SCOTT #2967 MARILYN MONROE 32 CENT

Early on August 5, 1962, the world was shocked by the loss of a shining star, actress, and entertainer – Marilyn Monroe.  In her short life, she went from an unknown, albeit pretty, face working in a World War II airplane factory, to the world’s most famous blonde bombshell.

Since losing Marilyn, countries around the world have issued postage stamps in her honor.  Each stamp captures a different facet of Marilyn – all the beauty and personality that made her one of the most famous woman of the 20th century.

In 1995, the United States featured Marilyn on the first stamp in the popular Legends of Hollywood Series (#2967) – a fitting place for the legendary Marilyn Monroe.  The design is based on a 1950s painting of her.  Originally, the selvage was supposed to picture the

US #2967 1995 Marilyn Monroe Legends of Hollywood Series

famous scene from The Seven Year Itch where Marilyn’s dress is blown up by a subway grate, but Marilyn’s estate felt it didn’t do her image justice.  A larger version of the stamp design was used in the selvage instead.

 

SCOTT #3139 BENJAMIN FRANKLIN SOUVENIR SHEET

When the American Revolution began in 1775, Benjamin Franklin was the obvious choice to take over the country’s mail system.  That’s because he was previously the Colonies’ postmaster general for the Crown.  He was appointed as America’s first-ever postmaster general on July 26, 1775.  (We became the United States in 1776.)

As postmaster, Franklin was a dynamo – he standardized rates, surveyed mail routes, slashed delivery times between major cities by half, and more.  He even donated his $1,000 salary to relief for wounded Continental soldiers!  Franklin’s work in taking over the mail system was

US #3139 1997 Franklin Issue Honors 150 Years of U.S. Postage Stamps Faithful Reproduction of U.S. #1

rewarded in 1847 when he was pictured on the first official US postage stamp.  He’s been honored on countless stamps over the years – more than most former presidents…

 

UKRAINES WAR MESSAGE THROUGH STAMPS

On the first day of Russian’s invasion of Ukraine, the warship Moskva demanded the surrender of Ukranian soldiers on Snake Island.  Instead, they gave the middle finger to the Russian warship Moskva.  Their spunk inspired Ukraine and the rest of us.

Stamps have long been used for patriotic messaging.  Ukraine jumped on the opportunity and issued two stamps showing a soldier, standing on Snake Island, saying, “Russian warship, go f*** yourself.”  The stamps proved a brilliant move – they quickly sold out,

S Ukraine president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, holding the new Snake Island stamps.

captured loads of media attention, and raised $135,000 for Ukraine’s Army.  

 

SCOTT #740 YOSEMITE 1 CENT

 

As you know, President Franklin Roosevelt was a stamp collector.  During his administration, he took it upon himself to work with the Post Office Department to help create and approve new stamps. 

As FDR was reviewing suggestions for the 1934 schedule, Secretary of the Interior Harold Ickes saw an opportunity to advertise the National Parks System.  Ickes felt many Americans were unaware the federal government had set aside large amounts of land for their enjoyment and for future generations.  At his suggestion,

US #740 – First stamp in the National Park Set

1934 had been declared National Parks Year.  Ickes now proposed the legacy of the national parks be portrayed on postage stamps, which FDR approved immediately.  Ten parks were chosen and the first stamp was issued on July 16, 1934, honoring Yosemite National Park.

SCOTT #QE4 SPECIAL HANDLING 25 CENT

 

On April 11, 1925, the first Special Handling stamp was issued.  And today marks the end of Special Handling service after nearly a century.

Special Handling stamps gave parcel post packages first-class mail service.  The USPS Act of February 1925 provided for a 25¢ fee that allowed fourth-class mail to receive the same service as first-class.  US #QE4 was issued a few months later.

Three years later, 10¢, 15¢, and 20¢ denominations were issued to cover the revised rates in 1928.

US #QE4

First U.S. Special Handling Stamp

SCOTT #120 DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE 24 CENT

Today’s the day in 1776 when the Second Continental Congress of the United States officially ratified the Declaration of Independence.  The meeting was held in Independence Hall (then the Pennsylvania State House) and led to the printing and distribution of copies to the public. 

Without the Declaration of Independence, the United States may never have existed, and neither would our stamps.  So on this July 4th, don’t forget to pause for a moment during your celebrations and remember the most important reason we still honor this holiday.

US #120 Sought-After 1869 Declaration of Independence Pictorial

 

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

Un

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