Stamp Series

On May 22, 1978, the USPS issued its first in a long series of Alphabet rate change stamps. These stamps were used with existing postage until new stamps were released to meet changing rates.

On May 18, 1981, the USPS issued the first stamp in the Transportation Series picturing the Surrey, a doorless four-wheeled carriage. The series would span 15 years and become the largest definitive series at the time.

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.

On March 14, 1997, the USPS issued two linerless coil stamps on a small scale to test the potentially money-saving format. Despite early positive reviews, the experiment was short-lived.

On March 10, 1995, the USPS issued the first stamps in two new definitive series – American Scenes and American Transportation. These stamps were created as part of the USPS process of converting its service-inscribed stamps for discounted bulk mail to non-denominational postage.

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!

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 20, 1960, the US Post Office Department issued the first stamp in the American Credo Series. The stamps feature quotes from notable Americans, honoring “the ideals upon which America was founded.”

Following heavy criticism, the US Post Office issued a new “clean shaven” George Washington stamp on November 17, 1967. The stamp replaced a Prominent Americans stamp issued in 1966.