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19th Century Unused US Stamps
About Unused 19th Century US Stamps
The first official US stamps were issued in 1847, depicting Benjamin Franklin and George Washington (5 and 10 cents). These were followed by 50 years worth of highly collectible 19th Century US Stamps, including an imperforated series in the 1850s, special Civil War stamps, bank note stamps, the first pictorial issues in 1869 (featuring images other than US leaders), and the first US commemorative stamps, issued in conjunction with the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago.
There was also a set of special re-printings in 1875, meant specifically for stamp collectors.
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Upcoming Events
- Shenandoah Valley Coin Club Coin & Stamp Show
Apr 9–11. Weyers Cave, VA. - Salina Coin Club's Coin & Stamp Show
Apr 16–17. Salina, KS. - CERAPEX 2010 Stamp Show
Apr 17–18. Cedar Rapids, IA.
Interviews & Articles
An Interview With U.S. Stamp Collector Bob Allen
Like many collectors, I collected when I was a child, and then I became interested again in the ‘90s. I think eBay … [more]
The New York Postmaster's Stamp of 1845
The first American postmaster to take his cue from Great Britain's "Penny Black" of 1840 and issue an adhesive post… [more]
An Interview With Postal History Collector Richard Frajola
I have a stamp collection, but I don’t consider myself a collector. I have a collection of my initials on stamps fr… [more]
An Interview with Stamp Collector John Hotchner on Philatelic Errors, Freaks and Oddities
My father was a stamp collector, and I just took to it. He was perfectly happy to mentor me, so I began collecting … [more]
An Interview with Smithsonian National Postal Museum Curator and Zeppelin Stamps Expert Cheryl Ganz
I’ve been a lifelong collector, even as a kid. There are just certain people for whom collecting seems to be part o… [more]
Best of the Web (“Hall of Fame”)
1847USA
Bob Allen's beautiful and well organized catalog of US stamps from 1847 to 1970 is a fantastic resource for all US … [read review or visit site]
PhilaMercury
Richard Frajola's incredibly rich database of over 11,000 U.S. and foreign 19th Century postal stamp covers. This s… [read review or visit site]
Post Office in Paradise
Post Office in Paradise showcases Hawaiian postal history from the years before Hawaii became a part of the United … [read review or visit site]
Alphabetilately
This creative website is essentially a giant glossary of stamp collecting, 'from advertising covers through Zeppeli… [read review or visit site]
The Stamp Collecting Round-up
Don Schilling's long-running, in-depth blog on stamp collecting and postal operations. Schilling stays up on all th… [read review or visit site]
National Postal Museum
If you're into postal history or collectibles, check out the Smithsonian's National Postal Museum. This extensive s… [read review or visit site]
Private Die Proprietary Stamps
Bob Hohertz's impressive database of U.S. Private Die Proprietary stamps from the Civil War and Spanish American Wa… [read review or visit site]
R. A. Siegel Auction Galleries
This auction house site offers an extensive online database of US stamp information. Includes PDF catalogs of past … [read review or visit site]
Got a site to suggest? Let us know.
Clubs & Associations: US Stamps
- American Philatelic Society
- American First Day Cover Society
- American Air Mail Society
- United States Stamp Society
- American Topical Association
- Wreck And Crash Mail Society
- Precancel Stamp Society
- American Plate Number Single Society
- U.S. Philatelic Classics Society
- National Duck Stamp Collectors Society
- TPO and Seapost Society
- Council of Northern California Philatelic Societies
- Errors, Freaks and Oddities Collectors Club
Other Great Reference Sites: US Stamps
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