Opening of CIPEX
On May 17, 1947, doors opened on the Centenary International Philatelic Exhibition in New York City. It celebrated the 100th anniversary of America’s first postage stamps with reproductions of America’s first two stamps.
Postal History
Happy Birthday William H. Seward
William Henry Seward was born on May 16, 1801 in Florida, New York. Seward served as Abraham Lincoln’s secretary of state during the Civil War and later acquired Alaska for the United States.
Garden Flower Series
On May 15, 1993, the USPS issued the first installment in the Garden Flower Series, which would honor flowers that bloom in each of the four seasons. The series was inspired by the popular Wildflowers 50-stamp se-tenant issued a year earlier.
America Issues First Airmail Stamp
On May 13, 1918, the United States issued its first airmail stamp – US #C3. It carried America’s first airmail two days later, and sparked one of the world’s most famous stamp rarities.
First International Postal Conference
On May 11, 1863, representatives from 15 nations met in Paris to discuss postal issues. That first International Postal Conference would eventually lead to the creation of the Universal Postal Union.
Centennial International Exhibition
On May 10, 1876, the first official World’s Fair in the United States was held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The fair also commemorated the 100th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
Philatelic Truck Begins its Journey
On May 9, 1939, the Philatelic Truck departed the White House on a cross-country journey to introduce thousands of Americans to the exciting world of stamps.
First U.S. Stamp Books
On April 18, 1900, the US Post Office issued its first stamp books. The books proved to be very popular with the general public and several post offices sold out of their supplies on the first day they were placed on sale.
Olympic Stamps Removed from Sale
On March 11, 1980, the USPS removed all the stamps it had issued for the upcoming Summer Olympics in Moscow from sale as part of an American boycott of the games. According the USPS, this was the first time they removed stamps from sale for political reasons since the Civil War.