Even more info about collecting US stamps!
When the Southern states seceded from the Union in 1861, one of the first tasks of the newly formed Confederate government was to establish a postal system. The United States Postal Service had stopped operations in the seceded states, leaving a vacuum that needed to be filled quickly. The Confederate Post Office, under the leadership of Postmaster General John H. Reagan, began issuing its own stamps in October 1861.
Imperforate stamps are simply stamps that lack the perforations—those tiny holes—that separate one stamp from another on a sheet. This means that instead of tearing a stamp along a dotted line, collectors and postal workers would have had to use scissors or a knife to separate them.
The concept of stamped envelopes dates back to the early days of the postal system. The first stamped envelope in the United States was issued in 1853. Known as the Nesbitt issue, these envelopes featured a simple design with a profile of Benjamin Franklin, modeled after the designs of contemporary postage stamps. Wrappers, on the other hand, were introduced as a way to efficiently mail newspapers, periodicals, and other printed materials. The first stamped wrappers in the United States were issued in 1861.
Arrow blocks are stamp blocks that include one or more arrows printed in the margin. These arrows were used by printers as alignment guides to ensure that the sheets were properly positioned during the printing process. The arrows often point towards the center of the sheet, helping to align the stamps with precision.
Specimen stamps are essentially sample stamps provided by postal authorities to other postal administrations, government agencies, or stamp dealers. Their primary purpose was to serve as a reference to identify the designs, denominations, and security features of stamps from other countries. Often, the word “Specimen” is either overprinted on the stamp or incorporated into the design to clearly indicate that it is not valid for postage.
A First Day Cover is an envelope, postcard, or card that features a newly issued postage stamp, postmarked on the stamp’s first day of official release. The postmark includes the date and usually the location of the stamp’s first issuance, turning each FDC into a historical artifact.
A commemorative cover is an envelope or card that has been stamped and postmarked to mark a special event, anniversary, or achievement. These covers often feature unique designs, special cancellations, and sometimes even additional artwork that enhances their visual appeal. Unlike regular mail, commemorative covers are usually produced in limited quantities, making them prized additions to any collection.
Carrier stamps were a type of local post used in the early days of American mail service. Before the establishment of the nationwide postal system as we know it today, mail delivery was a more localized affair. Carrier stamps were issued by private companies or city governments to cover the cost of delivering mail from the post office to the recipient’s address within a specific city. They played a crucial role in urban mail delivery before the federal government standardized postal services.
Offset lithography, also known as offset printing, operates on a simple yet ingenious principle. The process involves transferring an inked image from a plate to a rubber blanket, then onto the printing surface, which, in this case, is the postage stamp paper. This indirect transfer is what gives offset printing its name.