was born on January 30, 1882, in Hyde Park, New York.  As president during two of the most serious events of the twentieth century – the Great Depression and World War II – FDR implemented sweeping reforms and negotiated powerful coalitions with world leaders that led to an Allied victory. 

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.

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.

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.

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.

On December 15, 1956, the US Post Office issued its first stamp designed by a student. The stamp was the result of a nationwide contest encouraging children to get involved in stamp design.