Scott #2869 & #2870 LEGENDS OF THE WEST 29 CENT

Correct Sheet US #2869 Pictures Bill Pickett – the correct person.   Error Sheet LEGENDS US #2870 Picturing the wrong person – Ben Pickett.

In January 1994, the USPS announced it was creating a set of 20 stamps titled “Legends of the West.”  One of the people to be featured was black rodeo star Bill Pickett.  Nobody expected this sheet to cause one of the biggest stamp stories in years… After the stamps were announced, a radio reporter phoned Frank Phillips Jr., great-grandson of Bill Pickett, and asked him about the stamp.  This was the first Phillips heard about the stamp, which was ironic.  For the last 14 years Phillips had written to the Citizens’ Stamp Advisory Committee suggesting that Bill Pickett should be honored on a stamp.  He was turned down every time.

Pleasantly surprised, Phillips went to his local post office, looked at the design and recognized it as Ben Pickett – Bill’s brother.  The stamp pictured the wrong man!  That was mistake #1. Phillips complained to the Postal Service, and Postmaster General Marvin Runyon issued an order to recall and destroy the error stamps.  But before the recall, 186 error sheets were sold by postal workers – before the official first day of issue.  This was mistake #2.  These error sheets were being resold for sums ranging from $3,000 to $15,000 each! Bill Pickett on the left (correct person), Ben Pickett on the right (printed on the error sheet.)

Weeks later, the USPS said 150,000 error sheets would be sold at face value by means of a mail-order lottery.  This unprecedented move was made with the permission of Phillips, Jr., so the Post Office could recover its printing cost and not lose money.  Sales were limited to one per household and the remaining stamps were destroyed.

 

SCOTT #C-18 BABY ZEPPELIN 50 CENT

On October 2, 1933, one of my favorite US stamps was issued in New York City – #C18.  Because its face value was much lower than the previous Zeppelin stamps (#C15-18), #C18 became known as “Baby Zepp.”

The Baby Zepp had a total of five First Days of Issue – one at each city the Graf Zeppelin stopped at from New York to Chicago.  Today, stamps have only one First Day of Issue, so this was quite unusual!  The stamp satisfied the 50¢

postage rate for mail traveling aboard the enormous airship.  It pictures the Zeppelin’s hangar in Germany on the right and the Federal Building at the Chicago World’s Fair on the left.

 

SCOTT #2155-58 HORSES 22 CENT

Today marks the start of National Stamp Collecting Month – an annual celebration that started October 1, 1981.

In 1985, the USPS issued its first stamps specifically for National Stamp Collecting Month, picturing different breeds of horses.  Since then, it has continued issuing stamps to celebrate National Stamp Collecting Month.  

US #2155-58

 

SCOTT #5702 NANCY REAGAN FOREVER STAMP

 

US #5702

Nancy Reagan

Issued: July 6

Commemorates the wife of our nation’s 40th president, Ronald Reagan.  She was an important part of one of the most critical presidencies of the 20th century.  The stamp’s artwork is based an official 1987 White House portrait by Aaron Shikler.  Stamp designed by Greg Breeding.

SCOTT #3168-72 MOVIE MONSTERS 32 CENT

 

One thing that couldn’t be beat when I was a kid was the rare treat of going to see a scary movie… the kind that raised the hair the back of your neck.  Who can forget sitting in the dark being scared to death by the bloodthirsty Dracula or the terrifying Mummy?  When I look at the Classic Movie Monsters stamps, I’m back there, reliving those thrills and chills.  Do you have the five most famous movie monsters of all time in your collection?    

US #3168-72

1991-95 WW II 50TH ANNIVERSARY SOUVENIR SHEETS

 

Five Stamp Sheetlets Bring WWII’s Story to Life
Historic U.S. Stamp Series Created Over Five Years…

US #2559/2981

1991-95 WWII 50th Anniversary Souvenir Sheets

SCOTT #R3 PROPRIETARY 1 CENT

 
In 1871, the government established two separate classes of stamps – Documentary and Proprietary, which made stamp production and accounting easier.  Documentary stamps, which paid the fees on a wide variety of documents, would continue using the R-numbers already established, while the new Proprietary stamps would be RB.  The first RB Proprietary stamps were issued September 2, 1871.  Get the full story here.

