On May 14, 1918, stamp collector William Robey discovered the world’s most famous stamp – the Inverted Jenny.
America’s
first airmail stamp (US #C3) was rushed. Engraving started May 4 and
the stamps were printed just three days before release. Because they
were bi-colored, the sheets were printed twice, starting with the red
frame. Then, the stamp sheets were set aside to dry and later printed
with the blue plate showing the airplane. A single sheet made its way
to the New York Avenue post office branch in Washington, DC.
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On May 14, 1918, 29-year-old Robey withdrew $30 from his bank account – a figure equal to more than $1,500 in today’s wages – to purchase a full sheet of the new stamps. When the unknowing clerk placed the sheet of inverted stamps on the counter, Robey said his “heart stood still.”
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