History of the Postage Stamps of the United States of AmericaTiffany, John K. (John Kerr)
History
History of the Postage Stamps of the United States of America
Tiffany, John K. (John Kerr)
Postage stamps -- United States
However, in March, 1869, the greater part if not all the values were
printed and ready for issue, but were distributed to the public only as
the stock of the old issue was exhausted. About the end of April they
began to appear, and even in September only the 1, 2, 3 and 6 cents were
to be obtained in the larger post offices. Already the public demanded
that they should be replaced, and this was done in April, 1870. As late
as March, 1870, the 90 cents of the previous issue was on sale in some
of the offices.
This unfortunate issue was generally received with approval by the
Philatelic press. It is certainly well engraved, and forms an
interesting and handsome series for the most part, and is an adornment
to the collectors' album. But it is hardly so well suited to the
practical requirements of a postage stamp. It was announced that the
series was intended in some sort, to portray the history of the Post
Office in the United States, beginning with Franklin, the Continental
postmaster, and the post rider of the early days, followed by the
locomotive of a later day, and the Ocean Steamer carrying the mails
which had become so important a branch of the postal service, the most
important scenes in the early history of the country, its triumphant
arms, and Washington its first and Lincoln its last President. But
hardly had it been issued before its doom was sealed.
In August the New York Tribune says:
"The greater part of the stamps sold at the Post Office in this
city are worthless, and have not sufficient gum to make them
stick to letters. One can be amused, or become indignant, in
watching people who buy stamps, demanding a little mucilage from
the clerk, in order to fasten the stamp on their envelopes. It
appears that the invention of embossing which is continued in
this emission, while it spoils the stamps, does not increase
their adhesive properties as was pretended."
Other papers pronounced the stamp too small. The comic papers exhibited
caricatures in which the people were looking for their stamps in their
pocket books with powerful microscopes.
The Evening Telegram says:
"The new United States postage stamps have a very un-American
look."
The Evening Mail says:
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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