paul1
Member 
Posts: 1,207
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Post by paul1 on Jun 28, 2024 15:07:06 GMT
Perhaps the Mods. can move if I'm in the wrong place - which wouldn't surprise me! thanks. I gave up with U.S. pictorial postage stamps some time back - too many for my brain to cope with - but kept all the 'heads' that came my way, and recently dug them out with a view to putting into an album. The usual sprinkling of miscellaneous pieces also emerged from the sorting, some of which - the, official, non-standard postage stamps for conveyancing, documentary, newspaper stamps, internal revenue and proprietary items I think I can cope with - their use is fairly self-explanatory, and a general run of these appears in the first snap. The other picture shows a single item which reads 'POST OFFICE DEPT. - OFFICIAL STAMP - 3 CENTS', and this is the only one I have like this - so, what was this used for - anyone know please, and what date approximately might this have been in use? - I take it not a Postage Due of some sort? P.S. I notice that some of these are rouletted rather than perforated properly.   |
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Admin
Administrator 
Posts: 2,662
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Post by Admin on Jun 28, 2024 17:11:32 GMT
Yours is an official stamp issued for use by the Post Office Department. Official stamps were authorized by Act of Congress in 1873, abolishing the franking privelege. Stamps for each of the Executive departments were issued in July 1873.
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paul1
Member
Posts: 1,207
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Post by paul1 on Jun 28, 2024 17:30:56 GMT
thanks Admin - so am I correct in thinking this one is for inter-departmental use - i.e. for use between postal departments, and not an item for public use - and does it date to c. 1870s possibly?
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Admin
Administrator
Posts: 2,662
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Post by Admin on Jun 29, 2024 12:23:25 GMT
paul1 , Usage was to pay postage for mailings to either public or private entities. The 1973 1873 issues were printed by the Continental Bank Note Company on thin hard paper. The 1879 issues were printed by the American Bank Note Company on soft porous paper. The expanded use of penalty franks, first authorized in 1877, reduced the need for these stamps and their use was abolished on July 5, 1884.
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paul1
Member
Posts: 1,207
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Post by paul1 on Jun 29, 2024 13:13:08 GMT
thanks Admin - very interesting. Assume you meant 1873 ? :-)
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tomiseksj
Moderator 
Woodbridge, Virginia, USA
Posts: 6,352 
What I collect: Worldwide stamps/covers, Cinderellas, Ohio Prepaid Sales Tax Receipts, U.S. WWII Ration ephemera
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Post by tomiseksj on Jun 29, 2024 21:52:28 GMT
Paul, You are correct re 1873. Admin often makes mistakes when he is in a hurry or distracted and he leaves me to clean up his mess. The post has been corrected. For your awareness, official stamps were reintroduced in 1983. The 4 cent stamp on this cover is from the 1983 series (Scott O128) and the 25 cent coil (Scott O141) from the 1985-1988 series.  |
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