US #R3 Old Revenue Proprietary Stamp Issued 1862-71 From the first issue of Revenue stamps in 1862.

US #

SCOTT #CE1 AIRMAIL SPECIAL DELIVERY 16 CENT

On August 30, 1934, the US Post Office issued its first Airmail Special Delivery stamp.  Mail with this stamp would travel by plane to its designated post office, where a messenger would then deliver it immediately to the recipient.

President Franklin D. Roosevelt, who was an avid collector, designed the stamp himself!  Its first day of sale, 88 years ago, was at the convention of the American Air Mail Society in Chicago.  Two years later, the stamp was reprinted using two colors – carmine and blue.  Airmail special delivery stamps were only in use for a

US #CE1 1934 16¢ Airmail Special Delivery

brief time.  After 1936, the fees for special delivery service on airmail were to be paid by additional regular special delivery stamps.

 

SCOTT #C-6 DE HAVILLAND PLANE 24 CENT

 

US #C6

De Havilland Plane Airmail Issued August 21, 1923

The De Havilland plane on this stamp eventually replaced the Jenny in carrying the mail.  This stamp was issued to provide payment for night flights from New York all the way to the Pacific Coast

SCOTT #910 OVER RUN COUNTRY CZECHOSLOVAKIA 5 CENT

 

Did you know… a postage stamp is so powerful it can give a nation hope?

Did you know… a postage stamp is so persuasive it can rally people around a social or political cause?

Did you know… a postage stamp is so influential it can raise money to fight disease, domestic violence, and more?

US #910 from the Overrun Countries Series

The truth is, a little postage stamp can do all these things and lots more.  I was reminded of that today while browsing through the Encyclopedia of U.S. Stamps and Stamp Collecting.  It’s a great reference book for us collectors. 

In the section on mid-20th-century commemoratives, authors Rodney Juell and Steven Rod discuss “stamps with agendas.”  They give lots of examples.  I was able to add even more to the list from my years of collecting.  Starting with one of their choices (and my favorite) here’s just a small sample…

SCOTT #C45 WRIGHT BROTHERS 6 CENT

President Franklin Roosevelt declared the first National Aviation Day on Orville Wright’s 68th birthday.

As we all know, the Wright brothers invented the airplane.  Beginning in 1899, the Wright brothers began experimenting with gliders.  Their experiments led to their first heavier-than-air powered flight on December 17, 1903.  The event made such a global impact, many different countries honored it on stamps and coins.  The Wright brothers are two of the most famous figures in aviation history.

US #C45

1949 Wright Brothers Commemorativ

 

SCOTT 5409 WOODSTOCK FOREVER

Today marks 53 years since the ending of the most famous rock festival in history – Woodstock.  The USPS issued a Woodstock stamp commemorating the festival’s 50th anniversary.  The stamp’s design uses the same dove illustration found on the original Woodstock promotional flyers.  The festival was also honored in the popular Celebrate the Century Series in 1999.  

US #5409 2019 Woodstock 50th Anniversary Commemorative Stamp

US #5409 2019 Woodstock 50th Anniversary Fleetwood First Day Cover

 

PUERTO RICO OVERPRINTS

 

The Spanish-American War marked the emergence of the United States as a world power.  On December 10, 1898, Spain signed the Treaty of Paris granting Cuba its freedom and ceding Guam, Puerto Rico and the Philippines to the US.  After the signing of the treaty, the use of US money and postage was made official, and in 1899, overprinted US stamps replaced the provisional issues used previously.  These Puerto Rico Overprints carried the inscription “PORTO RICO.”  Later overprints were spelled “PUERTO RICO.”

US #PT210 1899 U.S. 1¢ PORTO RICO Overprint

US #PT211 1899 U.S. 2¢ PORTO RICO Overprint