TREATY OF VERSAILLES

 

On June 28, 1919, the Treaty of Versailles was signed, and World War I was officially over.  The end came five years after Archduke Franz Ferdinand’s assassination, which started it all.  Fighting had stopped on November 11, 1918, with the signing of the armistice, but it wasn’t until six months later that the peace treaty was finalized.

One of the most important parts of the treaty demanded that Germany (and the rest of the Central Powers) accept responsibility for all damage caused during the war.  This was later nicknamed the “War Guilt clause”

Allies & Germany signing the Treaty of Versailles in the Hall of Mirrors.  Click to enlarge.

and led to the disarming of Germany, giving up of territory, and payment of steep reparations.  Historians now attribute this clause as having been a driving factor in the rise of the Nazi party and the beginning of WWII.

SCOTT #1131 & 387 ST LAWRENCE SEA WAY 5 CENT

 

On June 26, 1959, the United States issued its first stamp created in collaboration with another country.  It was the 4¢ St. Lawrence Seaway stamp and was jointly issued by the US and Canada.  The US stamp’s First Day of Issue city was Massena, NY, while the Canadian stamp was issued in Ottawa…

US #1131 First U.S. Joint Issue with Canada 1959 4¢ St. Lawrence Seaway #

Canada #387

SCOTT #CZ2 CANAL ZONE 5 CENTAVOS

 

Building the Panama Canal is known as one of the greatest engineering feats of all time.  During the Canal’s 10-year construction, American workers needed to stay in touch with loved ones back home.  So a special postal service was established on June 24, 1904.  That’s also when the first canal zone stamps were released, which were overprints of Panama stamps.

Most Canal Zone stamps were created right in Washington, DC.  Overprinted Panama stamps came first and were used for less than a month.  On July 18, 1904, they were replaced by US postage stamps overprinted “CANAL ZONE.”

US #CZ2

1904 Canal Zone Overprint Stamp One of the First Issued

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SCOTT #909-21 OVERRUN COUNTRIES 5 CENT

 

I can’t think of a better example of stamps with a powerful message than the Overrun Countries Series.  The series began on June 22, 1943.  The stamps were created for international mail to encourage citizens of countries invaded by the Axis Powers during World War II…

US #909-21

1943-44 U.S. Overrun Countries Series, Complete Set of 13 Stamp Designs Approved by Franklin D. Roosevelt Himself

SCOTT #RG2 SILVER TAX

 

In 1934, during the Great Depression, President Roosevelt ordered the government to seize all silver, except silver coins, and put a 50% tax on the profits from selling silver.  Documentary stamps were quickly overprinted and pressed into service to satisfy the tax.  In 1941, a Silver Tax stamp series featuring secretaries of the Treasury was introduced.

This followed FDR’s 1933 executive order making it illegal for people to own more than 5 troy ounces of gold and to turn in their gold to the government.

US #RG2

SCOTT #5383 SALLY RIDE FOREVER STAMP

 

Sally Ride received instant fame once it was announced she’d be the first American woman to fly into space.  On June 18, 1983, she launched into space for the first time aboard the Space Shuttle Challenger.  In her career, she spent over 343 hours in space – more than two full weeks in total!

Long before Sally made her mark on space history, she discovered a passion for collecting space stamps.   In 2018, her life and legacy was commemorated on a US stamp. 

US #5383

2018 Sally Ride Commemorative

SCOTT #5430 EXPRESS MAIL STAMP $26.35

 

The first Express Mail stamp was issued on August 12, 1983, to coincide with the Challenger Space Shuttle’s eighth mission.  It was supposed to be issued on an earlier date, but the flight was delayed.  Since then, a new Express Mail stamp has been issued for every rate change.  And the stamps almost always set a new record for the highest face value US stamp.  .

US #5430 2020 Grand Island Ice Caves Express Mail Stamp

US #4269

2008 Hoover Dam
Express Mail Stamp

SCOTT #5654 U.S. FLAG FOREVER STAMP

 

On June 14, 1777, Continental Congress adopted the Stars and Stripes as the flag of the United States.  In 1949, President Harry S. Truman signed an act of Congress officially making June 14 National Flag Day.  This was after many years of campaigns to establish the holiday, dating back to the Civil War era! 

US #5654

SCOTT #3373-77 U.S. NAVY SUBMARINES

 

Since the first postmaster general was appointed in 1775, mail delivery methods have continued to change, thanks to war, economic turmoil, and breakthrough technologies.  Mail has traveled by stagecoach, the Pony Express, railroad, boats, airplanes – even hot air balloons and spaceships!  But… have you ever heard of missile mail?

The idea of using rockets or missiles to deliver the mail goes all the way back to 1810 in Germany.  The idea was actually put into practice decades later in Tonga, but proved to be unreliable.  The first rocket mail was launched in April of 1931 with 102 pieces of mail between Schöckl and St. Radegund, Austria.  That flight was successful and several others were staged through 1932.  The rocket mail craze spread to several other countries and was usually supported by stamp collectors.

US #3373-77 2000 U.S. Navy Submarines Block of 5

On June 8, 1959, the US Post Office Department launched its first missile mail from a submarine to the Naval Auxiliary Air Station in Mayport, Florida.  It traveled about 600 miles per hour, reaching its destination 100 miles away in 22 minutes!  

SCOTT #F-1 REGISTRATION STAMP 10 CENT

Scott #F1 was the only US Registration Stamp ever issued, released on December 1, 1911.  It’s often overlooked by collectors, and it’s one of the most beautifully designed Back-of-the-Book stamps!  It was issued to prepay registration fees and guaranteed exceptional treatment of a letter or package.

This stamp was valid toward the registration fee only, and could not be used as postage.  While intended to simplify the registration process, the stamp ended up confusing customers and postal clerks who mistook it for regular postage.  As a result, its printing was discontinued in 1913, while the remaining stock was still used.  

US #F1

1911 U.S. R

 

SCOTT #294A PAN-AMERICAN 1 CENT INVERT

The 1901 Pan-American Exposition celebrated the impressive progress America had made in engineering and industry.  It ran from May 1 through November 2.  Six stamps were issued in conjunction with the fair.  They were the first stamps of the twentieth century and the first bi-colored general release since the 1869 Pictorials.  A printing error caused a number of prized inverted stamps, including the 1¢ Pan-American stamp.  It pictures the steamer City of Alpena.  It was mistakenly inverted during its printing…

US #294a